Established automotive manufacturers and startups are showing their newest products at the Auto Guangzhou 2023 show in an attempt to take the lead in what looks to be another year of fierce competition, as automakers continue to struggle over price war in China. Auto Guangzhou, one of the most well-known automotive exhibitions in China, is a great place to launch new autonomous, hybrid, and electric vehicles and related vehicle technology, as it is a city that is home to multiple electric mobility automakers.
This year’s Auto Guangzhou, which is one of the biggest auto exhibitions in the nation, gives an idea of how fiercely competitive the Chinese market has been and how effective it has been in pushing out less powerful foreign brands as domestic rivals are fighting it out for market share.
BYD Ocean - Sea Lion 07
The Sea Lion 07, the newest member of the BYD Ocean family of electric vehicles and the company's response to the Tesla Model Y, was created by design chief Wolfgang Josef Egger, a former head designer at Audi Group. The mid-size crossover has a dynamic appearance thanks to its dual through-type waistlines and high shoulder lines, and it has aggressive air intakes, muscular fenders, and clean character lines on all four corners. According to Fan Jihan, a deputy director of BYD, the characteristics are meant to make the automobile stand out from a distance.
With a length of 4.8 m and a wheelbase of 2,900 m, the top-tier all-electric vehicle is anticipated to have a driving range of over 700 km (435 miles), which is somewhat longer than the 688 km claimed by its US rival. Its official introduction is slated for later this year, and the company says it will come with BYD's most recent advanced driver assistance system (ADAS).
Geely - Zeekr 007
The eagerly anticipated Zeekr 007, the first electric car sold under the premium brand of global automaker Geely, made its debut at this year's Auto Guangzhou. The 4.9-meter-long all-electric car is the most recent creation from Stefan Sielaff, a former head of design at Bentley. It is equipped with 1,711 high-intensity light beads that are driven by 75 automotive chips. This allows the car's LED headlights to show off some of the most cutting-edge lighting technology available from a Chinese automaker in the form of a stunning, personalized lighting sequence with animation that spans around ninety inches.
On the other hand, the Zeekr 007 has an 800-volt battery system that allows it to travel up to 870 km on a full charge and an additional 610 km on a 15-minute charge. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 2.84 seconds, according to Zeeker, making it the fastest road car of its class ever produced. It is also among the first to incorporate Qualcomm's most recent 5-nanometer cockpit processor, 8295. The automobile will be delivered by the company in January, with a pre-sale starting price of RMB 224,900 ($31,059), which is less than anticipated.
Xpeng - X9
The Guangzhou-based electric vehicle manufacturer, Xpeng, revealed information about its first flagship multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), the X9, while the product was still on its home court. With its exceptional comfort and performance, the X9 is expected to distinguish itself from competitors' offers. According to chief executive He Xiaopeng, the seven-seater has a claimed interior space of 7.7 square meters, making it 12 percent bigger than the Toyota Alphard, a global top-seller in the chauffeur-driven luxury people mover category, at a competitive pre-sale starting price of RMB 388,000 ($53,544).
The family van is also believed to have the greatest third-row seats available, with the ability to fold down low to enhance cargo capacity and recline to a preferred angle of over 180 degrees.
Seven suitcases can fit in the luggage compartment while this is going on. Rear-wheel steering, which is said to be the first MPV in the world to come standard on the Xpeng X9, lowers the vehicle's turning diameter to an industry record of 10.8 m (35.4 feet), making it easier to operate.
Li Auto - Mega
Li Auto has finally revealed information on the Mega, a much-anticipated MPV with an appearance that mimics the design of China's high-speed trains in the shape of bullets. The seven-seater van, which is powered by CATL's next-generation Qilin batteries and can go up to 500 km on a 12-minute charge, has the quickest charging speed in the world for all electric cars. Its drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.215, according to the manufacturer, is the lowest rating for an MPV. Its electricity consumption of 15.9 kWh per 100 km of travel is also among the lowest in the industry. As of September, the company had shipped over 500,000 plug-in hybrid SUVs. It has now stated that it will construct 300 supercharging stations in China by the end of the year. With a price tag of approximately RMB 600,000 ($82,800), pre-sales for the Mega began on Friday, with delivery slated for February 2024.
Lotus Technologies - Lotus Emeya
The Lotus Emeya is a British-Chinese electric super sedan with 905 horsepower that is produced at Geely's Wuhan facility. It was created by Lotus Technologies. Following the release of the Eletre SUV last year, the Emeya is Lotus's second mass-produced vehicle. By integrating a battery beneath the center section of the car's body and advancing the cockpit somewhat, Lotus claims to have achieved an almost ideal 50:50 front-to-rear axle weight distribution. Emeya has a diffuser and rear spoiler installed. The spoiler may produce up to 215 kg of downforce when it is elevated. When the vehicle speed exceeds 90 km/h, the active diffuser automatically opens, letting airflow through the chassis.
Since Emeya is based on an 800V design, charging will happen extremely quickly: With a 350 kW supercharger, Lotus claims you can reach 180 km in 5 minutes, and 10 percent to 80 percent may be reached in 15 minutes. It will have a CATL 102 kWh battery. There are 2,565 kg of curb weight. Emeya has four lidars as well.
Changan Auto - Battery Business Growth Plan
With the release of its battery business growth plan, Changan Auto took a significant step toward becoming a technology company for low-carbon and intelligent mobility as part of the Shangri-La Plan, which is focused on the sales of new energy vehicles. Changan Auto plans to launch a self-developed battery brand called Jin Zhong Zhao (which translates to Golden Shield) as part of the new battery plan. With a key focus on overcoming technological constraints in battery core technology, the strategic battery plan aims to address consumer pain points and overcome restrictions in travel scenarios.
Changan Auto plans to modernize liquid batteries as part of this program, facilitating quick energy replacement. The company's goals are to continuously improve battery energy density, reach a charging rate of 3C in real-world applications, popularize 5C, and investigate 7C in research and development. Eventually, they hope to achieve a 400-km range with a seven-minute charging session through R&D in battery materials (phosphate iron lithium, ternary-lithium). The goal of this change is to make charging an electric vehicle as simple and worry-free as fuelling a conventional car.