Is China saving the wagon? The Neta SS electric wagon looks like it could make waves overseas, but what about Australia?

While wagons lose market traction here in Australia and plenty of other markets around the world, Europe and parts of China seem to remain a bastion for the long-roof, and this incoming electric car from a (relatively) little-known brand is a new example.

The Neta SS, from a brand with no presence in Australia - at least for now, is set to arrive in China in the near future if its imminent debut at the Beijing Auto Show in April is anything to go by.

But expectations of the model becoming an international focus rather than a domestically popular model in China are a headline, with the brand’s CEO pointing to expansion into Europe.

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CarNewsChina reports the brand is setting its sight on the EU, with its parent company Hozon Auto’s CEO Zhang Yong having told Chinese media he believes there’s a strong chance for the Neta brand to be competitive in Europe.

"We will start selling in Europe in the first quarter of next year. I expect the local market to give us some surprises. I think we have a chance in the European market with the competitiveness of our products," Zhang told China Daily in 2023.

According to CarNewsChina, the Neta SS wagon is based on the same platform and underpinnings as the Neta S sedan, and will likely use the same mechanicals.

The Neta SS, from a brand with no presence in Australia - at least for now, is set to arrive in China in the near future.

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The wagon should arrive with similar dimensions to the sedan, being 4980mm long, 1980mm wide, and 1450mm tall with a 2980mm wheelbase. (Image: new.qq.com)

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For reference, the top-spec variant boasts a 340kW powertrain that allows the sedan a 650km claimed range - though likely tested under the relatively lenient CLTC standard.

The wagon should also arrive with similar dimensions to the sedan, being 4980mm long, 1980mm wide, and 1450mm tall with a 2980mm wheelbase.

CarNewsChina says the brand is targeting a figure of 100,000 international sales in 2024, having sold 127,496 EVs in 2023 including its home market.