Author | Janson
Editing | Juice
Recently, reporters from Cars and other media had a detailed conversation with Zhiji Automobile Co-CEO Liu Tao, Executive Director of Software and User Multivariate Touchpoint Li Weimeng, and Executive Director of Vehicle Business Planning Chen Wei. They answered questions in detail about Zhiji Automobile’s listing strategy, corporate research and development, technology iteration, and future development.
At the same time, this interview reveals the profound thinking of Zhiji Automobile in product pricing and market strategy, the importance of user requests, and the planning of future development. In addition, they also emphasize the importance of product quality and technological innovation, believing that this way can meet the actual needs of users.
Pricing strategy: market competition and user requests
▲ Zhiji LS6 price range
First of all, Zhiji Automobile answered the questions related to the price range of LS6 21.49-27 6,900 yuan and brand positioning.
Zhiji Automobile said that the pricing of LS6 is based on market demand. The price range is set taking into account market competition and user requests. Although the price range is relatively large, the company emphasizes that the pricing of LS6 will be flexibly adjusted according to market feedback, order situation and competition of competing products. The company’s goal is to provide high-quality products while maintaining a competitive price level to maintain the brand’s high-end positioning.
Zhiji Automobile explained that on the basis of the initial equity price, the price of LS6 will be adjusted according to market demand, order situation and competition. The company plans to adjust the price policy after November 12 according to the actual changes in the market.
At the same time, when the reporter mentioned the issue of the appeal of the rights and interests of the first launch to users and the market, Zhiji Automobile mentioned that what most attracts users is not only the configuration package or price, but also the performance and technical advantages of the product. LS6 has advanced electric vehicle technology, including a quasi-900V super performance platform, which can provide long-term competitiveness. In addition, LS6 is committed to solving users’ actual travel needs and pain points through technology to provide a better experience. The company also places special emphasis on the core qualities of traditional automobiles, such as driving control quality, body quality and its quality management.
The interview revealed Zhiji Auto’s deep thinking in terms of product pricing and market strategy, as well as their emphasis on product performance and user requests. They emphasized the importance of product quality and technological innovation to meet the actual needs of users.
Second, technological platform advantages: continuous research and development to stay ahead
▲ Zhiji LS6 driver platform
First, as a veteran of "going overseas", SAIC Motor has certain advantages in overseas markets. Zhiji Motor said that since June this year, it has started small-scale exports to test the waters of overseas markets, and plans to achieve exports to mainstream European countries next year. In addition, they have carried out small-scale pilots in South America and the Middle East.
Secondly, when talking about the technology platform and its performance, Zhiji Automobile mentioned that the LS6 under their quasi-900V platform adopts a new generation of hurricane motors, which are adapted to the ultra-high pressure environment, and technical improvements such as ceramic bearings help to increase the speed of the motor. In addition, special cooling channels and tunnel cooling inner rotor design also help to ensure the efficient operation of the motor.
Smart Auto also points out that the energy density of their motors is rather high, which means that under the same weight, the vehicle can provide more power than traditional motors.
In addition, they also said that samples of carbon fiber motors have been completed and will soon enter the development phase.
Finally, when discussing the extreme performance of the car, Zhiji Automobile said that the maximum speed of the production model of the LS6 is calibrated at 252 km/h, but it has reached 305 km/h in dogfooding. This speed has exceeded the 300km/h mark and become the first echelon of domestic SUVs.
III. Autonomous driving: technical strength and localization go hand in hand
▲ Zhiji LS6 interior
Zhiji mentioned at the press conference that the listing rights will be given to users who place an order before November 12, so that they can upgrade to the LS6 Max equipped with lidar in order to use its autonomous driving function. As of the press conference, the LS6 blind order has exceeded 30,000 units.
Zhiji Auto believes that in the Chinese market, SaaS charging or autonomous driving charging faces some difficulties, so their future product strategy will not focus on this aspect. At the same time, Zhiji Auto emphasizes that hardware configuration and intelligence will become standard in future cars. They believe that advanced hardware such as lidar will be the basic requirement for future smart vehicles to provide users with better safety and driving experience.
Zhiji Auto says its vision is to provide a great driving experience, incorporating intelligent features into the vehicle to better serve the driver, reduce blind spots and provide more convenience. They stress that both hardware and software should return to the driving itself to ensure that the vehicle is a high-quality "good car".
Finally, regarding the competition of intelligent driving, Zhiji Automobile believes that they have an advantage in terms of technology iteration speed and cockpit intelligence. They also emphasize caution about autonomous driving functions, emphasizing that they must achieve higher safety than human driving before they go live. They plan to catch up with the industry leaders in the next 3 to 6 months and will continue to work hard to promote the development of technology.
IV. Future development: Hard power guarantees continuous product evolution
▲ Zhiji LS6 side appearance
When the reporter mentioned the competitiveness of Zhiji Automobile in the highly competitive 20 to 300,000 yuan market, Zhiji Automobile explained that the competitiveness of the product is the key, and the product must have the ability to evolve sustainably, including hardware and software iterations.
At the same time, they also emphasize the reasonable price of the product, pointing out that it is not the pursuit of low prices, but within the user’s psychological price range.
In addition, they plan to launch a new, relatively small sedan model within the next 18 months to meet different market demands.
Subsequently, in terms of balancing the relationship between Zhiji Automobile and other new energy models of SAIC, Zhiji Automobile believes that SAIC has multiple passenger car brands, each with different positioning in the market, and Zhiji Automobile, as the highest-end electric vehicle brand of SAIC, forms a complementary relationship with electric vehicle brands in other market segments. They believe that Zhiji’s price is based on market competition and aims to provide users with competitive products.
At the same time, Zhiji Auto added that the pricing of the LS6 is based on market competition and brand strategy, and will not have much impact on the pricing of subsequent models. They stressed that the product iteration speed is very fast, and the product positioning is relatively stable.
Finally, Zhiji Auto mentioned the issue of competition with competitors such as Tesla and Xiaopeng. Zhiji Auto explained that their products have hard power, including new three-electric systems and powertrains, as well as unique intelligent functions. They emphasize that the price, configuration and performance are competitive enough in the market competition. They plan to launch more new models in the next 18 months to meet different market needs.
Conclusion: Down-to-earth, the future is promising
In this conversation, the executives of Smart Auto discussed in depth the key issues of the company’s go-to-market strategy, technological innovation, autonomous driving, and future development.
They not only focus on the highly competitive market, but also focus on providing users with high-quality products, emphasizing the continuous iteration of hardware and software to continuously improve product performance. Zhiji Auto’s global expansion plan and commitment to electric vehicle technology demonstrate their vision and determination in the future.