On November 15, the 22nd Guangzhou International Auto Show officially opened. The auto market has entered a phase of competition based on existing stock. Chinese new energy vehicles, focused on electrification and intelligence, now drive high-quality development in the auto industry. This year’s Guangzhou Auto Show continues with the theme “New Technology, New Life.” It serves as a barometer for the development of the Chinese auto market. The show collaborates with the global auto industry to usher in a new era. This event features 78 global debuts, including 6 from multinational companies. A total of 1,171 vehicles are on display, with 512 being new energy vehicles. Together, they showcase new technology and innovation in this new era. Executives shared their insights. Jiang Chao, Assistant General Manager of Chery Brand Marketing Center, stated that the trend of a saturated market will not change in the coming years. Competition next year will remain as fierce as this year. Next year will also be a critical year for Chery. The company has prepared many models to meet consumer demand. Jiang believes that these new models and technologies will elevate Chery to new heights. Below is the transcript of the interview:
Sina Auto: Welcome, Mr. Jiang, to the Sina Auto booth. Please introduce Chery’s lineup at the Guangzhou Auto Show. Jiang Chao: This year, Chery showcases 38 vehicles from the group. The Chery brand features 15 models, including two concept cars popular with young people. Sina Auto: The interest in these concept cars is high. Please introduce them. One is the Lie Feng, and the other is the Jin Yun. What are their highlights? Jiang Chao: Let’s start with the Lie Feng. It has a sporty, youthful wagon style. Its dimensions are “532”: 5 meters long, 3-meter wheelbase, and 2 meters wide. The design emphasizes sportiness while offering a spacious interior. It meets young people’s need for a larger living space under a sporty exterior. Next is the Jin Yun. This MPV stands out because traditional MPVs cater to large families. The Jin Yun leans towards luxury and addresses the needs of young people. It features expandable space with over 110% usable area. It has front and rear expandable areas, particularly a full-glass extension at the back, allowing occupants to enjoy nature in beautiful locations. The seats are highly adaptable, especially in the rear. They can fold down with one button to form a bed, eliminating the need for a mattress. This transforms the Jin Yun into a spacious camper, enhancing young people’s camping and lifestyle experiences. Additionally, the Jin Yun has a high clearance, making it an off-road MPV equipped with a four-wheel-drive system. It can take young people to places regular MPVs can’t reach, and it can become a camper with a 360-degree extendable floating bed. Just imagine the comfort of that experience. Xinhua Auto: When will this car officially launch? Jiang Chao: The company has started the R&D and project phases. We are working on it. The exact timing depends on the latest updates from engineering. We will disclose more later. Xinhua Auto: Will it be part of the Fengyun series? Jiang Chao: Yes, it is part of the Fengyun series. Xinhua Auto: Besides the new car highlights at the auto show, what technical highlights does Chery have? Jiang Chao: Chery has many highlights in the tech exhibition. First, we brought the C-DM disassembly. You can see the single-speed DHT, three-speed DHT, and battery systems. We display square batteries, cylindrical batteries, and solid-state batteries. We also showcase the latest chassis and body systems, like the Fengyun A9 chassis with front double wishbones and rear multi-link hybrid chassis. The A9 features a new body structure, including a one-piece die-cast aluminum chassis and extensive use of high-strength steel and hot-formed steel. This makes the Panshi body display very thorough. Visitors can gain a better understanding of Chery’s chassis and body technology, which they might not usually see. Xinhua Auto: Do we have professionals to help with the introductions? Jiang Chao: Yes, we do. Xinhua Auto: The launch of the Kunpeng battery is also significant. What does this mean for Chery? Jiang Chao: Last year, Mr. Yin said we would be bold in new energy. This year, we achieved good results. Since February, our new energy sales grew from 20,000 units per month. We have seen eight consecutive months of growth. In October, new energy sales exceeded 71,000 units, making us the fourth in the new energy market. We hope to reach third place by the end of the year. Our current new energy models are mostly hybrids. With the addition of the Kunpeng battery, we believe we will launch more pure electric models in the next couple of years to enhance our new energy lineup.
Sina Auto: This year, the auto market has many significant events. What’s your view? If you had to sum up the market in one word, what would it be? Jiang Chao: “Intense.” Everyone talks about it. The Chinese market has faced stagnant growth for years. Competition in the existing market has become fierce. Consumers are more rational now. They no longer chase unnecessary items blindly. They are practical and mature. Young consumers want more features, options, and quality. This change is significant. Sina Auto: To stand out in this market, what strategies can drive success? Jiang Chao: Focus on value. Consumers are more mature and knowledgeable about cars. They want products they like, not just low prices. Few low-priced cars sell well now. The right price and high-quality models perform better. Sina Auto: How do you predict next year’s market, especially regarding Chery’s product strategy? Jiang Chao: The trend in the existing market won’t change much in the coming years. We have reached a high level of saturation. Significant growth will be rare. Next year, competition will remain as intense as this year. Chery plans to make a strong push. They have prepared many models to meet consumer needs. I believe these new models and technologies will elevate Chery to new heights. Sina Auto: One more question. With severe product homogenization, how can a product attract users when configurations show little difference? How can a product win user preference? Jiang Chao: We need to co-create with users. Car design cannot remain isolated. Consumers influence future products. This year, we engaged in many co-creation activities. We invited media and customers to our factory. We also went to the market to discuss future models. We encouraged feedback. For example, we started co-creation for the A9 model last year. We held dozens of events. Customers suggested not to use hidden door handles. They asked for better chassis structures. We analyzed and discussed their feedback. We chose configurations that suit consumers. We designed cars that meet their needs. Sina Auto: Please introduce Chery’s smart technology for next year. Jiang Chao: We focus on two areas, including autonomous driving and smart cockpits. We will upgrade to 4.0 and 5.0 next year. We will gradually introduce autonomous driving features. We aim to meet consumer needs with end-to-end NOA and high-end NOA in our products. Chery is not an aggressive company. We take a more cautious approach. We aim for equal access in autonomous driving and improve usability. We will conduct many technical certifications to ensure safety and reliability. Sina Auto: Safety and stability are the main priorities, not an aggressive, experimental pace. Jiang Chao: Chery’s approach emphasizes reliability and safety. We design with redundancy to ensure these qualities. Cars are long-lasting, significant investments, so this is crucial.