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Weekly News
Li Auto Responds to Suspected “Mercury” Substance in Car Seats
On July 5th, Li Auto expressed that they attach great importance to and have launched a comprehensive investigation into the substance suspected to be “mercury” found in a vehicle seat that a user reported.
Commentary:
Li Auto stated that Li ONE did not use mercury in product design, raw material selection, production, transportation, and delivery, and meets the requirements of “Automobiles – Restricted Substances in Materials – List of Prohibited Substances” (GB/T 30512-2014) and harmful substance-related requirements of the European Union’s ELV. Mercury is not needed in the vehicle’s manufacturing process, and the best way to clarify the issue could be to access related monitoring data.
“DiDi Travel” App Removed from App Stores
On July 4th, the Cyberspace Administration of China reported that after detection and verification, the “DiDi Travel” app has serious violations of laws and regulations concerning the collection and use of personal information. In accordance with relevant provisions of the “Cybersecurity Law of the People’s Republic of China,” the Cyberspace Administration of China has notified app stores to remove the “DiDi Travel” app.
On June 30th, Didi was listed on the New York Stock Exchange with a market value of $67 billion, making it the largest IPO of a Chinese company in the United States since Alibaba’s $25 billion listing in 2014. In addition to the autonomous driving Robtaxi, Didi started a car-making project in April, according to a report by “LatePost”.
Quick Comment:
After the app was removed, Didi responded that it would resolutely implement the relevant requirements of the national regulatory authorities. On July 3rd, the registration of new users was suspended, and the “Didi Travel” app will be strictly removed and rectified in accordance with the requirements of relevant departments. Users who have downloaded the “Didi Travel” app can still use it normally, and passenger travel and driver orders are not affected.
Tesla announces Q2 2021 production and delivery volume
On the evening of July 2nd, Tesla announced its Q2 2021 production and delivery volume figures. Model S/X had a production volume of 2,340 and a delivery volume of 1,890. Model 3/Y had a production volume of 204,081 and a delivery volume of 199,360. The total production volume was 206,421 and the delivery volume was 201,250.
Tesla’s total production volume for Q1 was 180,338 with a delivery volume of 184,800. The total production volume for H1 2021 was 386,759 with a total delivery volume of 386,050.
Quick Comment:
At the end of the first quarter, Tesla stated that the production capacity of Model S/X had begun to increase after equipment installation and debugging. However, from the data, the stoppage caused by the replacement of old and new Model S/X still had some impact. If we calculate based on the delivery data of 380,000 cars in the first half of this year, Tesla’s delivery volume of over 750,000 cars in 2021 should be very easy, considering Tesla’s usual year-end spurt in delivery volume and the favorable factors of the second half of the year’s automotive sales season.
Porsche recalls 43,000 Taycan vehicles
On July 1st, Bloomberg reported that Porsche will initiate a recall of Taycan vehicles. The recalled vehicles include approximately 43,000 Taycan and Taycan Turismo vehicles produced in 2020 and 2021.
Porsche has confirmed that, in certain scenarios, vehicle software can misinterpret potential communication malfunctions and may trigger protective measures that cause a loss of vehicle power. Porsche has now introduced corresponding software updates, and some users have completed the update repair.
Quick Comment:
In response to this recall, Porsche North America’s CEO stated that users need to drive their cars back to the Porsche Center to complete the software upgrade. The entire process takes about an hour to an hour and a half. Prior to this, Porsche announced its 2020 financial report. The Taycan, Porsche’s flagship electric vehicle, sold 20,015 units in its first full year of sales, making a significant contribution to growth. It is the success of the Taycan that drives the progress of the all-electric Macan. The impact of this recall on the Taycan remains to be seen.
New Forces in Car Making Deliveries in June Unveiled
New forces in car-making, such as NIO, ideal, and XPeng, have announced their delivery volumes for June.
Quick Comment:
June has ended, and new forces in car-making have announced their report cards, with NIO, ideal, and XPeng all hitting new monthly delivery highs. The combined delivery volume of the three companies has reached 22,361 vehicles. The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers has not yet released its analysis of the new energy vehicle market for June, but if we calculate based on the sales volume of 187,000 new energy vehicles in May, the three companies currently hold a 11.7% market share.
Tesla Model 3 Receives Highest IIHS Safety Rating Again
On June 29, CNBC reported that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has reinstated its highest safety rating certification (Top Safest Pick+) for the Tesla Model 3. Moreover, citing an IIHS spokesperson, CNBC reported that IIHS plans to complete testing of the 2021 Model Y this summer.
In May, Tesla announced that Model 3/Y produced and sold in North America on or after April 27 will no longer be equipped with millimeter-wave radar. Subsequently, IIHS revoked the Model 3’s highest safety rating certification.
Quick Comment:Tesla’s May statement marks its further move towards a pure vision solution for Autopilot, but it has also raised some concerns. Consumer Report, a third-party independent testing organization in the United States, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have both revoked the Model 3’s highest safety rating. The response to this rating has also added momentum to the development of Tesla’s pure vision solution.
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.