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Weekly Highlights
smart Genie 5 Officially Launched
On October 27, the smart Genie 5 was officially launched, divided into a total of 4 configuration versions, starting at 239,900 CNY, including:
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Long-range Adventure Standard Edition, priced at 239,900 CNY, limited edition price 229,900 CNY.
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Long-range Adventure Deluxe Edition, priced at 269,900 CNY, limited edition price 244,900 CNY. Compared to the standard version, it adds features like high-speed cruise, memory parking, a capacitive steering wheel, 20-inch wheels, and a heat pump air conditioner. Limited edition includes Sennheiser audio and NAPPA leather seats.
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Extra-long-range Adventure Deluxe Edition, priced at 299,900 CNY, limited edition price 264,900 CNY. Battery capacity increased to 100 kWh, on an 800V platform.
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Jungle Realm Limited Edition at 368,000 CNY, without a displayed limited edition price. Dual motor all-wheel drive, 470 kW power, 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds, featuring air suspension and other high-end configurations.
In addition, two limited edition colors, Amber Brown and Flowing Sand Gold, are available for free, subject to limited availability. According to Yihan, CEO of smart China Marketing Company, the limited price for the long-range Magic Journey Standard, the long-range Magic Journey Luxury, and the ultra-long-range Magic Journey Luxury versions is limited to 8,000 units.
Quick Review:
The launch of the smart Genie 5 signifies the debut of the largest vehicle in smart’s history. It aligns with the mainstream market in terms of features, yet introduces several imaginative innovations, such as the industry’s first laser projector, a zero-gravity passenger seat with an airbag cushion, and portable speakers. Going forward, smart will develop vehicles to meet varying user needs, both large and small.
At the launch event, smart illuminated the Burj Khalifa and is set to enter the Egyptian market following its UAE debut. Future smart products will incorporate more global considerations. Historically, fuel-powered smart cars were sold in 46 countries, and in the electric era, smart has already entered 32 countries, soon surpassing this record. Up until now, smart has gained considerable recognition from users for its product presentation and energy transformation.
ZEEKR MIX Pricing Announced
On October 23, ZEEKR MIX pricing was revealed, priced at 279,900 RMB, with no differentiation between high and low configurations. MIX is available in only two versions, differing only in battery capacity and charging capability, with all other features standard across the series.
The ZEEKR MIX is positioned as a mid-size MPV, with body dimensions of 4,688 mm in length, 1,995 mm in width, 1,775 mm in height, and a wheelbase of 3,008 mm. Its four-wheel-corner layout provides an interior cabin area of 6.3 m².
In terms of body and interior layout, ZEEKR MIX offers more creative designs. Most notably, the hidden B-pillar design and the front seats that can rotate 270° in the interior. The absence of a B-pillar allows for extremely convenient entry and exit, with a maximum opening width of 1.48 meters. When the front seats are rotated to face the rear, the interior space becomes more like a living room.
Whether it’s the four-wheel-corner layout, the hidden B-pillar design, or the rearward-rotating front seats, the ZEEKR MIX stands out as a highly interesting vehicle in the “boring” electric era, attracting significant attention.Furthermore, the smart cockpit featuring the 8295 chip and a 15.05-inch OLED central control screen, dual NVIDIA Orin chips, and the HAOMO Pilot 2.0 with 508 TOPS computing power have been integrated into the ZEEKR MIX, making the MPV equally intelligent.
At the MIX launch event, ZEEKR also announced the latest progress of HAOMO Pilot 2.0, with the multi-floor valet parking feature set to begin phased rollout within three months and full rollout next year. The feature for map-free city navigation will start phased rollout at the end of October. Additionally, the city navigation from parking spot to parking spot feature is set for phased rollout within the next three months, with full nationwide rollout by the second quarter of next year.
The ZEEKR MIX offers only two models, differing only in battery, with distinctive features like the outward opening electric doors and swivel seats as standard. An Conghui stated at the launch that the development cost of the ZEEKR MIX is 2.8 times that of a typical midsize SUV, highlighting that creating an interesting car prioritizes investment.
An Conghui’s further remark: “ZEEKR’s innovation is not to outdo others, but to change the future of mobility.” This demonstrates ZEEKR’s aim to captivate hearts with innovative products in the fiercely competitive automotive market.
Quick Review:
Refusing to produce mundane cars, ZEEKR has introduced a truly interesting product in the electric era of product homogeneity— the MIX.
This vehicle perfectly meets the demand for spacious interiors while offering innovative door solutions and adaptable driving experiences. Appliances like fridges, color TVs, and large sofas are the current benchmarks for comfortable family vehicles, and ZEEKR has innovated significantly on this front, creating the MIX. This could be seen as the 2.0 version of the fridge, TV, and sofa, aligning with MIX’s slogan, “The Home of Tomorrow.”
Xpeng Releases Version 5.4.0 of Tianji
On October 24, Xpeng officially released the Tianji version 5.4.0 at their event, which includes updates in intelligent driving, chassis, cockpit, and connectivity.
For the new Xpeng P7+, the AI Tianji 5.4.0 will debut on the P7+ model, with the X9, G9, G6, and P7i models starting public testing today, allowing owners of older models to use the latest system.
During test drives, the Xpeng P7+ equipped with AI Tianji 5.4.0 exhibits several major upgrades:
- 20% improvement in single parking entry success rate, capable of handling narrow parking spaces and dead-end spaces.- City intelligent driving can be activated anytime with navigation, whether by the roadside, at a red light, or even during lane changes. Adding stopovers or modifying the destination won’t cause interruptions.
Xpeng’s intelligent driving roadmap is currently in its second phase, adopting light radar and light maps for door-to-door intelligent driving. Next year, Xpeng’s cloud AI computing power will reach 10 EFlops, a 2.6x increase from this year. By Q3 of 2025, Xpeng aims to achieve quasi-L3 assisted driving with less than 1 intervention per 100 km. By 2026, they plan to enable driving without a human in the driver’s seat in some low-speed scenarios, similar to L4 in certain conditions.
In terms of the cabin, the AI Tianji 5.4.0 of the Xpeng P7+ has also been upgraded:
- The SR interface of the car machine can dynamically display weather and light at different times, more refined than ever.
- The vehicle control interface features an aurora theme, which is quite sci-fi.
- The split-screen function has been upgraded, allowing the size of the left and right apps to be freely defined.
Quick Comment:
Xpeng’s longstanding advantage, or specialty, lies in its intelligent performance. The intelligent market of Chinese automobiles is currently flourishing, with everyone competing for the top position at various nodes. Xpeng is taking a long-term layout in an end-to-end approach, not merely focusing on short-term leadership. Hence, we will conduct further analysis of Xpeng’s capabilities in our later intelligent driving tests.
Mazda EZ-6 Targets the 150K Market
On October 26, Changan Mazda launched its B-segment electric model, the Mazda EZ-6, in the Chinese market, offering both electric and extended-range modes across 7 different configurations, with a starting price of 139,800 RMB. This model continues Mazda’s “KODO” design philosophy, features a “Wing of Light” front design, and has body dimensions of 4,921 x 1,890 x 1,485 mm with a wheelbase of 2,895 mm and a flat-floor rear. The specific configuration versions are:
- Extended Range 130: 139,800 RMB;
- Extended Range 200: 149,800 RMB;
- Extended Range 200 Smart Elegance: 159,800 RMB;
- Extended Range 200 Smart Supreme: 169,800 RMB;
- Pure Electric 480 Smart Joy: 159,800 RMB;
- Pure Electric 600 Smart Elegance: 169,800 RMB;
- Pure Electric 600 Smart Supreme: 179,800 RMB.
Quick Review:
Mazda has leveraged CCAG’s strengths in intelligence and new energy to launch the EZ-6 model. Therefore, there has been a significant improvement in convenience features compared to previous Mazda models.
The vehicle is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip, supporting one-touch car preparation, facial recognition account, quad-zone voice interaction, continuous command recognition, air gesture recognition, and a 50-inch AR-HUD. The features in terms of intelligence are quite comprehensive.
The car is equipped with a rear ED04 motor, ensuring a 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution. All models come standard with 19-inch alloy wheels and Michelin tires. Smart driving features include AR-HUD holographic augmented display and L2.5 level driving assistance technology. In terms of safety, the Mazda EZ-6 has passed relevant safety tests and verified battery safety.
Additionally, CCAG Mazda has introduced car purchase packages and financial support policies for this model. There is a maximum trade-in subsidy of 10,000 RMB, a lifetime zero fuel benefit of 7,999 RMB, a 5,000 RMB optional fund, and other launch benefits. Do you think this new energy “Mazda 6” is competitive?
Porsche Sets Fastest Lap Record at Shanghai Circuit
On October 23, the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT set the first officially certified fastest production car lap record at the Shanghai Circuit on a semi-wet track, with the site experiencing rain showers. The final lap record time: 2 minutes 11 seconds 28.
The Porsche Taycan Turbo GT used for the record test was a pure production model, without performance-related modifications, and the tires remained unchanged, consistent with factory specifications. The vehicle only utilized a roll cage to ensure safety during track driving.
With an average lap time of 2 minutes 20 seconds, the Taycan Turbo GT finally achieved a 10-lap series. The remaining battery capacity was only 15%, with a total mileage reaching 54.5 km, twice the length of the Nürburgring circuit. To date, the Taycan Turbo GT has swept the fastest lap records on top international circuits across three continents.
Quick Review:
As the highest-configured version released after the mid-term facelift, the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT features a boost power of 760 kW, peaking instantaneously at 815 kW, and with the all-wheel drive system, it has been tested to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.25 seconds. The test car was equipped with a carbon-ceramic composite braking system (PCCB), a 900 A pulse inverter for the rear axle, silicon carbide materials, and the Weissach package.
Before the previous race, the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT had already set the lap record for the fastest four-door vehicle at the Nürburgring Nordschleife with a time of 7 minutes and 7.55 seconds. It also claimed the title of the fastest electric vehicle at the Laguna Seca Raceway with a time of 1 minute and 27.87 seconds. Thus, Porsche has established itself not only as a benchmark in the fuel-powered sports domain but also secured its place in the new energy sector.
This article is a translation by AI of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.