SAIC Motor Roewe RX5 History
The world's first mass-produced 'internet car' — a Roewe SUV co-developed with Alibaba, built around cloud connectivity and voice control.
Photo: “2017 Roewe RX5 (front)” by User 3204 / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
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Jointly developed by SAIC Motor and Alibaba Group, the Roewe RX5 was officially launched in Hangzhou on July 6, 2016, billed as the world's first mass-produced internet car. Equipped with Alibaba's YunOS for Car operating system, the RX5 offered cloud-connected navigation, voice control, and remote management via smartphone — a significant technical statement in China's smart-car race. The car sold at an average of one unit every two minutes in its opening month, driving a reported 205 percent surge in Roewe monthly sales.
The RX5 expanded into multiple variants: the larger RX5 Max arrived in 2019, followed by the RX5 Plus, and a third-generation RX5 and plug-in-hybrid eRX5 were launched in 2022. Across its generations the nameplate has been one of Roewe's best-selling models and is credited with normalizing embedded digital cockpits in China's mass market.
Generations
First generation · RX5 (original)
Photo: “2017 Roewe RX5 (front)” by User 3204 / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
The original Alibaba/YunOS 'internet car' compact SUV; launched July 2016 to massive demand.
2017 Photo: “2017 Roewe RX5 (front)” by User 3204 / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 4.0
Second generation · RX5 Max / RX5 Plus
Larger RX5 Max and performance-focused RX5 Plus variants, sold alongside each other.
2021 Photo: “Roewe RX5 Plus 20210227” by Evnerd / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Third generation · RX5 (2022)
Redesigned third-gen RX5 with new PHEV eRX5 variant; continuing in production.
2022 Photo: “2022 SAIC Roewe RX5 (front)” by User 3204 / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Body styles
- 4-door SUV
Notable special editions & performance variants
eRX5 (PHEV)
Plug-in hybrid version of the RX5 with an electric-only range; a key part of Roewe's new-energy lineup.
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