On November 17th, the 21st Guangzhou International Auto Show officially opened. The development of smart cars and new energy vehicles is not only a revolution in transportation, but also a change in lifestyle and mindset. With the continuous upgrading of competition in new energy vehicles, more new products and technologies will appear in front of the world. This year’s Guangzhou Auto Show will take “New Technology, New Life” as its theme, showcasing the latest technological achievements brought about by the development of smart cars, as well as the new changes it brings to consumers. In response to this, different executives expressed their views. Mi Mengdong, General Manager of the Public Relations Department of Changan Brand, said that the three different brands, Changan, Qiyuan, and Avita, have different characteristics and are aimed at different niche markets. On different brands, we actually use design and brand communication to convey different concepts and values to meet the interests of different people. By 2025, Changan will launch more than 20 heavyweight products globally, including 10 Qiyuan, 6 Shenlan cars, and 4 Avita cars.
Interview transcript: Host: First of all, welcome Mr. Mi to the exclusive interview room of Sina Auto. This year’s Guangzhou Auto Show is quite lively, and it is also the finale of 2023. Could you please introduce the new car models and technological highlights at the booth? Mi Mengdong: This auto show, Changan is also themed “New Journey, New Leap”, and has released our direction and technological advocacy in the field of new energy power batteries. The booth is also presenting a comprehensive display of products around the new energy “Shangri-La” and the intelligent “Beidou Tianzhu”. First, the content of our press conference this morning is under the guidance of Changan’s new energy “Shangri-La” plan, taking a solid step towards accelerating the transformation into an intelligent low-carbon travel technology company. According to the plan and the future, we will build an internationally leading self-developed battery brand, which is Changan’s “Golden Bell”, to comprehensively solve users’ anxiety about energy density, charging and discharging effects, cycle life, and low-temperature performance, bringing users a new experience of long life, true safety, and super high efficiency. In addition, this afternoon, at this moment, the super extended-range pickup truck, our “Hunter”, will be unveiled. This product has achieved industry subversion in terms of fuel consumption standards, technological standards, performance standards, and has concentrated on showcasing our latest technological achievements, including our CTV body battery integrated platform, CTP high-integration power battery, FCNC fast-charging battery core, and our semi-solid-state battery core, and so on. Throughout the booth, the Changan Qiyuan family’s A06, A07, and Q05 are exhibited, demonstrating Changan’s strong technological reserves and forward-looking vision, conveying our brand’s upward and forward-looking development potential to the outside world. In the field of intelligence, we are showcasing our SDA platform on the booth, as well as the CD701 model of the new intelligent car based on the SDA architecture platform. This model is also a new car built on the basis of “software-defined car”, which is a subversion and reconstruction of traditional cars, and will bring users a subversive experience and feelings about driving. Host: Thank you for sharing. The overall content is quite rich. Welcome everyone to visit the booth. This year, our Changan independent brand of new energy vehicles has achieved outstanding sales results. From a traditional car company to a steady transformation, we have achieved significant results in this area. What experiences can be shared? Mi Mengdong: First of all, in the first three quarters of 2023, our group’s wholesale sales reached 1.87 million vehicles, an increase of nearly 11.2% year-on-year, achieving revenue of 108.2 billion, an increase of nearly 27%. Net profit also increased by 43.2% year-on-year, maintaining a good development momentum with both scale and profitability. Regarding Changan’s successful transformation, first is the judgment of the trend. In 2017, Changan released its third innovation and entrepreneurship plan. After years of exploration and accumulation, we have resolutely implemented our strategic transformation and adhered to innovative technology research and development, continuously improving our product structure and accelerating the transformation into an intelligent, low-carbon travel technology company with a global market layout. This year, we have made efforts in many areas, first by adhering to the brand’s upward trend and focusing on the layout of three major new energy brands, including Changan Qiyuan, Shenlan Motors, and Avita. These three intelligent electric vehicle brands meet the demands of different segmented markets for new development patterns. We also adhere to technological innovation, resolutely applying new technologies to our products, accelerating the technological iteration based on our “super core,” central ring network architecture, and creating an industry-leading high-level intelligent driving experience. Next year, we will also hold our first developer conference, opening up software, operating systems, value chains, and more to the world’s ecological partners, in addition to vehicle control. Thirdly, we adhere to product deployment, as products are the company’s strength. We are determined to create new cars that users love, and by 2025, we will launch over 20 heavy-duty products globally, including 10 Changan Qiyuan, 6 Shenlan Motors, and 4 Avita models. Recently, the Changan Qiyuan A07, A05, and other new models have been fully launched, as well as the official release of the Avita 12, which has been very popular, meeting the preferences of different target groups. Finally, we also insist on providing intimate service and continue to provide a new service experience, focusing on a comprehensive and scene-oriented approach to creating our continuously evolving new automotive platform products, making cars our helpful companions in life, work, and even in earning money, constantly satisfying users’ yearning for a better life. Host: Thank you, Mr. Mi, for sharing. You mentioned Deep Blue, Qiyuan, and Avita, these three different brands may have their own characteristics and target different niche markets. Will you also make these distinctions in the products? Mi Mengdong: Coincidentally, I am currently involved in one of these areas. In the field of Changan Global Design, users do not belong to a single group. They often play multiple roles in work, life, and interests, and their consumer values are also different. Therefore, in order to meet the demands of different user groups in segmented markets, we convey different concepts and values through design and brand on different brands to satisfy the preferences of different people. For example, the Deep Blue brand, through our excellent designs, including the S7 and SL03, has won the German Red Dot Design Award this year, connecting, integrating, and winning together with the concept of symbiotic aesthetics. For the Avita brand, after years of design accumulation, we have released the concept of “Omnipotent Design,” which originates from a natural image, containing forward-looking technology. The vertical and horizontal lines represent the power of our universe at the speed of light, embodying the spirit of exploration and breakthrough, and symbolizing vastness and stability, originating from the horizon and balanced and open-minded inner spirit. Through the concept of Omnipotent Design, we cover the aesthetic preferences of the entire user base in the gasoline car market, including the A0 series of Qiyuan, where we propose the concept of “Fuguang Design Aesthetics.” Originating from the East, derived from nature, easy and friendly technology is the embodiment of Fuguang’s leap at sunrise, and the exquisite quality of details is the pursuit of goodness in the company of light. Design is the brand’s translator. Through design, we meet people’s emotional and emotional demands for the brand. Host: Thank you for sharing, we have indeed seen the different characteristics of the three brands from your introduction. They have put a lot of effort into designing their own unique features. We also look forward to Changan brand providing better products in the future. Thank you.