In June 2021, Voyah Motors launched its first model, Voyah FREE, which began deliveries in August of the same year. On January 21, 2022, the 10,000th Voyah FREE rolled off the production line.
From the establishment of the brand to the 10,000th unit, it only took Voyah Motors a little over 5 months. Targeting the high-end market with only one SUV model, Voyah Motors’ achievement is the result of steady progress. However, behind the seemingly good numbers, only those who participated in the electrification process can understand the difficulties.
Since the beginning of this year, affected by the rise in international raw material prices, various new energy vehicle companies have started a wave of price increases. At this time, Voyah Motors’ deliveries had just surpassed 3,000 units in December of the previous year, and it was facing challenges.
However, Voyah Motors announced that the price of its extended-range version would remain unchanged, while the pure electric version would increase by 10,000 yuan. For the pure electric version with an 88 kWh battery pack, making such a decision was not easy.
But hard work always pays off. On April 7, 2022, Voyah Motors launched the luxurious pure electric/hybrid MPV Dreamer, which has received over 3,000 orders in just two days with its outstanding space, configuration, and luxurious appearance, making traditional fuel-powered luxury MPVs feel uneasy.
From June of the previous year to June of this year, Voyah Motors prepared a birthday gift for Voyah FREE’s one-year anniversary: Voyah Motors officially entered Europe, and the first Voyah space overseas opened in Norway.
The Fusion of Chinese and Western Culture
Chinese Style in Europe
Before discussing the unique Voyah space located at Klingenberggt. 7 in the center of Oslo, Norway, it is necessary to explain the origin of the name “Voyah.”
The character “Lan” is taken from a five-character ancient poem by the Southern Song Dynasty poet Xie Lingyun: “The dawn frost tinge the maple leaves red, the sunset glow shrouds the peaks in mountain mist.” It means “the mist between the mountains and forests.” The Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi also wrote in his poem “Twenty Rhymes for Lu, the Secretarial Officer, on the Bamboo Newly Planted in his Garden in Summer,” “Green mist comes before night, white dew glues on first weeks in autumn.”The profound Chinese characters can always create vivid images in your mind just by looking at them. “Voyah” was chosen as the brand name, partly because it is the same as “blueprint”, expressing the beautiful expectations for the future. On the other hand, the combination of these two characters inadvertently reveals a kind of elegant and understated atmosphere, as if resting in a wooden house among bamboo groves, with open windows blowing a breeze with a fragrant scent in the morning.
For foreign friends, it may be a bit difficult to feel these through poems and characters, so in the Voyah space in Oslo, Norway, Voyah uses a method with a strong oriental flavor to present these two highly imaginative characters in the form of scenes.
Starting from the overall layout, the design team pays tribute to nature, with a staircase design, lighting layout, and sound field setting all striving for naturalness. The brand wall background is made of gray sound-absorbing stone material, and the tilted stripe shape adds visual impact. The interior pillars are wrapped in light oak, and the collision of black, white, gray, and original wood colors coincides with the elegance and simplicity of Nordic home design.
But in the details, Chinese elements can be seen everywhere. First of all, there is a prominent Chinese pine tree in the corner of the exhibition hall.
In the artistic system in China, calligraphy, poetry, painting, dance, opera, sculpture, etc. are undoubtedly the main body of art. These main art categories are more or less related to bonsai, such as the smoothness of lines, the coordination of proportions, the staggered space, the rhythm of form, and the combination of colors, all of which have a profound impact on the styling of bonsai.
If we look through ancient Chinese paintings, we will be surprised to find that bonsai often appears in many of them. For example, in the “Eighteen Scholars Picture” created by Yan Liben in the Tang Dynasty, the bonsai pine tree represents the carefree meaning of living in the city but with a heart for the mountains and forests. This coincides with the Chinese heritage that Voyah hopes to convey.
In another corner of the exhibition hall, Voyah has set up a tea room. The profound meaning of tea culture has lasted for a long time in China, and the layout of the tea room is quite exquisite. First of all, the design elements are elegant, and secondly, the decoration is simple, leaving enough space for white space. The classical elegance is the bottom-line thinking of the entire layout.In foreign countries, China’s classical culture always suffers suppression. It is either assimilated into a strange “hybrid” or mistakenly recognized as “Japanese culture.” LanTu hopes that this store, located in a prime location in Norway, is not only endowed with the purpose of showcasing vehicles but also of spreading Chinese culture and letting more overseas users understand it. For overseas users, the ancient and far-reaching Eastern civilization itself constitutes a powerful attraction, and it is also a manifestation of China’s cultural soft power.
Therefore, at the opening ceremony, LanTu specifically introduced Zhuangzi’s “The Ultimate Journey” to foreign friends: There is a large bird called Kunpeng in the East, which transforms from fish into a bird. When it spreads its wings and soars, it can fly tens of thousands of miles. Kunpeng also represents the process of human beings getting rid of their constraints and approaching the state of egolessness.
LanTu has also integrated this cultural connotation into its product design. The front of the LanTu FREE adopts the design concept of “Kunpeng spreading its wings.” After the logo is lit, it is connected to the centrally embedded wing-shaped headlights on both sides, just like the leaping posture of the Kunpeng bird. It has to be said that this kind of publicity method is very attractive.
In the LanTu space that opened in Oslo, Norway, we can see that the brand concept of “simplicity, tranquility, and elegance” runs through it and is deeply integrated with the needs and preferences of Nordic users, creating a unique style. Among the many Chinese brands that have gone abroad, the output of Chinese cultural values and Eastern humanism is the most valuable one.
Open arms to Western culture
If you simply think that there are only Chinese elements in the LanTu space in Norway, then you are completely wrong. In the clean and elegant LanTu space, stone sculptures of various shapes are placed on pure white and clean stone pillars. At first glance, you may think that they are also designed by Chinese designers. But actually, they were created by local Norwegian designer Knut Wold. From this, it can also be seen that LanTu’s brand concept of simplicity, tranquility, and elegance resonates with Nordic aesthetics to a certain extent.
The other well-known natural landscape in Northern Europe is undoubtedly the Northern Lights. Solar winds penetrate through space and enter the Earth’s magnetic field, creating a brilliant light near the polar regions of the Earth at night. The Voyah car uses stacked soft light strips to create a ever-changing aurora effect. The result is a perfect match between the white Voyah FREE car paint and the ingenious blend of Chinese and Western scenery.
In terms of advertising, Voyah invited the Norwegian singer Aurora, who is known as the “Norwegian Elf” for her unique and mysterious voice, to shoot a video advertisement for Voyah FREE in Norway.
Aurora, born in 1996, is a national treasure level singer and songwriter in Norway, with a unique voice that is mysterious, quiet, and ethereal, just like her name “Aurora”. The most famous song she sang is the theme song “Into the Unknown” of Disney’s “Frozen 2”, with over 400 million views on YouTube.
In the advertisement for Voyah, Aurora performed her classic song “Everything Matters”, with her ethereal voice, free melody, and gentle dance movements perfectly blending in with Voyah FREE’s Eastern heritage and modern technology.
Why Norway?
According to data from the Norwegian Road Traffic Information Council (OFV), 176,300 cars were sold in Norway in 2021, of which 64.5% were pure electric vehicles, accounting for about two-thirds. Norway has a very high acceptance rate for electric vehicles and is now the first country in the world to have a penetration rate of electric vehicles exceeding 50%.
The Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association stated that the proportion of electric vehicles in new car sales in Norway is expected to reach 80% in 2022, while in China, the world’s largest new energy vehicle market, the penetration rate of new energy vehicles in 2021 is only 13.8%, which includes not only pure electric vehicles, but also plug-in hybrids and extended-range electric vehicles.
So, why do many Chinese brands choose Norway as their first stop to enter Europe? The main reasons are as follows:
Good policiesIn Norway, buying a pure electric vehicle does not require paying purchase tax or import tax. Buyers can also be exempt from paying 25% value-added tax, and electric cars can save at least 50% of tolls. In addition to tax incentives, Norway also provides traffic rights. During weekdays, electric car owners can use the bus dedicated lane during peak hours. Additionally, electric car owners can enjoy varying degrees of discounts on tolls, parking fees, and congestion fees in downtown areas.
Moreover, Norway has spared no effort in the construction of charging stations. As of the end of 2020, Norway has 1,100 shared fast-charging stations and 7,500 public slow-charging stations, basically achieving a charging station every 50 km, excluding private charging stations installed by consumers. Norwegian electric car owners basically have no problems with charging, so they naturally do not have range anxiety.
Improved Energy Supplement Experience
While Norway is vigorously promoting pure electric vehicle models, supporting facilities are also keeping up. By the end of 2020, the coverage of the charging station network was quite extensive, achieving a density of one charging station every 50 km.
In addition to these policies, the driving environment is also an important factor that affects consumers’ car purchases. If you look at the map, Norway is essentially on the same latitude as China’s Northeast region. Many people may wonder if the range of electric cars is severely limited in this extremely cold place in Northern Europe. Are Norwegian car owners not concerned about this?
But in reality, Norway is located in the western part of Northern Europe, although it is close to the Arctic Circle, most parts of the country have a temperate maritime climate. The average temperature in winter is not lower than -5°, and it is not a year-round extremely cold weather. Moreover, the dense network of charging stations also reduces the sensitivity of electric vehicle users to range.
Cheap Electricity Price
It is relatively unknown that Norway is the world’s third-largest natural gas exporter, and one country can meet the EU’s natural gas demand of 20% to 25%. Almost all of the oil and gas extracted in Norway is used for exportation, and the value generated by oil and gas exports almost equals the total value of all other goods exported from Norway.
It can be said that one of the pillars of Norway’s economy is the extraction and exportation of fossil fuels. But why doesn’t Norway directly use the oil it extracts the country? It is like the moon near the water tower that is of better quality and cheaper?
# All of This Traces Back to the EU Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme
It all began in 1997 when the EU established the EU Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme to achieve the emission reduction commitments of the Kyoto Protocol. In short, countries face fines if they don’t meet emission standards and earn money if they do. Norway, on the other hand, started imposing a tax on CO2 emissions back in 1991. Depending on the industry sector, different tax rates apply.
The oil and gas industry is hit the hardest by these taxes, but this has actually forced Norway’s oil and gas industry to seek breakthroughs in production technology and reduce their carbon emissions. However, oil and gas exports, as one of Norway’s economic pillars, cannot be easily eliminated. As a result of the pressure of carbon taxes and the country’s economic needs, Norway has exported almost all of its fossil fuels for mining and let them complete “carbon emissions” in other countries.
This has greatly alleviated the issue of carbon emissions. But how is the energy supply for the production and daily life of the Norwegian people solved?
This brings us to Norway’s abundant hydropower resources. Norway has the Scandinavian Mountains to the east and is bordered by the Norwegian Sea to the west, with rivers flowing westwards and having its high-altitude drops. Furthermore, due to the influence of the North Atlantic warm current, the average precipitation is consistent throughout the year, and the rivers do not freeze in winter.
On the one hand, Norway has abundant hydropower resources to rely on, and on the other hand, due to the suppression of the EU Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme rules, hydropower has become Norway’s primary energy supply method.
With Norway’s domestic hydropower resource surplus, Norway has also exported excess electricity to other countries. As a result, Norway’s electricity prices have dropped significantly, making it one of the countries with the lowest electricity prices in the world. According to data from Norway’s statistical bureau, the average selling price of electricity in Norway is about 22.2 euro cents per kWh, equivalent to about 0.2 yuan RMB.
Norway’s low electricity prices make the cost of using an electric vehicle virtually negligible. This is a significant benefit for the promotion of electric vehicles. Moreover, hydropower as a clean energy source has also helped the Norwegian government achieve its emission reduction goals, so it is a win-win situation.
Voyah FREE in the Nordic Region
Solving the pain points of electric vehicle use and having a conducive development environment, it is not surprising that Voyah chose Norway as its first stop to enter Europe. As for the product itself, the Voyah FREE, as a powerful SUV, is actually suitable for the needs of Nordic people’s use of cars.
With numerous mountains and precipitous terrain in Norway, Nordic people have a natural love for embracing nature, which also drives them to pursue a highly versatile vehicle. The Voyah FREE four-wheel-drive pure electric version has a maximum power of 510 kW and a maximum torque of 1,040 N·m.
If you don’t have an intuitive sense of the numbers, let me give you a simple example. The maximum power of the 2021 Lamborghini Huracán STO is 470 kW, and the maximum torque is 565 N·m. This level of power can help this two-ton behemoth achieve an excellent result of 4.7 seconds for accelerating 0-100 km/h. At the same time, the 100 mm adjustable travel of the air suspension also allows the Lambotu FREE to meet the needs of Nordic customers for self-driving trips.
At the opening ceremony of the Lambotu space in Norway, Lambotu invited Aleksander Gamme, a famous Norwegian explorer who had hiked across Antarctica, to become the brand ambassador for Lambotu in Norway. He was also one of the first experience users of Lambotu cars in Norway.
In Norway, the brand slogan of Lambotu is “Freedom to explore,” and Norwegians love nature: people go for runs in the woods after lunch, sauna with friends by the lake, and even ski to work on snowy days. This love and dedication to nature, originating from nature and returning to freedom, fits in with Aleksander Gamme’s adventurous spirit.
Nordic friends gave high praise after test driving the Lambotu FREE:
The Lambotu FREE brings genuine driving pleasure to the driver. The vehicle is very agile in Sport mode, and its power, braking performance, and wind noise are all excellent. The chassis tuning, handling stability, support, and comfort surpass those of traditional luxury brands of the same level in Europe.
Conclusion
New power brands need to pay high operating costs to open direct sales stores overseas, so we often see many brands selling cars through local dealerships. However, this form cannot convey the value of the brand. In my opinion, the Lambotu space is not only a display of vehicles, but also a window for cultural exchange between the East and the West.
There is an unwritten rule in the international community: First-class countries export culture; second-class countries export talents; third-class countries export products. Whether it is the cultural connotation of the brand or the design of its products, Lambotu cleverly blends Chinese culture and philosophy through modern interpretation, allowing Nordic people to appreciate the value and charm of Chinese culture.
## Translation
Cultural output is never achieved by sheer force, but by taking advantage of opportunities. LanTu’s “cleverness” lies in carrying and interpreting Chinese culture, making going abroad a good place for cultural output. This is also where cultural output is truly powerful: seemingly doing nothing, but subtly making the audience identify with the cultural values of a nation, and actively imitating them.
Going to Europe to celebrate the first anniversary of the launch of LanTu FREE seems more like a declaration by the automaker. In the words of Lu Fang, CEO & CTO of LanTu:
The opening of the first LanTu space in Northern Europe is the first step of LanTu’s entry into the global market. With the powerful overseas resources of Dongfeng, LanTu will continue to layout the overseas market with innovative technology and business models, leading the new era of Chinese brands going abroad, and bringing a new intelligent electric car experience to global users.
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.