A brand born in 1958 to build official cars for China's ruling party has now arrived on Australian roads, carrying a three-row electric SUV priced near $160,000 drive-away. Its name, Red Flag, sits uneasily beside its ambition to win over buyers who have never owned one of its vehicles. Whether a young market can accept a car with such an old and political lineage, and whether a handful of city dealerships can support the sales its distributor hopes for, will decide how this story ends.
Chinese Party Limousine Maker HongQi Launches in Australia With $160,000 Electric SUV
A brand built for party limousines now wants Australian driveways
Mark
Why does this launch stand out from other Chinese brands arriving in Australia?
Mimi
The history. HongQi was founded in 1958 to build official cars for the Communist Party leadership, and it carried Xi Jinping. That's a very different origin from a typical car brand.
Mark
And the car itself?
Mimi
The E-HS9 is a big three-row electric SUV at about $160,000 drive-away. Designed by Giles Taylor, formerly of Rolls-Royce. It's bigger than a Volvo EX90.
Luke
But it isn't new. It went on sale in China around 2020, and it still uses a 400-volt architecture limiting fast charging to 140kW.
Mimi
Right, the facelift and tech updates don't change that foundation.
Mark
What about the sales goals?
Mimi
Jim Wu wants 1,000 a month with three models, and hopes for 2,500 to 3,000 later. That would mean up to 36,000 a year.
Luke
Keep in mind that's a hope from the distributor, not a forecast. The figures for power, range and acceleration are also claimed by the company, not independently tested.
Mark
Does the dealer network matter?
Mimi
A lot. There are only 15 dealerships, all in major cities, and the free year of charging applies at those sites.
Luke
And how Australian buyers react to the party-limousine history is unknown. The report only says it may not sit well with many.
El Pulso
- A state-linked carmaker with a limousine past has landed in Australia, and buyers are being asked to trust a brand with no local track record.
- The E-HS9 arrives with a 400-volt architecture and 140kW fast charging, hinting that its roots reach back several years before its 2027 label.
- Distributor Greentech Smart EV is betting on 1,000 sales a month, while the network is limited to just 15 dealerships in major cities.
- Heavy warranty promises, including 10 years and one million kilometres on the battery, are the brand's main tool for winning hesitant buyers.
- Plans for five models and rivalry with BMW, Lexus and Land Rover suggest a bold push, with the first months likely to reveal whether demand follows.
A brand born in 1958 to build official cars for China's ruling party has now arrived on Australian roads, carrying a three-row electric SUV priced near $160,000 drive-away. Its name, Red Flag, sits uneasily beside its ambition to win over buyers who have never owned one of its vehicles. Whether a young market can accept a car with such an old and political lineage, and whether a handful of city dealerships can support the sales its distributor hopes for, will decide how this story ends.
A three-row electric SUV measuring 5209mm long has reached Australian roads, badged HongQi, a name that translates to Red Flag. The brand spent decades building official cars for China's Communist Party leadership, and its vehicles once carried senior officials, including President Xi Jinping. It was founded in 1958 under the state-owned FAW Group, paused production in 1981, and was revived in 1991. Last year it passed 460,000 sales in China for the first time.
Its Australian debut, the 2027 E-HS9, is priced at about $160,000 drive-away. Designed by former Rolls-Royce design chief Giles Taylor, it is larger than a Volvo EX90 and offers a tech-led interior. Two motors deliver a claimed 405kW and 606Nm, and a 120kWh battery promises up to 548km of WLTP range. Yet the model first went on sale in China around 2020, and its 400-volt architecture caps fast charging at 140kW, so the newness is more label than substance.
HongQi is relying on its warranty to reassure buyers, offering 10 years or one million kilometres on the battery and seven years on the rest of the vehicle, along with a year of free charging. The distributor, Greentech Smart EV, led by Jim Wu, targets 1,000 sales a month, hoping to reach 2,500 to 3,000 later. That would challenge established luxury names, but the brand has only 15 dealerships nationally, all in major cities. Future plans include five models and rivals such as BMW, Lexus and Land Rover, while its political history may give some buyers pause.
A three-row electric SUV measuring 5209mm long and 2010mm wide has arrived on Australian roads, wearing the badge of a brand that spent decades building cars for China's Communist Party leadership. HongQi, which translates to Red Flag, has officially launched in Australia with a model priced at about $160,000 drive-away.
The brand is new to local buyers but not young. HongQi was founded in 1958 under the state-owned FAW Group to build official vehicles for the party's leadership. For years the name was tied to chauffeur-driven limousines, and its cars carried President Xi Jinping and other senior officials. Production stopped in 1981, and the brand was revived in 1991. In 2025 it recorded more than 460,000 annual sales in China for the first time.
Its Australian debut is the 2027 E-HS9. The SUV was designed by Giles Taylor, a former Rolls-Royce design chief. It is larger than a Volvo EX90, and its tech-led interior is described as closer to that of the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV. Two electric motors produce a claimed 405kW and 606Nm, enough to move the 2.6-tonne vehicle from 0 to 100km/h in a claimed 5.5 seconds. A 120kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery gives HongQi's claimed range of up to 548km on the WLTP cycle. Adaptive air suspension with adjustable ride height and seven driving modes, including Range, Comfort, Sport and Off-Road, are part of the package.
The model is not as new as its 2027 label suggests. It first went on sale in China around 2020, and the power figures point to foundations that are several years old. Despite a facelift and some upgraded technology, it keeps a 400-volt electrical architecture, which caps DC fast charging at 140kW.
HongQi is leaning on its warranty to win over buyers. The first owner gets a 10-year, one-million-kilometre battery warranty, plus seven years of coverage for the rest of the vehicle. Buyers also get a year of free charging at HongQi dealerships. That perk comes with a limit: there are only 15 dealerships nationally, all in major cities.
The vehicles are distributed by Greentech Smart EV, whose managing director and chief executive, Jim Wu, has set a target of at least 1,000 sales a month once the first three SUV models are available. If the brand takes hold, he hopes to lift that to between 2,500 and 3,000 a month. He said he hopes the company can emerge quickly and build the numbers. At the top of that range, annual sales would reach as many as 36,000, which would put HongQi ahead of established luxury names such as BMW and Mercedes.
The longer-term plan is to grow the Australian range to five models, including a sedan and a possible ute. HongQi says it is aiming at BMW, Lexus and Land Rover. Those are large ambitions for a brand with no track record among Australian buyers, and its political history may not sit comfortably with many of them. What to watch is whether a network of 15 dealerships can carry a target of 1,000 sales a month.
Citas Notables
He hopes to reach 1,000 sales a month with three models, and to challenge 2,500 to 3,000 a month if more models arrive.— Jim Wu, managing director and CEO, Greentech Smart EV
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