This 462 PS electric coupe is perfectly balanced 50:50 front-rear, with Porsche-level motors

If you were asked to name a two-door coupe that has a perfectly balanced 50:50 front:rear weight distribution, sporty looking frameless doors, with greater torsional rigidity than a Porsche 718, and suspension that allows it to chase a BMW 4 Series through a slalom course, what would be your answer?

Hozon Auto is not a name many are familiar with. The manufacturer of Neta branded cars want to change that, fast.

Yes, Neta is not a name that Malaysians would want to mention alongside Tesla or BYD, but the entry Neta V that’s currently on sale in Malaysia is not the best representation of what Neta can do and will be doing next.

If the Neta V is the first step for Neta’s battery electric vehicles (BEVs), this Neta GT represents its second leap forward. The Neta GT is the world's only two-door coupe of its kind.

Despite all the performance advantages of instantaneous torque delivery electric drivetrains, there is no electric equivalent to a Mercedes-AMG GT or BMW M4. The closest one we have is the BMW i4 Gran Coupe, and with two extra doors spoiling its side profile, it doesn’t count.

The reason for the dearth of coupes, regardless of drivetrain type, is quite simple, it’s hard to make money on two-door coupes. Which is why we should all applaud Neta for making the jump.

Measuring 4,715 mm long and 1,979 mm wide, the Neta GT is not a small car. Despite the impression from the photos, it’s longer and wider than both the Porsche 911 and Mercedes-AMG GT.

With a very long 2,770 mm wheelbase and the lack of mechanical components underneath, the 2-door Neta GT promises to be a more spacious 4-seater than any other high-end combustion engine 2-door equivalent.

The Neta GT is available with either a single rear motor (rear wheel drive) or dual motors (all-wheel drive). The rear motor variants are paired to one of two battery options – 64 kWh (560 km, CLTC) or 74 kWh (660 km, CLTC).

The highest specifications all-wheel drive variant is fitted with a 78 kWh battery, offering a claimed driving range of 580 km (CLTC). This variant makes 462 PS / 620 Nm and can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in a supercar-like 3.7 seconds.

The electric motors utilize hairpin winding stator coils – the same technology used in the Porsche Taycan’s motors. The benefit? More power, better cooling, from the same compact packaging.

The Neta GT is also claimed to have a near-perfect 50:50 front:rear weight distribution, for optimal balance. The Porsche Taycan, Neta says, is at 49:51.

It has a superstrong chassis, with torsional rigidity rated at 34,000 Nm/degree. The Porsche 718, Neta claims, is at 19,000 Nm/degree, the Mercedes-AMG GT at 27,000 Nm/degree.

In just three years, Neta went from making one of the cheapest BEVs on the market, to maker of sports car whose technical attributes are on-par with the best of Germany’s.

But none of this can guarantee success in the hypercompetitive Chinese electric car market, where consumers expect their cars to work like their smartphones.

So the Neta GT packs a whole load of tech – a 2.5K resolution 17.6-inch infotainment screen; cinema-style 12-speaker 4D sound system that syncs music beats with seat vibration and 63-colour combination LED ambient lighting; a police car-style external speaker with in-car mic, that also plays background music while camping; full suite of advanced driving assistance and parking assistance functions.

As a two-door coupe, Hozon Auto doesn’t expect to sell the Neta GT in large numbers. That’s not the car’s objective. The role of the Neta GT is to get customers walking into a Neta showroom, be wowed by the Neta GT, and then placing a booking for the more practical Neta S.

If the name is not obvious enough, the Neta S is an equivalent to the Tesla Model S. The Neta S packs most of the technology offered in the Neta GT, and then some. For example, it has better comfort-oriented features like airplane seats-style headrests with neck support, 21-speaker sound system, and more importantly – a combustion engine.

The Neta S can be had either as a fully electric BEV with up to 715 km of driving range (CLTC), or an EREV with a 1.5-litre range extender petrol engine that only fires up to charge the battery. The latter is useful in times when a public charging facility is not available. With the 43 kWh battery fully charged up and a full tank of petrol, the EREV variant can go up to 1,160 km, making it the perfect road trip vehicle.

Presently, Neta only sells the RM 99,800 Neta V. A cheaper, locally assembled variant will be launched next year, but you can be certain that Neta won’t stop at just the V.

This post is sponsored by Intro Synergy Sdn. Bhd., the sole distributor in Malaysia appointed by Hozon New Energy Automobile Co. Ltd.