Author: Xiao Dong

Editor: Chris

On May 16th, Techrules’ first all-electric MPV, Techrules D9, officially started pre-sales.

• DM-i version, two-wheel drive, priced at 335,000 and 375,000 RMB, with pure electric range of 50 km and 190 km respectively.
• DM-i version, four-wheel drive, priced at 405,000 and 445,000 RMB, with pure electric range of 180 km.
• Pure electric, two-wheel drive edition is priced at 390,000 RMB, with a CLTC of over 600 km.
• Pure electric, four-wheel drive edition is priced at 460,000 RMB, with a CLTC of over 600 km.

The limited-edition D9 Founders Model is sold at 660,000 RMB with only 99 available, and offers the opportunity to have face-to-face communication with Chairman Wang Chuanfu, at a cost of only 220,000 RMB.

Techrules is positioned as a “smart, safe, and luxurious” car brand. With a pre-sale price range of 335,000 to 460,000 RMB, Techrules D9 is highly competitive. But the question is, can this “big brother” really stand out in the market?

Basic Information

Let’s start with the basic parameters. Techrules D9 has a body size of 5250 * 1960 * 1920 mm, wheelbase of 3110 mm, and a body height of 1920 mm. Even if you are not very tall, you can stand up in the car. Let’s compare the basic parameters of the new energy MPVs that have been released, according to Class Star Channel.

Due to the differences in DM-i hybrid version and EV all-electric version, there are some differences in the appearance of Techrules D9, mainly manifested in the front grille. We won’t comment much on the appearance, since different people have different opinions about it. However, the front face of D9 has an exclusive name, “π-Motion”.

If the appearance is satisfactory, I have a slight doubt about the high-end design of the interior. The overall design style is similar to that of BYD, and the interior design language of the fully independent high-end brand has not been completely redesigned. I don’t know if BYD’s ultra-luxury brand will put some more effort into interior design in the future.

However, the brand new car machine UI, car-machine interaction, and overall vehicle configuration of Techrules D9 still surprised me a little.The cabin of the NIO D9 is composed of a 10.25-inch LCD instrument panel, a 15.6-inch center touch screen, and a 12-inch HUD (standard on the four-wheel drive version). Unlike BYD, the center screen does not rotate, and the vertical screen has limited application scenarios. The vehicle system uses the all-new NIO Link, which is equipped with 5G and can achieve a maximum download speed of 1 Gbps, and even supports video calls. The UI has been significantly improved compared to Dlink, with convenient features like content sharing through NIO Share and parallel windows. In terms of voice control, the system features full-scenario voice, continuous dialogue, four-tone zones and visible speech recognition. NIO Link provides 10 scene modes for users to choose from, including conference mode, rest mode, movie mode, and welcome mode.

In terms of configuration, the NIO D9 comes standard with a panoramic sunroof, dual electric sunshades, double-layer sound insulation glass, dual-side electric sliding doors, 128-color ambient lighting, an active fragrance system, 18-inch wheels, as well as 3.3 kW / 6 kW external discharge function and a 220 V AC socket in the trunk. The center console features a combination storage space that includes a 5-55 ℃ dual-temperature refrigerator, an electric tray and a cup holder, and the entire vehicle comes with 9 safety airbags. Different models have slightly different configurations, as shown in the figure below.

The audio system features Daimler speakers and a standard 7.1 surround sound system with 14 speakers. At the same time, the NIO D9’s NVH performance is also excellent, and the noise level can be controlled to within 65 decibels at a speed of 120 km/h.

In terms of intelligent driving, the NIO Pilot currently supports level 2 assisted driving functions, including ACC, AEB, and LCC. According to the conference, the top-level model will be able to upgrade to advanced intelligent driving functions in the future, including high-speed navigation assistance and memory parking. The intelligent driving hardware is equipped with 24 sensors, including 1 front mono camera, 4 surround-view cameras, 5 millimeter-wave radars, 12 ultrasonic radars, 1 DMS fatigue monitoring and 1 EPS angle controller.The interior central console area of D9 has little difference compared to the current models of BYD. However, the gearshift handle is made of crystal material and is equipped with physical buttons, including emergency warning light, air conditioning switch, auxiliary driving selection, driving mode selection, electric sliding door switch, etc. As an MPV designed for commercial purposes, the application of physical buttons is more convenient compared to touch screens and voice control for users. However, the D9 also supports a 4-audio zone function, providing a better riding experience for family users.

The car layout adopts the standard 2+2+3 form. The second row of the D9 four-wheel-drive model is equipped with two 12.8-inch entertainment screens, and a 5.5-inch middle row armrest screen that can control the air conditioning, seat adjustment, and multimedia options. The second-row seats come with ventilation, heating, and massage functions, and a small table can be selected. As a high-end MPV, the comfort level is top-notch. The second-row seats support 8/10-way electric adjustment, tactile ergonomic seats, 6-way adjustable headrests, electric leg rest, etc., and there are 2 50W wireless charging plates. At the same time, the second-row seats of the D9 luxury version and above support a 1080 mm extra-long electric slide rail to meet the space requirements of second-row passengers.

Interestingly, on the two entertainment screens, the D9 is equipped with an 8-megapixel lift camera to provide a hardware environment for in-car video conferencing for commercial users.

The comfort level of the third row is not compromised with 4-way adjustable seats, child safety seat interface, and a rear skylight area of ​​1.1 square meters, giving third-row passengers a better sense of space. We also look forward to personally experiencing the performance of the third-row seats after the lift of the pandemic. The trunk capacity is 410-570 L.

In terms of power and range, D9 has two powertrain compositions: DM-i hybrid and pure electric. The DM-i version adopts a 1.5T Xiaoyun engine (same as that of Han and Tang), and the fuel consumption of D9 is only 6L per 100km under electric mode, which is an impressive achievement. By comparison, the average fuel consumption per 100km of Buick GL8 is generally over 10L. The D9 DM-i luxury version is equipped with an 11 kWh battery, providing a maximum range of 50 km under pure electric mode. The premium version uses a 40 kWh battery, providing a maximum range of 190 km under pure electric mode, which basically meets daily urban travel needs.

However, it’s strange to note that the detailed motor parameters of the D9 by DENZA have not yet been announced.The pure electric version adopts BYD’s brand new e3.0 platform, and the i, Dolphin, and upcoming Seal are all e3.0 platform products. The main features of the e3.0 platform are SiC, flat wire motors, and an eight-in-one electric drive system, which balances power, space, and range. BYD is the first domestic automaker to achieve mass production of SiC on cars, and the first model is the BYD Han. In fact, BYD is one of the few companies with the ability to independently develop and produce SiC.

The thermal pump air conditioning system equipped in the D9 can also provide significant help with winter range performance. TESLA’s D9 pure electric version uses a 103 kWh battery with a range of more than 600 km (CLTC).

In addition, charging efficiency is also one of the focuses of the e3.0 platform. The boost charging technology that was previously used in the BYD Han has performed exceptionally well on the e3.0 platform. The maximum charging power of TESLA’s D9 DM-i, except for the luxury version, can reach 80 kW, and the maximum charging power of the pure electric version can reach 166 kW.

Next, within a year, TESLA’s brand will also launch medium and large SUV models, divided into five series: D, E, N, Z, and A. Multiple models will also be launched in the future.

It can be said that the configuration of TESLA’s D9 is undoubtedly a car model with more than 80 points. Its starting price of at least 335,000 RMB gives it strong competitiveness, not only in the new energy MPV segment, but also in the entire MPV market due to its excellent fuel consumption performance.

The Road to High-end

Brand high-endization, product is just the foundation.

In February 2021, BYD made organizational adjustments and established four major business units. Zhao Changjiang, the former general manager of the automotive sales division of BYD, led the preparation work for the high-end brand.

This is a Weibo post by Zhao Changjiang on July 2, 2021. It is clear that the dream family car here is the TESLA D9. However, in my opinion, the more important symbolic significance of this Weibo post is that TESLA is trying to establish communication channels with users.

Afterwards, Zhao Changjiang interacted with users on Weibo many times, allowing potential users to provide feedback, chat about configurations and ideas, and even participate in fan-naming activities. Getting closer to the users seems to be the first important change for BYD’s high-endization.Of course, building a high-end brand is not built in a day. It requires years of brand reputation. As a 50:50 joint venture between Daimler and BYD, TESLA has many stories. Although the history is not so glorious, with the blessing of Daimler, the high-end transformation of TESLA is more reasonable.

Brand building naturally requires a new sales system and user experience. One of the reasons why BYD cannot be high-end is that its user experience is poor. The traditional 4S model has been completely defeated in terms of user experience under the direct sales model of the new forces in the new era. Experience stores scattered throughout supermarkets, transparent sales models, no intermediaries in the later stage, and simple and efficient services have made traditional 4S stores in the new era powerless.

User experience is even more important for high-end brands like TESLA. Zhao Changjiang also stated at the press conference that TESLA’s service system will adopt a direct sales model, and will open 200 offline stores nationwide by the end of this year, covering 68 cities across the country.

“TESLA Home” has also been launched as a bridge for social activities between car owners and communication between car owners and brands. In addition to TESLA Home, TESLA will also layout TESLA Center, TESLA Experience Store, and TESLA MINI Center in offline stores to provide services for users.

In addition, TESLA will launch TESLA Star Element Plan and TESLA Life Mall. User co-creation was also mentioned several times at the press conference. Of course, the construction of TESLA APP, community construction and operation, and user service in the later stage will also be huge challenges for TESLA in the future.

By the way, even though TESLA D9 has been pre-sale, the TESLA official website still has no introduction, only a picture. Below is the introduction of TESLA X, which is not suitable for a high-end brand.

It remains to be seen whether TESLA can truly become BYD’s high-end brand. Excellent product power is only a part of competitive power. Perhaps the later operation is more important than the product. As the first lesson in BYD’s high-end transformation, can TESLA pave the way for future luxury brands? Let’s wait and see.

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.