Author: Liang Zhihao
Home appliances, cost-effective explosion.
Have you noticed that electric cars nowadays are getting bigger and more luxurious, but due to the limited development of battery technology, the overall improvement in the range of electric cars is far less than their sales volume. Even many brands have begun to give up “internal rolling” on batteries and focus on charging and energy supplementation.
Therefore, my view on electric cars has always been- since long-distance travel and energy supplementation are still the pain points for most electric cars at the current technical conditions, it is better for us to do a good job of urban commuting and play out our biggest advantage, rather than shouting every day to compete with fuel vehicles and hybrid vehicles for long-distance travel.
So compared with those electric cars that are all about high-end luxury, I would rather have a small and exquisite electric car. Through the previous test drive, I found that Guangqi Aion’s AION Y is actually a model that meets my needs quite well. On the one hand, its price is not expensive, and it is not too much pressure as the second car of my family; on the other hand, its small size and huge space are a blessing for someone like me who extremely dislikes big cars.
However, for household users, although the current AION Y has a full range of household properties and cost-effectiveness, it is somewhat lacking in refinement and image. For Guangqi Aion, if they do not want this household commuting artifact to be buried, it seems that AION Y urgently needs an upgrade.Before this, GAC Aion has launched corresponding Plus models for AION S, AION LX, and AION V, and these upgraded models have received good market feedback. Through the upgrade of configuration and details, these Plus models have successfully eliminated the “ride-hailing car feeling” and the last bit of concerns that consumers have about the vehicle image.
Against this background, the launch of the AION Y Plus model seems natural.
AION Y Plus officially debuts
Last night, GAC Aion officially released the new AION Y Plus, with a price range of 139,800-179,800 yuan, and providing up to six different models with two options for battery mileage. Like other GAC Aion “Plus” models, the focus of this AION Y Plus is also on exquisiteness and high-end feeling in order to gain more favor from family users.
In terms of appearance, compared with the previous AION Y, there have been some changes in the front and rear styling of the AION Y Plus, and the lines have become more smooth, rather than the previously tough style. For example, in the front part, the highly recognizable “Angel Wing” headlights have been retained on the new car, but the styling has been changed. The traditional automotive-style air intake grille on the regular version has been transformed into a front-end that is closer to new energy vehicle identity and is nearly completely enclosed on the AION Y Plus.
As for the rear of the car, the most obvious change of the AION Y Plus is the use of a through-type taillight, which is also in line with the changes between AION S and AION S Plus. At the same time, the entire tailgate no longer looks as rigid as before, and has a certain amount of curvature.
In terms of size, the AION Y Plus has increased by 125mm in length while keeping the wheelbase unchanged at 2750mm. The front overhang is extended by 23mm and the rear overhang is extended by 102mm, which is actually a small trick of GAC Aion.
According to previous market research, although most users are very satisfied with the practicality of the AION Y, in fact, in order to achieve this super practicality, the AION Y has made many compromises in appearance. This also led to some consumers who value “face” feeling that the AION Y does not have enough SUV feeling.
Therefore, taking advantage of this facelift, GAC Aion also focused on enhancing the SUV feeling of the AION Y Plus. In the case of unchanged overall structure, lengthening the front and rear of the car may be the simplest method. More importantly, after the rear overhang length is significantly increased, the practicality of the AION Y Plus trunk is greatly enhanced, which is also a great benefit for home users.
Significant increase in interior refinement
To be honest, in my opinion, the vast majority of consumers who buy the AION Y value its home attributes rather than its image, so the exterior upgrade of the AION Y Plus is actually secondary. Conversely, the improvement in its interior may be the most noticeable aspect for its target consumers.
It may be a bit awkward to say, but I have recommended the AION Y to my family and friends before, but no one accepted my recommendation, and the biggest problem is the quality of the car interior.
Due to cost limitations, the material of the old AION Y’s interior was somewhat disappointing with a majority of its interior surfaces covered by hard plastic. Although the overall design of the interior is okay with various color combinations, it will be revealed as plastic once examined more closely. GAC Aion naturally realized this, so we were pleasantly surprised to find a significant improvement in the quality of the entire interior of the AION Y Plus.
In places where we often touch, soft materials are wrapped around the basic parts. Even on the door panels and front decorative panels of the co-pilot, we can see exquisitely designed 32-color ambient lights and stylish air vents.
To further enhance this sense of luxury, AION Y Plus even gave up the original knob-type electronic gear shift mechanism and replaced it with a “hugging” design.
In addition to these “surface work,” Aion has redesigned the entire vehicle system and used a more powerful 6125 octa-core vehicle chip to provide the vehicle with more comprehensive intelligent and entertainment functions.
After this series of targeted upgrades, the interior atmosphere of the Aion Y Plus will no longer be its weakness. Coupled with its outstanding riding experience, it is difficult for ordinary household buyers to find faults in this car.
As for the most important aspect of the electric vehicle – endurance, there aren’t many changes for the Aion Y Plus. The 70 and 80 endurance versions can provide 510km and 610km of endurance, respectively, both of which have increased by 10km compared to Aion Y, and are absolutely leading in the same level.
The front-wheel drive motor, capable of delivering a maximum power of 150 kW (204 horsepower) and a maximum torque of 225 Nm, is 15 kW more powerful than that of the AION Y. Considering that the overall price of AION Y Plus is only increased by 2000-3000 yuan, the cost-effectiveness of AION Y Plus is obviously more prominent.
The beginning of the effect of mixed ownership reform?
At the press conference, the deputy general manager of GAC Aion set a goal of selling over 20,000 AION Y Plus cars per month. Considering the level of AION Y Plus, achieving such a number is not an easy feat, especially with strong competitors like BYD Yuan Plus.
But no matter whether AION Y Plus can beat BYD or not, we can see the sincerity that GAC Aion brings to this car, which is not only reflected in its cost-effectiveness, but also in their willingness to listen to market feedback.
This kind of “quick response”, which is completely different from traditional car companies, may be the deeper meaning brought by mixed ownership reform. The ultra-strong supply chain and production management level of traditional car companies, combined with the market flexibility comparable to that of new forces, may be the most powerful weapon of GAC Aion in the future.
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.