Hydrogen energy, increased range, pure electricity are all needed, and Chang'an is a bit anxious.
Author | Yongchang
Edited by | Wenliang
"Chinese brands have ushered in a milestone historical moment." The Association issued such a comment.
On April 11, the Association announced the ranking of manufacturers in the domestic passenger car market in March this year. In the ranking of wholesale sales, Changan Automobile surpassed North and South Volkswagen with 132,000 units and won the first place.
Although Changan's achievements in the fuel vehicle market are impeccable, its data in the new energy vehicle market has always been somewhat thin, and the lack of representative new energy models is the most important crux.
However, this situation may soon change.
On April 13, Chang'an officially announced the name of its new brand of pure electricity: "Chang'an Deep Blue". Zhu Huarong, chairman of Changan, said bluntly that Changan Deep Blue is of key significance to the strategic transformation of Changan Automobile's electrification.
Today, more details of Changan Deep Blue's first model, C385, have also been exposed, including hydrogen energy, range extension, and pure electricity.
The first mass-produced hydrogen energy sedan in China was unveiled
According to Deng Chenghao, general manager of Changan New Energy, deep blue C385 will launch three power versions for consumers to choose.
The C385 pure electric version has a comprehensive working range of more than 700 kilometers, a maximum power of more than 190 kilowatts, and a power consumption of less than 12.3 kWh/100 km or less.
C385 extended range version of full fuel full power comprehensive working conditions cruising range of more than 1200 km, simple electric comprehensive working conditions cruising range of more than 200 km, feed fuel consumption as low as 4.5L/ 100km or less.
The C385 hydrogen version has a comprehensive working range of more than 700 kilometers, and the feed hydrogen consumption is as low as 0.65 kg/100km or less, which can achieve 3 minutes of ultra-fast energy replenishment.
It is worth noting that the C385 hydrogen version will be the first mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell car in China.
In fact, hydrogen fuel cells are not a new technology, and the question of who is the end of the new energy vehicle for hydrogen and lithium has formed two distinct views, and the debate between the two sides has lasted for decades.
Due to the characteristics of hydrogen fuel cells with zero carbon emissions, high energy density and fast charging speed, the "Ting Hydrogen" party is full of confidence in it, and firmly believes that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will replace lithium battery vehicles.
However, due to many problems such as cost and policy, hydrogen fuel cells have not been widely used, and are only penetrating in the field of commercial vehicles.
Trunk logistics heavy trucks are the main areas of hydrogen energy layout for many companies at present. The enterprises that plan to produce hydrogen energy heavy trucks are currently in the research and development stage, or only have prototypes/concept cars to display, and the cost of bicycles is high.
In this way, the hydrogen version of the deep blue C385 may be a "single seedling" of hydrogen energy passenger cars in a short period of time.
The domestic hydrogen fuel cell vehicle industry chain is not mature, the upstream production of green hydrogen, hydrogen transportation, hydrogen storage, hydrogenation, to the middle and lower reaches of the hydrogen fuel cell and system research and development, production and application, are still in the product introduction stage.
The hydrogen energy professionals interviewed by The New Intelligent Driving also believed: "Doing hydrogen energy projects now is not for profit, but for the first to occupy the road in five years and recover the cost in ten years." ”
Therefore, the launch of the deep blue C385 hydrogen version may be more of a strategic significance for the layout of hydrogen energy, and the price of the hydrogen version is also a figure that is not easy to speculate. In the future, the models that support the sales of the Deep Blue C385 are estimated to be extended range versions and pure electric versions.
Another highlight of the conference is undoubtedly the Deep Blue C385 equipped with the all-electric digital platform EPA1. The platform claims to have achieved four highs: high efficiency, high performance, high intelligence, and high security.
In terms of high efficiency, the EPA1 platform is equipped with Changan's new generation of super collector electric drive, with a maximum efficiency of 95%. Its micro-core high-frequency pulse heating technology can achieve a battery temperature of 4 °C/min in a -30 °C environment, increase low temperature dynamics by 50%, and shorten low temperature charging time by 15%.
In terms of high performance, the EPA1 platform has achieved great progress in rear-wheel drive as the foundation and supporting the expansion of dual-motor four-wheel drive. The combination of the latest generation of brake dual redundancy system and the H-arm multi-link independent suspension system can effectively shorten the braking distance and improve ride comfort.
In terms of high intelligence, the EPA1 platform supports global speed OTA and is equipped with the intelligent vehicle domain controller "Changan Smart Core", which can achieve 70% performance improvement, 70% reduction in volume, and remote diagnosis. In addition, its high-computing intelligent cockpit domain controller is equipped with 8155 chips, and the computing power can reach 105K DMIPS.
In terms of high safety, Changan adopts a five-horizontal and nine-vertical surround body design, accounting for more than 45% of high-strength steel, ensuring the safety of the platform and battery perimeter.
With the exposure of a number of launch technologies of the Deep Blue C385, coupled with the fact that the hydrogen version has pushed the model to a higher strategic position, Changan's determination to the new energy market can be seen.
Five years of grinding a sword, the frost blade has not been tried. Chang'an's new energy battle has been pulled out of the army and rushed to the battlefield.
The new energy strategy has been adjusted three times
Changan's layout of the new energy market has a long history.
In 2015, Changan released its new energy strategic plan for the first time, which clearly stated that it would take pure electric drive as the main line and simultaneously develop plug-in hybrid and pure electric technology platforms. At that time, "Wei Xiaoli" had just been established, the domestic new energy vehicle market was blank, and Changan Automobile's strategy at that time was "far-sighted".
In 2017, Changan Automobile made the second new energy strategy adjustment and released the Shangri-La strategy.
Shangri-La's strategy is also the beginning of the EPA1 platform launched today, and in recent years, it has developed a variety of new energy platform architectures representing Changan's intelligent, electrified determination and technical level.
The second strategic adjustment also formulated the Beidou Tianshu plan, focusing on the software level and conducting in-depth research and development around the field of intelligent networking. So far, Changan's intelligent networked car sales have increased to 72.4%, and the newly listed passenger cars after 2020 have achieved 100% networking.
In April this year, Chang'an ushered in the third new energy strategic adjustment.
Not long ago, on April 13, Changan Automobile announced that Changan New Energy Vehicles was renamed Deep Blue and plans to launch 8 new energy vehicle products in 2022.
While continuing the Shangri-La strategy, Zhu Huarong also set a new goal, by 2025, Changan Automobile's total sales target is 4 million vehicles, of which Changan brand targets 3 million vehicles, new energy sales targets 1.05 million vehicles, new energy accounted for 35%.
In the first quarter of this year, Changan Automobile's new energy sales reached 30,645 units, an increase of 189.8% year-on-year. The data is eye-catching. However, on closer inspection, the sales volume of one model of BenBen EV reached 26,119 units, accounting for 85%.
Changan's other new energy vehicles, including some "oil to electricity" products, do not have an advantage in the new energy vehicle market itself, coupled with very small sales, it may only be a matter of time before they are eliminated.
To put it bluntly, Changan's new energy vehicles can only play one - Benben EV.
The official guidance price of Benben EV is from 29800 yuan, and its benchmark model is undoubtedly Wuling Hongguang MINIEV.
It is the consensus of the industry that low-cost vehicles do not have bargaining power in the new energy vehicle market, even if their sales continue to grow with the route of "gross profit and high sales", which is obviously not the future that Changan wants as the overlord of fuel vehicles. If this continues, it will even affect whether Changan can enter the mainstream new energy vehicle track in the future.
Therefore, at this moment when the competition in the new energy vehicle market is becoming more and more intense, finding new models to occupy a position in the market outside of the Benben EV is what Changan wants to do most at present.
Avita in March and the deep blue in April have naturally become the object of Chang'an's treasure.
Last month, Chang'an, Huawei, and NINGDE times joined forces to create Avita, with 400Tops computing power, 750km cruising range, 100 km acceleration within 4 seconds and 200 kilowatts of high-voltage super fast charging and other technologies converged in one, and the software and hardware are top-notch. The main market segment is more than 300,000, and the Tesla Model Y is directly blocked.
The upcoming release of the deep blue C385, although the pricing has not been announced, but the rumored price of 200,000-300,000 should be a high probability event.
At present, the field of 200,000-300,000 is a must for major car companies, Tesla Model 3, Xiaopeng P7, Weilai ES6, BYD-Han has long been in this market segment. The first battle of the Deep Blue C385 is to help Chang'an gain a foothold in this field, which is not insignificant.
So far, the low-cost car's Ben EV, the mid-range deep blue C385, and the high-end Avita 11 have outlined Changan's new energy matrix.
If the sales volume of Benben EV can be maintained continuously, and then use deep blue and Avita to open up the high-end market, in the future new energy era, Changan may also be a latecomer.
Hardiness will be standard
Before the press conference, the promotional film screened by Chang'an was of great significance. In the minute-long promo, all the shots are related to ice and snow, and all the scenes are set below minus 30 degrees.
Combined with the new technology micro-core high-frequency pulse heating launched at this conference, it can also be heated for 5 minutes in an extremely cold environment of -30 °C and 20 °C, and with waste heat recovery technology, the cruising range is increased by 40-70 km.
The spearhead of Chang'an is about to come out - north of the Yangtze River.
Previously, on March 9, Avita also announced in a high profile that its first product, Avita 11, has successfully completed the first round of extreme cold tests. Avita 11 successfully passed all 38 tests. The test content includes minus 30° ultra-low temperature cold start, minus 20° ultra-low temperature high-power charging, minus 10° ultra-low temperature crew compartment heating test, high-power four-wheel drive extreme cold test, etc.
The ability to withstand cold and durability may also become the standard of the deep blue C385.
You know, electric vehicles in the winter in the north known as "electric daddy", fast power loss, short endurance is prohibitive.
Some netizens have measured driving an electric car in Guangzhou to the northeast for the New Year, and the road from Jiangxi to Hebei has greatly shortened its mileage, and it is even more miserable after Shanhaiguan.
If the micro-core high-frequency pulse heating technology introduced by Chang'an can allow electric vehicles to take off the hat of "electric daddy" in the north, the emergence of the deep blue C385 is indeed of great significance.
Today's press conference also introduced the principle of the technology.
This technology generates a large current of rapid positive and negative switching by means of the electric drive IGBT extremely fast, and then uses the characteristics of large internal resistance of the battery at low temperature to quickly and uniformly self-heat the battery. The number of patents applied for has exceeded 50.
Through the micro-core high-frequency pulse heating technology, the deep blue C385 can achieve extremely fast heating at ultra-low temperature, in the environment of -30 °C, the battery heating speed can reach 4 °C / min, low temperature dynamics increased by more than 50%, low temperature charging performance shortened by more than 15%.
Many new energy vehicle companies are trying to overcome the low temperature problem in the northern winter. Tesla and Xiaopeng have used heat pump air conditioning to compete with low temperatures; Weilai's "Power North Plan" supports the endurance by increasing the number of substations and charging piles; BAIC Jihu recently released the corresponding 4C "fast heat speed charge cold" technology.
In this case, who can really solve the pain points of northern users, who can have one more chance of winning.
Changan also said that the deep blue C385 will be delivered within the year, and the production capacity is expected to be 60,000 units.
end
Zhu Huarong has publicly stated, "In the next 3-5 years, 80% of China's fuel vehicle brands will be 'shut down and turned'." ”
Today, when the competition in the new energy vehicle market has reached a white-hot market, Changan's new energy shortcomings have skipped the disease of the heart, become the pain of the skin, and even move towards the disease of the stomach.
This year, Avita and Deep Blue have been released, and the 8 new energy vehicle products to be launched soon are pure electricity rather than oil to electricity, which shows Changan's determination to develop new energy.
Chang'an's new energy strategy has come to the decisive stage. In the future, whether Changan will still be the hegemon of car companies, it may not take a few years, we can see the answer.
END
The financing boom is back! Pick up 15 smart driving companies that can be expected in the future
This year, the executive personnel of the Chinese and foreign intelligent driving circles was greatly earthquake