On November 8th, Farasis, the new energy commercial vehicle brand under Geely, unveiled a brand-new luxury electric heavy truck, the Farasis Star Han H, which is planned to be officially launched in 2024.
In terms of power, the Star Han H takes a relatively stable path and offers three power forms: pure electric, extended-range and methanol P2 hybrid. Among them, the pure electric and extended-range versions are equipped with a battery swapping solution, and Farasis also showcased a modular battery swapping station during the launch event.
During the launch event, the interior construction of the Star Han H was also officially revealed. In terms of interior materials and design, it uses fabric, new plastics, and wood grain materials, which are environmentally friendly in visual perception. In terms of interior design, compared with traditional fuel heavy trucks, it is obviously more “humanistic.”
However, what is more “humanistic” is its “mobile space”-style cabin construction. Based on the high driver workload and long-term living in the car, the Star Han H has included facilities such as shower rooms, restrooms, super single beds, refrigerators, and tea makers. In addition, a kitchen and a washing and drying machine are also made available under the car door.
Moreover, for individual drivers, the Star Han H is equipped with ergonomic seats that help drivers to get sufficient rest and spinal protection during long-distance driving. At the same time, a high-definition camera and an independent display inside the car are also available to eliminate visual blind spots caused by the large blind zone of heavy trucks.
# Finally, let’s talk about assisted driving
For heavy-duty truck drivers who drive on fixed routes for extended periods of time, assisted driving can really ease a lot of driving fatigue.
Remote vehicle chain Heycar and Volvo’s automatic driving research and development plan to achieve L3 highway automatic driving and L4 limited-scenario automatic driving in 2023; L4 trunk logistics automatic driving in 2026; and L5 level automatic driving in 2030.
With the technical advantages of Geely Group in low-orbit satellites, chips, algorithms, and other technologies, it will also have the ability of OTA continuous upgrading.
Remote Xinghan H is now available for online reservation, with two deposit options: a 2,000 yuan deposit for a 20,000 yuan car gift; or a 10,000 yuan deposit for a 50,000 yuan car gift. In addition, the first 1,000 reservation customers can receive an exclusive VIP black gold card, which provides lifetime OTA free upgrades and customized car networking exclusive services.
It is not difficult to see that in the electric commercial vehicle market, especially in the heavy-duty truck segment, it is still a blue ocean. Although a batch of Volvo VNR electric heavy trucks have been delivered in the US market before, the applicable range of electric heavy trucks is still relatively small. First, the problem of electric vehicle’s endurance mileage. Second, the power supply network cannot handle the demand for a large number of electric heavy trucks. Third, we cannot see any substantial improvement in the experience of driving an electric heavy truck compared to a traditional fuel heavy truck.
However, we can also see that automakers have come up with many solutions. Tesla has deployed its Megacharger ultra-fast charging station in the United States to meet the charging needs of its electric semi-trucks; and the Xinghan H has solved its power supply needs through battery swapping. As for improving the driving experience, Xinghan H‘s answer is to add more complete equipment inside a mobile space combined with an intelligent cabin, and to relieve truck drivers’ work fatigue through the combined use of assisted driving software and hardware. This is something that is currently impossible for traditional fuel-heavy trucks to achieve, and it is also one of the advantages of the age of electric power.
Source: Remote-Controlled Automotive
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.