When it comes to Euler, people tend to think of “cars for girls” or “small cars suitable for girls to drive,” with a reputation similar to that of an electric BMW MINI. However, it is clear that if the target audience for the product is only aimed at the female market, it is often not feasible. This is not only my opinion, but also Euler’s.
So how can a car model appeal to both men and women?
Previously, in a car-buying survey on the internet, it was found that most female car owners care more about the appearance, color and styling of the vehicle, while most male car owners care more about power parameters and performance.
This is the challenge that Euler faces: how to create a car with a design that appeals to women and also has a split driving mode.
Best of Both Worlds
Unlike Euler’s previous products, from the small micro cars such as Black Cat, White Cat, and Good Cat, it has now jumped to a B-class midsize sedan.
The size of the Lightning Cat’s body measures 4,871 X 1,862 X 1,500 mm in length, width, and height, respectively, with a 2,870 mm wheelbase. Many car owners around me who have bought new energy vehicles complain that car companies always release large and medium-sized cars with a length of 5 meters, a width of 2 meters, and a wheelbase of 3 meters, but this size is close to that of the Tesla Model 3 and also brings about a convenient parking experience.
The overall vehicle design is extremely streamlined and rounded, with a super low drag coefficient of 0.22 Cd. The drag directly affects the high-speed energy consumption performance of the car, which is especially important for electric cars.The most eye-catching feature of the ORA Lightning Cat is the electric tail wing, which is standard across the entire range. When in performance mode, it automatically expands and retracts based on the vehicle’s speed. It can also be manually opened or closed through the vehicle’s infotainment system. According to the official specifications, when the tail wing is fully extended, it provides 20 kilograms of downforce.
Don’t underestimate the impact of this 20 kilograms of downforce; it can indeed provide some stability to the rear of the car during intense driving.
The ORA Lightning Cat is equipped with ORA-PILOT 3.0 intelligent driving assistance system, which can achieve HWA+NOH functions.
In terms of appearance, there are also quite a few perception hardware configurations for the four-wheel drive performance version:
- 1 front view camera
- 4 side view cameras
- 4 panoramic cameras
- 5 millimeter-wave radar
- 12 ultrasonic radars
- 1 in-car face recognition camera
Everything you can expect at this price
Moving to the interior, the large skylight extends across the entire roof. Even though it is 2023, car manufacturers and suppliers are bound to choose the most sun-resistant and heat-insulating glass for the skylight, but it is still a concern without a physical sunshade.
The integrated sports seats, while lack of lateral adjustment, provide a decent level of wraparound comfort. Both the long-range and four-wheel drive performance versions come with ventilated, heated, and massaging seats for front and rear passengers. At a price range of 230,000 to 260,000 yuan, it is fair to say that the ORA Lightning Cat is all that you can expect.If there are users who do not have a demand for rear seats, they can also choose the standard endurance version of 18-20 kWh, which makes it unnecessary for users to purchase a single configuration for idle use.
The space in the interior cabin can be described as spacious enough. Even in winter when wearing down jackets, driving will not feel crowded. The overall height of the center console is moderate, and the front hood is also in a downward position, so the visibility of the front of the car is particularly good. It is not only friendly to girls, but boys also feel like they have an unobstructed view.
The quick function button on the steering wheel is also easy to understand and operate, which is a gospel for first-time buyers of new energy vehicles.
The damping feeling of the rotating air outlet of the two air conditioners in the rear row is not like the plastic feeling of the tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of domestic cars. The only regret is that the charging port in the rear row is two USB ports, but fortunately, the frequency of FlashCat’s demand for the rear row is not that high, which is understandable.
In terms of audio, it also uses Yanfei Lishi (Infinity) 11 speakers. Although the sound quality is not comparable to the new powerhouse of 1,000 or 2,000 W, it can still have a place in the second-line car audio brand.
Most of the places where door panels and center consoles are touched are wrapped in synthetic leather, which is much better than many domestic brands that use hard plastic with a leather texture.
The basic physical buttons for air conditioning and driving mode selection are retained, and the knobs have a tight feel to prevent the occurrence of large knobs becoming loose.
The decoration of the entire center console does not feature the “fingerprint collector” black glossy panel that most cars on the market would equip. Instead, it adopts a metal brushing process that is delicate to the touch and less likely to leave fingerprints.
The tilted center console is also easier to operate, with the most commonly used front/rear gear defrosting, A/C, and air volume adjustment knobs placed at the top, which is more in line with the needs of users in their daily lives.
Of course, the aroma system is also standard-equipped, not just for girls.
Although the display area of the triple instrument is limited, the display content and model fluency are still good, and the brightness is sufficient even under strong sunlight. The visualized model of the auxiliary driving is also good.
Fast as Lightning, Stable as…?
When I switched to the Super Sport mode on the closed road, as soon as I stepped on the accelerator, the motor’s torque tore apart the tire’s friction force. But thanks to this Michelin PS EV electric car exclusive tire, after a slight tail dynamic, a strong pushing feeling propelled the speed to 100+.
When you switch to the Comfort mode, this electric car’s exclusive tire shows its advantages.
Quiet, gentle, not only in suspension and wind noise, the tire noise is almost filtered out, and only the slight rustling sound of gravel and sand kicked up by the tire hitting the soundproofing cotton on the road can be heard.
Many people may criticize the poor handling of the McPherson suspension. Indeed, the tuning of the Lightning Cat cannot be as precise as that of a highly athletic coupe.
In Sport mode, the steering wheel turns clearly and linearly, telling me that as a car for daily commuting and occasional excitement, it is enough.
In ConclusionAs the first mid-size pure electric sedan of Euler Motors, the Flash Cat competes with popular models in terms of price and size, like the Deep Blue SL03, BYD Dolphin, NETA S, and Leapmotor C01.
Although Euler targets the female market, the Flash Cat has its own strengths and weaknesses based on its configuration. However, overall, the cost-effectiveness is still impressive.
In my opinion, the Flash Cat has a conscience for this price, and I occasionally encounter it on the road and at car wash shops. This brand still has the effort and determination to break through preconceptions and make progress.
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.