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BYD Han Released Presale Prices
On May 19th, BYD Han’s presale prices were announced. The pure electric models are divided into three versions. All the pure electric models are equipped with a 77 kWh “blade battery” with an energy density of 140 Wh/kg. Among them, the 605 km range model under NEDC test procedure includes the ultra-long range luxury version and the ultra-long range premium version, with presale prices of 240,000 and 260,000 respectively. Both of these two cars are equipped with a single motor of 163 kW, with a zero to one hundred acceleration of 7.9 seconds. The extra two thousand yuan is mainly reflected in the luxury of the interior and some auxiliary driving functions.
The flagship four-wheel drive high-performance version is equipped with a dual motor of 163 kW and 200 kW front and rear, with a NEDC range of 550 km and zero to one hundred acceleration of 3.9 seconds. It is worth mentioning that this model also uses a silicon carbide motor control module to meet high performance requirements, and has a presale price of 280,000.
Quick Review:
BYD Han’s presale prices are all within 300,000 yuan, which means that the “Han” flagship models can all enjoy new energy subsidies. From the current data and configurations, this is really a conscience price.
Both BYD Han and XPeng P7 have many similarities in terms of vehicle body size, range, and price. To be honest, we are still looking forward to XPeng’s XP3.0 and BYD’s DiPilot automatic auxiliary driving. So, which one would you choose between BYD Han and XPeng P7?
The Background Behind IDEAL ONE’s Top Sales
According to the sales data published by China Automotive Information Net (CAIN), the IDEAL ONE sold 2,793 vehicles in April, and after being classified as a “plug-in hybrid” category, its cumulative sales from January to April have surpassed BMW 5 Series PHEV and become the first.
In addition, according to IDEAL’s official statement, “In terms of sales of luxury mid-to-large SUVs in China in April, the IDEAL ONE ranked fifth behind the Lexus RX, BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE and Porsche Cayenne. In a satisfaction survey of customers who have taken delivery of the car, over 98% said they were satisfied with the vehicle and would recommend the IDEAL ONE to their friends.”
Quick Comment:
According to data compiled by Garage 42, the sales of IDEAL ONE in cities with and without license plate restrictions are almost equivalent, and even higher in cities without license plate restrictions, which is something that even Model 3 has not achieved. This also means that IDEAL ONE has actually taken away a part of the market for gasoline cars. In fact, IDEAL also revealed during a media communication meeting on April 30 that the sales of IDEAL ONE in some cities exceeded that of the Highlander.
As IDEAL officially categorizes the IDEAL ONE as a “Plug-in Hybrid” model, the atmosphere of seizing the market of gasoline cars is becoming more and more intense. We are looking forward to seeing if the IDEAL ONE can still stand out in the market after consuming its orders and after the subsidy reduction in July.
China-made Model 3 long-range rear-wheel drive version officially delivered
On May 20th, China-made Model 3 long-range rear-wheel drive version was officially delivered. According to the body label, the total capacity of the LG battery used in the China-made Model 3 long-range rear-wheel drive version is 76.79 kWh, while the imported version used the Panasonic battery with a total capacity of 81 kWh.
On the previous day, Musk tweeted that “The price of Tesla’s optional FSD will increase by about $1,000 worldwide on July 1.” Currently, the FSD option in the US is priced at $7,000, and in China it is priced at RMB 56,000.
Quick Comment:From the financial data, it can be seen that the domestically-produced version of the same RWD long-range model has a battery capacity about 4.2 kWh less than the imported version. However, the NEDC range is 668 km, which is even 4 km more than the imported version. This is somewhat unreasonable. Students who have already mentioned the domestically-produced long-range models can compare and run with the imported versions.
(Image source: Autohome forum)
As for the FSD price increase, after July 1st, choosing FSD in China may cost 64,000 yuan. Musk’s action is truly a creative way to generate revenue and to encourage new and old car owners to consume FSD. However, the price increase is expected to make improvements in the FSD function.
BAIC will launch plug-in hybrid model
The 333rd batch of “List of Companies and Products of Road Motor Vehicles Manufacturing Enterprises” issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology indicates that BAIC will launch a plug-in hybrid model: X7 PHEV. From the picture, it can be seen that the exterior design language of X7 will become more delicate. It is said that the car will be equipped with Level 2 assisted driving.
Previously, BAIC focused on pure electric models. The X7 PHEV is its first plug-in hybrid model. So far, only gasoline vehicle quotas can be used in Beijing to buy plug-in hybrid models, while new energy quotas can only be used to buy pure electric models.
Brief comment:
Currently, in Beijing, plug-in hybrid models, including models such as the IDEAL ONE, require the use of gasoline vehicle quotas to be registered. With the launch of the BAIC X7 PHEV, it is not known whether the Beijing government will adjust the registration policy for plug-in hybrid models to promote its sales.
New Baojun E300 starts pre-sale
On May 21st, the New Baojun E300 began pre-orders. The New Baojun E300 provides three different seat layouts for 2/3/4 seats. Among them, the 4-seat model is named E300 Plus because it has a larger wheelbase, and the length of the body is about 275 mm longer than the E300. The new car is expected to be officially launched in June this year.
(Image source: Internet)
The new Baojun E300 is equipped with a 30 kWh battery, and the E300 Plus has a 31.9 kWh battery. Both cars have a NEDC range of 305 km.
The new car is not equipped with a central display screen, only a LCD instrument panel at the main driving position. The E300 Plus model will also be equipped with a Level 2 autonomous driving assist system, and is the first new energy vehicle in the industry that can control the ADAS intelligent driving system through voice commands.
Brief Comment:
As the market for small and micro pure electric vehicles becomes increasingly lively, the Baojun E300 not only has a high turning rate due to its appearance, but also has a flexible space layout for the 3-seater model, which is attractive.
In addition, the combination of voice control and L2 level assisted driving, as far as I know, this should be the first vehicle that can be controlled by voice. It is also looking forward to its convenience and safety when everything is working smoothly, while waiting quietly for its price.
Faraday Future plans to launch its first vehicle this year
On May 17th, Faraday Future announced that it will deploy the NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Xavier autonomous driving platform on the FF 91, which is the same platform used on the XPeng P7. Shyam Sundar, the global head of software platforms for the company, said that FF’s goal is to launch its first model by the end of this year.
According to FF’s new plan, the FF 91 will begin delivery after successfully completing equity financing for approximately 9 months. Another goal is to conduct an IPO within 12-15 months after completing equity financing.
Brief Comment:
According to foreign media reports, Jia Yueting’s personal bankruptcy reorganization finally obtained final confirmation and approval from the US Central District Bankruptcy Court in a hearing held on May 21 (local time in Los Angeles). This means that Jia Yueting’s personal bankruptcy reorganization has officially entered the effective process and is expected to take effect in early June, which also means that the biggest obstacle to FF’s financing has been removed.According to insiders from FF, in addition to establishing a strategic partnership with a US hybrid company, FF has also entered the contract signing stage with another heavyweight US partner. Negotiations with a heavyweight Chinese enterprise are progressing smoothly and will soon reach a landing phase.
Author and editor: Changhao Lewis
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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.