BAIC brand Arcfox launches affordable compact electric car T1

BAIC brand Arcfox is launching the T1, a compact electric car, in China at prices starting at 62,800 yuan (equivalent to 7,500 euros). Even by Chinese standards, this is very affordable. Arcfox is actually an electric car brand from Chinese manufacturer BAIC that targets the mid- to high-end market segment.

With the 4.34-metre-long T1, Arcfox is now undoubtedly targeting as broad a customer base as possible. The electric compact car was unveiled at the Shanghai Auto Show 2025 in April and has been rolling off the production line at BAIC since the beginning of August. With prices ranging from 62,800 to 87,800 yuan (equivalent to around 7,500 to 10,500 euros), Arcfox is deliberately positioning the model in the lower price segment in order to compete in China against rivals such as the BYD Dolphin, among others. Chinese media comment that Arcfox hopes the T1 will help it ‘regain its importance in the Chinese market’.

The T1 is available on the market with two engine and battery options and in a total of five variants. The front-wheel drive delivers either 70 or 95 kW, while the LFP battery offers 33.4 or 42.3 kWh for ranges of up to 320 or 425 kilometres according to the Chinese test cycle. CALB is named as the battery supplier. The dimensions of the newcomer are given as 4.34 x 1.86 x 1.57 metres. The wheelbase is 2.77 metres.

Visually, the model is a compact car with proportions typical for this class. Striking features include the soft contours, the black contrasting roof (including A, B and C pillars), 18-inch wheels and a hatchback with a subtle spoiler at the rear. The interior is dominated by an 8.8-inch instrument cluster and a 15.6-inch central screen.

The T1 is an important model for Arcfox and BAIC, with which the manufacturer aims to catch up with the competition. Arcfox was founded in 2016 and has long focused on the mid- to high-end market segments. Since 2020, this has also applied to electric cars, which were added to the Arcfox range at that time. In 2024, the Arcfox brand introduced the Alpha S5 electric sedan, which is three times as expensive as the T1 at the entry-level price.

BAIC has now apparently forced ArcFox to change its strategy. Its subsidiary BJEV plays a major role in this, marketing cars under three brands: Arcfox, Beijing and Stelato (Stelato being a collaboration between BAIC BluePark and Huawei). BJEV was one of the electric car pioneers in China and, after its launch in 2013, was also the market leader there for a while. However, BJEV has long since been overtaken by BYD, Geely and others, which led to a massive reduction in BJEV’s production capacity in 2024: instead of the previous 320,000 electric cars, BJEV can now only produce 120,000 units per year under the new setup.

carnewschina.com, cnevpost.com, arcfox.com.cn

This article was first published by Cora Werwitzke for electrive’s German edition.