The 402-hp Qiantu K50 promises exotic performance without the price tag.
You may not have heard of Qiantu Motor Ltd. for one very good reason. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of CH-Auto, a vehicle manufacturer based in Beijing, who have up until now only ever sold its products in China.
That is all about to change as Mullen Technologies, a Southern California based EV manufacturer, has just signed a cooperation agreement with Qiantu Motor to homologate and assemble cars in the US for sales in North America.
Mullen Tech CEO and Chairman David Michery stated, "Mullen is thrilled to embark on this journey together with Qiantu to bring sexy and exciting new options to North American consumers. The 100% electric Qiantu K50 meets exotic automobile criteria without the exotic price tag. I believe that we can grow clean transportation in North America by bringing highly desirable options to market. Mullen Technologies, with its technology, commercial teams and distribution systems in place is geared to accomplish exactly that."
This 'sexy' new Qiantu K50, which we saw up close at the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show definitely has the potential to upset the EV sports car market with its combination of accessible pricing (it is approximately the equivalent of $110,000 on the Chinese market) and competitive performance figures.
It may not trouble the upcoming Tesla Roadster on outright acceleration, 0-62 mph is completed in 4.6-seconds, but the 236-mile range from its 78 kWh battery pack is competitive enough. Mullen has not elaborated on the exact specifications for the US version of the K50 but the Chinese-spec model makes 429 horsepower and 501 lb-ft of torque from its two electric motors. We expect it will improve on those numbers to better compete with similarly priced internal combustion rivals like the upcoming Porsche 911.
To underline its luxury sports car status, the Qiantu K50 also comes fitted with a full complement of comfort and convenience features such as a 15.6-inch infotainment system and ventilated leather sports seats. Mullen will begin accepting a limited number of reservations in 2019 with deliveries slated for 2020.
Acura
Alfa Romeo
Aston Martin
Audi
Automobili Pininfarina
Bentley
BMW
Bollinger
BrightDrop
Bugatti
Buick
Cadillac
Caterham
Chevrolet
Chrysler
Dodge
Ferrari
Fiat
Fisker
Ford
Genesis
GMC
Gordon Murray Automotive
Hennessey
Honda
Hyundai
Ineos Automotive
Infiniti
Jaguar
Jeep
Karma
Kia
Koenigsegg
Lamborghini
Land Rover
Lexus
Lincoln
Lordstown
Lotus
Lucid Motors
Maserati
Mazda
McLaren
Mercedes-Benz
Mini
Mitsubishi
Nissan
Pagani
Polestar
Porsche
Ram
Rimac
Rivian
Rolls-Royce
Spyker
Subaru
Tesla
Toyota
VinFast
Volkswagen
Volvo
Join The Discussion