Changan Mazda is returning to center stage, just as they did in the era of fuel vehicles.
At the 2024 Beijing Auto Show, which opened on April 25, Changan Mazda officially unveiled its first electric sedan, the MAZDA EZ-6 (hereinafter referred to as the EZ-6). This is the first model of Changan Mazda's comprehensive transformation into an electrification track, and it is also the first electric car based on a leading pure electric platform among the joint venture brands in the Chinese auto market. At a time when the joint venture brand is still struggling in the quagmire of "oil to electricity", still applying the cockpit and vehicle engine with low intelligent standards, and still unable to participate in effective competition in the new energy vehicle market, Changan Mazda has set a new value standard in the field of joint venture new energy vehicles with EZ-6, realizing a real breakthrough in the electrification and intelligence of the joint venture brand.
"Our goal is to be the first new energy brand of joint venture. Deng Zhitao, executive vice president of Changan Mazda Automobile Co., Ltd., expressed Changan Mazda's ambition in the era of electric intelligence. The wave of joint venture brand's counteroffensive in the field of new energy vehicles has only really begun from the moment the EZ-6 was released.
"Double hundred" bonus
From Volkswagen's official announcement of its stake in Xpeng Motors, to Toyota's announcement of a cooperation with GAC, to Dongfeng Honda's release of the new energy vehicle brand "Lingxi", in the booming tide of new energy and intelligence in China's auto market, joint venture brands are entering a new era of "joint venture 2.0". The so-called "joint venture 2.0" is to use the electrification and intelligent capabilities of Chinese brands to empower the joint venture brand with its profound car-making heritage, give full play to the strengths of both parties, make up for shortcomings, and achieve the effect of 1+1>2. This model plays a vital role in the new energy and intelligent transformation of the joint venture brand, but there are many brands that have officially announced cooperation, if from the perspective of product landing, it will really successfully run through the "joint venture 2.0" and will take the lead in launching mass production models in 2024. It can be said that Changan Mazda once again led the times.
Back in April 2023, Changan Mazda held a brand night event on the eve of the Shanghai Auto Show, announcing that Mazda will build a new electrification product lineup through cooperation with Changan Automobile based on the global trend of new energy and intelligence in the Chinese auto market, and continue to push the latest products for the Chinese market. EZ-6 is the core achievement of the comprehensive deepening cooperation between the two century-old car companies, which brings together the advantages of the two car companies in different fields and represents the new development of "joint venture 2.0" in the Chinese auto market. Changan Automobile has absolute leading strength in the field of electrification and intelligence. Whether it is the core technology in the field of "three electrics" or the ability to build a digital intelligence ecosystem, it is one of the best in China. Mazda, on the other hand, has profound attainments in the fields of design, control and safety, and its "soul of motion" design concept, "human-horse integration" control performance and innovative safety concept have been influencing the development direction of many core technologies and are generally accepted by consumers.
The blessing of the two century-old car companies has laid a solid foundation for Changan Mazda to lead the new energy value of the joint venture in the era of electrification and intelligence, and uses the advantages of Changan Automobile and Mazda Automobile to empower Changan Mazda as a joint venture brand with its deep car-making heritage, giving full play to the strengths of both parties, thus achieving the effect of 1+1>2.
Value-led
Before the EZ-6, there was no joint venture new energy vehicle that could give full play to its unique product value to such an extent as the EZ-6. EZ-6 will be the product strength and inventory that the joint venture new energy products should have in the future.
EZ-6 has created a new design standard, a new intelligent standard, a new safety standard, a new driving control standard, and a new quality standard for the new energy products of the joint venture. It inherits Mazda's strong design, control, safety and quality genes, and has the strongest intelligent strength among the new energy products of the joint venture. For example, the "Authentic × Modern" design theme, which combines the authentic "soul of motion" aesthetics with the modernity of the electrification era, creates a "human-horse" focus on driving while reflecting the futuristic sense of the electric model The cockpit, as well as Mazda's refitting of the power output curve of the electric vehicle, has achieved a new electric vehicle calibration with both a driving feeling exclusive to Mazda and strong power, and a class-leading intelligent cockpit experience based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip, and a high-frequency intelligent driving scenario covering 100+ at all times, all make the EZ-6 a value leader in joint venture new energy vehicle products.
Not only that, the EZ-6 has also set a number of firsts in the joint venture new energy products. The EZ-6 is the first flagship product in the same class based on a leading pure electric platform. Before this, the joint venture new energy vehicles, "oil to electricity" is the mainstream, even if individual brands use pure electric platforms, in terms of technical content and generation, it is far from EZ-6. EZ-6 is the first model in the same class of the joint venture to be equipped with a 14.6-inch high-definition touch screen, which enables the EZ-6 to achieve a deep interaction between reality and technology. EZ-6 is the first model in the same class of the joint venture to be equipped with an intelligent electric rear wing, and the natural contradiction between electrification and strong handling no longer exists, creating the "king of corners" in the era of electrification. The EZ-6 is the first model in its class to be equipped with zero-gravity seats, and Mazda's ergonomic research results are applied to make it possible for passengers of every size to find the most comfortable angle. The EZ-6 is also the first production model in the same class of the joint venture to offer both pure electric and extended range power options, which fills the gap in the range extension products of the joint venture new energy vehicles and provides consumers with more choices. It can be said that EZ-6 not only has the intelligent experience of mainstream new energy cars, but also has the high quality, safety and reliability comparable to traditional fuel vehicles, providing a "third high-value choice" for the majority of new energy car users in addition to foreign capital and independent brands. And this high value may be the "admission ticket" to compete in the joint venture new energy vehicle market segment in the future.
Open the road of joint venture brand attack
In the reporter's view, the EZ-6 with strong product power can not only lead the value of the joint venture new energy vehicles, but also put it in a larger context, the arrival of this car, but also sounded the "rallying call" for the joint venture brand to launch a counteroffensive against the Chinese brand. With the deepening of the "Joint Venture 2.0" model, the market competitiveness of joint venture brand new energy products represented by Changan Mazda will achieve a leap.
Changan Mazda's "offensive" continues. Following the world premiere of the EZ-6 at the Beijing Motor Show, the concept model of Changan Mazda's second electric vehicle, the Mazda ARATA, was also unveiled for the first time. The new model will be deeply co-created with Changan Automobile to create new value. Based on this concept car, the electric SUV will be mass-produced and launched in 2025, and will compete in the domestic new energy market together with the EZ-6.
From the EZ-6 to the MAZDA ARATA, Mazda hopes to usher in a new era in the Chinese automotive market. In the future, with the launch of the second, third and fourth new energy models, Changan Mazda will gradually move towards "independence" in the field of new energy product development, and achieve a new "joint venture 2.0" era of "no Changan, no Mazda, only Changan Mazda". At the same time, the EZ-6 also opens up a greater living space for Changan Mazda to lead the joint venture automobile brand in the field of new energy.
As Katsuhiro Murago, Chairman, President and CEO of Mazda Motor Co., Ltd., said, "Mazda attaches great importance to its partnership with Changan Automobile, and together we will meet the challenge and launch a new offensive in the Chinese market. Looking forward to the future, we will further explore win-win cooperation and go hand in hand to launch the third and fourth new energy models, and a new era for Mazda in the Chinese market is coming. ”
Text: Feng Yingjie Editor/Layout: Zhao Fangting
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