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New AITO M7 hits the market, starting price 249,800 CNY
On September 12th, AITO announced the pricing for the new M7 model, setting the starting price at 249,800 CNY. The standout improvements in the new vehicle lie in its autonomous driving capabilities and safety.
For one, the self-driving feature is equipped with Huawei’s ADS 2.0, similar to the already-released AITO M5 and does not rely on high-precision maps – enabling high-level intelligent driving across the country.
On the other hand, safety has been significantly addressed. Initially, the use of materials in the new AITO M7 stand out with the car being made up predominantly (24.4%) of submarine-grade hot stamped steel and a significant 80.6% of the craft being composed of high-strength steel and aluminum alloy. CBS composite car body materials, which both boost car body durability, rigidity, crash safety and lighten the car body weight, are also introduced at the A-pillar and B-pillar.
In terms of body structure, the new AITO M7 features a cage-type body structure, a double anti-collision beam design at the front end, and hot-stamped steel embedded aluminum alloy profiles for reinforcement on both sides of the battery pack. Hence, in the event of a collision, the car body can disperse the shock-absorbent force decreasing the risk for passengers as well as a secondary disaster from the battery collision.
Lastly, inside the cabin, the new AITO M7 comes standard with 8 safety airbags, including dual airbags for driver and co-pilot, front side airbags, left and right side curtains, and second-row side airbags. It’s also equipped with high-performance double pre-tension safety belts for the front row.
Quick remarks:
Looking at the highlights of the new model, the new AITO M7 has addressed the two major shortcomings of the old model – lack of advanced driving auxiliary capabilities and issues with the front pillar deforming in a 25% offset collision test.
So, with more enhanced product powers, the new AITO M7 had received 15,000 orders on its first day on the market – a testament to this model’s ‘leading position’ in the areas of self-driving and intelligent cockpit.
NIO EC6 hits the market, starting price 358,000 CNY
On September 15th, NIO launched its all-new intelligent electric coupe SUV – EC6.The brand-new EC6 is available in two models, equipped with a 75 kWh battery pack with a starting price of 358,000 yuan; the 100 kWh battery pack model starts at 416,000 yuan. If the BaaS battery leasing program is adopted, the starting price will be 288,000 yuan.
The brand-new EC6 has achieved further evolution in terms of design, performance, and intelligence.
In terms of shape, the new EC6 is 4,849 mm long, 1,995 mm wide, and 1,697 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2,915 mm. It first adopted split-structure daytime running lights to reinforce the tension of the front face. The new EC6 also offers 9 exterior colors for users to choose from.
In terms of interior, the new EC6 has a similar design style to other NT2.0 platform models, and the interior is quite simple.
In terms of power performance, the new EC6 is equipped with a standard dual-motor four-wheel drive system, with a total power of 360 kW, a maximum torque of 700 N・m, and a 0-100 km/h acceleration of only 4.4 s.
In addition, the new EC6 comes standard with a dual-mode active tail wing, and the aerodynamic optimization has reached up to 10%, enhancing the overall stability of the car during driving.
In terms of intelligent systems, the all-new EC6 is equipped with NIO’s self-developed Banyan 2.1 system, including new features of the NOMI voice assistant, with the application ecosystem and connectivity constantly being improved. The assisted driving matches other NIO models on the market, equipped with four NVIDIA Drive Orin X chips, with a total computing power of 1,016 TOPS.
Currently, customers can now test drive at the NIO showroom, and the delivery of new cars has also begun.
Quick Comment:
NIO’s EC6 further expands NIO’s product line, and this product is also one of the few coupe SUV models launched by car companies on the market. Obviously, the EC6’s advantages in design, performance, and intelligence are quite obvious, which I believe will attract more SUV user groups who prefer sports.### Geely Galaxy L6 Launches
On September 16, Geely Galaxy L6 officially launched, with 5 models rolled out – the AIR version with 60km pure electric range, PLUS version, and the version with 125km pure electric range PLUS, MAX and Starship versions. The price ranges from 115,800 to 149,800 yuan.
Geely Galaxy L6 is equipped with the Aegis battery safety system and is built on the e-CMA intelligent hybrid architecture.
In terms of performance, the Geely Galaxy L6, powered by the new generation 8848 engine, achieves a comprehensive range of 1370km under WLTC conditions. For cabin comfort, the Geely Galaxy L6 comes standard with “Marshmallow Seats”. In terms of intelligence, the Geely Galaxy L6 is equipped with the Qualcomm 8155 chip, and through AI large models realizes seamless interaction inside and outside the vehicle, making intelligent operation more convenient.
It is worth mentioning that the Geely Galaxy L6 Starship and MAX versions will push the Galaxy Housekeeper Sentinel mode to users by the end of the year through OTA, which can realize 24-hour real-time monitoring of the vehicle in park mode, and push reminder messages to users when necessary.
Since its launch, the Geely Galaxy series has sold over 30,000 units, with monthly sales breaking 10,000. The newly launched Geely Galaxy L6, in less than a month of pre-sale, has already received over 20,000 orders.
In terms of channels, the Geely Galaxy series has set up over 450 stores, and the number will reach 600-700 by the end of the year. At the same time, Geely’s Linhai manufacturing base has already planned for rapid production and delivery upon launch, and the Geely Galaxy L6 was mass-production and distributed nationwide earlier on.
Quick Comment:
The launch of the Geely Galaxy L6 is an important attempt by Geely in the field of new energy. This model, with its excellent performance, safe design, good configuration and materials, and innovative intelligent interaction, offers a new choice in the A-class sedan market. On the one hand, the Aegis battery safety system and the unique three-leaf clover unloading structure demonstrate Geely’s in-depth research and development and innovation capabilities in car safety design. On the other hand, the comprehensive range of 1370km under WLTC conditions, and the 1.5TD hybrid engine with a thermal efficiency of 44.26%, shows Geely’s strength in new energy technology.
Several New Cars Appear in the 375th Batch of MIIT Announcement
On September 11, the “Announcement of Auto Manufacture and Product (Batch 375)” was released, including AITO M9, Tesla Model 3+, Xpeng X9, and several other new models that appeared in the announcement.
The AITO M9 from Ask Boundary is a full-size SUV, measuring 5,230 / 1,999 / 1,800 mm in length, width, and height respectively, with a wheelbase of 3,110 mm.
Its powertrain features either Hybrid Range Extender or EV options. The hybrid variant equips a 1.5T engine producing 112 kW, and uses a dual-motor driveline; the front motor generates 165 kW and the rear motor 200 kW. The pure electronics model, also a dual-motor four-wheel drive, has a front motor that produces 160 kW and a rear motor that produces 230 kW.
M9’s battery comes from CATL, a ternary lithium-ion battery. The new vehicle has options to include a two-tone roof (silver roof, black roof), front combination lamp, front grille, electric door, and wheel rim design.
The Xpeng X9 is not small either, measuring 5,293 / 1,988 / 1,785 mm in length, width and height, and a wheelbase of 3,160 mm. The X9 offers four-wheel and two-wheel drive options with the power of the four-wheel drive motor being 135 kW at the front and 235 kW at the back, while the two-wheel drive has a rear motor power of 235 kW. The battery comes from ZEVA, also a ternary lithium-ion battery.
The refreshed Model 3, whose official website update came in shortly, is also here, labeled on the rear as Model 3+.
The dimensions, length, width and height, are 4,720 / 1,848 / 1,442 mm and a wheelbase of 2,875 mm. There are two available versions: dual-motor four-wheel drive and single motor rear-drive power option. The all-wheel-drive variant possesses a 137kW/194kW front and rear motor power while the rear-wheel-drive variant only has a 194kW motor.
Instant interpretation:
As the year-end approaches, several heavy-hitter new cars are about to hit the market. Besides meeting demands for families and comfort, NEVs are also developing towards individuality. This includes the Lotus EMEYA, a high-performance sports sedan, and the hardcore off-road FangChengBao Panther 5, which will be launched soon. Unquestionably, the 2024 NEV market competition will be even more compelling.
LI MEGA Test Car Road Test Video Extruded
On September 13, an 11-second road test video of the LI MEGA was released. After a frame-by-frame observation, a`la Lev Van Hooke, we drew the following conclusions:
The interior continues LI’s L series of console + co-driver’s dual screen combinations;- The interior consists of three rows of seats, arranged in a 2-2-3 layout;
– The much anticipated rear-wheel steering doesn’t seem to be included;
– It appears to lack rear wipers, though there may be streaming rearview mirrors available.
Quick Review:
Many dub this as the “highway bullet train”. Would you opt for the LI MEGA for personal or commercial use?
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.