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XPeng G3 2020 officially launched
XPeng G3 2020 was launched on July 10, with two range versions, 400 and 520, corresponding to NEDC ranges of 401 km and 520 km, respectively.
– G3 400 version price: CNY 143,800 – 180,800
– G3 520 version price: CNY 159,800 – 196,800
The car is equipped with NCM battery pack produced by Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), with energy density of 180 Wh/kg.
Compared with the old G3, the 2020 G3 can be said to have increased volume and reduced price. This should have been a happy thing, but because the old G3 was only delivered to customers in large quantities since March this year, and a new model was launched in less than half a year, this caused dissatisfaction among the old car owners who had just picked up their cars.
On July 12, He XPeng, the chairman of XPeng Motors, issued an apology letter to the old car owners and announced a compensation plan for them → From now on, when buying any model of XPeng Motors within three years, in addition to enjoying all the promotional policy benefits of the new car purchase period, they can also enjoy an exclusive subsidy of CNY 10,000.
However, some old car owners do not fully recognize this compensation plan. Even on July 13, some of them gathered at XPeng Motors headquarters to claim their rights…
Quick comment: For the range and price of XPeng G3 2020, I think it is worthy of praise. However, learning from Tesla that ‘old car owners are not as good as dogs’ is not a good thing to do… As for the compensation plan for the old car owners, I don’t want to comment too much, I just hope that “Hello, Peng Friends” is not just a saying.
Pure Electric MINI Debuts
The first electric vehicle model of MINI, named MINI Cooper SE, has been officially released. It is produced at MINI’s factory in Oxford, UK. Let’s take a look at its parameters.
- NEDC range 270 km
- WLTP range 235 km
- Battery capacity 32.6 kWh
- Single motor front-wheel drive, maximum motor power 135 kW
- Acceleration of 7.3 seconds per 100 kilometers
- Maximum fast charging power 50 kW
- Heat pump air conditioning
- German starting price of 32,500 euros ($36,400)
Quick assessment: Many people are criticizing the parameters of the all-electric MINI. With an NEDC range of 270 km, it is a bit insufficient by today’s standards. However, most MINI owners usually have more than one car, and this range is enough for city driving as a second or third car.
Moreover, whether it is the appearance, interior, or brand power, overall, MINI is the undisputed leader in its class. Therefore, the key issue for the pure electric MINI is its final price after it enters the Chinese market.
Ford and Volkswagen to strengthen global cooperation
On July 13th, Ford and Volkswagen announced that they will strengthen global cooperation and deepen their layout in the fields of autonomous driving and electric vehicles. Here are some details.
- Volkswagen and Ford will jointly invest in the autonomous driving technology platform, Argo AI. The two companies will hold equal shares in Argo AI. After the joint investment, both parties can integrate Argo AI’s autonomous driving technology into their own products.
- Ford will become the first automotive company other than the Volkswagen Group to use the Volkswagen MEB platform. This is part of Ford’s $11.5 billion global investment in electric vehicles. Based on the MEB platform, Ford plans to design a new electric vehicle model in Cologne, Germany, and launch it in 2023. At the same time, Ford expects to deliver more than 600,000 cars based on the MEB architecture to the European market within six years.
Ford to Develop and Manufacture Midsize Pickup Trucks and Large Commercial Vehicles for Two Companies
Ford will be responsible for developing, procuring, and manufacturing midsize pickup trucks that were previously announced for two companies. The plan is to launch them in major global markets in 2022. In addition, Ford will also be responsible for developing, procuring, and manufacturing large commercial vehicles that are expected to be launched in the European market in 2022.
Quick Comment: In the past two years, major automakers around the world have not been doing very well. Moreover, under the trend of electrification and intelligence, traditional car manufacturers need to invest a lot of money in research and development. Obviously, working together can significantly improve the utilization of funds and save costs.
NIO’s First Supercharging Station Is Operational
On July 9, NIO’s first supercharging station officially opened for trial operation to car owners.
- Located at NIO delivery center in Suzhou
- Four supercharging piles are available.
- Maximum output current of 250 A and maximum power of 105 kW
- Price: CNY 1.20/kWh
- Open 24 hours a day
- Currently only available to NIO car owners by scanning the code
Quick Comment: Compared to fast charging piles with a maximum output current of 120 A commonly used by national grid, the power of NIO Supercharging piles can be said to have doubled, and the price is still cheap… but is really awesome.
Although it is currently only available to NIO car owners, according to NIO official personnel, it’s only a matter of time to open it to the public. At the same time, it is hoped that NIO’s supercharging system can speed up its layout and enable more electric vehicle owners to enjoy true fast charging.
Continental Releases 2-Speed Transmission for Electric Vehicles
On the global Technology Day, Continental showcased a brand new two-speed gearbox for electric passenger vehicles, which can significantly reduce energy consumption. Compared to a single-speed gearbox, the new two-speed gearbox can increase the driving range of the vehicle by up to 5%.
In addition, the gearbox can reduce the motor’s noise, while increasing the top speed. It is expected to be mass-produced on a large scale in the next two years.
Quick Comment: As we all know, current electric vehicles usually have a single-speed gearbox or reducer, which can already meet daily needs due to a wide torque platform of the motor. However, at high speeds, since the motor rotates at a very high speed, its driving efficiency will be affected. Therefore, many manufacturers want to make a two-speed gearbox for electric vehicles to improve the motor’s efficiency at high speed and thus increase the driving range of electric vehicles.## Weekly Stats
Last week, there was a heated debate on Weibo about whether ACC was safer or more dangerous to use on urban roads (including ring roads and elevated roads).
Arguments in favor:
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ACC can help control throttle and brake, so you only need to pay attention to the road conditions, which can significantly reduce fatigue；
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ACC can control vehicle speed and distance when your attention is diverted, preventing accidents from happening.
Arguments against:
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ACC may not be able to detect vehicles cutting in from the side or stationary vehicles, which can lead to accidents；
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Unlike humans, ACC does not have predictive ability；
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ACC can make drivers lax in their vigilance.
However, many netizens have not actually experienced the ACC (at full speed), so their comments are not of much reference value. Therefore, we also surveyed car owners in the community to get their actual experience.
According to the voting results of car owners, 79% (46%+33%) of car owners feel that ACC is useful on urban ring roads and elevated roads, except in extremely complex road conditions. However, there was more disagreement on whether the ACC function is useful on urban roads.
But at least it can be seen that, under non-extreme conditions, most car owners believe that turning on the ACC function at full speed on enclosed roads can effectively reduce driving fatigue.
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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.