This new car report is from a member of the Model 3 national group 3 at Garage 42, named @will. Here is some basic information about him:
- 27-year-old UI designer
- Lives in Shanghai
- Has no home charging, but has access to charging at work
- Has had the car for six months
Inspiration
I’m a 27-year-old digital native who works in UI design, and I’m passionate about deals and discounts. I currently live in an old public housing compound in downtown Shanghai where parking is extremely limited. Normally, I get around using shared bikes, public transport, or walking. The security guards here have always advised against buying a car, saying it’s too expensive and difficult to park in the city. So, my family has never considered owning a car.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in February, I was stuck at home for two weeks. All the stores were closed, and the subway had stopped running early. I had nowhere to go. I didn’t want to be stuck at home forever, and since there weren’t many cars on the road at that time, it seemed like a good opportunity to practice driving. So, I downloaded Evcard and used it to rent a car and go night cruising around Shanghai.
After a month, an old classmate of mine posted a photo of his new Model 3 on WeChat Moments (a social media platform). I was immediately attracted to the sleek appearance and clean user interface of the car computer. It was so different from any car I had ever seen before.
In my mind, it wasn’t just a car, it was a large digital toy.
After that, I went online to learn more about the Model 3. This was my first time researching cars, and I had never dealt with a gasoline vehicle before.
As the malls gradually reopened, I suggested to my mother that we go to the mall to see a real Model 3. We went to the Tesla showroom in the Xintiandi shopping center, just to take a look around. After being in the showroom for only 15 minutes, I put down a deposit without even taking a test drive.
I vaguely remember what the salesperson said to me: “When you spend money to buy a car, you’re not just wasting your money. You’re investing in an asset that will accompany you in another form and bring convenience to your life.”
“If you plan to buy a car in the next five years, don’t hesitate. The earlier you buy, the earlier you can enjoy it.” And at the time, the deposit was fully refundable (now it’s a non-refundable deposit of 1,000 yuan).
Today, four months after taking delivery, I still think what the salesperson said was true. They gave me the push I needed to make a decision.
Decision
My budget was between 200,000 and 350,000 yuan. I looked at BYD, Roewe, WM Motor, NIO, Xpeng, and Tesla. Only the exterior and UI of the NIO ES6, Xpeng P7 and Tesla Model 3 met my requirements. Roewe had no highlights, BYD and WM Motor were out of consideration.The appearance and UI interaction of the electric vehicle deeply impressed me. In my opinion, most of the traditional fuel vehicle interfaces are very outdated and the UI is particularly ugly. Due to my profession, I can’t accept it completely. In terms of operating costs, electric vehicles can be maintenance-free.
Since the deposit was refundable at any time and I had already basically decided to buy the car, I decided to pay the deposit first and then start researching other aspects because the salesman said that this would entitle me to priority delivery.
When neighbors and relatives learned that I wanted to buy an electric car, I received almost 100% negative feedback. The reason is simple – they think that pure electric cars are unreliable and not worth 300,000 yuan (the exact words were “people who spend 300,000 yuan on an electric car are really too rich”).
I think consumers should be divided into four categories: the first is those who love to explore new things, the second is those who follow the mainstream, the third is those who are forced, and I belong to the first category. I have installed a full set of smart home appliances at home, and even the first in the whole community to use a dishwasher and fingerprint lock.
The following are the car models I referred to when purchasing:
NIO ES6
I made a reservation for a test drive of NIO ES6 and was amazed when I entered the store. Impressed by the service of Haidilao hotpot, the large glass curtain wall, and the Apple-like experience, I give this brand a full score. NIO provides lifetime quality assurance, free battery replacement, and various considerate services. NIO can solve almost all the troubles you may encounter during the use of the car. I test drove the performance version of the ES6, in the color of avocado green. The space is large and spacious, with ample storage space and comfortable seating. The storage space between the main and co-pilot seats is particularly appealing. The biggest highlight for me is the active air suspension, which is as smooth as Japanese electric and public transportation. The air conditioning uses a heat pump air conditioner, which saves about three times the energy consumption of Model 3 in winter heating. There are also many options for exterior, interior colors, and optional equipment, including ventilated seats, intelligent scent system, and advanced surround sound system. Adding all the desirables result in a purchase price of nearly 400,000 yuan.
Model 3Although it has a coupe styling, the storage space in the front and rear trunks of Model 3 is sufficient. While many gasoline vehicle owners say that the interior of Model 3 is particularly inferior, I actually prefer it. I do not think it is wise to blindly place a bunch of buttons near the driver’s seat. Model 3 integrates all the rarely used buttons into the screen, which comes with a wood finish, and looks concise yet not crude. The frameless glass makes the car look even cooler, and getting in and out becomes a bit easier. At that time, the standard-range version was sold for ¥290,000 and the long-range version was sold for ¥330,000. I reserved the long-range version. Later, affected by the new energy subsidy policy, the price of the standard-range version dropped to ¥270,000, while the long-range version rose to ¥340,000 instead of dropping as expected. Although the official statement is that price adjustment was caused by the subsidy policy, I believe the long-range version will inevitably experience a greater price drop than the standard-range version (which has been verified now). Therefore, I switched to the standard-range version, which is completely enough for commuting within the city.
XPENG P7
XPENG has the most satisfactory car machine UI for me. However, the driver and passenger seats are a bit small, and the riding experience is not as spacious as that of ES6 and Model 3. The price was the most grounded at that time. If I have to say something negative, it would be the name and logo of the car. For some reason, I feel it lowers the grade.
Summary
I hesitated for a long time between ES6 and Model 3. Although the two cars have different positions, they are both cars I like. After all, the reason why I eventually chose Model 3 is probably because I am financially challenged. There is a senior around me who owns both Model 3 and ES6 in his family. If I had enough money, I would buy both of them, and there would be no need to hesitate.
The parking lot of my company offers free charging service, so my driving cost is zero. Since the charging conditions in my residential area are limited, I didn’t install a home charger. Taking Shanghai Gushidian electricity price of 0.03 yuan/kWh as an example, the driving cost can be as low as 0.03 yuan/km, and if the air conditioning is turned on, it is 0.045 yuan/km. Also, the battery has always been maintained at full capacity. If a home charger is installed, the monthly electricity bill for driving 1000 kilometers is about 37 yuan. The Shanghai government subsidy for new energy vehicle charging fees is 150 yuan per month, totaling 5000 yuan, which means driving a car for free.
Another benefit of installing a home charger is that Sentry mode and driving overheat protection can be turned on constantly. The power consumption of these two functions can be directly drawn from the charging pile, greatly reducing the loss caused by the battery’s power supply. Sentry mode is used to monitor the vehicle, so the perpetrator can be found in time if there is a scratch. The owners of ground parking spaces can turn on the driving overheat protection, which ensures that the interior of the vehicle is not exposed to high temperatures and aging.Here are my thoughts on purchasing a car. If you are also a tech enthusiast and a bargain hunter, then a pure electric vehicle is definitely the best choice for you.
If you find @will’s sharing helpful, please use the author’s referral code to purchase a car: https://ts.la/teikeni98033
If you are also a car owner and have something to share with everyone, feel free to submit your content to the group owner of your number 42 garage car enthusiast group.
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.