Lead | Introduction

As the last A-class auto show in China each year, the Guangzhou Auto Show has always been the final exhibition of major automakers for the year and a platform for building momentum for the coming year. So, who is the traffic star of this year's Guangzhou Auto Show?

Produced by | This article is produced | Heyan Yueche Studio

Written by | Writing an article | Zhang Dachuan

Edited by | edit | Heyan

3246 words in full text

4 minutes to read

Currently, although automakers prefer to hold technology days to unveil new cars and technologies, auto shows are still a good platform for domestic automakers to "flex their muscles" — showcasing their best technologies to the audience up close. Of course, the Guangzhou Auto Show, which is approaching the end of the year, also plays a crucial role in helping automakers boost sales. Automakers are still willing to use the last month of the year to sprint towards their annual sales targets.

△Auto shows are still a platform for domestic automakers to "flex their muscles"

Who is the most anticipated?

As the last in the HarmonyOS Smart Drive series, the debut of ZunJie, jointly created by Huawei and JAC, will naturally become the focus of attention from all parties. Not to mention that Yu Chengdong has repeatedly declared that ZunJie will be a luxury car directly comparable to Rolls-Royce and Maybach, priced in the millions, which is enough to pique the interest of Chinese consumers.

△ZunJie is a luxury car priced in the millions, comparable to Rolls-Royce and Maybach

Considering the positioning of ZunJie's first model, it is expected that Huawei will certainly put everything it has and bring all its core technologies. Technologies like the Qiankun ADS 3.0 advanced intelligent driving solution, HarmonyOS intelligent cockpit, Tuning intelligent chassis, and Huawei xPixel intelligent lighting system should all be present. However, these configurations are already available in models like the Wenjie M9 and Xiangjie S9, so it remains to be seen what new configurations Huawei will introduce on ZunJie. The answer awaits us at the Guangzhou Auto Show.

ZunJie also has another significant meaning. After announcing its cooperation with Huawei, JAC Motors' share price has been on the rise. With ZunJie about to make its debut, JAC Motors' share price has reached a crossroads. If the model receives positive market feedback, JAC's share price can naturally rise to the next level. But if the model performs poorly, JAC's share price may decline significantly.

New forces still hold the traffic password

Xiaomi, NIO, and XPeng still hold the current traffic password. At this auto show, the three latest models from these three brands will undoubtedly be the "hottest items".

1. Xiaomi SU7 Ultra

The hot sales of Xiaomi SU7 in the domestic market have surprised many people. Based on the SU7, Xiaomi has launched the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra prototype, positioned as a performance supercar. This model, with an official Nürburgring lap time of 6 minutes and 46.874 seconds, has been hailed by Lei Jun as "the fastest four-door mass-produced car on the planet," and its pre-orders surpassed 3,680 units in just 10 minutes. Considering its pre-sale price of up to 814,900 yuan, this is definitely a win-win situation for Xiaomi in terms of both fame and fortune. The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is not only a display of Xiaomi's technological prowess but will also further enhance Xiaomi's brand positioning and appeal.

△The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra will further enhance Xiaomi's brand positioning and appeal

2. NIO Ledao L60

As NIO Chairman Li Bin insists on not lowering prices, Ledao has become the main force driving NIO's sales growth.

△Ledao has become the main force driving NIO's sales growth

In terms of pricing, the Ledao L60 has a starting guide price of 206,900 yuan. However, if NIO's battery leasing program is adopted, the entry-level price of the Ledao L60 can be as low as 149,900 yuan. The Ledao L60 also has certain advantages in terms of space. With a length of less than 4.9 meters, it can achieve a wheelbase of 2,950mm. Compared to competing models, the Ledao L60's rear-wheel-drive version consumes only 12.1kWh per 100 kilometers, and its spacious rear seating is another of its two main selling points.

For a model comparable to the Tesla Model Y and backed by NIO's brand power, the Ledao L60's cost-effectiveness and competitiveness are evident. However, NIO needs to consider whether the Ledao L60 will divert sales from the ES6. If the Ledao L60 and NIO ES6 cannot form a synergy (1+1>2), then the Ledao brand will be hard-pressed to succeed.

3. XPeng P7+

After MONA M03 secured 100,000 orders, the pre-sales of XPeng P7+ were equally robust, helping XPeng shake off the gloom of 2023. At this Guangzhou Auto Show, the XPeng P7+ will naturally be one of the most popular star models.

△The XPeng P7+ is also one of the most popular star models

If you want to explore why the XPeng P7+ has received such a positive response, as a medium to large sedan, its high cost-effectiveness brought about by a starting price of only 186,800 yuan is undoubtedly one of the main factors. The XPeng P7+ not only has a wheelbase of 3 meters but also has a high space utilization rate of 88%, providing a very spacious interior. In terms of configuration, the XPeng P7+ has a maximum CLTC range of 710km and is equipped with an 800V high-voltage platform, which can greatly reduce charging time. In terms of intelligent driving, the XPeng P7+ continues to use a pure vision-based solution, supporting intelligent driving on most public roads in China. Not long ago at the XPeng AI Technology Day, He Xiaopeng also announced that XPeng will enter the extended-range vehicle market and plans to launch a medium to large SUV based on an extended-range platform next year. In the future, XPeng, driven by both pure electric and extended-range vehicles, will undoubtedly be able to move forward more steadily.

Steady and sure-footed traditional automakers

Faced with the impact of new forces, traditional automakers such as BYD, Geely, and GAC have also fought back. Especially BYD and Geely, who have performed even better than the new forces.

At this Guangzhou Auto Show, BYD will unveil multiple heavyweight models from its Dynasty series, NIO, Tengshi, and FANGCHENGBAO brands.

The U7 from NIO, which was previously unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show, will likely make another appearance at the Guangzhou Auto Show, allowing more consumers to experience it up close. As the sedan model of BYD's premium brand NIO, the million-yuan-priced U7 will also be equipped with BYD's most advanced technologies. These include the Yisi Four-Wheel Drive system and the YunNian-Z intelligent body control system, and the car can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.9 seconds. In addition, the U7 can also achieve in-situ turning and Yisi Four-Wheel Drive parking functions. However, building a brand like NIO is no overnight feat. Besides product strength, BYD also needs to work hard on brand building for NIO.

△The million-yuan-priced U7 from NIO will also be equipped with BYD's most advanced technologies

However, at this auto show, the biggest star from BYD will undoubtedly be the "Xia" from the Dynasty series. As a medium to large MPV in the Dynasty series, the Xia will make its debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show after its exterior was first unveiled at the Chengdu Auto Show. In terms of configuration, the Xia will be equipped with BYD's fifth-generation DM technology, providing a pure electric range of 80km. In addition, technologies like the YunNian-C intelligent damping body control system, the DiPilot intelligent driving assistance system, and the DiLink 150 intelligent cockpit will also be available on the Xia. Next, it will be interesting to see if the Xia can replicate the excellent performance of BYD's Dynasty series.

△Whether the Xia can replicate the excellent performance of BYD's Dynasty series

The FANGCHENGBAO BAO8, which was just unveiled before the Guangzhou Auto Show, is also not to be missed. This medium to large SUV, a result of the strong collaboration between BYD and Huawei, will be supported by Huawei's Qiankun ADS 3.0 intelligent driving system and leap into the first tier of domestic intelligent driving. Hardcore off-road SUVs with square boxes are currently a hot market in China, and now with Huawei's intelligent driving technology integrated, the BAO8 will become a new weapon for BYD to challenge Great Wall Motors' Tank brand.

△The BAO8 has become the first product of the collaboration between BYD and Huawei

Tengshi will unveil two flagship models, the Z9 and N9, at the Guangzhou Auto Show. Positioned as a medium to large sedan, the Tengshi Z9 has a pre-sale price range of 339,800-419,800 yuan and will be available in both pure electric and plug-in hybrid versions. The pure electric four-wheel-drive version has a range of 630km, while the plug-in hybrid version has a combined range of 1,100km. As a large SUV, the Tengshi N9 has a wheelbase of 3,125mm and will be equipped with a plug-in hybrid system with a pure electric range of 165km. For BYD, the success of the Dynasty/Ocean series speaks for itself. The NIO series, due to its high pricing, mainly serves to enhance BYD's brand positioning. Therefore, maximizing sales of FANGCHENGBAO and Tengshi will be crucial in determining BYD's future direction.

△Tengshi will unveil two flagship models, the Z9 and N9, at the Guangzhou Auto Show

The two most important models from Geely at this Guangzhou Auto Show are undoubtedly the Yinxie Xingjian 7 EM-i and the Lynk & Co Z20.

The Yinxie Xingjian 7 EM-i is equipped with Geely's newly developed Leishen EM-i super hybrid system. This system features an engine with a global mass-produced thermal efficiency of 46.5%, an average fuel consumption of only 2.62 liters per 100 kilometers, and a combined range of 2,390.5 kilometers. Models equipped with DM hybrid technology are the backbone of BYD's sales. If Geely wants to regain the title of China's top autonomous brand, it must surpass BYD in plug-in hybrid systems. However, surpassing BYD's DM in performance indicators with the new Leishen EM-i super hybrid system is only the first step. The bigger challenge for Geely may be whether it can outperform BYD in terms of cost and later model pricing.

△Whether Geely can outperform BYD in terms of cost and later model pricing

The second electric vehicle from Lynk & Co, the Z20, will also make its debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show. Geely chose Milan for the debut of this model, and this will be its first official meeting with domestic consumers in Guangzhou. The Lynk & Co Z20 is average in terms of specifications, mainly filling the gap in Lynk & Co's pure electric compact SUV market. In the future, if Lynk & Co Z20 wants to achieve breakthroughs in sales, it will likely need to set a competitive price. However, considering the fierce competition in the domestic market and Lynk & Co's own brand positioning, it will be difficult for the Lynk & Co Z20 to become a blockbuster model.

△It will be difficult for the Lynk & Co Z20 to become a blockbuster model

The GAC Trumpchi E9 Super Fast Charging Version was officially launched on the eve of the Guangzhou Auto Show and will be GAC's main model at the show. The biggest selling point of this model is that it is the world's first 4C super fast-charging plug-in hybrid MPV, which can charge up to 80% in just 8 minutes. With the support of super-fast charging, users will further increase the scenarios and frequency of using electric power.

△The GAC Trumpchi E9 Super Fast Charging Version can charge up to 80% in just 8 minutes

Commentary

At this Guangzhou Auto Show, domestic brands will still play the leading role, and the situation of all flowers blooming will continue. Whether it's new forces represented by the HarmonyOS Smart Drive series, Xiaomi, XPeng, and NIO, or traditional automakers like Geely, BYD, and GAC, they still outperform foreign automakers in terms of new energy and intelligent connected technology. When Mercedes-Benz and Volvo respectively unveil their flagship models, the pure electric G-Class and EX90, they are still not competitors for domestic automakers in terms of paper specifications. In the first 10 months of 2024, China's auto sales reached 24.624 million units, a year-on-year increase of 2.7%. Against the backdrop of slow growth in the domestic auto market, automakers need to compete fiercely for their future tickets to the game.

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