The first thing that comes to mind is the popular models from the industry-leading brand, and recently, there have been many popular domestic brand models, including Changan Shenlan SL03. Each product has its own positioning, and the products themselves have their own strengths and weaknesses.
Tesla’s Model 3 focuses on pure electric performance advantages, a fully accessible charging network, simple technology, assisted driving to reduce stress, and an emphasis on space, allowing its excellent features to obtain maximum market share.
The XPeng P5 has obvious strengths, being the first domestic market to produce volume laser radars and offer city navigation functions, continuing the intelligent cabin design of the G3 and P7, and introducing a new concept of the 23-hour third space, making intelligent driving, cabin, and space its greatest strengths.
The Leapmotor C01 and NETA S are quite similar in their characteristics, with price and configuration being their strengths, and as new power brands that have previously focused on pure cost-effectiveness, their flagship models are moving forward.
Compared to the previous three cars, the BYD Dolphin is a more faithful student of the Tesla Model 3 in terms of design proportion, emphasis on energy consumption and high-efficiency endurance level, and the sense of cabin space created by panoramic sunroof glass. Except for the intelligent driving and cabin verification that BYD has always needed to improve, this car can be said to be the best Model 3 substitute for BYD brand fans.
Compared to the above-mentioned vehicle, Changan Shenlan SL03 has more ideas about Chinese people’s intelligence and spatial experience, including the intelligent interactive pixel light that only appeared on overseas conceptual cars a few years ago, the smart interaction displayed on the design, the cabin’s light panel that breathes and pulsates along with various driving modes and state changes, the AR-HUD with fully interactive points and a 14.6-inch sunflower screen, and the nearly 1-meter legroom in the back seat that Chinese people may not need but must have. The design, space, energy consumption and endurance, and intelligence level can all be considered excellent.
A close look at the Changan Shenlan SL03 with excellent design, space, energy consumption and endurance, and intelligence level
With a new platform and native rear-wheel drive, the SL-03 is full of dynamic proportions on its design, with a height-to-width ratio of 0.78 and a wheelbase-to-length ratio of 0.6, creating the visual effect of a C-class car with a B+ level body length, aided by 19-inch star-shaped wheels, and an imposing visual effect.
Based on this design ratio and various aerodynamic optimizations, the wind resistance coefficient of SL03 is as low as 0.23, which is comparable to the best-selling car model in the 200,000 price range with outstanding performance before this.
As the finishing touch of the design, the car lights are particularly eye-catching, the petal-shaped daytime running lights and energy crystals penetrating the taillights on both sides echo each other in front and back, and the energy star language interactive lights appearing at the traditional fog light position externalize intelligent interaction.
Having seen the exterior design, we are ready to get in the car. NFC card key and Bluetooth intelligent sensing function are of course essential skills for SL03. The appearance of the electric retractable door handles and electric tailgate have also effectively supplemented the two missing elements in the getting on and off experience of the previous best-selling car model.
Move to the cabin, where the 1.9 square-meter Low-E panoramic glass roof has already created a good foundation for the sense of space inside the car. Making full use of the extended wheelbase, the front and rear seat spacing creates an excellent physical cabin space experience.
As driving modes and statuses change, the breathing rhythm of the light panel ambient atmosphere lamp combined with 14 SONY top-quality speakers fills the cabin space with visual and auditory experiences.
In terms of interactive means, previously, compact sales models have been lacking. But the SL03’s “Smart Sunflower Screen” builds on the industry’s leading brand’s latest Model S Plaid, which has recently introduced a screen that turns left and right. In addition, with the AR-HUD in front of the main driver, it can only be described as a reduction tactic.
In addition to screens and AR-HUD, the intelligent voice assistant and a variety of preset cabin intelligent settings make the digital cabin experience of the SL03 more in line with Chinese expectations for pure electric products.
After discussing so much about design, space, and intelligence, how are the mechanical qualities of the SL03? The pure electric version of the CLTC has two versions of endurance, 515km and 705km. The former can cover urban commuting, while the latter can meet the long-distance needs of one charge per week for suburban areas. What’s worth mentioning even more is that the overall vehicle energy consumption is as low as 12.3kWh/100km. Instead of relying on battery stacking, performance is enhanced with optimized energy consumption. The skill points of the SL03 are very sharp.
The Changan Blue SL03 is equipped with an electric drive system that generates 190 kW and 320 Nm of torque. When equipped with rear-wheel drive, the car can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds. Although it doesn’t have the explosive 3-second acceleration of a popular performance model, it’s still enough to give the driver an edge at intersections. We’ll have to wait until after the test drive to evaluate its steering, braking, and suspension performance.
The 200,000 yuan price point is a watershed moment. For most people who have previously purchased gasoline cars, this level of pricing represents a product with status symbols, prestige, and not just transportation attributes. However, in the age of pure electric vehicles, these features have taken on new meanings. Design, space, energy consumption, range, and intelligence are four essential skills that any pure electric vehicle must possess. At a price point of 200,000 yuan, the Changan Blue SL03 can deliver these skills.
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.