Starting from a minimum of 30,000 yuan? Review of new cars set to launch in the fourth quarter.

Chery QQ Ice Cream

As of the 2021 National Day Holiday, which has just passed, there are only 79 days left until the next holiday – New Year’s Day. This also means that there are less than 80 days left until the end of 2021. With that in mind, what new electric vehicle models are expected to hit the market before 2022? One is the Chery QQ Ice Cream.

In June of this year, Chery officially launched its iCar ecosystem and named its first product “QQ Ice Cream,” positioning it as a pure electric boutique small car.

Undoubtedly, the new car will compete with a number of other micro pure electric vehicles, such as the Wuling Hongguang MINI EV, in an attempt to replicate the glory that the Chery QQ achieved in the A00 market segment in its early days. The car is currently available for pre-sale, and as of September 25th, users can enjoy 15 days of refundable deposits, as well as other benefits like Chery iCar iQubes. It is now known that in the first 24 hours after the QQ’s pre-sale opened on September 25th, over 10,132 orders were placed online.

At the recent Chengdu Auto Show, the Chery QQ Ice Cream in Peach and the Chery QQ Ice Cream Lightning made their debut and quickly caught the hearts of countless visitors. The exterior design of the new car features a commonly seen enclosed front grille design in new energy vehicles, with the charging port located behind the car logo. The hexagonal headlamps on both sides adopt a polygonal shape and are fitted with U-shaped LED cavity structures, presenting a cute and playful visual effect.

The overall size of the new car is larger than that of the Wuling Hongguang MINI EV, with dimensions of 2980/1496/1637 mm (length/width/height) and a wheelbase of 1960 mm. In terms of the rear end, the large, recessed trapezoidal license plate area is sprayed black, echoing the black roof of the vehicle to create a more striking visual experience.

In terms of the interior design, from the publicly available renderings, the new car has three different color finishes in its details, distributed on the door handles, storage compartments, and seat backs, respectively, each presenting a unique texture. The interior design of the new car is relatively compact, featuring a brand new two-spoke steering wheel with the “iCar” logo located on top. It is equipped with a LCD instrument panel, and the seats have a sporty appearance. Safety driving aid features include the driver’s main airbag, a highly sensitive rear parking radar combined with a high-definition reversing image, and an uphill assist system.

The new car will be equipped with a TZ160XFDM13A electric motor produced by Anhui Ruilu Technology Co., Ltd., with a maximum power of 27 horsepower (20 kilowatts). The battery pack is a lithium iron phosphate battery pack with two versions of cruising range, 120km and 170km respectively. As for the selling price, considering that the new car is positioned lower than Chery’s new energy sub-brand Xiao Ma Ant, the starting price is expected to be around 30,000 yuan.

Lynk & Co 09

Currently, Lynk & Co 09 is in the pre-sale phase and is planned to be officially launched in October. The pre-sale price of its mild hybrid model is 270,000-325,000 yuan, and that of the plug-in hybrid version is 320,000-375,000 yuan. The new car is based on the SPA platform, positioned as a mid-to-large-size SUV, with overall size similar to the competitor Volkswagen Touareg, and is larger than the same platform Volvo XC90.

In terms of appearance, Lynk & Co 09 adopts an urban coastal-style design at the front of the vehicle, accompanied by the Matrix LED headlights supporting the AFS steering function, which enhances the vehicle’s identification. On the side, the vehicle is equipped with the flush door process for the doors. At the same time, the hidden door handles and the sail panel side wings can effectively reduce wind resistance and noise during driving. At the rear, the vehicle adopts through-type crystal taillights and hidden wipers, which look very distinctive.

In terms of interior design, Lynk & Co 09 is equipped with NAPPA seats, accompanied by aviation headrests, which increases the driver’s comfort. At the same time, the flow coral atmosphere lamp equipped in Lynk & Co 09 can be intelligently controlled by zone and adjusted to 20 levels of brightness. In addition, this car is also equipped with 14 BOSE speakers, bringing a good in-car audio experience.## Volvo XC90

In terms of power, the Volvo XC90 MHEV version is equipped with the Drive-E 2.0TD turbocharged engine, complemented by a 48V BSG mild hybrid system, which can achieve a maximum power of 187 kW and a peak torque of 350 N·m. The XC90 PHEV version is equipped with the P1+P4 dual-core electric motor, with a maximum hybrid output power of 317 kW and a maximum torque of 659 N·m. Other parameters have not been disclosed yet.

BMW iX

The BMW iX is a mid-to-large-size pure electric SUV under the BMW brand. The new car will be sold in China in the fourth quarter in the form of imports.

In terms of appearance, the BMW iX adopts the latest family-style design. The huge kidney-shaped grille is further elongated, making the styling very exaggerated, and is integrated with sensors, radar, and cameras to serve the advanced driving assistance system. The sharp full LED headlights on both sides have a fierce visual effect.

From the side, the new car adopts an SAV body style and the side styling looks quite sporty. In addition, the BMW iX is equipped with aerodynamic kits on the front and rear bumpers, side skirts, and exterior rearview mirrors, which makes the drag coefficient only 0.25 Cd. In terms of the tail, the overall styling of the BMW iX is full of sportiness and futurism. Similarly, the slender and elongated taillights correspond to the headlights, enhancing the recognition of the entire vehicle.

In terms of the interior, the BMW iX adopts a brand-new design language, with a simple and intelligent overall layout, and the blue-gray color design highlights the texture and luxury. The center console is equipped with a huge integrated curved screen, with a full LCD instrument panel size of 12.3 inches and a center console screen size of 14.9 inches. The button count is reduced by about 50%, and more direct methods such as voice and touch are provided for operation, which has a stronger sense of technology.

Regarding the power, the BMW iX xDrive 40 model has a maximum power of 326 horsepower and a peak torque of 630 Nm, with a net battery capacity of 71 kilowatt-hours, and the WLTP range is 425 kilometers. The iX xDrive 50 model has a maximum power of 523 horsepower and a peak torque of 765 Nm, with an acceleration time of 0-100 km/h in 4.6 seconds. With a net capacity of 105.2 kilowatt-hours, the maximum WLTP range is 630 kilometers.

Dongfeng Nissan “e-POWER” Xuan Yi

The “e-POWER” Xuan Yi was previously unveiled at the Tianjin Auto Show and will be officially launched in the fourth quarter. As the first model equipped with “e-POWER” power, the appearance of the new car is basically the same as the fuel version, but the body length has increased. In terms of power, the new car is equipped with a plug-in hybrid system composed of a 1.2 L engine and an electric motor, with a declared fuel consumption of only 4.1 L/100 km.

In terms of appearance, Dongfeng Nissan Xuan Yi “e-POWER” basically continues the design style of the current Xuan Yi. Specifically, the new car adopts Nissan’s latest family design language, and the overall appearance is more sporty than the previous generation. The iconic V-shaped grille is further enlarged, and sharp headlights are paired on both sides, making the entire front face sharp.

On the side of the body, the new car adopts a two-color body design. The roof and rearview mirrors are black, and the “e-POWER” badge is added to the front door. In addition, the new car also uses a brand-new style of wheel design, which is the biggest difference from the ordinary fuel version, making this car more recognizable. In terms of body size, its length, width and height are 4649/1815/1445 mm, and the wheelbase is 2712 mm.

The structure of the taillights has also changed, and the lighting effect of the taillights will be noticeably different from that of ordinary fuel vehicles. The Nissan “e-POWER” logo has also been added to the lower right corner of the vehicle.

In terms of interior, the new electric version is significantly different from the current gasoline version. The central control screen has become larger and wider, featuring enhanced functions such as Gaode maps, Bluetooth music, video playback, in-car KTV, car-house connectivity, application store, and driving recorder, and adopting a brand-new interface design. Additionally, the new car also updates with a completely new electronic gear shift style.

Regarding power, the new car will be equipped with a HR12 e-POWER system produced by Dongfeng Motor Corporation, which consists of a 1.2 L engine and an electric motor. The maximum power of the 1.2 L engine is 72 horsepower (53 kW), and the maximum power of the driving motor is 136 horsepower (100 kW).

As a hybrid technology, Nissan e-POWER simultaneously carries both gasoline and pure electric power sources, with the e-POWER engine only supplying power but not driving force. The e-POWER assembly consists of an engine, a generator, a driving motor, a battery, and an inverter, but the engine is more independent and only starts when the battery charge is insufficient or when significant power is needed, and it will never mix into the driving path. Therefore, compared with hybrid models, the 100% full-time electric drive of e-POWER presents performance that is closer to pure electric vehicles.

SAIC Volkswagen ID.3

It is reported that the ID.3 will be officially launched in October, and the price of the new car will not exceed 200,000 yuan.

At the 2021 Chengdu Auto Show held earlier, SAIC Volkswagen officially released the all-new compact pure electric ID.3. This is also the third MEB-based model from SAIC Volkswagen after the ID.4 X and ID.6 X, and it is the most entry-level product among the three. The new car will have L2 level assisted driving, and it has started to accept bookings. Paying a 300 yuan deposit can be deducted from 3,000 yuan on the purchase price.

The new car is built on Volkswagen’s all-new MEB electric platform, and it is positioned as a compact car. Compared to the ID.4 X and ID.6 X, the body size is slightly smaller, with dimensions of 4261/1778/1568 mm and a wheelbase of 2765 mm. The overall styling is youthful and fashionable, the front of the car is relatively short, and the vehicle uses a large number of curved lines, and can also be equipped with LED headlights with light strips and a through-type LED daytime running light.

The C-pillar of the car body is decorated with dot-shaped designs, which is not common in previous Volkswagen models. The rear of the car also features a dual-tone design, with the tail lights integrated with the black trunk lid and equipped with LED light sources.

The interior design is quite bold, matching the color style of the car body. The overall center console is also very simple, and the LCD instrument panel integrated with the electronic gearshift can display driving parameters. The multimedia system comes with vehicle networking capabilities and supports wireless CarPlay mobile phone projection. The overall design is similar to the ID.4 X and ID.6 X, except that most of the materials used are hard materials. The seat is also made of mixed materials, and the space can meet daily use requirements.

In terms of power, the new car will be equipped with a rear-mounted electric motor with a maximum power of 125 kW (170 PS) and a maximum torque of 310 N-m. The battery uses a 57.3 kWh battery pack with a range of 430 km.

Jointcreation Z03

It is reported that the Jointcreation Z03 will be officially launched on October 18. The new car is positioned as a compact SUV, and the pre-sale price range has been announced as 140,000-150,000 yuan.

The Z03 is the second model under Jointcreation Automotive, and the front of the car features a “7”-shaped light strip, which is also a family design element of Jointcreation.

The length, width and height of the car are 4602/1900/1645 mm, and the wheelbase is 2750 mm. Interestingly, its wheel arches also feature a wide-body design effect, which caters to the tastes of young people. The continuous taillights on the rear are a popular design trend, and the small angles at both ends of the taillights increase the visual identification.

The new car has a simple interior design, and a large number of soft curves also create a relatively warm atmosphere. The 14.6-inch center screen has a strong sense of technology.

In terms of power, the Hechuang Z03 Playful Edition and Intelligent Edition are equipped with a power system with a maximum power of 135 kW and a peak torque of 225 N·m. The high-performance version (Z Play Edition) has a maximum power of 160 kW and a peak torque of 225 N·m for the driving motor. As for endurance, the new car is equipped with battery packs with capacities of 64.6 kWh and 76.8 kWh, respectively, depending on the model version. NEDC endurance ranges are 500 km and 600 km optional.

In Conclusion

Entering October, it represents that 2021 is about to pass. Looking back at the new energy vehicle models launched this year, there are micro-cars that cost less than 30,000 yuan, some that break through the ceiling of domestically produced electric vehicles, and some that are full of technological configurations. Similarly, the domestic new energy market continued to soar this year. According to Cui Dongshu, the secretary general of the China Passenger Car Association, the global sales of new energy passenger cars in 1-8 months of 2021 were 3.35 million units, and China’s new energy passenger cars accounted for 50% of the world.

For consumers who want to buy cars, October is a good time. According to past experience, discounts may decrease by the end of the year.

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.