Forthing, a new EV brand backed by Chinese automotive giant Dongfeng, has announced pricing and specs of its first model in the Australia, the Taikon 5 electric SUV.
The vehicle is available in both BEV and range-extender hybrid powertrains, and will start with a price tag of $38,990 for the BEV Luxury variant, with the top-spec BEV Exclusive jumping up to $42,490 before on-road costs.
The first batch of the Forthing Taikon 5 will arrive at dealerships later in June and will be imported by Ateco Group, who already distribute multiple brands in Australia, including LDV and Renault.
The BEV variant will be powered by a 150 kW front-mounted motor, producing 150 kW and 340 Nm of torque. This powertrain will help deliver 427 km of WLTP range from a 64 kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery pack.
Charging this battery can be done from 30-80% in around 30 minutes with peak charging speeds of up to 80 kW.
V2L (vehicle-to-load) is also on offer with 3.5 kW of output available to plug in external devices.
The Taikon 5 is 4.6 metre long, putting it around the same length as the very popular Geely EX5.
The BEV models will also come with a space-saver spare tyre and wheel jack kit, helping those looking for a spare wheel for road trips.
A 7-years/200,000 km warranty will be offered with servicing intervals set at 12 months/20,000 km for the BEV models.
Expressions of interest page on the new Forthing Australia website, providing interested customers a place to register for updates to this model.
According to Ateco, there are now dealerships across every Australian state, helping the brand get a solid chance at establishing itself across the country.
We look forward to getting behind the wheel of the new model to see how it compares to other affordable EVs on our market, such as the popular Jaecoo J5 and Geely EX5.
MY26 Forthing Taikon 5 Luxury standard equipment includes:
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Lane departure warning
- Lane keep assist
- Front and rear collision warning
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Blind zone warning
- Door exit warning
- Adaptive cruise control
- Traffic sign recognition
- Six airbags (front, side and ‘curtain’)
- Bi-LED headlights
- Rear parking sensors
- Tyre pressure monitors
- Height and reach adjustable steering wheel
- Illuminated steering wheel controls
- Four one-touch auto-up and auto-down power windows
- FM/AM and digital radio
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- 14.6-inch infotainment screen
- 8.8-inch driver information display
- 10-way electric adjustment for the driver seat
- Ventilation and massage functions for the driver seat
- 4-way electric adjustment for front passenger seat
- Electric park brake
- Crystal-style gear selector
- Remote central locking
- Rear-view camera
- Dusk-sensing ‘automatic’ headlights
- Scrolling rear indicators
- Rear window wiper
- Heated side mirrors
- Imitation leather upholstery
MY26 Forthing Taikon 5 Exclusive adds as standard:
- Power tailgate
- Front parking sensors
- Rear privacy glass
- Power folding side mirrors
- Wireless phone charger
- Leather steering wheel
- 360-degree ‘panorama’ view camera
- Panoramic glass sunroof above both rows of seats
- Sunroof opens above front seats
- Six-speaker audio (instead of four)
MY26 Forthing Taikon 5 BEV technical information:
Propulsion: Permanent magnet synchronous electric motor
Output: 150kW/340Nm
Driven wheels: Front
Driving range (WLTP): Up to 427km
Battery type: Lithium-ion phosphate
Battery capacity: 64kWh
Vehicle-to-load (V2L) capacity: 3.5kW
DC peak charging capacity: 80kW
DC fast-charging time (30 per cent to 80 per cent): Approximately 30 minutes
Steering: Electric power steering
Park brake: Electric, with hill-hold assist
Wheels: 19-inch alloys
Tyres: 235/55/R19
Spare tyre: Space saver (Exclusive only)
Vehicle length: 4600mm
Vehicle height: 1680mm
Vehicle width (body only): 1860mm
Wheelbase: 2715mm
Kerb weight: 1920kg
See The Driven’s detailed EV sales data here: Australian electric vehicle sales by month in 2026; by model and by brand.
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