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The All-New NIO ES8 Production Version is Officially Launched
The new ES8 front motor is equipped with a 160 kW permanent synchronous motor, while the rear motor remains a 240 kW asynchronous motor. The acceleration per 100 kilometers has increased from 4.4 seconds to 4.9 seconds. With the same 70 kWh battery, NEDC range has increased from 355 km to 415 km. The exterior design remains similar to the previous model, with only minor adjustments.
In terms of interior design, the overall texture has improved from the previous version. The car roof is made of ultra-fine suede, and the car is equipped with a new fragrance system. The center control screen has increased to 11.3 inches, and the instrument panel has been upgraded to 9.8 inches.
Quick review:
Although you may not be able to see any major changes in the exterior design of the all-new NIO ES8, it has made significant progress in the visible interior design.
The new ES8 uses the same design language as the ES6, but it feels more luxurious in terms of details and materials. In addition, the size of the liquid crystal instrument panel screen is larger than that of the ES6, and the steering wheel is also two-spoked. The queen seat in the co-pilot position has also been optimized.
After more accurately positioning itself, the new ES8’s suspension has also become more comfortable. Although the official data shows a decrease in acceleration per 100 kilometers, it is still fast for an SUV of this size. In addition, after the brake system upgrade with ibooster 2, the brake feel is also better. People are also looking forward to how much range it can achieve with the 100 kWh battery.
Ideal ONE Will Undergo Hardware Upgrades
Recently, Li Xiang announced the recent optimization plan for Ideal Auto during a live broadcast, summarizing several aspects:
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Ideal ONE can not only receive software updates via OTA, but some hardware can also be upgraded for a fee.
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The official will launch a fixed throttle in the third quarter. Because there are safety risks with the electronic throttle, the official does not recommend its installation.* Ideal will provide free replacement of rear suspensions for vehicles produced before April to improve comfort, handling, and noise reduction.
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OTA software upgrade will be released on April 28.
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Ideal ONE will not have HUD (heads-up display) function.
Quick Review:
Mr. Li’s latest update has brought a lot of good news for both new and old Ideal car owners, and the continuous optimization process will not neglect the first batch of old car owners. In addition, to give the market a reassuring pill, the live broadcast also mentioned that Ideal cars will not launch new models within three years, and will focus on upgrading Ideal ONE. This also means that Ideal will only have this model in the next three years, so they must make this first car better to survive.
Under the epidemic, Ideal delivered 1475 cars in March, and about 4500 have been delivered as of April 9th. For a start-up car company like Ideal, only by selling more cars can they survive. Mr. Li’s personal participation in live broadcasting and more experience stores offline will be opened, will 2020 be a good year for this car company?
Tesla FSD Offers 3-Year Interest-Free Financing
Last week, Tesla announced a promotion for all “delivered owners” of its vehicles: purchasing “full self-driving capability” (FSD) can enjoy “3-year, 36-month interest-free financing.”
The official price of FSD is RMB 56,000, and owners can choose to pay in installments with no down payment. The lowest monthly payment advertised by Tesla at RMB 773 is for owners with a Model S/X who upgrade from EAP to FSD.
Quick Review:
Last week, another piece of news was announced as Tesla set up its first official Tesla flagship store on Tmall, which allows customers to book test drives and purchase related accessories online, but car sales have not yet begun.
Somepeoplehavecalculatedthat56,000yuanofinterest-freeloansforthreeyears can save more than RMB 2,000 in interest. Then, will you take advantage of the interest-free period to purchase Tesla’s FSD function?
Renault unveils new strategy in China.On April 14th, Renault Group announced that it will transfer its 50% stake in Dongfeng Renault Automotive Company to Dongfeng Motor Corporation. Dongfeng Renault Automotive Company will cease all activities related to the Renault brand.
Renault Group in China will focus on “light commercial vehicles” and “electric vehicles”. The light commercial vehicle business will be carried out through the joint venture partner, Huachen Renault Jinbei Automotive Co., Ltd., and electric vehicle business will be carried out through two other joint venture companies, eGT New Energy Automotive Co., Ltd. and Jiangling Motors New Energy Automotive Co., Ltd.
Comment:
China’s Renault owners need not worry. Renault will continue to provide after-sales service to its 300,000 Renault car owners through its existing dealer network and that of Dongfeng Nissan. After taking over Dongfeng Renault, Dongfeng will upgrade the existing factory into a Dongfeng intelligent manufacturing center.
In recent years, Renault’s gasoline car sales in China have been poor. Therefore, Renault intends to completely withdraw from China’s passenger car fuel market. Since the launch of Renault’s first electric car “e-Nuo” in China last year, it has sold more than 3,000 units. Will you look forward to Renault’s next electric car model?
Polestar 2 appears in MIIT’s directory
Polestar 2 appeared in the recently published directory of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. This car is positioned as a mid-sized luxury electric sedan with a body size of 4606*1859 *1482 mm, a wheelbase of 2735 mm, and a curb weight of 2132 kg. It adopts Ningde Times’ 72 kWh ternary lithium battery and has a NEDC driving distance of 500 km. Deliveries are expected to begin in mid-2020.
Polestar 2 uses two 150 kW electric motors, with a total maximum output power of 300 kW. This brings Polestar 2 408 horsepower and a peak torque output of 660 Nm, and 0-100 km/h acceleration will take less than 5 seconds.
Comment:
Polestar 2’s previously announced starting price is CNY 298,000, which is very similar to Tesla Model 3’s price point. In terms of body size, the two cars are also quite similar. Polestar 2 is slightly smaller, making it a direct competitor to the Model 3.However, the weight of the Polestar 2 is indeed not light, with a 4.6 meter body length and a 72 kWh battery, the curb weight is 2132 kg…
In comparison, the domestic Tesla Model 3 rear-wheel drive long-range version has a battery capacity of 77 kWh, but a curb weight of only 1745 kg.
ZEAL R1 460 officially launched
On April 15th, the ZEAL R1 460 was officially launched in Hangzhou, with a price range of 129,900 to 149,900 yuan. The new car has two new body colors, morning light yellow and night pupil blue, with an NEDC range of 451 km.
On the day of launch, the official announced that users who purchase the S01 460 will enjoy three preferential policies: free lifetime road rescue, free lifetime flow privilege, and exclusive free charging pile installation.
Quick review:
Last year, ZEAL delivered about 1000 S01 cars. Perhaps because of poor sales performance, the new model was simply reduced to less than 150,000 yuan, and it further undercut competitors. However, regardless of fuel or electric Coupe models are niche market, so achieving excellent results in this market is difficult.
What is worth mentioning is that the ZEAL S01 is the only model in the same class that has vehicle-level OTA. ZEAL Auto said that more functions can be unlocked in the future, such as OTA opening of ACC adaptive cruise, LKA lane keeping, LSF low-speed follow and other auxiliary driving functions. ZEAL’s parent company Dahua is a listed company that focuses on surveillance products and solutions. Although the L2-level auxiliary driving function has not been launched, ZEAL has always insisted on using its own resources for R&D. It is still quite exciting to see what level of auxiliary driving they can achieve.
Written and edited by: Changhao Lewis
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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.