1. How is the cruising range of ChangXun? Is it enough for your daily commuting? Where is the farthest place you have driven it to?
Regarding the cruising range, the farthest place I have driven from Xiaojiayuan in Haidian district to Hanshiqiao Wetland Park in Shunyi, passing through an agricultural base in the middle. The round trip was approximately 130 kilometers according to my mobile phone’s GPS map and computer calculation. The actual remaining range display was 98 kilometers, which is enough for a family of three with air conditioning on and the outdoor temperature at around 25 degrees Celsius. Therefore, the 410-kilometer NEDC range can actually exceed 430 kilometers in spring in Beijing, which is enough for my daily commute. I only drive about 10 kilometers round trip to and from work, with occasional long-distance driving during weekends for leisure. The battery management of ChangXun has reached my excellent level of expectation.
2. What configuration are you referring to? What discounts have you received? Have you purchased the car in installments? What is the interest rate?
Before I switched to ChangXun, I did research on electric car prices. My first car was the Jianghuai EV5, which had poor cruising performance and left me disappointed for four years. For my second car, I needed one with more reliable cruising distance. A colleague who had switched to a BYD Song Pro in Beijing told me that the top configuration had discounts of 40-50% even in the coldest weather. Later on, I was impressed with the outstanding performance of the Weilan Plus, so I fully opted for the universal system. As for the configuration, I decided on the highest one as it is my second new energy vehicle, and I plan to drive it for many years to come. The discount includes free installation of car film, installation of driving recorder and foot pads on trade-ins, 599 RMB coupons for 10,000 RMB on online shopping, and 600,000 RMB payable in full without installment plan.
3. How did you consider the configuration during your purchase? Can you offer some advice?
For the third question, I am the only driver in our family, having driven for five years, but I am concerned about the requirement for active collision prevention. It was therefore important to have additional side collision warning and one or two more radars in the top configuration. I believe this could effectively prevent risks from fatigue during driving. At the time, I was also hesitant because this car did not have an adaptive cruise control system, but since there was no need for such long-distance driving, I didn’t opt for the Song Pro model.
I would recommend choosing the top configuration as long as you can afford it. Don’t just focus on cost-effectiveness. I spent around 172,000 RMB in total for the car, but over ten years, the fuel cost saved would be substantial. It is better to prioritize the sense of security created by technology, and consequently, a more comfortable lifestyle.
4. Are you satisfied with the noise control of ChangXun? Is it noisy when driving?
The front row noise is not significant when driving with windows closed, likely due to the double-layered glued glass, which does not affect the driving experience.
5. The distance between the battery bottom and the ground is 14 centimeters. Is there a possibility of grounding while driving?Battery Bottom Issues: There are many speed bumps in our unit, and we have never experienced bottoming out. Driving outside, we have not encountered any bottoming out situations due to not traveling through villages with poor road conditions.
6. How about the storage space in the front and rear rows? Are you satisfied? Is it easy to use?
The storage space is quite satisfactory. When the rear seats are partially folded down, a 20-inch children’s bike can be placed, which is the most satisfying feature for me. One of the main reasons for changing to this car was to take my child’s bike to ride in Aosen.
7. How is the driving experience? Are there any noteworthy features?
The driving experience can be described as smooth and stable. The power steering is adequate and very friendly to female drivers. The chassis is well-tuned, which is a result of the accumulated experience in car production by the manufacturer. There are some drawbacks. The brakes are relatively soft, and keeping a close distance to the car in front on high-speed roads is not recommended. Additionally, due to the battery located at the bottom, the seat is low, reducing visibility compared to SUVs running on gasoline. There is also some discomfort with thigh support.
8. Have you installed a charging station in Beijing? Any experience dealing with the property management?
I installed a charging station in my long-term rented parking space. Dealing with property management is a bit complex – you need to communicate with the experts from the national power grid and coordinate with the electricians to avoid the property’s minefields when laying cables. Overall, it costs quite a bit of money. If you do not have the conditions to install a charging station at home, it is recommended to encourage your workplace/office to install one; otherwise, it is difficult to secure commercial public charging stations.
9. Have you charged your car outside? What is the charging speed like?
I haven’t charged the car outside yet. The cruising range is more than enough for driving within Beijing’s city limits, so I never had the chance to charge outside since I already have a charging station at home.
10. If you travel long distances, which app do you think is easier to use for charging stations?
My previous car was also a new energy vehicle, and I could not install a charging station for nearly four years. I used public charging stations a lot, and used StarCharge and Charging Master more frequently, both of which I highly recommend. StarCharge, in particular, has better stability and compatibility with the national electricity network’s charging stations. However, there were instances of incomparability, as the charging station recognized my old car incorrectly. Once, when I drove near Badaling, the charging station was completely incompatible, and I almost had to call for help. I have tried other apps too, but none of them are as easy to operate as StarCharge, with more network coverage and better compatibility. Regarding the recent events of Chang Xun:
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.