Buying a new energy vehicle in Beijing in 2020. This article has got you covered!

On February 26th, it was an extraordinary day for many friends in Beijing, as the Beijing Municipal Traffic Management Bureau will issue 54,000 personal new energy vehicle quotas. For these 54,000 people, the day of owning a car is coming soon.

Therefore, recently, our interest groups of multiple brands have been particularly active among friends in Beijing. To this end, we have specially established the “42HOW-Beijing New Energy Vehicle Purchase Group”. The main focus of everyone’s questions in the group is mainly on two areas, one is about license plate policies, and the other is about car selection.

Today, we will address everyone’s questions from these two perspectives – license plates policies and car selection.

The car selection issues raised by everyone in our community mainly focus on two areas:

• How to choose between NIO ES6 and Tesla Model 3?

• What electric cars around 150,000 RMB are worth considering?

Since this area involves a wide range of models, it is impossible to introduce each car in detail. Here we will recommend several cars based on the needs of different users. Whether to choose these recommended cars or not, we suggest everyone to take a test drive first to make a decision.

Model 3 or ES6?

First of all, let’s talk about the most frequent question – how to choose between Model 3 and ES6?

Although these two cars are not of the same level, they are the two most frequently considered new energy cars in the price range above 300,000 RMB.

Regarding the endurance, the entry-level version of both cars has a little difference in endurance, with a range of 445 km and 420 km respectively. However, I suggest that friends who choose to buy Model 3 should choose the long-endurance version if possible. For ES6, since it is possible to change to a larger battery through battery swapping in the future, there is room for optimization even if the endurance is not enough at present.

In addition to this difference, there are also many other differences between these two cars, and everyone can choose according to their own needs.

Model 3 has a significant advantage in Autopilot assisted driving, but has certain inferiority in space and workmanship.

ES6 is a relatively balanced player, with relatively prominent advantages in workmanship, interior atmosphere, and service.

In summary, if you primarily use the car alone in most situations, pay attention to driving experience and enjoy the geeky technology, Model 3 is recommended. If you need to consider family usage as well, and have certain demands for texture, you can consider NIO ES6.

Are there any cars worth considering around 150,000 RMB?The most talked-about models within this price range include the following: XPeng G3, WM EX5, Geely Geometry A, GAC AionS, BYD Qin Pro EV, Buick Weilan, and Chevrolet Changchun.

These models can be divided into three categories: emerging auto startups, domestic brands, and joint ventures.

The advantages of the emerging auto startups lie in their relatively high level of intelligence. Within our community, XPeng G3 owner Zhang Zetao believes that he chose XPeng G3 because of its advanced driving assistance system.

He has driven his XPeng G3 for more than 10,000 kilometers since he purchased it in September, and even drove it from Beijing to Changsha during the holidays, which validated the G3’s cruising range of about 300 km on the highway in cold temperatures with warm air conditioning enabled.

Overall, he is quite satisfied with his XPeng G3, although there were some minor issues with the vehicle which he could accept, as he had certain expectations before buying an emerging auto startup.

Among the domestic brands, we have tested Geely Geometry A and GAC AionS, both of which left a good impression on us. Geometry A has a more technological feel, while AionS has a more luxurious feel. Geometry A has better handling, while AionS has a more comfortable suspension calibration.In terms of range, we have tested both models. The Geely Geometry A has a more realistic range, while the GAC New Energy Aion S is a bit exaggerated, especially on highways. For specifics, please refer to the results of our 42Test on the Geely Geometry A and Aion S.

We also conducted an interview with a GAC New Energy Aion S owner named Zhang. When asked about his driving experience, he replied, “The range is exaggerated, and the infotainment system is not user-friendly.” I thought he was very dissatisfied with the Aion S, but Zhang. later said, “I’m not very dissatisfied. If given the chance, I would still choose this car, as I am satisfied with the spacious interior, comfortable seats, appearance and interior design.“

Zhang. has access to free charging stations at his company and commutes less than 20 km each way, so range is not a big issue for him. Although he has a gasoline car at home, he always chooses to drive the electric car when the battery is not empty. He also successfully recommended a XPeng G3 to his cousin. As for why he did not choose the XPeng G3 himself, it is because he has a child and needs more space.

As for the BYD Qin Pro EV, we have not tested it ourselves, so we interviewed Mr. Wang, a Qin Pro EV owner in Beijing who is a member of our 42HOW community. He chose the BYD Qin Pro EV mainly because he values BYD’s in-house technology for batteries, electric motors, and power electronics, and also because its battery capacity is larger than that of the Aion S and Geely Geometry A in the same class.

From delivery in May to now, it has already covered nearly 13,000 km. Overall, I am quite satisfied, especially with the chassis and appearance, and it also drives much better than my previous Cruze. The only not-so-satisfactory aspect is the NVH of the entire car; there is noticeable tire noise after the speed exceeds 80. As for the range level, he also gave everyone a reference.

• It is easy to reach NEDC range (520 km) without air conditioning in spring and autumn;
• The range with cool air in summer is about 480 km;
• The discount in range in winter is about 60% to 70%, around 350 km.

Generally speaking, the above three domestic brands are still a reliable choice, and everyone can choose the suitable one according to their needs for range, space, and driving experience.

Finally, let’s talk about pure electric vehicles from joint venture brands.

There are still many users in the community who do not trust the new forces of carmaking but also have concerns about domestic brands, so the only choice is the models from joint venture brands.

As for the joint venture brands, the ones currently worth recommending are Buick Velite 6 and Chevrolet Menlo, which have different styles of exterior and interior, and everyone can choose according to their preferences.

Because these two vehicles are from General Motors, the parameters and configurations are also very similar. Although the price of the Menlo has not been announced yet, judging from the pricing strategy of Chevrolet and Buick, the Menlo will definitely be cheaper than the Velite 6, so if you care more about cost-effectiveness, I recommend you wait for the Menlo. Moreover, according to our understanding, there will be certain discounts for booking the Menlo in Beijing before the Lantern Festival.Regarding the range, although the NEDC range of 410 km does not match the 500+ km of other models in the same category, based on our actual test performance of Weilan, the range is very solid and can basically meet the daily needs of commuting within cities and between cities.

• Regarding brand, joint venture brands>domestic brands>new forces in the automotive industry;

• Regarding intelligence, joint venture brands\

• Regarding driving comfort, joint venture brands>domestic brands>new forces in the automotive industry.