【Fate with R7】

It can be said that it was an unexpected encounter, like the fate at the corner in that split second.

I even forgot where I first saw R7. It should be while browsing various car APPs. By chance, I saw its advertisement or tweet. According to common sense, it is hard for an unknown brand to arouse a stranger’s interest unless it grabs you at first glance. Yes, R7 is a small cover that attracted me into unfolding a story.

Originally, I planned to replace my fuel car in 2023, but I’ve been looking at cars all the time. In my view, a car is a modern industrial art integrating technology and aesthetics. Whether you buy it or not, it does not hinder tracing the development of this industry. However, when I had a replacement plan, it was different. Like a fan picking a team, it involves more emotions. Especially the crooked road brought by new forces—at least one year or N years in advance of the official release, and waiting is really hard.

【Vehicle Comparison】

Let me talk about my first team, the AVETA. I am originally an old Changan car owner, and the car at home has been running without any problems for nine years, so I trust Changan and domestic cars very much. I am a technology industry practitioner, engaged in chip design, so I also have deep feelings for Huawei. What attracts me most to AVETA 11 is her equipped intelligent framework system. With Huawei’s abnormal product power, its three lidars are definitely in the TOP1 camp. Finally, I gave up AVETA mainly because there is no rear-drive single-motor version, and there is no AR-HUD. The interior is too complicated, and the whole car is somewhat impractical.

After AVETA 11, I also considered XPeng G9 and BYD Tang DMI. G9 was released a few days earlier than R7 and its price was also high when it was launched. Even though there was a rare price cut of 48 hours later, the desired configuration still costs about 350,000 yuan. However, the main reason I gave up on her was the appearance, and the lack of AR-HUD is also a major regret now. Tang’s smart driving is really bad, and it was considered a backup option at that time.

【Thoughts on Choosing R7】

Returning to the R7 finally, its highlights — appearance, intelligent driving, AR-HUD, interior, and BOSE sound system — are all favorites of mine. Initially, I wasn’t too fond of this three-screen setup, but it turned out to be something my wife liked, and coupled with the deluxe co-pilot, it was perfect. Regarding intelligent driving, I didn’t opt for the laser radar version, mainly because it couldn’t be equipped with rear-wheel drive. If it were possible to select rear-wheel drive, I definitely would have added it, perhaps because I feel that new energy should be as energy-efficient as possible. Rear-wheel drive is entirely sufficient, and it’s also a testament to the Avita 11. After all, my reason for giving up on her was that there wasn’t a rear-wheel drive version, and it wouldn’t be fair to be hypocritical. Back to intelligent driving, although I didn’t choose the laser radar, the R7 is equipped with 4D millimeter-wave imaging radar. The shortcomings of pure visual and traditional millimeter-wave radar are that many times they can’t detect stationary objects, while 4D millimeter-wave provides high-level information, which offers the potential for perception. After all, algorithms can be iterated, and evaluations have shown that the non-laser-radar versions perform well.

On the day of the R7 launch on September 27, the battery swap policy was unclear, making it difficult to decide whether to opt for a buyout or a rental. In this regard, RisingAuto needs to reflect on it. Many people have hesitated to place orders due to this issue, and it even gave opportunities to competitors. Personally, I chose rental with a “try and see” mentality. If there is not enough temptation in one or two years, like smaller battery packs or more flexible battery swapping options, I will consider a buyout. Of course, if more powerful batteries like the Kirin battery are released, I will also consider a buyout. Naturally, if newer technology batteries are cheaper to rent, I will continue renting. A monthly rent of around 600 yuan would be much more attractive.

I locked my order on September 28, signed the contract during the National Day holiday, and then began the long wait. During this time, I completed the preparation work for the charging pile. I want to praise the excellent service of RisingAuto. Previously, a colleague of mine installed a BYD vehicle, and there were all kinds of twists and turns. However, RisingAuto’s installation was surprisingly smooth; the service of SGCC (State Grid Corporation of China) was impressive, not like a state-owned enterprise at all, but rather like lightning-fast service. The installation of the electricity meter was completed within two days. Returning to the wait for the car, by the time the car was ready, I was already calm. Then one day, the salesperson, Yang, suddenly called to inform me that I could take delivery of my car. It was a surprise! (The diary of taking delivery has been published in advance.)

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.