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The new production version of the NIO ES8 officially launched
This time, the new ES8 has been equipped with a 160 kW permanent magnet synchronous motor in the front and a 240 kW AC asynchronous motor in the back. The acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h has changed from 4.4 seconds to 4.9 seconds. It still uses a 70 kWh battery and the NEDC range has been improved from 355 km to 415 km. The exterior changes are not significant, only some minor adjustments.
In terms of interior design, the overall texture has been slightly improved compared to the old version. The ceiling is made of ultra-suede, and ambient fragrance has been added. The size of the central control screen has been upgraded to 11.3 inches, and the dashboard size has also been increased to 9.8 inches.
Quick review:
Although the changes to the appearance of the new NIO ES8 may not be discernible, it has made significant progress in terms of visible interior design.
The new ES8 uses the same design language as the ES6, but the quality can be clearly felt in the material details. In addition, the LCD instrument panel and other dimensions are larger than those of the ES6. The steering wheel has also changed to a two-spoke design, and the Queen’s seat of the front passenger has also been improved in detail.
After more clearly defining its positioning, the new ES8 tends to have more comfortable suspension. In terms of power, the official data indicates that it has slightly slower acceleration, but it is still fast for such a large SUV. In addition, with the installation of iBooster 2 brake system, the brake feel is also better. What people are more looking forward to is how much the real range of the car can increase after installing the 100kWh battery.
The IDEAL ONE will undergo hardware upgrades
Recently, Li Xiang announced IDEAL Motors’ recent improvement plan during a live event, summing up a few points:
- In the future, IDEAL ONE can not only be upgraded by software OTA, but also some hardware can be upgraded at a cost.- Official will launch fixed pedals in the third quarter, and does not recommend installing electric pedals due to safety concerns.
- Polestar will provide free replacement of rear suspension for vehicles produced before April to improve comfort, handling and reduce noise.
- An OTA software upgrade will be released on April 28th.
- The Polestar ONE model will not have the HUD (head-up display) function.
Comment:
Mr. Li’s spoilers have brought many good news to both new and old car owners. In the process of continuously optimizing vehicles, the first batch of old car owners were not neglected. In addition, to give the market a peace of mind, it was mentioned during the live broadcast that Polestar will not release new models within 3 years and will continuously upgrade the Polestar ONE. This also means that for the past three years, Polestar has only had this one model, so they must make it better in order to survive.
Amid the epidemic, the Polestar ONE had 1,475 insurance coverage in March and delivered approximately 4,500 as of April 9th. For start-up car manufacturers like Polestar, only selling more cars can keep them alive. This time, Mr. Li personally joined the live broadcast promotion, and there will be more experience stores opening offline. Will you look forward to this car manufacturer in 2020?
Tesla FSD 3-year interest-free policy
Last week, Tesla announced a promotional offer for all “delivered vehicle owners”: purchasing the “full self-driving capability” (FSD) can enjoy “3-year, 36-period interest-free policy”.
The official price for FSD is 56,000 yuan, and car owners can choose zero down payment and direct installments. The official minimum monthly payment of 773 yuan is the price for Model S/X upgrading from EAP to FSD.
Comment:
Last week, Tesla also entered Tmall, opening the world’s first “Tesla official flagship store”. On the online store, you can make test drive reservations and purchase related accessories, but car sales are not yet available.
Someone calculated that 56,000 yuan interest-free for three years can save more than 2,000 yuan in interest. Will you take advantage of the interest-free policy and purchase Tesla’s FSD function?
Renault introduces new strategy in ChinaOn April 14th, Renault Group announced that it will transfer its 50% stake in Dongfeng Renault Automotive Co., Ltd. to Dongfeng Motor Corporation. Dongfeng Renault Automotive Co., Ltd. will cease to carry out business activities related to the Renault brand.
Renault Group in China will focus on the “light commercial vehicle” and “electric vehicle” fields. The light commercial vehicle business will be conducted through the joint venture Huachen Renault Jinbei Automotive Co., Ltd., and the electric vehicle business will be conducted through two other joint ventures, namely EGT New Energy Automotive Co., Ltd. and Jiangling Motors New Energy Automotive Co., Ltd.
Commentary:
Renault owners in China need not worry, Renault will continue to provide after-sales services for 300,000 Renault owners through its existing dealer network and the Dongfeng Nissan dealer network. After Dongfeng takes over Dongfeng Renault, the original factory will be upgraded and transformed into the Dongfeng Intelligent Manufacturing Base.
In recent years, Renault’s sales in the Chinese gasoline car market have indeed been poor, which indicates that Renault is also preparing to completely withdraw from the Chinese passenger car fuel car market. Since Renault’s first electric car e-NUO was launched in China last year, more than 3,000 units have been sold, so are you looking forward to Renault’s next electric car model?
Polestar 2 appears in the MIIT Catalogue
Recently, Polestar 2 appeared in the MIIT catalogue. This car is positioned as a mid-size luxury electric sedan. The dimensions are 460618591482 mm in length, width, and height, with a wheelbase of 2735 mm and a curb weight of 2132 kg. It uses a Ningde Era 72 kWh lithium-ion battery with a NEDC range of 500 km, and is expected to start delivery in mid-2020.
The Polestar 2 adopts two 150 kW electric motors with a total maximum output power of 300 kW, bringing the Polestar 2 408 horsepower and peak torque output of 660 Nm, with an acceleration from 0-100km/h in less than 5 seconds.
Commentary: Previously, the starting price of the Polestar 2 was announced as 298,000 yuan, which is remarkably close to the Tesla Model 3. Additionally, from the body dimensions, the two models are also quite similar, with the Polestar 2 being slightly smaller. Hence, the Polestar 2 will compete directly with the Model 3.However, the weight of Polestar 2 is not light, with a car length of 4.6 meters and a battery of 72 kWh, and a curb weight of 2132 kg…
In comparison, the domestically produced Model 3 rear-wheel-drive long-endurance version has a battery capacity of 77 kWh, but a curb weight of only 1745 kg.
The Leapmotor S01 460 version is officially launched
On April 15th, the Leapmotor S01 460 version was officially launched in Hangzhou, with a price range of 129,900-149,900 yuan. Two new body colors, Morning Light Yellow and Night Blue, are added, and the NEDC cruising range is 451 km.
On the day of its launch, the official announced that users who purchase the S01 460 version could enjoy three favorable policies, namely, a lifetime free road rescue, a lifetime free traffic flow enjoyment, and a dedicated charging pile free installation.
Quick comment:
The Leapmotor S01 delivered around 1,000 units last year. Perhaps because of poor sales, the new model simply dropped below 150,000 yuan, further weakening its capabilities. However, the Coupe model is a niche market whether it is fueled or pure electric, and it is difficult to achieve excellent performance in this market.
What is worth mentioning is that the Leapmotor S01 is the only model of the same level that has a complete vehicle OTA. Leapmotor said it can unlock more functions in the future, such as OTA opening up ACC adaptive cruise, LKA lane keeping, LSF low speed follow and other assisted driving functions. Leapmotor’s parent company, Dahua, is a listed company that provides monitoring products and solutions. Although the L2-level assisted driving function has not yet been launched, Leapmotor has always insisted on self-researching with the resources within the team. It is still quite exciting to see what level this assisted driving function can achieve.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.