On the evening of May 10th, Lengpao C01 officially began pre-sales. As Lengpao’s fourth car model, it still adheres to the “cost-performance” concept. This C-class pure electric sedan, which is more than 5 meters long, has a pre-sale price of 180,000 to 270,000 yuan.
Yes, Lengpao has reduced the price of C-class cars.
Lengpao C01 has a total of five configurations:
- Standard range version of 500 km (rear-wheel drive, 0-60 mph in 7.61 seconds)
- Long range version of 606 km (rear-wheel drive, 0-60 mph in 7.46 seconds)
- Ultra-long range version of 717 km (rear-wheel drive, 0-60 mph in 7.18 seconds)
- 630 Pro performance version (four-wheel drive, 0-60 mph in 4.26 seconds)
- 630 Pro+ high-performance version (four-wheel drive, 0-60 mph in 3.66 seconds)
Stay calm when you see 180,000 yuan and above
Yes, I was still a bit excited when I saw the starting price of 180,000 yuan. Looking closely at the standard configuration of C01, perhaps the higher-end configurations only include L2 level assisted driving, 360-degree panoramic imaging, and suede roof. Higher configurations cannot be obtained in the 180,000 yuan configuration.
Calming down, I realized that the 180,000 yuan Lengpao C01 is just a threshold to get a C-class car, just like you wouldn’t spend 150,000 yuan to buy a new Mondeo. As a car model that will be delivered in 2022, the mid-to-high-end version of C01 is the configuration that truly deserves our attention.
Since being a sports car may not be that important for a C-class car, endurance mileage becomes more important. C01’s endurance mileage is divided into four versions. Forget about the entry-level 500 km version, the 606 km, 717 km, and 630 km versions can stand firm in the 2022 high-end pure electric vehicle market.
Speaking of which, I have just realized that the 717 km-long “ZERO RUN” C01 happens to be in the middle of all the configurations, which means that the C01’s best-selling model will only be the top model with a rear-wheel drive priced at 230,000-240,000 yuan. Also, it is because of the existence of the 90-degree battery that the CTC technology on the ZERO RUN C01 becomes more meaningful.
The most core feature of CTC technology is the direct installation of the battery on the chassis. The advantage of CTC technology is that after integrating the chassis and battery pack, the vertical space of the vehicle body will be better guaranteed, and the number of parts and manufacturing costs will be lower than traditional battery packs. Under the same battery capacity, adopting CTC technology will also make the whole vehicle lighter. At the press conference, Zhu Jiangming said that ZERO RUN’s future new cars will all use CTC technology. Combined with the 0.226 Cd drag coefficient, the C01 with the same 90 kWh battery capacity has greatly improved its endurance capacity compared to the C11.
On the 630 Pro+, the ZERO RUN C01’s zero-to-hundred acceleration time is 3.66 seconds, which is quite fast for a 270,000-yuan sedan. However, after driving the C11, I feel that the C11’s steering feel can create a relatively relaxed feel during daily driving, and the chassis tuning is more oriented towards comfort. I wonder if the handling of the C01 will become more sporty with the increase in power.
In terms of assisted driving, ZERO RUN chooses to continue to equip the whole series with 28 perception hardware to complete 23 assisted driving functions. The chips are still two self-developed Lingxin 01 chips, with a total computing power of 8.4 TOPS.
Although self-developed technology is a highlight, the computing power of C11 will be limited in 2022. However, considering its hardware configuration, its actual performance can be referred to the previous test video of C11. According to Zhu Jiangming, the Orin-X chip will be used in 2024.
For now, many functions of C11 with the same hardware configuration still need to wait for OTA updates, and we also expect that LINGPARK can accelerate the pace of research and development.
The interior design of C01 also inherits the interior language of C11, with a three-screen display powered by the 8155 chip. It is said that the car’s system on chip (SoC) will be upgraded to the 8295 next year or early in the following year. In terms of intelligent functions, LINGPARK C01 also supports OPPO smart vehicle communication and Siri control to enhance driving convenience.
In terms of comfort, high-end models of LINGPARK also offer features such as seat heating, ventilation, and massage for all seats, which further strengthens our assumption that only high-end vehicles sell well. C01’s right rear seat even has a boss button – when the seat is moved forward by 10 cm, the backrest also tilts back by 10 degrees, allowing bosses to enjoy extra comfort.
Due to the adoption of CTC technology and the panoramic sunroof that can “steal space,” C01 theoretically has a good level of passenger space. However, its heat insulation performance in summer remains to be evaluated.Looking from the configuration, the gimmick of the 500 standard range version starting from 180,000 yuan is greater than its actual function. It is estimated that the 717 extended range version priced around 230,000-240,000 yuan will be the product that consumers focus on. There won’t be many consumers who choose the top-of-the-line model priced at 270,000 yuan which can reach 100km/h within 3.66 seconds, unless they have a great demand for power. However, for a fully-equipped C01 with all functions, it still has its own cost-effectiveness. The power output and comfort configuration cannot be found on any other car with the same price.
C01 – A Step for Leap
With the release of C11 and C01, the price of LI’s product line has increased from over 100,000 yuan to nearly 300,000 yuan. Today, LI’s product plan shows that the prices of the following models, C12, D01, D11, and D21, will exceed 300,000 yuan, further impacting the luxury car market priced over 300,000 yuan. Zhu Jiangming’s ambition is obviously not just being a brand for electric vehicles.
In 2019, LI’s first car model, S01, stood out in the midst of the flourishing new force brand. However, its sales were not as anticipated and the launch of S01 failed to draw much attention. In that era, S01’s failure drew a conclusion about LI’s brand before its next moves.
But backed by Dahua, LI did not give up easily. In 2020, the A0-class car LI T03 was launched. T03 was born in time, and its long range and high configuration made it the most dazzling one among A0-class cars under 100,000 yuan. The monthly delivery volume climbed from 1,000, 2,000, to 3,000, and eventually reached 8,000. The success of T03 also brought LI back into the public eye.
However, small cars are not profitable, and Zhu Jiangming’s ambition is not only to sell small cars.
In 2021, LI released its third car model, C11. Obviously, LI found its confidence in T03 and summarized its own way: continue the cost-effective approach. The price of C11 directly doubled from T03’s 80,000 yuan to 160,000-200,000 yuan, but it is still the medium-sized SUV with the largest battery capacity that you can buy.
C01 obviously continues this strategy of LI. For the price of a medium-sized cup, users can buy a super-sized one.
Based on products, LI’s brand achieves a rapid breakthrough, but the road above 300,000 yuan is not easy.
When the price approaches 300,000, cars are no longer just a means of transportation, but also have a certain social attribute. Therefore, before buying a car, everyone will also start to consider the brand, service, and supporting facilities, which is also what XPeng, Ideale, and Nio have been working hard to create.
When the price enters the 250,000 range, LI needs to face not only the self-owned brands that have accumulated for many years, but also the new and dynamic car companies, and C01 will also confront the XPeng P7, BYD Han EV, Tesla Model 3 that have already made a name for themselves in this market, as well as the upcoming BYD Sea Lion, Changan Shenzhen blue C385 and NETA S.
For LI, the product can be a stepping stone for the brand, but in order to do well and steadily, it obviously needs some support.
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.