Author: Rezz

Camping with a pickup truck – Making dumplings just for a bottle of vinegar?

Recently, the trend of electric pickup trucks from across the ocean finally reached China. Just when the production of Musk’s Cybertruck is still far away, Geely released its new sub-brand, RADAR, and its first model, an electric pickup truck, RD6.

Before that, when writing about the official introduction of the new Ford F-150 Raptor in China, I just thought that having money is really nice. Wealthy newcomers can introduce another all-weather 4-wheel drive off-road toy pickup truck in their garages. After all, in Beijing, a city that strictly prohibits pickups from entering the Fifth Ring Road or even the Sixth Ring Road, owning a car that cannot be driven most of the time and in most places is such a luxury!

In fact, people can only change their preconceived notions and gain the right to comment after experiencing and experiencing something.

For example, this summer’s sudden rise in camping and frisbee, after participating in the camping and frisbee event held by the Beijing AMG Center, I discovered that taking photos and posting on social media may not necessarily be the primary purpose. Urban white-collar workers and struggling young people who are oppressed by the epidemic and 996 work are so eager to drive and enjoy the outdoors on weekends, play frisbee, camp, and enjoy water activities. At this time, who wouldn’t want to own a pickup truck.

Perhaps, Geely also thinks so; maybe it is because Geely’s relationship with Mercedes-Benz has always been close. Mercedes-Benz has always wanted to make and produce the shortest-lived model, the X Class pickup truck (which is actually the same platform as the Navara in the Mercedes-Nissan alliance) for three years, allowing Geely to see the vacancy and business opportunities in this field and wanting to become the successor to luxury pickup trucks.

Anyway, RADAR, an outdoor positioned car brand, was born with its electric pickup truck.

In China, when it comes to pickup trucks, it is often accompanied by two doubts: One is whether the policy allows it? Another is, even if the policy allows it, will anyone buy it?

First of all, let’s look at the policy level. Since the lifting of the ban on pickup truck trials in China in 2016, the demand for pickup trucks has grown from 320,000 to nearly 500,000, an increase of 69%. Although the scale and penetration rate of the domestic pickup truck market continue to increase, the penetration rate of the domestic pickup truck market in 2021 is only 2.1%.

Although the usage scenarios and demands for pickups in China and North America are vastly different and cannot be directly compared, there is still a huge growth potential. According to relevant departments’ predictions, the domestic pickup truck market size could reach over 3 million units (including exports) by 2030, with tremendous market potential.

As the pickup truck ban is gradually lifted, and with the development of society and changes in thinking, consumption patterns are becoming more personalized, scenario-based, and quality oriented. Under the influence of factors such as the growth of diversified consumer demands, the mode of short holidays, and Y generation-led household consumption, people’s segmentation demands for new energy vehicles are becoming increasingly prominent. For example, pure electric MPV models suddenly became popular in the first half of the year, hitting the home run with the demand for multi-member family cars in the Y era.

The Auto Research Institute’s Z Generation Insight Report once pointed out that although young people from the Z generation are indeed important, the main customers in the current car-buying market are Y generation, who have more diverse car usage demands and stronger growth. The report also expressed an interesting point of view: currently and in the foreseeable future, the intermediate force of consumption in the Chinese auto market will still be middle-aged people – the Y generation.

As new energy vehicle technology matures and policies improve, the market is gradually shifting from policy-driven to market-driven, and entering a period of rapid growth. The “protagonist” consciousness of consumers’ green high-tech travel further strengthens their consumption identity for new energy vehicles and presents trends towards intelligence, high-end, and diversification.

As for the market demand level, why is frisbee and camping so popular this year? The surge in demand for outdoor life is becoming more diversified with frisbee, camping, bait fishing, and outdoor cycling lifestyles gaining popularity. People’s life concepts, consumption ecology, and travel modes are undergoing changes, and users need a car that can better meet their diverse life needs.

According to the analysis in the iimedia camping report, the core market size of China’s camping economy is expected to rise to 248.32 billion yuan by 2025, driving the market size to reach 1.44028 trillion yuan.

At the same time, according to statistics from Xiaohongshu, the number of notes related to camping in 2021 increased by more than 5 times year-on-year. From January to April 2022, the search volume for outdoor products on JD.com increased significantly by 145% year-on-year, and the transaction volume for tent/picnic mat class products increased by 229% year-on-year. Consumer outdoor consumption showed three major trends: “outdoor equipment must be complete,” “travel protection cannot be ignored,” and “driving equipment must be upgraded.”

During the five years from 2021 to 2025, I think self-driving tours in China will still be characterized by big cities, families, short distances, short duration, and nearby destinations. The demand for purchasing cars for self-driving tours has rebounded strongly and has become a new core purchasing factor for Chinese users.

The birth of the RADAR car company caters to consumers’ outdoor, all-scenario needs by launching China’s first pure electric pickup truck based on a pure electric platform, entering the pure electric pickup truck market and seizing the market opportunity. It can be described as the right place, the right time, and the right people.

In the domestic pickup truck market, users’ demand for passenger vehicles has stimulated new growth points. Throughout the domestic pickup truck market, commercial pickup trucks that run on fuel, have large beams, and manual transmissions still dominate, even pure electric pickup trucks are also derived from fuel-based car platforms, known as “oil-to-electric” conversions.

This is why many people have always had the impression that pickup trucks are large and used for cargo transport, with large beams and uncomfortable suspensions. A few years ago, the Great Wall pickup truck made its debut, breaking consumers’ stereotypes and prejudices about pickup truck models on the market, making a pickup truck priced at over ten thousand yuan able to have a fully leather-wrapped interior and a large screen with metallic decoration.

In June just passed, the Great Wall Pao sold nearly 15,000 units, leading the way for a vehicle of this kind and injecting a dose of confidence for spectators in the electric pickup truck field. This revitalized the market for this niche, better developing market territory for the RADAR brand, taking a solid first step, and establishing a foothold.

Geely’s “Cultivation” philosophy, the “survival” of the fittest

The Kirin has nine offspring, how many sub-brands does Geely currently have? Eleven. It also holds a 10% stake in Mercedes-Benz Group and jointly founded Jetta with Baidu. However, that is not enough. RADAR, a new sub-brand that was born on July 12 this year, is a life boutique sub-brand that focuses on all aspects of the outdoor lifestyle.

I feel that Geely is constantly pushing for innovation like cultivating a garden. With sub-brands Geometry, Zeekr, Lynk & Co., Polestar, and Jetta co-founded with Baidu, the acquisition of Lotus, and letting them compete with each other and go their own way, whoever can successfully become a high-end brand will be Geely’s true child.

Apart from its self-owned brand line, the new smart car, a joint venture between Geely and Mercedes-Benz, has opened up a new “boutique compact car” market for Geely, just like the Geely ICON. Although the price of the electric smart cars is reasonable, only having one popular model will not give the existing product line of Geely cars any radiating or gathering effect. The logic behind what Lotus Eletre has opened up for Geely, i.e., the “million-level luxury car” new track, is the same.

It feels like the ancient emperors choosing an heir, fostering a sense of competition and fighting among their successors. However, it is already the 21st century, and not even the Qing dynasty exists anymore. Now in 2022, the global consumer market has been infinitely close to the integration and segmentation of products. It is impossible for a sub-brand to cater to all kinds of car consumers’ tastes because every person and every family has different needs. Therefore, how to avoid internal strife, fully utilize the characteristics of each sub-brand to attract different consumers, is the most urgent problem to solve.

What are the highlights of RD6?

So, with the technical support of Geely, what are the highlights of RD6, the first electric pickup truck from the RADAR brand, compared to Geely’s other sub-brands? Can it satisfy pickup truck users’ needs and give them a completely different experience from the fuel-powered pickup truck?

Firstly, it is based on the Geely Automotive SEA Architecture Platform, equipped with the same three-electric technology solution as its mid-to-high-end products. This technology is mature and has been verified by the market, and was developed specifically for the best use cases of pickup trucks. It can achieve long-range, efficient battery management systems, leading acceleration, safe body structure and rigidity, and compatibility.

Secondly, RD6 is equipped with full-scenario and diversified discharge capabilities based on the unique outdoor use cases of pickups.

While the vehicle is driving, it can simultaneously supply power to multiple electric devices in the back of the truck. The back of the truck is equipped with a multifunctional discharge panel (which supports 16A, 10A, three-hole, two-hole, and 12V interfaces) that can be used with high-power electrical appliances without the need for a transfer plug. A powerful full-scene supply station, powering new achievements, can support up to 6kW of discharge power. It can simultaneously supply power to three 2000W electric ovens, and supports 5 household air-conditioners working at the same time (in the case of a 1.5-ton cooling state).

The RADAR RD6 can also transform into a large “mobile power bank”. While ensuring a 25% battery reserve for the vehicle’s return trip, the excess power can supply the equivalent of 75 outdoor high-capacity mobile power banks (currently mainstream outdoor power bank products have a capacity of around 1 kWh, such as Dian Xiao Er and Zheng Hao, with a market selling price of about 4,000 yuan). Whether it’s camping or a barbecue party, you can enjoy the fun anytime, anywhere.

The third point is the essential loading space for a pickup truck.

Compared to fuel-powered pickup trucks, electric pickup trucks built on a pure electric platform have a major advantage in terms of front trunk space. The RD6 has a 70L hidden storage front trunk with an independent dust-proof cover. At the same time, the complicated fuel transmission mechanism has been eliminated, and the rear seat cushion can be flipped up. The storage box under the seat cushion can accommodate up to 48L, and when opened, it forms a through-loading space for storing items that are not easy to place or cannot be put down. Coupled with the versatile storage space in the rear cargo area, even the most outdoor equipment can be accommodated.

Finally, let’s take a look at the performance of this vehicle, after all, the performance of the Ford Raptor 3.5L V6 is also a luxury item that domestic consumers can only dream of. The RD6 has a 6-second acceleration, making it the fastest pickup truck in terms of 0-100 km/h in China. It is equipped with a high-power three-in-one electric drive, and a 200kW high-performance large-capacity electric motor. The range is also more than 600 km, which is currently the longest range for similar products in the domestic market, considering the size of the pickup truck.

In conclusion,

In this 2022, when camping suddenly became popular, can there be room for an “outdoor-style” automotive brand? Will the domestic pickup truck market heat up because of the addition of electric pickup trucks? We cannot predict this yet, but Geely and its RADAR have already set their sights on it.

At least we hope that in the days to come, there will be more and more opportunities for camping!

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.