Author: Feng Jingang

Introduction: We cannot simply consider infrastructure such as charging and battery replacement to be the responsibility of the state; they are also an essential part of product strength for consumers and enterprises. Only with a self-built charging and battery replacement system can electric vehicles truly have complete product strength, which in turn enables them to compete for stronger brands.

In July of this year, I attempted to drive a 460 km range electric vehicle from Shanghai to Huangshi, covering a total distance of 780 km. Theoretically, I only needed to charge the vehicle once for the entire trip, right? However, in reality, I had to charge it seven or eight times and even had to call for a tow truck on the highway. It was quite a miserable experience.

On the return trip, despite having planned my itinerary ahead of time, I still had to charge the vehicle four or five times, which meant that I needed an additional four or five hours.

The above is a true account of my experience driving an electric vehicle on a long-distance trip, which should resonate with many electric vehicle users. Due to factors such as charging stations not being widely distributed, higher energy consumption under highway conditions, and the current low quality of electric vehicle charging, driving an electric vehicle on the highway is often ridiculed as a “stupid” behavior.

It is a fact that the experience of driving electric vehicles on the highway is poor; however, does this negate the value of electric vehicles? Obviously not. Despite being unsuitable for driving on the highway, the range of electric vehicles currently available is completely adequate for use in towns and villages.

In 2014, China saw the emergence of the third wave of auto manufacturing, commonly referred to as the new energy vehicle segment. Most of these new players have set their sights on the smart electric vehicle market. These players have mostly focused on fully electric vehicles, including NIO, XPeng, and WM Motor, although some have also developed hybrid and extended-range vehicles such as the LI, Sileisis and Voyah.

In 2019, the decline in new energy vehicle subsidies resulted in a 4% year-on-year decrease in sales, with an annual sales volume of 1.2 million vehicles, representing the first decline since the promotion of new energy vehicles in 2009. This market downturn killed off many companies and woke many people up.

In 2020, companies such as Enovate, NIO, and Lengshuitou were reported to have plans to develop extended-range vehicles. Yes, there is a trend toward technology regression. Of course, some companies, such as NIO, XPeng, WM Motors, and Aiways, have remained committed to the pure electric vehicle route, with NIO and XPeng enhancing their energy supplementation systems such as charging and battery replacement based on user needs.

After the industry’s noise, people’s understanding has become increasingly clear: electric vehicles are the future, but currently only suitable for short- and medium-distance scenarios. So, making electric vehicles for the future has become making electric vehicles for specific scenarios. Meanwhile, those visionaries have already created one electric vehicle myth after another, from the Wuling MINI to the Great Wall Euler.

Yes, many of the myth-makers mentioned above are concentrated in the middle and low-end markets, which is the transportation market. As for the other popular segment of the electric vehicle market, the high-end market, it is also getting ready to move. What’s surprising is that the initiator is not a heavyweight player such as Tesla, NIO, or Zeekr, but Voyah, a new and luxurious electric vehicle brand.On the last day of October, Voyah introduced the FREE pure electric city version. The words “city version” are surprising, as it is a fact that electric cars are more suitable for urban and short-distance commuting, but no enterprise has dared to proclaim that their electric cars are specifically designed for short-distance use until Voyah did so, just like how Ola positioned itself as a brand for women.

Behind the launch of the FREE pure electric city version, Voyah CEO Lu Fang said, “Electric travel has become the trend of city life, and many households already have a vehicle. For those who want to purchase an additional vehicle for urban commuting, we launched the Voyah FREE pure electric city version to cover 90% of users’ high-frequency driving scenarios. Along with luxurious configuration, excellent driving control, cost-effective features and benefits, warm intelligent technology, and anxiety-free safety, it redefines the city SUV in five dimensions.”

Naming a product may be trivial, but the philosophy behind it is noteworthy. As a new brand, Voyah has already demonstrated its shrewdness, and with such tenacity, it will go further and climb higher.

Will the Voyah FREE pure electric city version achieve the same success as the Wuling MINI and the Great Wall Ora? Perhaps not in terms of volume, but if it continually builds on the core concept of “city SUV,” the Voyah FREE pure electric city version will inevitably make significant strides.

Apart from marketing to find scenarios that fit, there are elements such as product capabilities, brand influence, and channels that are also directly related.

Regarding product capabilities alone, the Voyah FREE pure electric city version is formidable, with a selling price of 348,600 yuan, including multiple luxurious configurations like the air suspension, night vision system, and auxiliary driving that are standard features. Also, there is a real cruising range of 505 kilometers, 255 kW/520 Nm electric drive performance comparable to a 3.0T, and lifetime free charging, among other features.

In terms of product development and innovation in new energy marketing, Voyah has demonstrated its strength, making it a fortune for Voyah, Dongfeng, and Hubei. If it becomes more daring, Voyah may make even greater strides.

It is known that new energy is China’s opportunity for overtaking in the automotive industry, but the question is how to implement it. From the current timeframe of the end of 2021, it is not difficult to see the answer: new brands that want to make a breakthrough must dare to lead the way.

In short, if there is no market, then create one. Electric cars are currently unsuitable for long-distance travel, but with risk comes opportunity. If this problem is solved, then the market will naturally follow. How to solve it, besides a longer cruising range, is for car companies to establish their charging and swapping stations.不能简单认为充换电等基建是国家的任务，于消费者和企业而言，它还是核心产品力的一部分。有了自建充换电体系，电动车产品力才是完整的，而有了完整产品力，才能竞争更高的品牌力。

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.