Hongqi to launch in Australia as HQ with three electric SUVs, led by flagship E-HS9

The announcement and what has been confirmed

Hongqi, the state-owned Chinese luxury brand owned by FAW Group, will be sold in Australia under the abbreviated name HQ, distributed by Sydney-based Greentech, which operates under the corporate name HQ ANZ. CarExpert reported the launch plans in August 2026, confirming the E-HS9 large electric SUV as the first model, with a stated ambition of 30,000 annual Australian sales through a national dealer network. Australia will be the first country where Hongqi vehicles are sold under the abbreviated HQ brand, CarExpert later reported. ²⁵⁴

In September 2026, the smaller EHS4 and EHS5 electric SUVs were confirmed as the second and third models. According to CarExpert, HQ Australia CEO and chairman Jim Wu confirmed the two smaller SUVs would follow within six months, with the EHS5 expected around April 2027, and a sedan similar in size to a Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW 5 Series or Audi A6 to follow the three SUVs, pointing to the EH7 electric sedan, although that model has not been confirmed by name. ¹³

Cars24 reported in August 2026 that the brand plans 13 new models over the next two and a bit years for Australia, and that at that stage a third launch model described as a smaller range-extender SUV had been flagged, before the current three-battery-electric line-up was settled. HQ has only formally named the E-HS9, EHS4 and EHS5. ⁵³

Timing: local unveiling, deliveries and rollout milestones

CarExpert's September 2026 report said the brand planned a local launch in November 2026, with the E-HS9 possibly shown at the Melbourne EV Show ahead of the official launch, where the Australian-specification EHS4 is also scheduled to be unveiled; cars24's September launch-timing table likewise lists the EHS4 unveiling in November 2026 with deliveries from January 2027. A later CarExpert report from the Everything Electric show in Sydney quoted Jim Wu saying he expected first deliveries to Australian customers in mid-January 2027, with the E-HS9 expected to be unveiled in Melbourne in October. These remain reported future dates, not evidence that deliveries have begun. ¹³⁴⁶

The company targets around 1000 sales per month once all three electric SUVs reach Australian showrooms by the middle of 2027, a target Wu told CarExpert he hoped to reach around June next year. An initial aim of 500 sales per month was reported by CarExpert at the August announcement, and the longer-term goal of 30,000 annual sales has remained consistent across coverage. For context, CarExpert noted Mercedes-Benz Cars sold 22,850 vehicles in Australia in 2025, BMW sold 26,842, Audi 16,014 and Lexus 14,561, with the earlier CarExpert report placing 30,000 annual sales around 14th overall on 2025 figures. ¹⁴²⁶

The confirmed models and overseas specifications

Australian pricing and final equipment specifications for all three SUVs have not yet been announced, and the figures below are overseas specifications quoted as reference. The flagship E-HS9 measures 5209mm long, 2010mm wide and 1713mm high on a 3110mm wheelbase and uses a 400V electrical system with a 160kW/300Nm front motor and 245kW/450Nm rear motor for all-wheel drive, a claimed 4.9-second 0-100km/h time, and a range-topping 120kWh battery for up to 515km of WLTP range; entry-level European versions use a 99kWh nickel manganese cobalt battery for 465km WLTP. Six-seat layouts with second-row captain's chairs or seven-seat bench layouts are available, with 22-inch wheels and air suspension depending on variant, plus leather upholstery, multiple 16.2-inch displays and an electric panoramic glass roof. ²¹³

The EHS4, a five-seat compact SUV measuring 4520mm long, 1873mm wide and 1647mm high on a 2750mm wheelbase, uses a 400V system with a single rear motor of 160kW/240Nm fed by a 67.1kWh lithium iron phosphate battery for up to 420km WLTP, DC fast-charging from 30 to 80 per cent in around 20 minutes, and 3.3kW vehicle-to-load capability. Its cabin includes 'bio-material' seat upholstery, a 14.6-inch central touchscreen, an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless phone charging, and 393 litres of boot space expanding to 1300L with the second row folded. It rides on 18-inch wheels with MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension. ¹³

The EHS5, at 4750mm long, 1900mm wide and 1640mm high on a 2900mm wheelbase, is offered overseas as a single-motor rear-wheel drive with 210kW/317Nm and 550km WLTP from an 85kWh LFP battery, or as an all-wheel drive with 412kW/623Nm, 522km WLTP and a claimed 4.0-second 0-100km/h time. It supports DC fast-charging at up to 265kW, replenishing 10 to 80 per cent in around 20 minutes. Overseas equipment includes an augmented-reality head-up display, acoustic glass, synthetic-leather upholstery and heated, ventilated and massaging front seats. ¹³

Pricing strategy, architecture and the LEAP 3.5 connection

Jim Wu told CarExpert the brand would price its vehicles below key German rivals, comparing the approach to Zeekr, which launched the 7X in Australia in late 2025 from $57,900 before on-road costs, $1000 below the Tesla Model Y's starting price at the time. He said HQ hopes to hold a brand position similar to Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi, and was quoted by CarExpert saying HQ will "take market share from Range Rover, that kind of level", while expecting to take less share from Mercedes-Benz. In Norway, where only the EHS5 all-wheel drive is offered, it is priced from 439,900kr (about A$65,700), below the Tesla Model Y Long Range rear-wheel drive at 477,500kr (about A$71,300); these are overseas prices, not Australian ones. ¹⁴

For the EHS4, CarExpert noted the only current overseas pricing reference is Nepal, where the model is already on sale: the entry-level version costs 59.99 lakh, about A$55,700 at the exchange rate when it launched, slightly more than the MG S5 EV at 55.99 lakh (about A$51,310) in that market. As with the Norwegian figures, this is an overseas price and does not indicate Australian pricing. ¹

CarExpert reported that the EHS4 will use Leapmotor's LEAP 3.5 modular architecture, which also underpins the Leapmotor B10 sold in Australia, under a technology-sharing arrangement between Hongqi and Leapmotor; Wu was previously a co-founder of Leapmotor, in which Stellantis is a stakeholder. HQ intends to sell only battery-electric vehicles in Australia, rather than the hybrid technology offered in its Chinese-market models, according to CarExpert. ⁴⁶

Dealer network, brand heritage and safety credentials

HQ plans 15 dealerships across Australia, five of which will be owned and operated by the brand as flagship locations in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, CarExpert reported. Wu told the publication the brand will focus on two areas of luxury, "smart" and "tech", with user-friendliness a core attribute, and said autonomous driving development would require the Australian government to work with the automotive industry. ⁴⁶

Hongqi traces its history to 1958 as China's first passenger vehicle brand under FAW, established in 1953 as a truck maker, and produced limousines for high-ranking Chinese officials for almost seven decades. CarExpert noted the brand still sells ultra-exclusive models such as the V8-powered Golden Sunflower Guoli, priced from ¥7.18 million (about A$1.50 million) in China, and that Hongqi design chief Giles Taylor, a former Rolls-Royce design director responsible for the Cullinan and latest Phantom, penned the E-HS9. Wu said HQ models will retain visible Chinese design influences rather than trying to disguise their origins. ¹⁴⁵

On safety, cars24 reported the EHS5 and E-HS9 have each received five-star ratings from Euro NCAP, which works with the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP); whether Australian ANCAP ratings will be sought has not been reported. HQ will enter an increasingly crowded Chinese premium segment, with Geely's Zeekr and BYD's Denza already operating in Australia and Changan's Avatr also planning a local launch. ³¹