Original by New Energy View (ID: xinnengyuanqianzhan)

Full text: 2991 words, reading time: 8 minutes

The new energy vehicle industry is embracing unprecedented development opportunities. This has made the 'competition within the industry' among automakers no longer a simple price war, but also involves the integration of intelligent technology.

Intelligence, as a new dimension for measuring vehicle luxury and high-end quality, is gradually becoming a common focus of attention for both consumers and manufacturers.

Against this backdrop, the 'Four Realms' under Huawei-led Hongmeng Intelligent Drive – AITO, HICAR, EnjoyAuto, and ZENITH – have quickly emerged in the market, gaining widespread attention and discussion.

The popularity of these models not only represents Huawei's technological strength in the field of smart cars but also reflects the growing market demand for intelligence and high-end features.

In fact, not only consumers but also industry players regard models equipped with the Hongmeng cockpit and Huawei's advanced intelligent driving system as a more luxurious embodiment.

This has led to an increasing number of automakers choosing to collaborate with Hongmeng Intelligent Drive, hoping to enhance the market competitiveness of their products through the empowerment of Hongmeng's intelligent technology.

However, luxury is not solely defined by intelligence, and improving product competitiveness cannot rely solely on partnering with Hongmeng Intelligent Drive.

1. Hongmeng Intelligent Drive, the Four Realms Complete

On December 1, the official Hongmeng Intelligent Drive WeChat account announced its total sales volume for November at 41,931 units, along with a new term, 'the Complete Four Realms'.

Three years ago, in December 2021, Huawei officially launched the 'First Realm,' the AITO brand. Three years later, on November 26, 2024, ZENITH S800 made its grand debut as the 'One More Big Thing' at the Huawei Mate Brand Ceremony.

Image/ZENITH S800

Source/Screenshot from New Energy View

As the youngest and most valuable member of Hongmeng Intelligent Drive's 'Four Realms,' ZENITH S800 had already garnered significant attention and intrigue, whether compared to Rolls-Royce or Ferrari, even before its official unveiling.

Especially at the 2024 Guangzhou Auto Show, Yu Chengdong, Executive Director of Huawei, Chairman of the Terminal BG, and Chairman of the Intelligent Automotive Solutions BU, described ZENITH S800 as 'huge, honorable , and bright, with a handsome front, a large body, and a bright rear.' However, he also 'locked it in a dark room,' allowing only select individuals to view it.

There are even rumors that ZENITH S800 will be equipped with CATL's automotive-grade solid-state batteries, providing top-tier safety. Of course, the truth of these rumors will only be revealed on the day ZENITH S800 is launched.

These factors have fully piqued netizens' anticipation for ZENITH S800, leading to a scene at the Huawei Mate Brand Ceremony where audiences barely left their seats during the three-and-a-half-hour event, eager to catch a glimpse of ZENITH S800.

Data shows that ZENITH S800, with a pre-sale price of 1 to 1.5 million yuan, received 2,108 pre-orders within 48 hours of its launch. Although this number pales in comparison to tens of thousands of orders, it's noteworthy that ZENITH S800's high pre-sale price and 20,000 yuan deposit are well ahead of other models.

It is evident that neither the enthusiasm of the audience nor the data released by Hongmeng Intelligent Drive have disappointed Yu Chengdong regarding ZENITH S800, the first executive-class sedan.

Similarly, the collective performance of Hongmeng Intelligent Drive has not disappointed Yu Chengdong either.

According to official information, Hongmeng Intelligent Drive has been ranked first in the average transaction price of Chinese automobile brands for seven consecutive months.

Image/Hongmeng Intelligent Drive Delivery Volume from January to November

Source/Screenshot from New Energy View

If the cumulative delivery of 183,096 AITO M7 series vehicles in 2024 is the cornerstone of Hongmeng Intelligent Drive's sales performance, then the AITO M9 and EnjoyAuto S9 are the keys to solidifying Hongmeng Intelligent Drive's position in the high-end market.

Data shows that in the 11 months following its launch, the AITO M9 has surpassed 180,000 orders, consistently ranking first in monthly sales among vehicles priced above 500,000 yuan in the Chinese market. Similarly, since its launch, EnjoyAuto S9 has consistently ranked first in sales of pure electric sedans priced above 400,000 yuan.

Even the HICAR series, which has not achieved significant sales and has encountered many obstacles, has garnered much more attention and traffic than other automakers due to its 'backing' by Huawei.

In the Internet era where 'traffic is king,' such attention and discussion, although not directly convertible into cash, are indispensable for automakers.

2. Riding on the 'Far Ahead' Trend

It is not difficult to see that whether it's the luxurious ZENITH, the high-end AITO and EnjoyAuto, or the HICAR, they have all embarked on the same path – becoming 'automotive internet celebrities' – by riding on the 'Far Ahead' trend.

This is precisely what was missing behind the 'Four Realms' before.

Upon close observation, it is not hard to find that after new energy vehicles became mainstream, Thalys (cooperation with Huawei to launch AITO), Chery (HICAR), BAIC (EnjoyAuto), and JAC (ZENITH), who partnered with Huawei, seem to have faded from consumers' view.

Image/Huawei Partners

Source/Screenshot from New Energy View

Without hit new energy vehicle models and a distant path to premiumization, and even with sales lagging behind new automakers, these companies are eager for change.

Partnering with Huawei is undoubtedly a wise choice.

Firstly, Huawei's brand endorsement and consumer perception are undeniable. Secondly, Huawei's ability to create high-end products is evident to all.

These two aspects have been sufficiently proven by the development of Huawei's smartphones. Even when supply was constrained, and only pre-orders were available, consumers continued to flock to them; after overcoming difficulties, Huawei quickly regained its leading position in the domestic high-end smartphone market.

However, more importantly, it is Huawei's intelligent capabilities that stand out. After all, in the era of smart cars, intelligence is increasingly becoming one of the key factors influencing consumers' purchasing decisions.

According to Jin Yuzhi, CEO of Huawei's Intelligent Automotive Solutions BU, since its establishment in 2019, the BU has invested a cumulative total of 30 billion yuan in research and development, with 7,000 R&D personnel.

Among them, consumers are most familiar with Huawei's Kunpeng ADS 3.0 intelligent driving system and the new-generation Hongmeng cockpit HarmonySpace.

Image/Kunpeng 3.0 and New-Generation Hongmeng Cockpit

Source/Screenshot from New Energy View

The former is an important manifestation of intelligent capability, not only providing vehicles with higher-level autonomous driving functions but also enhancing driving safety, greatly improving driving convenience and comfort. For example, the Kunpeng ADS 3.0 intelligent driving system is equipped with a Collision Avoidance System (CAS), outperforming comparison models in scenarios such as pedestrians crossing, encountering pedestrians while turning left, and detecting probe electric bicycles; it not only supports full-scenario parking but also increases parking speed by 20% compared to experienced drivers.

The latter is a direct manifestation of intelligent capability. The new-generation Hongmeng cockpit HarmonySpace features three major performance characteristics: smart vehicle machine, smart audio, and smart display, enabling drivers and passengers to interact with the vehicle more conveniently and enjoy more personalized and intelligent services.

3. Intelligence is Not the Only Key to Luxury

In the era of smart cars, intelligent technology is not only a core factor in enhancing the driving experience but also a hallmark of luxury models.

Huawei's endorsement and the technological empowerment of Hongmeng Intelligent Drive have led an increasing number of automakers to view equipping their vehicles with Huawei's advanced intelligent driving system as a symbol of higher-end models.

For example, the new VOYAH Dreamer AWD Flagship Kunpeng Edition EV is priced at 419,900 yuan without the Kunpeng intelligent driving ADS 3.0 and Hongmeng cockpit, while the equipped version is priced at 449,900 yuan; only the more luxurious and high-end models of AITO 07 are equipped with Huawei's Kunpeng intelligent driving ADS 3.0, but it still needs to be purchased separately.

Image/New VOYAH Dreamer

Source/Screenshot from New Energy View

According to Jin Yuzhi, automakers and models adopting the Kunpeng solution in 2024 also include VOYAH and MAXUS under Dongfeng, ARCFOX and AITO under Changan, and Trumpchi under GAC. Within the year, 10 models equipped with the 'Kunpeng' intelligent driving system are expected to be launched.

Meanwhile, Jin Yuzhi also predicts that by the end of 2024, over 500,000 vehicles will be equipped with Huawei's intelligent driving system.

Based on continuous investment in intelligent technology and promotion of technological innovation across the industry, Hongmeng Intelligent Drive has earned the label of 'Whampoa Military Academy of the new energy vehicle industry.'

Apart from being a hallmark of luxury models and significantly improving the driving experience, another major reason automakers choose to equip Huawei's more advanced intelligent driving system is that it not only makes driving easier but also enhances driving safety.

In fact, the integration of intelligent technology and vehicle safety has already become an important development direction in the new energy vehicle industry. Intelligent systems can predict potential risks and take preventive measures by monitoring vehicle status and the surrounding environment in real-time, thereby reducing the likelihood of accidents.

A consumer who recently purchased an EnjoyAuto S9 stated that Hongmeng Intelligent Drive's intelligent technology does indeed make these models not only lead the field in intelligent technology but also provide safety guarantees.

'However, as consumers, our top priority when assessing safety is still the battery in the trinity of batteries, motors, and electric control systems. A safe battery is the foundation of all safety for consumers,' said the EnjoyAuto S9 owner.

'Actually, consumers don't understand much about battery technology and mostly choose well-known brands,' the owner said frankly. When choosing a model, one of the main reasons they focused on EnjoyAuto S9 was because the salesperson told them that all models of EnjoyAuto S9 are equipped with CATL's ternary lithium-ion batteries and utilize an 800V high-voltage fast-charging platform, featuring multiple safety protection measures.

Image/EnjoyAuto S9

Source/Screenshot from New Energy View

In fact, new energy vehicle models under Hongmeng Intelligent Drive are basically tightly bound with CATL, mutually benefiting each other.

We are in a new era of rapid development of smart cars, where intelligent technology has become a prominent hallmark of high-end models. However, as the above owner mentioned, regardless of how luxurious or high-end a model is, safety – especially battery safety – remains the primary concern for consumers.",