BAIC's Brazilian game plan: three brands, ten models and a pair of Arcfox EVs to start

BAIC, the Beijing group founded in 1958 that now ranks as China's fifth-largest carmaker, is the newest Chinese name heading for Brazil. Its footprint there is not entirely new — its Foton commercial-vehicle arm already sells the Tuland pickup in the country, and the group holds a stake in Daimler. The Brazilian operation will run on three layers: BAIC-badged hybrid SUVs, electric models under Arcfox, and a luxury line called Stelato that only lands in 2028.

The opening act is a pair of Arcfox EVs. The T1 hatch measures 4.33 meters long with a 2.77-meter wheelbase — notably larger than the BYD Dolphin and Geely EX2 it targets — and pairs a 95 hp motor with a choice of two roughly 42 kWh batteries; its 435 km Chinese-cycle range should shrink to around 300 km under Brazil's PBEV test. The bigger T5 SUV, aimed at the BYD Yuan Plus, Geely EX5 and GAC Aion Y, offers 251 or 271 hp with 64.8–79.2 kWh packs, translating to 390–490 km on INMETRO's cycle.

The two BAIC models are hybrids. The B30 is a boxy, off-road-styled SUV close to the Jeep Commander in size, combining a 1.5 turbo with two electric motors for 409 hp, all-wheel drive through a two-speed DHT gearbox, and a claimed 6.9-second sprint to 100 km/h. The X55 midsize SUV comes either as a conventional 188 hp 1.5 turbo or as an extended-range version in which a naturally aspirated 1.5 generator feeds a 218 hp motor, for roughly 900 km of total range.

Altogether, BAIC intends to field ten models in Brazil by 2028: two SUVs and a pickup due in 2027, followed by two crossovers and three SUVs in 2028, with the remaining cars still under study.