We obtained a set of photos of GAC-Toyota iA5 from China MIIT, which is positioned in a compact sedan. According to the declaration information, GAC-Toyota iA5 will be equipped with a ternary lithium battery produced by the CATL and powered by a drive motor with maximum power of 180hp (135kW).
The front face is much similar to GAC Aion S
The design of the bar-style taillights is canceled on this car, a slender chrome strip connects on both left and right taillight, at first glance, it is similar to Toyota Corolla US-Spec (produced by GAC-Toyota in China).
In terms of body size, body size of GAC-Toyota iA5 are 4792×1880×1530mm which are almost the same as GAC AION S, it only changes in the length comparing to the length of 4768mm on Aion S.
The rear label of this car is embedded on “GAC-Toyota”, indicating it is a Toyota vehicle, but the badge is the GAC Trumpchi. However, if you look closely at this GAC-Toyota iA5, it is totally a rebadging and “facelift” GAC New Energy Aion S.
In terms of power, the new car is also equipped with Nidec’s electric motor. It is believed that range will be also equivalent to GAC New Energy Aion S.
GAC-FCA Foat Yuejie PHEV 
GAC-Toyota ix4 
GAC-Mitsubishi Qizhi PHEV 
GAC-Honda Shidai PHEV 
The prototype: GAC Trumpchi GS4
The rebadging tricks of GAC Group has been used on several vehicles such as the GAC-Honda SHIDAI PHEV (take a look: EVERUS VE-1 EV Is the Badge-Engineered Hongda VEZEL), GAC-Mitsubishi Qizhi PHEV (we have also reported the GAC Qizhi EV), GAC-FCA YUEJIE PHEV (GAC Group & FIAT CHRYSLER Automobiles), or the former GAC-Toyota ix4. All of these vehicles have the same prototype: GAC Trumpchi GS4. Look at the pictures below, I can’t even figure out who is the manufacturer if the brand name of rear trunk label is removed. Now, GAC-Toyota IA5, which was branded by GAC New Energy Aion S was born, this will be the first pure electric sedan from GAC-Toyota.
Who will buy these “badge engineered” vehicles? We noticed that all of these cars use the same badge of GAC Trumpchi, we think this it to maintain brand images of these joint venture brands as these rebadging vehicles are not really the ones from these international brands, the GAC or the joint venture don’t want to really sell these cars but just cater to the China’s new energy vehicle policy, anyway, this is not really a solution.
