From Li Bin of Weilai and Li Xiang of Ideal in the field of new power to shoulder the heavy responsibility of "brand spokesperson", to Geely Yang Xueliang and Wuling Zhou Yu of traditional car companies gradually becoming "Weibo celebrities", and then to Wei Jianjun, the Great Wall who can be called the big man in the car circle, Chery Yin Tongyue personally went deep into the front line of marketing. It is not difficult for us to find that the automotive industry in the new energy era has ushered in a complete transformation.
On April 14, Yin Tongyue, chairman of Chery Group, drove the Star Era ET for a long-distance high-speed high-end intelligent driving challenge, which not only locked everyone's attention on this high-end new energy blockbuster model of Xingtu, but also showed the image of a hands-on and excellence-oriented car company at the helm. The phrase "no longer as polite as before in the field of new energy", which was born in the "2023 Chery Technology Day" last year, echoed in my mind again.
A day later, the Star Era ET ushered in pre-sale, providing two power versions of extended range and pure electric, with a pre-sale price of 199,000-329,000 yuan. It is worth mentioning that Epoch ET deliberately "salute" Tesla Model Y and Audi Q5L at the press conference, which not only shows its determination to cultivate the pure electric market, but also shows the confidence to subvert the traditional luxury fuel market. As for the strength of the Star Era ET, it is not difficult to find the answer after a detailed understanding.
The "technical battle" between range extension and plug-in hybrid models has been around for a long time, but just as three-cylinder engines and dry dual-clutch engines have been gradually eliminated by the market, it is better to cater to consumer demand than to emphasize theoretical advantages. Therefore, thanks to Chery Group's "technology treasure box", the Epoch ET extended range version is equipped with a special engine for extended range with a maximum thermal efficiency of 44.5%, which can achieve a WLTC fuel consumption of 5.2L/100km and a comprehensive range of more than 1500km, while the pure electric version has a CLTC pure electric range of up to 760km and the ability to charge 800V high-voltage fast charging as standard, which can solve the range anxiety from the source.
However, compared with "how far to run", the driving quality of the whole vehicle is also one of the core competitiveness of new energy vehicles. To this end, the Star Era ET has introduced the gimbal intelligent chassis, and it is not difficult to feel how stable it is from the name alone. The all-aluminum chassis, front double wishbone + rear multi-link suspension combination consolidates the hardware foundation, which is only available in previous high-end models, while the IAS intelligent air suspension, CDC electromagnetic damping system, and the ability to support active and continuous adjustment of suspension damping can make the vehicle reach a higher level of comfort and handling. Combined with the ability to accelerate to 000 in the fastest 3S, the driver can enjoy the fun of control.
The advent of the new energy era has redefined the comfort and luxury of high-end models, and how to make the exquisite experience penetrate into all aspects of life depends on the meticulous craftsmanship of the details. As a medium and large SUV, the Epoch ET has a length of nearly 5m and a wheelbase of 3m, and under the layout of 5 doors and 5 seats, every passenger can experience the "C-position enjoyment", while the simple central control layout, elegant wood grain trim, and delicate Nuprima micro-velvet matte leather and wrap-around palace-level music cockpit can create a warm car environment, creating a sense of happiness for the family at the same time, but also helping you unload the fatigue of the day.
As for the intelligence level, Chery Group's attitude towards Epoch ET is even more "unreserved". Relying on Chery's latest-generation EEA 5.0 electronic and electrical architecture, the Epoch ET is equipped with 30 high-performance sensors and NVIDIA Drive Orin chips with up to 508TOPS computing power, which not only ensures the perception and computing power redundancy of the driving assistance system, but also leaves evolution potential for future technology iteration. The convenient and warm in-vehicle system is expected to become the differentiated advantage of the Star Era ET.
Of course, although "safety" cannot be seen or touched, it has become the focus of consumers' car purchases in the past two years, and Chery Group, which continues to cultivate in this field, has also created a solid shield for Epoch ET. In addition to the body structure made of high-strength steel and aluminum materials, which account for 88%, and more than 20 active safety technologies, the Epoch ET has a layout in battery safety, information security, functional safety and electromagnetic safety, especially in the test performance of battery wading and bottom support, which causes safety anxiety, far exceeding the national standard, which can meet various car use scenarios. And this is one of the reasons why Chery Group can sell overseas.
In today's high-end market, as oil prices continue to rise, there has been a partial loss of luxury fuel vehicle owners; in the field of pure electric vehicles, many new car-making forces and traditional brand high-end models have not yet formed a large-scale effect; the best momentum is the extended range market, but the starting price of 250,000 yuan + at every turn also leaves room for the development of Star Era ET. Even in terms of the pre-sale price, the market performance of Star Era ET is enough to leave a large space for imagination.
Since the end of last year, Chery Group has successively launched new energy models such as Jietu Shanhai L9, Chery Fengyun A8, iCAR 03, and Xingtu Yaoguang C-DM, while Xingtu ET is another trump card in the high-end market. In addition, in the first quarter of this year, Chery Group's new energy sales were 60,100 units, a year-on-year increase of 124.3%, and Xingtu sold 23,500 units, a year-on-year increase of 44.4%.