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Tesla Releases Q2 Delivery Data
On July 3, Tesla officially released its production and delivery data for Q2 2020, producing a total of 82,272 vehicles and delivering 90,650.
Among them, Model 3 and Model Y produced a total of 75,946 units and delivered 80,050 units; Model S and Model X had a production of 6,326 units and a delivery volume of 10,600 units. Compared with Q1, the second quarter was severely affected by the global outbreak, with production dropping by about 20% (Q1 103,000 vehicles). However, under these circumstances, the delivery volume still hit a new high this year (Q1 88,400 vehicles).
Brief Comment:
It can be said that Tesla’s results in Q2 under the influence of the epidemic are very good. It is worth mentioning that the Chinese market contributed about one-third of the delivery volume in Q2, which can be described as a great contribution. With the decrease in production capacity but an increase in delivery volume, such surprising performance has also won the favor of Tesla’s investors. On July 2nd, Tesla’s stock price rose by 7.95% after the release of Q2 production and delivery data. Musk even went against the New York State government by forcing production to increase output. Looking at the results now, it truly is Musk being Musk.
Audi Releases e-tron S & e-tron S Sportback
On July 1, Audi officially released two high-performance models of the e-tron series, e-tron S and e-tron S Sportsback.
The two models released this time are equipped with Volkswagen Group’s first three-electric motor power combination. The layout is one electric motor at the front axle and two at the rear axle. The maximum output power of this system is 496 horsepower, and the maximum torque is 973 N·m. Based on this, the 0-100 acceleration time is 4.5 seconds, and the highest speed is electronically limited to 130 miles/hour (approximately 210 km/h). The rear double electric motor structure allows the vehicle to have extremely agile and precise rear axle torque distribution capability. The front axle still uses unequal braking to achieve torque control.
The battery part uses the same 95 kWh battery pack as the standard e-tron version. Regarding the endurance, the WLTP standard shows that the endurance of e-tron S is 223 miles (359 km), and that of the e-tron S Sportsback is slightly longer at 226 miles (364 km).
Brief comment:
Audi’s Quattro four-wheel drive system has always been one of its iconic technologies in the sports department. In the era of electrification, under the three-electric motor structure of the e-tron S series, the highly electrically controlled four-wheel drive system, along with the wide and abundant torque output platform of the motor, makes people look forward to its driving performance. However, according to current news, the starting price of the e-tron S series may be as high as 88,000 euros, so it is unlikely to be available in China.
Byton announced suspension of work
On June 29th, Byton’s CEO, Dr. Daniel Kirchert announced: Byton’s mainland China business will suspend operations from July 1st, retaining only a small number of employees on duty. In the past year, Byton has been surrounded by various negative news: the Beijing and Shanghai offices have terminated leases, North American and German offices have applied for bankruptcy, Nanjing headquarters has shut down production, Byton employees exposed unpaid wages for 4 months, and now all of the company’s employees in the country are suspended from work. Byton, once mighty, has finally failed on the eve of mass production.Since 2017, Byton has gone through four rounds of financing with a total financing amount of about 8.4 billion yuan. Despite spending all this money in just a few years, the cars have yet to hit the market. In response, Li Xiang, CEO of NIO, shared an article titled “How did Byton burn through 8.4 billion yuan with 300 people eating 50 million snacks and thousands of name cards?” and commented “On business trips, even economy class tickets must be purchased at the lowest discount. In such a difficult industry, it is necessary to train a start-up enterprise that climbs up from the 18th level of hell.”
Quick comment:
Today, I still remember the surprises and expectations that Byton brought us at several new car launch events, but the current outcome is indeed regrettable. Among the emerging new car-making industry, domestic internet-based car brands have been pouring into the industry since 5 years ago, with the number of companies at one point reaching nearly 50. Today, nearly 40 of them are still struggling on the verge of bankruptcy, with only 4 others besides well-known brands like NIO, Byton, XPeng, and WM Motor having sales records. After one round of reshuffling, only the remaining players have a chance to enter the next round. As Li Xiang expressed, climbing up from the 18th level of hell is just the starting point and a crucial task. Eating too many snacks may make it harder to climb up?
Euler’s new car is named White Cat
On July 4th, the name of Euler’s third new car was officially announced as the Euler White Cat.
Euler White Cat is a high-end electric car geared towards city travel, with an NEDC endurance range of 401 km (Euler R1’s highest NEDC endurance range is 351 km). The officials stated that the new car is positioned higher than the Euler R1, so naturally the price will be higher than Euler R1, which retails at 69,800-79,800 yuan.
In terms of configuration and vehicle parameters, Euler White Cat offers the main driver seat, which can be adjusted six ways, while the passenger seat can be adjusted four ways. It also has a central control panel, wireless charging panel, etc. The wheelbase is 2,490 mm (15 mm longer than Euler R1), and the luggage compartment space is 173 L.
It is understood that the Euler White Cat’s electric core is provided by CATL, and the PACK is completed by Honeycomb Energy. The total mass of the battery system is 230 kg, and the capacity is 36 kWh. In terms of power, the maximum power of the motor is 45 kW (61 hp), an improvement compared to Euler R1.
Quick comment:Some time ago, I thought this car would be named Euler R2 when I saw the picture, but the official name surprised me. Does the name White Cat remind one of dishwashing detergent used in childhood? Including Haval Big Dog and Old Predecessor Cool Bear, the Great Wall Animal Park has taken its shape. What will be the next member’s name?
On July 5th, Tesla updated its after-sales service terms, where the “Touch Screen and Media Control Unit Warranty Policy has been changed to 2 years or 40,000 kilometers”, causing discussion. Some car owners and netizens misunderstood that the warranty was halved, so Tesla officials responded: “The updated content is the warranty conditions for the touch screen and media control unit that need to be changed at the owner’s expense beyond the original warranty period/mileage, the ‘whole vehicle warranty mileage and period have not changed in any way’.”
A simpler understanding of this sentence is that if you buy a new car, the warranty conditions for the touch screen and media control unit are still 4 years or 80,000 kilometers. However, if the touch screen and media control unit have been replaced for other reasons (such as human damage), the warranty conditions for the new touch screen and media control unit are 2 years or 40,000 kilometers.
Quick comment: Tesla’s various operations in pricing and product configuration have surprised car owners more than once. Combined with the fact that this statement is not so direct, naturally it has caused a variety of condemnation due to incorrect interpretation. Fortunately, Tesla did not cut car owners’ leeks this time, and hoped that everyone would not be easily misled by public opinion.
On June 30, after canceling the 2020 Geneva Motor Show in March this year, the organizers recently announced that the 2021 Geneva Motor Show will also be canceled.
The reason given for this decision by the organizers is that the situation of the new crown epidemic is still unclear. In addition, most car companies have expressed their uncertainty about whether they will participate in the 2021 Geneva Motor Show, and the financial situation of the organizers themselves is severe. Not only the organizers, many automakers are also deeply affected by the epidemic, and opening the auto show again in a year may not achieve the expected results. In comparison, holding the show again in 2022 seems more secure.
Quick comment:# The Cancelation of Geneva Motor Show and Its Consequences
As the world’s carnival for car enthusiasts and one of the most important directional exhibitions in the automotive industry, the cancellation of the Geneva Motor Show for two consecutive years is truly regrettable. In China, this year’s Beijing Auto Show was already canceled, and the Shanghai and Guangzhou Auto Shows are likely to be canceled as well.
With the absence of auto shows, what new ways will car companies use to promote themselves during this pandemic? Speaking of which, the cancellation of this year’s Geneva Motor Show has cost the organizers nearly 11 million Swiss francs, which is enough to provide Byton with snacks for 20 months. Now the organizers are seeking to transfer the ownership of the Geneva Motor Show, and if things do not go well and lead to further deterioration of its financial situation, it may face the risk of permanent closure.
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.