The launch comes after Hyundai announced plans to build EV plants both at home and the US, where the Ioniq 5 and Kia's EV 6 SUV together became the second-best selling EVs

The Hengchi 5 has debuted in a flashy videotaped event, as president Liu Yongzhong said: "[We] are striving to become a globally recognised national automobile brand."

Silk-FAW, based in Jilin province, plans to develop and produce high-performance electric cars in China and Italy