Laven: Hello everyone, welcome to 42Talk. Today we are focusing on two brands that have collaborated with Huawei; Avatr and AITO. We have invited the owners of these brand models, a proud Avatr 11 owner-Jian Xiong and an AITO M5 pure electric smart driving version owner-Doctor Qu. Say hello to everyone~

Jian Xiong: Hi, I’m Jian Xiong and I’m an Avatr 11 owner. I bought the car about a month ago.

Doctor Qu: Hi everyone, I’m Doctor Qu. I bought my car, an AITO M5 pure electric smart driving version, in July and got it delivered on August 21st.

Describe your car in one sentence

Jian Xiong: I’d say the Avatr vehicle is worth its price of about 280,000, except for the seating. I believe, barring the seats, the car should cost around 350,000 to be priced reasonably.

Doctor Qu: I think this car is very suitable for novice drivers. I’ve had my license for a long time, but I don’t drive frequently.

Laven: Is this your first new energy vehicle?

Doctor Qu: Yes, it’s my first new energy vehicle and my first car.

Jian Xiong: It’s my fourth new energy vehicle. The first was a Model S, bought early in 2015. After a few years, the Model S didn’t appeal to me anymore due to its outdated smart features. I needed a car for my company, so I bought a HOZON V for 80,000. It felt better than a Tesla Model S in terms of handling, intelligence, and voice commands. Next, I bought a HOZON in August last year, and a pre-ordered Xpeng G9 in October. I received my G9 in April this year. At that time, I was also considering between an Avatr and G9, but then the Avatr didn’t drop in price, which made me like it even more, so I bought the Avatr too.

Laven: Do you still drive the previous three cars?

Jian Xiong: The Tesla is parked and not being used, while the HOZON V is driven by my company’s staff member. The G9 and Avatr 11 are regularly driven by my partner and me. She doesn’t usually drive, so I decide which one to drive for her.

Three key factors influencing car purchases

Laven: Can you share the three most important factors you considered before buying a car? For example, if I were to buy a new energy vehicle, besides the price, I would consider the brand first, and then the car’s exterior and its battery life. What about you?Sword Brother: For me, I cannot ignore the price. Not about whether it is high or low, but whether it matches the car. If I feel the car is worth the price, then that’s priority. Say, if the car sells for 1 million, but I think it’s only worth 400,000. Then I definitely won’t but it, regardless of economic conditions. Next priorities include appearance. Of course, HOZON doesn’t need to talk about appearance, I care about appearance for other cars, as long as they are worth the price. As a Tesla driver, its limited driving range really bothers me, so next priority is driving range. Afterwards comes assisted driving. Why am I so stubborn to buy an ‘avatr’? Because after using the assisted driving, I felt it was totally worth it, this factor may be more important in the future. Other factors aren’t that important, these three are essential: appearance, driving range and assisted driving.

Dr. Qu: First of all, I consider safety, both active and passive safety. Then I consider things like the car system, and also assisted driving.

Why buy ‘avatr’ 11 / ‘AITO’ m5

Laven: Considering these factors, do you feel your current cars are outperforming others in the same category? Or what made you finally choose these cars?

Sword Brother: For me, when ‘avatr’ was first launched, I was engrossed by its exterior design. Additionally, my friends who own an ‘avatr’ often post videos of its assisted driving. Like Dr. Qu said, I have been driving for over 20 years, but even if I am a good driver, I need something that can help me drive better and safer. I value safety as well, and think that letting AI take over isn’t right, but maximizing safety through human-computer sharing should be prioritized. That’s why I bought this car, because its assisted driving is excellent.

Laven: So, in essence, the main reason you purchased an ‘avatr’ is due to its assisted driving capabilities?

Sword Brother: Exactly, appearance is an entry point, and assisted driving is a necessity.

Dr. Qu: Mine is also for the assisted driving, and the car system, HarmonyOS. I actually love AVATR too, and its appearance. Actually, I test-drove the ‘AITO’ M5, with intelligent drive, before purchasing. I found the car system user-friendly, the seat comfortable, and the HUD very effective. In the afternoon of the same day, I also test-drove the ‘avatr’ 11, and found its car system a bit inconvenient to use, and the seat a bit uncomfortable to sit in. On top of that, it didn’t have a HUD.Laven: So, a significant reason as to why you didn’t purchase the Avatr 11 at the time was because the vehicle system was not as smooth as expected, correct?

Dr. Qu: Yes, if they had a Hongmeng vehicle system at that time, even if they lacked a HUD and the seats were less comfortable, I would have chosen Avatr. Mainly due to its impressive exterior, sporty design, high acceleration, wheel hub specifications and the high overall configuration, including the automatic doors etc.

Laven: Jian, when you were buying a car, had you considered the AITO M5 with the smart driving system? Dr. Qu had just mentioned it for having a smoother vehicle system.

Jian: I agree with all of Dr. Qu’s points. However, I didn’t choose the AITO M5, mainly because its design aesthetics were not as appealing as Avatr’s. The aesthetic appeal is of great importance to me. Even though the Avatr’s vehicle system may not be good, I still believe Avatr’s forthcoming Hongmeng version will perform well. For me, design aesthetics are crucial which is why I chose Avatr over AITO.

Laven: As we discussed earlier, everyone considers different factors when purchasing a car. Jian prioritizes exterior design and smart driving technologies, while Dr. Qu places more emphasis on the vehicle system itself.

Laven: I want to ask both of you, did Huawei’s collaboration play a part in your decision to buy these cars?

Jian: I didn’t buy the vehicle because I’m a Huawei fan or faithful to Huawei. I bought it because I was excited about the potential of the Huawei cockpit, knowing they would upgrade to the Hongmeng cockpit. Without the Hongmeng cockpit and Huawei’s smart driving technology, I wouldn’t have considered Avatr. In terms of smart driving, I’ve test-driven it and found it to be superior.

Dr.Qu: I’m not a Huawei fan either. If Huawei’s smart driving technology were not part of the equation, I probably would not have purchased the SERES.

Laven: Both of you seem interested in smart driving technology. For instance, Jian, you’ve owned a Xpeng G9 before. Dr. Qu, did you consider Xpeng when you were buying your car?

Dr. Qu: Yes, I did. At the time, the Xpeng G6 had just been launched, and it had a high cost-performance ratio. I was about to start a new job, and though I had a large deposit on the M5, they told me I had to wait eight weeks, until late August. I didn’t think I could wait, so I placed a deposit on the Xpeng G6 as well. I decided to choose whichever car arrived first.

Avatr vs Xpeng: A Comparison of Smart Driving Systems

Laven: Jian, when driving both the Avatr and Xpeng, did you notice any differences in their smart driving systems? Which one did you prefer?

Jian: It can be categorized into two parts. One is the smart cabin and the other is smart driving. Comparing my current non-Hongmeng vehicle system with Xpeng’s, the experience is arguably poorer.
In terms of smart driving, however, I think Huawei and Xpeng have their own strengths. Here in Wenzhou, where roads have no maps, Huawei’s NCA often comes in handy, especially on overhead roads or new sections. In normal daily driving, Xpeng’s more cautious nature suits me better, even though both are synonymous with smart driving.
For road sections without maps or guidance from Xpeng’s NGP or Huawei’s NCA, the only alternative is to use LCC. Xpeng is rather conservative in its approach, while Avatr, with its two side-mounted laser radars, offers a more proactive handling of potential side threats, making it more aggressive. This can be problematic for drivers like me who prefer to slow down and brake manually. On the other hand, Avatr’s capacity for emergency evasive maneuvering is clearly superior to Xpeng’s. I felt more secure knowing that it has the ability to avoid obstacles proactively. Even so, I prefer Xpeng’s conservative approach, but Avatr definitely is more capable.# Analysis on the Pros and Cons of Car Usage

Laven: You two haven’t had your cars for too long. What are the top three things that you are currently satisfied with about your own car?

Jian Brother: First is the appearance, second, its smart driving, and third the overall aesthetics of the interior. The atmosphere is decent; I’ve tested the Xpeng G6 and the Avatr’s interior is slightly better.

Laven: What are the three things that you’re least satisfied with?

Jian Brother: The seating I am most dissatisfied with, as I chose not the genuine leather version, but a normal leather one, its odor was quite overwhelming. Only after a month, it began to gradually fade, otherwise, the smell was heavy. The vehicle console, which is really not up to par. If it doesn’t equip HarmonyOS, it’s definitely not acceptable.

Laven: Doctor Qu, what are the top three aspects of the car you are most satisfied with?

Doctor Qu: I’m most satisfied with its smart driving, the vehicle console, and the space is decent as well.

Laven: That’s actually somewhat contrary to Jian Brother’s points, with your satisfaction in its vehicle console and space, which he doesn’t like. How do you find its seating?

Doctor Qu: The seating is very good and comfortable, I chose the full set, seats, crystal gear lever, headrest speakers, HUD, all pretty comfortable and the ventilation is also good.

Laven: What about the three things you’re least satisfied with?

Doctor Qu: The three things I’m least satisfied with are its facial recognition, there is a facial recognition device on the left A-pillar, if you are the owner, it will recognize your face, but the failure rate is quite high, around 40% for me. You need to use AITO APP to scan the QR code to login, which is quite inconvenient. Additionally, the wind noise at high speeds is quite loud. I bought it in Pudong and had to travel around ninety kilometers back, the wind noise was quite loud at high speeds.

Jian Brother: Avatr is also not particularly good, acceptable but not excellent.

Doctor Qu: Another point is that the taillight turn signal isn’t particularly noticeable, unlike the Avatr and other cars, which have running water turn signals. The M5’s rear turn signal is just a bit, so I feel it’s not especially obvious, which does have some impact when driving and signaling turns as normal.

Laven: You both mentioned the vehicle console. It was also mentioned that Avatr 11 HarmonyOS version was launched in August, and it will be pushed to old vehicle owners in the future. Jian Brother, how you would rate the user experience of the Avatr 11 cockpit, on a scale of 5?

Jian Brother: I could give it a 3.5. If you come from gas-driven cars, this console is very good. But if you’ve driven many, such as Xpeng, LI, and some others with superior vehicle consoles, you’d think this one still has a long way to go. It’s somewhat sluggish, not that smooth, and lacks intelligence. Despite claiming to understand instructions, many times it doesn’t. For a good console, it should be able to fulfil commands at just the mention of certain keywords. Of course, Avatr still lacks some specific capabilities, and its processing capability is not that strong, but it’s usable. Strictly speaking, it deserves a 3.5, but you could say 4 as well, though it’s definitely not excellent yet.
Laven: Honestly, it’s not that bad and even surpassed my expectation. You mentioned not being satisfied with the infotainment system, which I imagine must be below par. But this does not necessarily make it bad, just not exceptional.

Jian: Correct, it’s just that we have set a median standard for our new power.

Laven: Because Dr. Qu is using the M5 smart drive version of the AITO, equipped with HarmonyOS cockpit, if you were to rate it out of 5, what would be your score?

Dr. Qu: I’d give it a 4.6 to 4.7 out of 5. The good part is that I just have to tell it what to do, and it basically understands long sentences and navigation destinations. Plus, even when my father uses it, it’s easy for him to get the hang of it without needing instructions or learning.

Laven: So you mean there’s no difficulty for an internal combustion engine driver to adapt, right?

Dr. Qu: Right, and the voice features are good too. Strictly speaking, it scores 4.6 or 4.7, but if not strictly, it can score 4.8 or 4.9.

Laven: At the beginning of every month, everyone is announcing their sales figures. I also saw Avatr 11 HarmonyOS Edition, which broke 5,000 reservations in 7 days of its launch. Jian, are you confident about the sales of this car equipped with the HarmonyOS version?

Jian: It’s because the new model has upgraded seats as well, which I have yet to experience. If both the HarmonyOS upgrade and the seat issues are addressed, then this car is of great value and the sales will be fine. HarmonyOS and chair fixes are necessary. Once fixed, there shouldn’t be any major issues, and it would be quite worth the price.

Laven: Dr. Qu, do you think the Avatr 11 HarmonyOS version will be a strong competitor to the AITO M5 smart drive version after its launch?

Dr. Qu: Definitely. Because I’ve also read the news about more than 5,000 orders in 7 days after the HarmonyOS edition launch. For me, if it’s the HarmonyOS infotainment system, I would definitely choose Avatr 11 as it has a cool and good-looking exterior, lights, and charging pile, which AITO does not have; you have to buy it separately.

The best car to buy within a budget of RMB 300,000?

Laven: You’ve all shared your opinions on buying and using cars. If we now ask each of you to recommend a car for our audience with a budget of about RMB 300,000, which car would you recommend?

Jian: As for me, if you have a budget of close to RMB 300,000, the first thing to consider is a smart driving system. Before I experienced it, I didn’t think it was important but after experiencing it, I now consider it as a priority. Many people say, “I wouldn’t trust a machine with my life” before they use smart driving, but once they start using it, such ideas change. Smart driving helps you in many aspects of car usage. So, cars to consider around this price range are the ones that collaborate with Huawei, and a few models from Xpeng. In the price range of RMB 300,000, Avatr 11, Xpeng G9, and AITO’s M7 could all be considered. As for the rest, it’ll depend on the look, fast charging, and other characteristics as the comprehensive abilities are almost on par, it depends on what you care about.
Dr. Qu: Much like Brother Jian, I choose to utilize intelligent driving. Our thoughts align; I wouldn’t entrust my life to autonomous driving. Especially during long journeys, it can help you see further and assist under conditions like heavy rain. For instance, I experienced a heavy downpour on the highway just three days after collecting my vehicle. The Lidar does enhance your vision, assisting you with road conditions, making intelligent driving preferable. If I were to recommend, I’d suggest “Avatr 11” and “AITO M7” for their intelligent features. Since the M7’s framework has been strengthened post-face-lift, it definitely is a solid choice.

Car Owners Interactions

Laven: Both of you are owners of different models from two brands that are backed by Huawei. Do you have any questions for each other regarding your vehicles?

Brother Jian: Here is something I don’t understand, how quick is the charging speed of AITO with a third-party charging station? How much kilowatts can be achieved using fast charge?

Dr. Qu: I charged my car fully once, just 10 days after acquiring it, using 7000 watts.

Brother Jian: So, the energy consumption is decent. With the high usage in the initial 10 days, the energy consumption must be satisfactory, right?

Dr. Qu: Indeed, on an estimation, a full charge could last for over 400 kilometers. I had everything switched on like air conditioning, heated seats, etc.

Dr. Qu: I’d like to ask Brother Jian, does the sunroof of Avatr 11 let much sunlight through?

Brother Jian: I think the sunroof is alright. I applied typical heat insulation film, and it’s adequate. The heating, due to exposure to sunlight, is not as exaggerated as it has been depicted. It might be because it’s not the peak of summer. It’s not unbearable sitting inside an Avatr, unlike when I used a Tesla which gave a feeling of a furnace on the head. If you are careful not to place your hand too close to the glass, you won’t feel the heat. Yet, the glass does get hot to touch. With the AC turned on in this weather, it’s an acceptable scenario. I am not sure about the mechanism behind it, but it doesn’t make you feel terribly baked. I think it looks stunning with glasses on both front and roof. Although it doesn’t have panoramic glass like the LS7, it’s acceptable as long as it’s not too hot.

Laven: True. Otherwise, if the sunshade is used all year round, it would be a waste of its panoramic sunroof feature.

Brother Jian: Yes, I agree. I have a question. How content are you with your AITO M5? Let’s not take into consideration other options.

Dr. Qu: I’m quite content with it. The speakers and effects are satisfactory, the seats are comfy, and it also has headrest speakers and a HUD. Overall, it’s quite comfortable, and I’m happy with it.Sword Brother: My only dissatisfaction is with the seat, I’m okay with other upgrades in the cockpit.

Laven: I heard the update will push to old car owners by the end of September? Or is it the end of the year?

Sword Brother: Yes, they said around National Day.

Laven: Well then, we’ll count on Sword Brother to give us a review after the update, haha.

Sword Brother: Sure.

Laven: If there’s nothing else, we’ll wrap up this episode. Goodbye~

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.