The ARCFOX Alpha S – a New Model for the High-End New Energy Vehicle Market

For large consumer goods like automobiles, building brand recognition is a difficult task. Even for new automakers with built-in internet genes, gaining traffic requires massive advertising investment in addition to good timing and location.

For traditional automakers creating new brands, partnering with tech companies with built-in traffic is a good way to quickly improve brand recognition, but it can also easily overshadow the company itself. This is the case with the Huawei-selected Sihao SF5 utility vehicle and today’s main character, the ARCFOX Alpha S.

Many people may be unfamiliar with the ARCFOX brand, and what they may have heard is mainly influenced by Huawei’s assisted driving videos. The Alpha S by ARCFOX remains a mystery to many.

Quick Introduction to the ARCFOX Alpha S

1. ARCFOX is a high-end new energy vehicle brand jointly created by Beiqi New Energy and Magna, which has a century of experience in luxury car manufacturing.

2. The Alpha S is the second model under the ARCFOX brand, positioned as a mid-to-large-sized pure electric car, priced at CNY 251,900 – 344,900 (excluding the two Huawei Hi versions).

3. The Alpha S has a body size of 4930/1940/1599 mm (length/width/height) and a wheelbase of 2915 mm.

4. The 525S and 525S+ versions with a single motor have a maximum power of 160 kW, torque of 360 N·m, a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 7.7 seconds, and a 67.3 kWh ternary lithium battery with a range of 525 km (NEDC).

The long-endurance version of the single motor, the 708S+, has a battery capacity of 93.6 kWh and a NEDC range of 708 km.

The top-of-the-line 630H is a dual-motor all-wheel-drive version that uses the same permanent magnet synchronous motor front and rear, with a maximum combined power of 320 kW, torque of 720 N·m, and a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of only 4.2 seconds. It is also equipped with a 93.6 kWh battery, with a range of 603 km (NEDC).

Testing the ARCFOX Alpha S on the Track

We tested the 630H version with dual motors on the track this time. Setting the driving mode to sport, we floored the accelerator, and the Michelin PS4 tires did not slip, and the 720 N·m of torque firmly held us to the seat. The acceleration was very clean and straightforward.

The performance of the full brake is also quite good, with sufficient and linear braking force, which gives people a lot of confidence. Moreover, the front-leaning control during braking is better than the upward tilt during acceleration.

However, as a medium-large car mainly focusing on balance and comfort tuning, coupled with a relatively high ground clearance (140 mm) and long suspension travel, the side tilt control of the Fox Battery Alpha S during high-speed cornering is not as “calm and composed” as the Tesla Model 3. But this is still an acceptable degree. Throughout the entire action, the direction of the steering wheel and the body’s trajectory performance are still stable and accurate. Even if you exceed the limit of grip, ESP will promptly pull you back to the correct route.

Combining my previous experience of driving the Fox Battery Alpha S on open roads, overall, it doesn’t drive like a large car with a length of almost 5 meters and a wheelbase of nearly 3 meters. Although it is not good at intense driving in extreme situations, as long as you slightly reduce the difficulty and maintain quietness and elegance, it can handle almost any road conditions smoothly. This is exactly what a luxury medium-large sedan should have.

It is not an exaggeration to say that the luxury and sense of high-end displayed by the Fox Battery Alpha S in driving are indeed stronger than those of the XiaoPeng P7 and BYD Han. As for the Tesla Model 3? Its chassis is a very good performance car tuning, and there is no direct connection with the word “luxury”.

Review of static parts

The family design of the Fox Battery Alpha S is designed by the legendary design master Walter de’Silva, who has designed famous models such as the Alfa Romeo GTV and Audi A6.

However, personally, I think that the design of the Fox Battery Alpha S does not reflect the “unique” side of new energy vehicle models, but rather more similar to the calm and atmospheric Audi models. It doesn’t have many edges and corners, and the shape is also very elegant and smooth, but the higher ground clearance increases the visual center of gravity, which does not make it feel like a large car without comparison.

In fact, the body size of the Fox Battery Alpha S is 4930/1940/1599 mm (length/width/ height), and the wheelbase reaches 2915 mm, which is very close to the standard Audi A6. It even surpasses the latter on the car width.Translate the following Markdown text in Chinese to English Markdown text in a professional way, keeping the HTML tags inside the Markdown and only outputting the results.

Other configurations that are common in new energy vehicles include black roofs, hidden door handles, and continuous LED taillights.

Compared to the exterior, the interior of the Lynk & Co Zero Concept is much more avant-garde, with an overall layered and embracing design that uses a variety of materials such as leather, suede, metal, and baked paint panels, which are both luxurious and technologically advanced. The boldly noticeable 20.3-inch multimedia control screen offers cutting-edge technology. We have conducted a detailed evaluation of the smart cockpit area previously, and interested friends can click on this link: “Lynk & Co Zero Concept: I have all the practical features you need”.

The gripping feeling of the two steering wheels is good, and the flat bottom design is sporty enough. Perforated leather is used on the inner left and right sides.

The two-tone seats are made of NAPPA leather and support 12-way electric adjustment throughout the range, with welcome function, seat memory, and seat heating. Except for the lowest version 525S, all other models come with ventilated seats, which are beloved by users in southern China.

As a person who is 174 cm tall, there is still one fist and two fingers of headroom left when the front seat is adjusted to the lowest position.

At this moment, the space in the back seat is also excellent, and the central platform, built on an all-electric platform, is completely flat, and combined with the 1940 mm body width, it is easy for three passengers to sit in the back.

The Lynk & Co Zero Concept has plenty of storage space, and there is not a single lack of internal anti-slip mats, limiters, or silent felt.

Adopting a lifting-type electronic tailgate with a very large opening, the rear seats support a 4/6 split folding and can expand the capacity from 560L to 1300L. Even in the non-folding state, it is very easy to put in two 28-inch suitcases, and there is even some room for other items.

Finally

Without exaggeration, the interior configuration, space, workmanship, and material quality, as well as driving quality of the HiPhi Alpha S are excellent enough. The hard indicators of new energy cars such as power and endurance are not inferior to those of similar products, which fully supports its positioning as a luxury electric car with good product strength. However, HiPhi still needs to work harder on brand awareness building. After all, it would be a pity to have such a good product without enough people knowing about it.

As of now, HiPhi has achieved month-on-month growth for 5 consecutive months, delivering 563 units in August, which is a new high in delivery sales. At the same time, HiPhi has authorized 64 stores in 42 cities nationwide, and it is expected to open 110 stores by the end of this year, and increase to 150 stores in 2022. With the gradual expansion of the sales network, it is believed that HiPhi’s sales will continue to increase significantly.

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.