Writing by: Lu Weijia
The base version of Tesla Model 3?
How powerful can a 200,000 yuan domestic electric car be?
Starting from the cost-effective Zero Run C11, to the Byton Dolphin that aims at the Model 3, and to the smart Elf #1 that captivates countless girls by its design, domestic electric cars priced at 200,000 yuan are overwhelming and leave no room for the joint venture brands.
What is more frightening for joint venture brands is that the pinnacle of domestic electric cars has yet to come. With the increasing penetration rate of new energy vehicles in China, there will definitely be more and more outstanding domestic electric cars in the future.
On the evening of July 25th, Changan Shenlan SL03, who joined this “overwhelming battle,” is the most typical “inward coiler” player among domestic electric cars.
A month ago, our colleague, the EV Chief, predicted after driving the Shenlan SL03 in Xinjiang, “Changan Shenlan SL03 will thrive if it is sold for 200,000 yuan.”
Sure enough, the EV Chief’s prediction was accurate. SL03 not only controls the starting price to be under 200,000 yuan, but also launches three types of energy forms: pure electric, extended-range, and hydrogen fuel cell version, with an official price range of 16.89-69.99 million yuan.
Thirty-three minutes after the new car officially announced the price, the number of orders broke through 10,000. (Note that it is “orders,” rather than “bookings.”)
If it weren’t for my temporary plan of not replacing my car, I think I would also be one of the 1 out of 10,000 people who has placed an order. Because what attracts me to the Shenlan SL03 is not only its starting price under 200,000 yuan, but also its alluring and versatile characteristics.
“Large for Food Items”
First of all, the SL03 is large enough, which is a major feature of best-selling models in the domestic market.The body dimensions of SL03 reach the level of a mid-size car, with specific figures of 4820/1890/1480mm in length, width, and height, respectively, and a wheelbase of 2900mm. Compared to both BYD Dolphin and Tesla Model 3, SL03’s body dimensions are neither inferior nor superior.
Secondly, I would like to mention not only the “conventional configurations”, such as seat heating and ventilation, all-digital instrument panel, and electric tailgate, which are standard in the entire SL03 series, but also the performance of SL03, the first model built on the EPA1 all-electric digital platform, in the area of assisted driving and intelligent cockpit.
To cope more confidently with the challenges of the new four modernizations, even the entry-level extended-range model of SL03 is equipped with a hardware system composed of 15 sensing components, including 6 ultrasonic radars, 3 millimeter-wave radars, and 6 high-performance cameras, so that SL03 has more than ten intelligent driving assistance systems with comprehensive capabilities beyond Level 2.
At the same time, SL03 will also be equipped with the APA7.0 remote valet parking system. If the user chooses to activate this service, the sensing hardware carried by the vehicle will be upgraded from 15 to 34, thereby realizing functions such as memory parking, remote moving, and remote parking.
While everyone is still debating whether to use a symmetrical layout on the center console or to tilt towards the driver’s seat, SL03 has already launched the industry’s first sunflower screen, which can maintain horizontal symmetry and tilt 15° towards the driver or the front passenger. In other words, the center console screen can lean toward both the driver’s and the front passenger’s seats or stay in a neutral position, without worrying about losing the spouse’s goodwill.
Within the 14.6-inch sunflower screen, SL03 is equipped with the Qualcomm 8155 vehicle chip, whose processing speed can reach 3.6 million times per second. To ensure the smooth operation of the vehicle system, the vehicle running memory reaches 12G, and the storage memory reaches 128G.
In addition, the pure electric version of SL03 is also equipped with an AR-HUD system. This system can create a 61-inch equivalent screen 8.5 meters in front of the driver, deeply integrating the driving and vehicle systems, allowing the driver to obtain sufficient information without taking their eyes off the road.## Not Just Electrification, But Also Handling
When the words “frameless doors, hatchback body, and rear-wheel drive layout” are combined, we can imagine that the SL03 is not a car satisfied with mediocrity.
However, “there are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people’s eyes”, and I will not describe too much about the design of the SL03 here. You can evaluate its “beauty” or “ugliness” based on your own aesthetic habits. The only thing that can be certain is that the design of the SL03 is youthful and individualistic, and its target consumers are definitely young people who are willing to try new things.
On the level of handling, the SL03 has indeed proven that it is not an ordinary electric car.
Taking the pure electric version as an example, the SL03 has launched two versions, the “515” and “705”, with a maximum output power of 218 horsepower and a peak torque of 320 N·m driven by a rear-mounted electric motor. Its 0-100km/h acceleration time is 5.9 seconds and 7.9 seconds respectively, and its range under CLTC conditions is 515km and 705km respectively.
Perhaps the SL03’s data on paper is not too amazing, but let’s not forget that the driving experience is the main factor in measuring handling fun.
After testing the SL03 on a professional test track, our colleagues described it as follows: its steering is good, it is agile in cornering, and it handles well. As you approach the limit during fast cornering, the chassis allows some slippage to help the driver go around the corner. If your driving skills are good enough, it can even perform some drifting maneuvers.
In his view, the SL03 is a good car that is fun to drive.
Final Thoughts
We often say that the Chinese market lacks cars that are both high-performance and enjoyable to drive.
Especially in the era of electrification, it seems that the entire electric vehicle market has unconsciously devalued the importance of handling. The vast majority of pure electric cars are placing their emphasis on intelligent connectivity, which is also the main reason why some driving enthusiasts are unwilling to choose pure electric cars.
I am pleased to see that Changan Shenlan SL03 has not weakened the handling of electric vehicles with the trend of electrification. Moreover, it has worked hard in the field of handling. It can serve as both a substitute for the Model 3 and a qualified family car.
Such sincere and distinctive domestically produced electric vehicles deserve to be in high demand.
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.