The Media of Chaoying Bai Ren Focuses on the Evolution of the Automotive Industry
The always high-profile Hengchi Auto is also full of unknown mysteries. It stunningly debuted at the Shanghai International Auto Show, pushing it into the public eye and accepting tens of thousands of audience reviews.
On April 19th, Hengchi Auto made its debut at the Shanghai International Auto Show with nine models, including the Hengchi 7, Hengchi 8, Hengchi 9 released on February 10th, and Hengchi 1 to Hengchi 6 released on August 3rd last year. It also showcased core technologies such as intelligent network connectivity, intelligent cockpit, and 3.0 chassis architecture.
Whether it’s a coincidence or intentional, Hengchi Auto’s booth is located in the most popular 7.1 pavilion, adjacent to BMW, Polar Fox, and Zeekr, and the same pavilion as NIO, XPeng, BYD, and Huawei, all of which are popular stars over the past two years.
But what people want to know most is, what are the unique skills of Hengchi, which has invested a massive capital of 47.4 billion and dares to compete with BMW and NIO on the same stage?
Full Range of Models Debuts, Shanghai Base Revealed
At the Hengchi Auto booth, the first to take the stage is the soon-to-be-produced Hengchi 5. As the flagship of Hengchi, this pure electric A-class SUV was created by the top international styling design team led by Shirou Nakamura.
From the exterior of the Hengchi 5, we can see the unique H-shaped sharp front headlights adorned with crisscrossing geometric patterns, providing a visual tension that exudes a youthful and dynamic vibe. The sleek side lines of the vehicle also give off the same feeling, while the waistline design that runs through the body is full of streamlined sense.
Upon entering the cabin, the first thing that catches your eye is Hengchi’s world-first ultra-large 3D curved three-screen display, which has nine screens displaying in seven links. As for the ecosystem, the Hengchi 5 uses the industry’s most potent Qualcomm Snapdragon digital cockpit platform, which has the world’s first 7nm technology and is paired with the H-SMART OS Hengchi intelligent networking system, co-developed by Tencent and Baidu.
While providing diversified services, Hengchi’s holographic projection AI assistant “Little Chi” can also be customized according to individual preferences and has the ability to perceive emotions and self-learning. It offers multi-dimensional interactive atmosphere switching such as scents, sounds, lights, and vibrations based on different mood states.
During the press conference, Dai Lei, Executive Vice President of Evergrande Auto, revealed that the maximum comprehensive range of Hengchi’s full range of models has reached 700km, with some models exceeding 800km. Among them, the Hengchi 1 has a range of 760km, and the Hengchi 9 has an extremely high range of 810km.He believed that all models of Evergrande’s vehicles have a longer wheelbase than other vehicles of the same class, providing users with a more spacious and comfortable riding experience. Among them, the world’s first pure electric flagship D-class sedan, the Evergrande 1, has a length of 5320mm and a wheelbase of 3170mm; the pure electric ultra-luxury B-class SUV, the Evergrande 9, has a length of 4810mm and a wheelbase of 2910mm.
It is worth mentioning that the 9 models of Evergrande vehicles displayed this time were designed by giants in the global automotive design industry, including Italian design master Walter De Silva, who has served as the Chief Design Director of Audi and the Design Director of Volkswagen Group, and German design master Alexander Sasha Selipanov, who has successively served as the Chief Designer of Bugatti and the Chief Designer of Koenigsegg.
It is understood that a total of 14 models of Evergrande vehicles are in different stages of research and development, forming a model matrix covering A, B, C, and D levels, with sedan, SUV, MPV, and crossover vehicles included, including the above-mentioned 9 new vehicles.
During the auto show, Evergrande also held a test driving event for the Evergrande 5 at the Evergrande Shanghai base. In actual driving, the acceleration response of the Evergrande 5 is very rapid and linear, with a strong push-back feeling. In addition, the AR Driving augmented reality driving assistance function of the Evergrande 5 also performed well.
Liu Yongzhuo, President of Evergrande New Energy Automobile Group, revealed that Evergrande is scheduled to begin trial production in the fourth quarter and large-scale delivery next year, with the earliest pre-sale time at the end of this year.
Let’s introduce Evergrande’s Shanghai base, which is located in Shanghai Songjiang, the source of the G60 Science and Technology Innovation Corridor, a national strategic integration of the Yangtze River Delta, built according to Industry 4.0 standards, and follows the requirements of digitization, intelligence, ecology, and efficiency. From rapid mold changing and stamping to precise welding, riveting, and bonding, to full-process automated spraying without dead angles, the vast majority of processes are independently completed by nearly a thousand intelligent robots.
Among them, the stamping workshop adopts the German Staiman fully automatic high-speed stamping line and the automatic boxing system composed of Japanese Fanuc robots, realizing full automation of production, boxing, and transportation; the body workshop adopts the KUKA equipment and technology from Germany, with a 100% automation rate, creating the world’s most advanced high-end intelligent “black light factory”; the painting workshop adopts the Duol production line from Germany, with a front-processing electrophoresis flip conveyance, dry mist separation, and 100% automation of glue spraying and painting, with full-process intelligent environmental protection.Currently, Evergrande Auto’s Shanghai plant is conducting pre-production trials using NEVS93 components, and will undertake related production work for the Hengchi series in the future.
According to Dai Lei, achieving high quality and low cost are both crucial to eventually opening up the market for new energy vehicles. By constructing a first-class production base, Evergrande Auto will comprehensively enhance the competitiveness of Hengchi, both through advanced intelligent manufacturing that ensures product quality while increasing productivity and yield, and through large-scale production that can significantly reduce production costs such as management and sales expenses.
Strong Partnerships for Creating the “Smart and Technological Hengchi”
During the Shanghai International Auto Show, Evergrande Auto once again highlighted its powerful appeal by inviting several heavyweight strategic partners to participate in face-to-face discussions with the media on topics such as intelligent technology, intelligent driving, and Industry 4.0 intelligent manufacturing.
At the media communication conference, Xu Feng, Assistant President of the Evergrande Smart Science Academy, focused on introducing the planning and progress of Evergrande’s seven important areas in the field of intelligent technology, as well as the collaboration with suppliers.
The first area is autonomous driving, where Evergrande is taking a two-pronged approach by “jointly developing with partners while also rapidly building its own team to develop full-stack L4 solutions.”
The second area is intelligent network connection which includes dual AR systems, dual eco-technologies, and AVP technology. Evergrande is collaborating with strategic partners on development while also integrating its own resources in certain regions.
The third area is rapid development of full-stack solutions, including the next generation of central computing solutions. “We are definitely committed to being the world leader in this area, with a focus on rapid iteration and upgrades in the future.”
The fourth area is intelligent communication, including 5G-V2X and Bluetooth technologies, which Evergrande is developing in-house.
The fifth area is core software technology. The first is the H-SMART OS operating system for Hengchi, which is jointly developed with Tencent. The second is the Hengchi Cloud, which is used to support data storage, interactions and calculations in the cloud, and a data platform that will be built on the cloud to support future large customer groups.
The sixth area is research on deep AI technology, such as intelligent speech, computer vision identification, computer learning, and neural network technology, which is also rapidly advancing to support the core R&D capabilities.
The seventh area is intelligent garage technology, which Evergrande is rapidly iterating and generating.
Liu Yongzhuo added that one month ago, Evergrande Auto released a video called “The Smart and Technological Hengchi”, which featured over 50 highlights of intelligent network connection ecosystem. He believes that regardless of whether it is intelligent network connection applications or autonomous driving assistance, the vision of “Hengchi car, digital space, and family travel as one” has always been consistent.
Liuyongzhuo revealed that H-SMART OS intelligent networking system, which was released on March 25, was jointly developed by Tencent and Hengchi over a period of 1 year and 11 months. He believes that Tencent is the most suitable partner in the field of OS or in-vehicle intelligent operating system currently.
Pan Jiahua, the general manager of Tencent’s intelligent travel cockpit system, said that users on Hengchi can fully use full voice control, combining control, interaction, and even DMS driver fatigue monitoring and other safety-assisted technologies to provide users with a safe use state where their eyes and hands are not off the road and steering wheel.
In addition, Tencent can provide Hengchi users with various ecological services, including music, audiobooks, and electronic news, and will also support from digital marketing to the industrial Internet, from smart properties to car-home interconnection and other aspects.
Zhang Binglin, general manager of Baidu’s connected car division, introduced that as early as June last year, Baidu and Evergrande (Hengchi) signed a strategic cooperation agreement to carry out comprehensive cooperation on the leading generation of intelligent cockpits, and Baidu will provide its core AI technology package, cloud interaction technology, image recognition technology, and Baidu maps on the Hengchi cockpit.
In addition, Baidu’s human-computer co-driving map and human-computer co-driving AVP system will be deeply and systematically integrated with Hengchi to make some differentiated and leading experiences from competitors in the industry.
As for the pain point of the endurance mileage that electric car users generally concern about, Hengchi Automotive stated that its 3.0 pure electric vehicle platform with outstanding overall performance and self-developed battery system are the solutions.
Liuyongzhuo disclosed that while Hengchi was entering the new energy vehicle market, it was also laying out power battery products. In the past two years, it has focused on strengthening research and development and enhancing independent research and development. “Because Hengchi aims to achieve an annual production and sales target of 1 million vehicles in 2025, relying on one or two battery suppliers is not realistic.”
Therefore, Hengchi invited Lee Junxiu, the director of the battery research institute of the Korean SK Group, and his team to Shenzhen to lead the Hengchi Battery Research Institute for product development. It is understood that Hengchi’s self-developed world-leading power battery will be put into mass production in the second half of this year.
Finally, Liuyongzhuo also revealed a key message, that a suitable time will be found this year to hold Battery Day to share the work done in the field of power batteries over the past two years.
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.