Author: Wang Lingfang
Editor: Qiu Kaijun
The EA platform for electric vehicles has been iterated to version 3.0, with all parameters surpassing Tesla Model 3.
On November 3, the all-new high-end pure electric exclusive platform AEP 3.0 of EA was officially mass-produced and released.
After thorough independence, the platform technology name has been changed from GEP to AEP, changing the surname.
Although the platform name has changed slightly, the technology inheritance iteration is continuing. Through the first two generations of platforms, EA solved the problems of pure electric exclusivity, long endurance, large space, and high safety. In the third generation, their focus is on improving pure electric handling performance.
From the data perspective, EA, which has always taken Tesla as a benchmark and challenge target, can challenge Tesla on the 3.0 platform.
Introducing Supercar Technology
With the upgrade direction determined, EA strives for the ultimate level in platform handling performance.
EA adopts supercar-level electric drive technology, with a maximum speed of up to 300km/h, a level that 99% of electric cars find difficult to achieve; the rear-wheel drive single-motor version can break 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds, and the four-wheel drive multi-motor version can do it in 1.9 seconds. It’s worth noting that the Model 3 rear-wheel drive version has an acceleration of 5.3 seconds, and the four-wheel drive version is 3.3 seconds.
EA uses the original X-pin flat wire technology and intelligent multimode shifting system to ensure that the motor can always operate at the most efficient working range, while increasing the starting torque and reducing high-speed energy consumption.
EA also draws on the low center of gravity and lightweight body structure of supercars to achieve higher handling limits in the rear-wheel drive layout and support the expansion of four-wheel drive.To solve the problem of poor handling of electric vehicles, EON has developed the AICS intelligent chassis system, which adjusts the wheel output torque, braking torque, and suspension stiffness based on parameters such as wheel speed, steering angle, throttle, and lateral swing speed, achieving multiple system dynamic matching control. As a result, the turning radius has been reduced to as low as 5.3 meters (for a 3-meter wheelbase), turning accuracy and sensitivity have been improved by 30%, body roll has been reduced by 40%, and the braking distance is equivalent to leading advantages of less than 35 meters per 100 kilometers.
At the same time, the AEP 3.0 platform has been comprehensively upgraded in terms of vehicle structure, lightweight, energy consumption, and low-temperature endurance, and has achieved breakthroughs in higher dimensions.
From benchmarking Tesla to surpassing Tesla
Compared with the Tesla Model 3, which also has a 3-meter wheelbase and rear-wheel drive layout, the third-generation EON AEP 3.0 platform has surpassed it in terms of turning radius, cornering slide, acceleration, braking performance, etc..
E’an is one of the earliest domestic car companies to propose platformization. In 2017, it iterated on its GEP pure electric platform centered around “batteries” and invested heavily with 3 billion yuan to create the AEP2.0 pure electric exclusive platform with “batteries + electric drive” as the core layout in 2019.
The GEP 2.0 all-aluminum pure electric exclusive platform, which costs 3 billion yuan to build, means “a solid foundation of 3 billion yuan”. The main optimizations of the second-generation GEP platform include higher space utilization, lower power consumption, and stronger performance, with representative models being Aion S and Aion LX.
The products under the GEP2.0 platform have comprehensive advantages in terms of range, performance, and intelligence compared to the same level of models. Compared with Tesla Model 3, Aion S has advantages in body size and range, and is priced lower, but is slightly inferior in performance parameters.
If the 2.0 platform can only reach a tie with Tesla, then with the release of the AEP3.0 platform, E’an has finally surpassed Tesla.
From Technology Import to Reverse Output
In the era of fuel vehicles, “Toyota” occupied the main position in Guangzhou Automobile Group’s sales and was responsible for its production, sales, and reputation.
Since then, Guangzhou Automobile Group has successively cooperated with Japanese car companies such as Hino Motors and Mitsubishi Motors, and established joint ventures. Joint venture brands occupy a very important position in Guangzhou Automobile Group.In the era of intelligent electric vehicles, the situation has been reversed. GAC Motor no longer introduces technology from foreign brands, but reverses the trend and exports technology to joint venture brands under GAC Motor Group, including GAC Toyota and GAC Honda, thanks to the solid quality brought by the GEP2.0 pure electric exclusive platform and the leading strength in the “three-electric” core technology of the AION series.
This is not the first time Evergrande New Energy Auto has exported new energy vehicle products to joint venture brands. As early as 2018, Evergrande New Energy had realized the export of plug-in hybrid vehicle GS4 to GAC Toyota, making GAC the only automobile group in the industry to export new energy products to joint ventures at that time.
Now, Evergrande New Energy has achieved the reverse output of the entire series of pure electric vehicle products, thereby redefining the “joint venture relationship of the new era”.
On the industrial chain layout, Evergrande New Energy has established battery and electric drive companies, and has also reached strategic cooperation with upstream resources such as Ganfeng Lithium, striving to achieve independent controllability in the industrial chain.
While technology and industrial chain are important, market response is even more crucial. Evergrande New Energy’s sales data is impressive. In October, the company sold 30,063 units, a year-on-year increase of 149%, and the cumulative sales from January to October was 212,400 units, a year-on-year increase of 134%, exceeding the annual target of 200,000 cars two months ahead of schedule.
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.