"How do joint venture vehicles survive in the cracks?"

It's time again for the monthly announcement of new car declarations.

Overall, compared to the past few months, there are fewer new car declarations in September. After all, the traditional sales peak of the "Golden September and Silver October" is the season for automakers to reap the rewards. Recently, highly anticipated new cars have appeared in declarations released months ago, such as the second-generation Song Pro DM-i, Zhijie R7, Zeekr 7X, and more.

Looking at this batch of newly declared cars, there are also many noteworthy new energy vehicles, such as the GAC Aion RT, Lynk & Co Z20, Geely Galaxy Starship 7, and so on. Based on the speed at which automakers introduce new models, these cars are likely to make their debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show and officially launch as early as next year. Their strengths will determine whether you buy a car early or become a "wait-and-see" buyer.

GAC Aion RT: Determined to shed the "ride-hailing" label

When I first saw the declaration images of the GAC Aion RT, I immediately thought of the recently launched XPENG MONA M03. Of course, I'm not saying that the GAC Aion RT copied the XPENG MONA M03; their design styles are clearly different. However, the GAC Aion RT abandons the sharp style of the AION S and adopts many rounded and smooth body lines, similar to the XPENG MONA M03.

Why not continue the design style of the AION S and AION Y? After all, these two models are the brand's volume sellers.

The AION S and AION Y prop up half of GAC Aion's sales, but their main sales channel comes from the ride-hailing market, leading many consumers to label GAC Aion models as "ride-hailing cars." As the share of the ride-hailing market gradually declines, the "ride-hailing" label has a direct impact on the brand's future development. Therefore, the brand is trying to enter the high-end market through the launch of the Alpin brand, and the newly launched second-generation AION V Tyrannosaurus Rex features more design changes, essentially aimed at changing GAC Aion's image in the home SUV market.

The Aion RT is GAC Aion's product to change the brand's position in the home sedan market.

At this stage, the XPENG MONA M03 is the only highly popular entry-level pure electric sedan in the market. Comparing the relevant parameters, the Aion RT's body dimensions are more prominent than the XPENG MONA M03, but the XPENG MONA M03 has a longer wheelbase. This makes it difficult to guess the overall space performance of the vehicle.

Looking at the power parameters, the Aion RT has declared two powertrains with different powers, 150kW and 165kW, while the XPENG MONA M03 is equipped with a front-mounted single motor with a maximum power of 140kW or 160kW. In this regard, the Aion RT temporarily leads.

In my opinion, for most entry-level pure electric sedan buyers, pure electric driving range is more important than performance. The XPENG MONA M03 offers a maximum combined pure electric driving range of 620km, equipped with a 62.2kWh lithium iron phosphate battery with a power consumption of 11.5kWh per 100km.

The XPENG MONA M03 has gained many individual users with stronger power and longer range compared to the AION S. For the Aion RT to surpass its sibling model, the AION S, it must at least match the XPENG MONA M03's range or energy consumption level to be competitive.

Lynk & Co Z20: "Affordable Alternative to the Zeekr X"?

The Lynk & Co Z10, which launched this month, indeed brought many surprises. Positioned similarly to the Xiaomi SU7, its entry threshold is lower, but orders surpassed 5,000 vehicles within 24 hours of its launch. In contrast, the Xiaomi SU7 reportedly received 88,898 orders within 24 hours of its launch. From this perspective, Lynk & Co still has a long way to go in the pure electric market.

To this end, Lynk & Co will soon launch its second pure electric vehicle, the Lynk & Co Z20.

The Lynk & Co Z20 adopts a hatchback design, which immediately reminds me of the Zeekr X, another hatchback model. The Lynk & Co Z20 measures 4460/1845/1573mm in length, width, and height, with a wheelbase of 2755mm. Compared to the Zeekr X, the Lynk & Co Z20 is 10mm longer, 9mm wider, 1mm taller, and its wheelbase is 5mm longer.

Although the Lynk & Co Z20 has a "comprehensive crushing" advantage in size data, the difference in dimensions between the two models is indeed not significant, making it difficult not to suspect that these two models are essentially the same car.

However, when it comes to power, there are clear differences in their powertrains. The Zeekr X offers both single-motor two-wheel drive and dual-motor four-wheel drive options, with total motor powers of 200kW and 315kW, respectively. The motors come from Verity Electric, and the battery pack is a ternary lithium battery. The Lynk & Co Z20 has only declared one model, equipped with a single motor from Quzhou Jidian with a maximum power of 250kW, and the entire vehicle uses a lithium iron phosphate battery.

Although the current range capabilities of the Lynk & Co Z20 are unknown, considering the different types of battery packs and drive motors from different manufacturers, it can be speculated that there will be completely different orientations in terms of power and range. From a market perspective, although the two models are somewhat similar in appearance, differences in power and range mean that their target audiences will not completely overlap.

Geely Galaxy Starship 7: Is this the production version of the prototype?

During this year's Beijing Auto Show, Geely Galaxy unveiled the prototype of its first large SUV, the Galaxy Starship. At that time, its minimalist design concept changed my perception of Geely's SUV lineup. Among this batch of approved new cars, the Geely Galaxy Starship 7 officially made its debut.

In terms of design, the front headlights and lip of the Geely Galaxy Starship 7 do bear some resemblance to the Galaxy Starship prototype, but the design on the left and right sides of the grille is not as simple as that of the prototype. At the same time, the chrome-trimmed side skirts and wheel rims that highlight sophistication are absent on the Geely Galaxy Starship 7.

Dimensionally, the Geely Galaxy Starship 7 does not have a direct relationship with the Geely Galaxy Starship prototype. With dimensions of 4740/1905/1685mm and a wheelbase of 2755mm, it can only be considered a compact SUV, far from the level of a large SUV.

In other words, the Geely Galaxy Starship 7 only uses the design language of the Galaxy Starship. It is possible that the future "Starship 9" will be the production version of the Galaxy Starship prototype, with the hope of retaining as many elements of the Galaxy Starship 9 prototype as possible.

It is worth mentioning that the wheelbase of the Geely Galaxy Starship 7 is only 5mm longer than that of the Geely Galaxy E5. In terms of power, the Geely Galaxy Starship 7 is equipped with a 1.5L engine, model BHE15-BFN, with a maximum power of 82kW, which is lower than that of the Geely Galaxy L6 and L7.

I believe that since there is no particularly obvious advantage in power, for such a compact SUV, the official expectation may lie in the vehicle's range or energy consumption level.

Looking at the domestic new energy market, the Song PLUS DM-i is equipped with a plug-in hybrid system consisting of a 1.5L naturally aspirated engine and a drive motor, with a maximum engine power of only 74kW. The 1.5L naturally aspirated engine in the Wuling Xingguang S has a maximum power of only 78kW.

Data shows that the lowest WLTC fuel consumption of the Song PLUS DM-i and Wuling Xingguang S under low battery conditions is 4.93L/100km and 4.98L/100km, respectively. If the Starship series is Geely Galaxy's flagship for range capabilities, then the Geely Galaxy Starship 7 will need to achieve a similar low fuel consumption under low battery conditions to be competitive.

New BYD Tang DM-i: Fuel economy is the biggest highlight

Since the popularity of the Qin L and Dolphin 06 DM-i, the fifth-generation DM technology has been applied to other models, with the new Song family and new Han quickly gaining popularity through the latest fifth-generation DM technology. Current information indicates that the new BYD Tang DM-i will also adopt the fifth-generation DM technology.

According to the declaration information, the new BYD Tang DM-i is equipped with a 1.5T engine with a maximum power of 115kW. Referring to the new Han DM-i, the drive motor equipped in the new Tang DM-i is expected to have a maximum power of 200kW, and the vehicle's fuel economy is expected to be its biggest highlight.

In addition, the new car will also be equipped with a rear five-link independent suspension, which will improve handling and shock absorption compared to the current model equipped with a three-link rear suspension.

Unfortunately, the new BYD Tang DM-i does not fully adopt the design style of the Dynasty family's EV models. From the already launched new Han DM-i and the upcoming second-generation Song Pro DM-i, the first impression is that of a pure electric vehicle with a strong sense of technology. However, the new BYD Tang DM-i still retains a lot of the flavor of a gasoline-powered vehicle.

Rational adaptation: How do joint venture brands survive in the cracks?

Additionally, the declaration images of new cars such as the Chery Fengyun A8 C-DM, iCAR V23, and Denza Z9 have been unveiled, but these are mostly derivative models. Overall, domestic brands are indeed highly competitive in the new energy market, but brands like GAC Aion and Lynk & Co still have significant room for improvement in the pure electric vehicle market.

Moreover, among this batch of new car declarations, the SAIC Volkswagen Teramont PRO left a deep impression on me.

Compared to the current Teramont, the SAIC Volkswagen Teramont PRO has undergone significant changes. Although it continues to be equipped with a 2.0T engine, the entire front face has been replaced with a closed design, giving it a sci-fi feel reminiscent of new-energy vehicles. Combined with Volkswagen's "PRO" models, it can be speculated that the Volkswagen Teramont PRO will excel in smart cockpits and autonomous driving. As SAIC Volkswagen's flagship SUV, the Volkswagen Teramont PRO is expected to adopt the brand's latest intelligent lighting system, which explains the sci-fi design of the front grille and headlights.

According to data from the China Passenger Car Association, the penetration rate of new energy vehicles exceeded 50% in August, making gasoline-powered vehicles a minority choice. For traditional joint venture brands, gasoline-powered vehicles are the core of their sales. Mainstream models can attract sales through price reductions, but for their mid-to-high-end products, price reductions have limited appeal. In response, Volkswagen has chosen to introduce "PRO" models that emphasize intelligence, combining them with the "cost-effective" advantage of current models to attract more users through dual-track sales.

Judging from models like the Magotan and Passat, which have already introduced "PRO" versions, Volkswagen's "dual-track sales" strategy has had some effect, but most of the credit goes to the cost-effective entry-level versions. The "PRO" versions have not yet gained much market recognition.

In addition, for users with requirements for smart cockpits, they will give priority to domestic brands. Taking the medium and large SUV market where the Touang PRO is located as an example, models such as Lixiang L6 and WENJIE M7 focus on chip, vehicle system, technology, and comfort, which is the real technological sense that consumers want, not just satisfying user needs through voice recognition control.

The era of technology and configuration competition in the automotive market has not yet passed. High energy efficiency and intelligence are still the mainstream car-buying demands of consumers today. In order to seek differentiated competition, auto companies will bring many products with "surprises", but only those with sufficient hard power will have the opportunity to be recognized by the market.

IFA100, the Lei Technology reporting team triumphantly returns!

From September 6th to September 10th, IFA100 (Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin) kicked off in Berlin, Germany.

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of IFA, AI large model technology is profoundly reshaping the technology industry. Lei Technology sent a reporting team to conduct first-line, three-dimensional, and professional reporting on IFA 100, outputting more than 40 pieces of content. The rich reporting experience of major technology exhibitions such as CES, MWC, and AWE ensures the timeliness, richness, and professionalism of Lei Technology's IFA reporting content. The relevant content was disseminated through Lei Technology's 3 million WeChat fans matrix and 10 million new media matrix, with an estimated total online reading/playback volume exceeding 5 million.

Looking forward to meeting you again at the next IFA, CES, MWC, AWE, and other world technology exhibition stages!

Source: Lei Technology