Preface to the author: the author statically observed a number of models on display around the world at the Chengdu International Automobile Exhibition in 2024, had a detailed exchange with car company managers / sales ambassadors, and lamented that Chinese car companies said, “We are ahead!” Whether a single model to achieve customer functions and customer experience, appearance, digital and intelligent, quality, or model price (cost), really achieve a “comprehensive lead”.
The pictures in this article are taken by the author himself. Fig. 1 Hongmeng Zhixing’s question M7, styling field, looking back over the past 20 years, Chinese cars are often criticized by customers for styling, especially appearance, and in the past five years, the styling of Chinese cars has blossomed with each passing day.
Leading the trend of the automobile styling era: figure 2 Xiaomi SU7, figure 3 SAIC famous Cyberster (convertible), figure 4 Naji GT, figure 5 Wei Brand Lanshan, figure 6 Xiaopeng NOMA M03, figure 7 Hongmeng Zhixing ask the boundary M9, vehicle side circumference, front and rear lines, headlights layout and outline curves, fully reflect the imagination and innovative wisdom of Chinese car stylists.
In the details of the model, the interior and exterior decoration is meticulously carved everywhere: figure 8 Xiaomi SU7 tire and fender shape, such as Xiaomi SU7 wheel hub shape, 5 trapezoid, 20-inch low-edge tires, coupled with backward pressure of the fender, fully express the “sports, fashion” style Fig.
9 Wei blue handbox, Wei Lanshan handbox, the length of the armrest is parallel to the wrist, very comfortable, butterfly handbox cover, mobile phone high-power wireless charging, closed storage box (commonly known as “bread box”), with a matte chrome trim, this handbox can be called “almost perfect” Figure 10 Nashi GT left front door, Nashi GT rimless left front door interior is covered in three colors, with three Matt chrome plated stripes, very visual impact, PU coating, soft and comfortable touch.
In the field of digitalization and intelligence, this field is the “traditional strength” of Chinese car companies, from “simple” voice control and man-machine interface (HMI) to mainframe operating systems (such as Hongmeng operating system HarmonyOS), intelligent cockpit, intelligent assisted driving (to future autopilot) All walk in the forefront of the world: figure 11 Hongmeng: HarmonyOS, the car operating system “Hongmeng: HarmonyOS” of Hongmeng Zhixing ask, figure 12 Hongmeng Zhixing ask M7 to set seat ventilation (very good customer function), figure 13 Hongmeng Zhixing ask M7 to set intelligent driving assistance function, quality field: here the author makes a detailed observation, regardless of the gap and parallelism of the car body, or the materials and materials used Even spray body surface finish (“orange peel phenomenon”, chromatic aberration, flatness, etc.
), compared with five years ago, Chinese car companies’ models have achieved a “leap”, the quality has been greatly improved, can be “flat” BBA.
Figure 14, the dashboard and steering wheel of the millet SU7, the spacing and alignment of the double seams of the millet SU7, the matching degree of the central console (middle console) panel and the box, “in one go”.
figure 15, the rear seat of the M7, and the rear seat of the M7, covered with fine, uniform ventilation holes, and a little girl is also touching and trying to sit.
The left front door of Zero running C10, the left front door of Zero running C10, from the surface covering of interior panel, trim panel body, trim strip to the assembly of door sheet metal, sealing strip, touch and visual quality are all “online”.
Figure 17 Hongmeng Zhixing asks about the trunk of M7, and even the trunk that doesn’t attract much attention: stainless steel anti-friction sheet metal, trunk carpet, maintenance toolbox handle, 12V charging socket, exquisite, neat and practical.
Finally, I would like to share the author’s impression after visiting the 2024 Chengdu Auto Show: it completely presents the scene of “ice and fire”.
The booths of Chinese car companies are full of people, while those of Japanese enterprises are sparse.
According to the forecast of the future development, a French colleague of the author once asked me on Wechat at the beginning of this spring: “what is your opinion for the future of the cars industry knowing that China entered very strongly into it with very high quality EV cars, will European cars manufacturers able to survive and face this competition? Or they will disappear? Please take your time and answer me only when you have the time,thanks “(what do you think of the future of the automotive industry? China has entered the automobile industry strongly with its high-quality electric vehicles.
Can European automakers survive the competition? Or will it disappear? Please don’t worry and answer me when you have time.
Thank you), my answer is: “To your question about european carmakers, my prognose is, some of them could survive in some segments, e.g. High price segment, but with small market share, in other segments (biggest, over 85% of total volume) some leading chinese carmaker & Tesla will dominate the entire market.
This forecast is based on the current global situation & geopolitical constellation) “.
(as for your question about European carmakers, my prediction is that some of them can survive in certain market segments, such as high-price segments, but the market share is very small.
in other market segments (the largest segment, accounting for more than 85 per cent of total sales), some leading Chinese carmakers and Tesla will dominate the market.
This forecast is based on the current global situation and geopolitical pattern).
This is a more “radical” view of the author.
Of course, the author shares it with the managers and engineers of Chinese car companies based on the following factors: 1.
In terms of product development: 1) if an European car company develops a brand new model, it costs about 7.
5 billion yuan (CNY), while the Chinese car company only needs 300 to 700 million yuan (CNY), only 1/10 or even 1/20.
This is a huge cost advantage for Chinese car companies.
2) R & D efficiency, the research and development cycle of a new model in Chinese car companies is 18 to 24 months, compared with 36 to 48 months in Europe and the United States, which is one of the core market competitiveness (Time to Market).
Technical bureaucracy: for example, it takes 3 to 6 months to modify a wire harness bracket because of product quality (after-sales complaint), numerous and slow-moving discussions and communication meetings for each department.
Everyone is arguing why it cannot work.
Everything uses “technical” or “sensational” technical titles as arguments, and often there is no data and facts.
This causes customer confusion and poor market reputation, and ultimately causes a decline in sales and corporate profits.
“Technical bureaucracy” originated in Europe and the United States and is popular in some automobile companies and supply chains.
I hope that Chinese automobile companies and their supply chains can continue to spur themselves to reduce and avoid the breeding of “technical bureaucracy”. 3. China is a very large market.
Most of the customers are young, progressive, pursue innovation and are willing to accept new things.
This is a huge business opportunity and development opportunity for Chinese automobile companies, especially in the fields of digitalization and intelligence., 4. China has a “large number” of engineers and skilled workers.
I remember Apple CEO Cook once said,”If we gather American engineers and fill a conference room, then Chinese engineers can fill three football fields.
” In short, I hope that Chinese car companies will make persistent efforts to “let others see your taillights.
” Author Dr.
Liu Xiaoyi (Founder and CEO of Guanyu Electromechanical Technology (www.
costkey-solutions.
com), Germany’s Daimler Group (Mercedes-Benz) for more than 20 years of new production technology, vehicle planning (including new energy vehicles) and cost engineering.
Winner of the German physicist Award.
expert of the new energy and intelligent networked automobile industry think tank of the “Changfeng Plan” of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
high-level technical management of Great Wall Motor and Haichen Energy Storage.
Author of “Cost Engineering System for Manufacturing Enterprises”, the key book “National Heavy Equipment Publishing Project” of China Industrial Information Technology Publishing Group.
Postgraduate Business Supervisor of School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering of Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
Visiting Professor of School of Automobile of Tongji University.
Talent Exchange Center of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology/China Automobile Industry Training Base/Special Lecturer on Cost Engineering of Gaodun College of Finance and Taxation.
author of “Liu Xiaoyi Column” of Gisi Automobile.
CostKey is the first cloud-level enterprise-level cost engineering SaaS software system independently developed by Guanyu Electromechanical Technology, and won the Innovation Fund Award of the Shanghai City Science and Technology Commission.
Return to First Electric Network Home>.
