Reborn in 2011, 985 missing from two copies

Chapter 638: Intercepting Porsche, Intelligent Driving Layout
"Has the extended-range test vehicle been made? What is its actual performance?" Wang Yi asked further.

Zou Zefeng, vice president of Xingyi Automobile, replied: "Chairman, the extended-range test vehicle has also been produced, but the specific parameters are still being tested. At present, our energy is mainly focused on the testing of the pure electric version, and we plan to launch the pure electric version first next year..."

"No, your idea is wrong." Wang Yi waved his hand:
"Currently, battery technology is not advanced enough, the cost is high, the range is short, and the cost of pure electric vehicles is too high. Extended range is the solution, and it is also the only way to solve the problem of short range and high cost of new energy vehicles."

Currently, new energy vehicles are mainly divided into three directions: pure electric, extended-range, and hybrid.

Pure electric, as the name suggests, relies on batteries. The size of the battery directly determines the battery life, so an extra-large battery is required to ensure sufficient battery life.

But batteries are too expensive these days, resulting in extremely high prices for pure electric vehicles and poor battery life.

Generally speaking, the NEDC range of a pure electric vehicle should be at least 400 to 500 kilometers.

Taking the attenuation into account, the actual range is only 80% to 90% off, which is still about 300 to 400 kilometers.

After a significant attenuation in winter, the battery life can still reach 200 to 300 kilometers.

This level of comfort will not leave people stranded on the road at any time, and can basically meet daily use.

For users who often travel long distances, the NEDC range needs to reach 600 kilometers, 700 kilometers, or even higher.

But batteries are too expensive these days!
The current NEDC battery with a range of 400 kilometers is much more expensive than the battery with a range of 800 kilometers ten years later. The cost is too high, resulting in pure electric vehicles being too expensive and difficult to popularize.

That is why a Tesla model S with a range of 300 kilometers costs more than 600,000 yuan, and this range is not enough at all.

The version with a range of 500 kilometers costs more than 900,000 yuan, which most people cannot afford.

It can be said that pure electric vehicles these days are only suitable for commuting within the city and for users who have charging stations at home.

With a pure electric range of 300 kilometers, charging twice a week is enough for daily commuting, and the price is not too high to be unacceptable. But it is not enough for medium and long distance travel.

Therefore, Wang Yi directly put pure electric vehicles in a supporting role, with a range of about 300 kilometers, mainly for daily commuting in the city.

As for the 500-kilometer pure electric range, the cost is high, the selling price is low, and the sales volume is very low.

On the contrary, extended-range vehicles and hybrid vehicles are the way out.

Both types have batteries and engines.

When there is electricity, it can be driven directly by electricity. When there is no electricity, it can also burn oil, thereby greatly improving the overall cruising range, even far exceeding that of fuel vehicles.

Even long-distance driving is not a problem. You can find a gas station and fill up a tank of gas, and then you can drive another 700 to 800 kilometers, without having to worry about the endurance.

But there are also big differences between these two new energy sources.

The most important thing is the mechanical structure and drive method.

The internal combustion engine of a range-extended vehicle is not a traditional engine and cannot directly drive the wheels. It is essentially just a pure generator!
Oil is used to generate electricity, which is then used by the motor to drive the wheels.

Extended-range vehicles are essentially only electrically driven, similar to pure electric vehicles, and are mainly powered by electricity. They do not have the direct drive of a gasoline vehicle, nor do they have a gearbox or clutch.

Just a generator + drive motor, no gearbox, and a simple mechanical structure.

The internal combustion engine of a hybrid car is an engine + generator that directly drives the rear wheels.

It can not only generate electricity and drive with electricity, but also directly burn oil to drive the wheels like a gasoline car when high power is needed, and it can also be driven by oil and electricity.

Therefore, hybrid vehicles have three drive systems: pure electric drive, pure oil direct drive, and oil-electric hybrid drive.

As a result, hybrid vehicles need to achieve multi-power coupling, gearbox integration, and a more complex structure, making research and development more difficult.

If he wants to make a hybrid car, Wang Yi will not only have to develop the generator, but also the fuel engine.

It is necessary not only to achieve high-efficiency pure electric drive, but also high-efficiency pure oil direct drive and high-efficiency oil-electric hybrid.

This is much more difficult.

Only those traditional automobile giants who have already mastered traditional fuel engine technology can quickly make excellent hybrid engines.

But it is more difficult for emerging new energy vehicle companies, as traditional engine technology alone is an extremely high threshold.

After all, one of the original intentions of developing new energy in China is that the fuel engine technology is relatively backward, and the gearbox technology is also backward, making it difficult to catch up, so we have to change the track.

When it comes to range extension, there is no need to worry about the fuel engine or the gearbox. It is enough to directly develop a generator.

Wang Yi continued: "Next, we will continue testing the pure electric version, and we will go all out in testing the extended-range version. Next year, we will release the extended-range version first, and as for the pure electric version, we will release it together when the time comes."

"Yes!" Zou Zefeng suddenly realized.

According to Wang Yi, the extended-range version is the main force and may account for 80% of sales.

The pure electric version only accounts for 20%.

The reason is that the pure electric version is too expensive and there is also an anxiety about battery life.

The simplest one is the hybrid version. These days a small battery with a pure electric range of 150km or 200km is enough and the cost is low.

However, the pure electric version’s range of 300 kilometers is not enough, and the large battery with a range of 400 kilometers is also insufficient. It would be reliable to achieve a pure electric range of 500 kilometers.

Ten years later, the cost of a battery with a pure electric range of 500 kilometers will not be high, but at present, the cost of a battery with a pure electric range of kilometers is very high, and a battery with a pure electric range of kilometers is even more expensive!
If the car really wants to achieve a pure electric range of 500 kilometers, it is simply unrealistic for the Xingyi car to start at 40 yuan.

Tesla's car with a range of 500 kilometers sells for million yuan, and Xingyi Technology's car also sells for to yuan.

As a result, sales were dismal.

A small battery with a range of 150 to 200 kilometers + extended range is still the best solution at the moment.

The outstanding features are extended fuel tank range, low cost, low overall fuel consumption and long endurance!

挂上一个56L的邮箱，再加上纯电续航150-250公里，综合续航直奔1300-1400公里！

It is much more powerful than gasoline cars and has no worries about battery life.

"How do you match the extended-range version?" Wang Yi asked.

"Chairman, the Xingyi S5 extended-range sedan, the standard version is equipped with a 30kWh self-developed blade battery. The preliminary test of pure electric range can reach more than 150 kilometers. With further optimization, the pure electric range is expected to reach 180 kilometers. There is also a 30L fuel tank. The preliminary test of the comprehensive range of full fuel and full charge is about 700 kilometers. With further optimization, it is expected to reach 800 kilometers."

"The flagship version is equipped with a 40kWh self-developed blade battery. The preliminary test shows that the pure electric range can reach more than 200 kilometers. With further optimization, the pure electric range is expected to reach 250 kilometers. The same 30L fuel tank, full of fuel and full charge comprehensive range preliminary test is about 800 kilometers, and with further optimization, it is expected to reach 900 kilometers."

"The configuration of the Xingyi X5 extended-range SUV is similar to that of the S5, but because the SUV is heavier, the range is reduced."

Wang Yi nodded: "The standard version has a 30kWh self-developed blade battery, and the high-end version has a 40kWh self-developed blade battery. The pure electric range is 180 kilometers and 240 kilometers, which is no problem. But the tank capacity is too small, so we directly make it 30L."

"Chairman, do you need such a big fuel tank? 30L, a full tank and full battery life of to kilometers is enough, right?"

Wang Yi waved his hand: "Not enough, just make the fuel tank bigger. The combined range of a full tank of fuel and a full battery is 1300 to 1400 kilometers. This will give users complete peace of mind."

"The fuel tank must be fully filled. Users can fill it up, but we cannot fill it up too small."

"Once the fuel tank is made smaller, sales will not be good."

This was the case with the BMW I3 in its previous life, the first extended-range vehicle with decent sales.

The pure electric range is about 130-160 kilometers (NEDC standard), with a 9L fuel tank and a comprehensive range of about 300 kilometers.

It can only be said that it is useless. Users have to refuel frequently when driving on the highway. How can it not be annoying?
The result is that the sales of the BMW i3 extended-range version are decent, but not very good, let alone a huge hit.

If the 9L fuel tank is replaced with a 56L fuel tank, and the comprehensive range with full fuel and full charge increases from 300 kilometers to 1200 kilometers, the sales volume of the i3 extended-range version will be amazing.

Therefore, Wang Yi decided to directly replace it with a 56L large fuel tank.

In a word, users can choose not to fill up, but we can’t do without!

"Okay, Chairman, I'll arrange the replacement right away and start testing as soon as possible."

"Ah."

Wang Yi nodded with satisfaction, and then changed the subject:
"As for the capacity issue you just mentioned, there will be sufficient capacity starting from the year after next, but there will be a shortage of capacity in the first half of next year."

"Yes, Chairman, in the first half of next year, we need to ramp up production capacity. Production capacity is indeed stretched, so the total production capacity in the first half of the year is only 3.6 to 4 units. In the second half of the year, we will be able to reach an average of 1 units per month."

Wang Yi nodded: "According to this calculation, the total production capacity in the first half of next year will be 4 units, 6 units in the second half, and 10 units for the whole year."

"That's right, Chairman. However, by the year after next, the first phase of the factory will produce 12 vehicles a year, and the second phase of the factory will start production. There will be no pressure to produce 22 vehicles a year next year."

"Yes. The key is that the production capacity in the first half of next year is too small, only about 4 units. Especially in January, the production capacity is only 2000 units, and in February it is estimated to be only to units."

"With such a small production capacity, if it is divided into two models, the S5 and X5, it will be even more stretched."

Zou Zefeng understood what Wang Yi meant: "Chairman, do you mean that we will only launch one model in January next year, quickly increase production capacity, and then launch the second model later?"

"That's right. In the first few months of the first half of the year, production capacity was already tight, so orders were bound to explode. If both models were released, consumers would have to queue up to pick up the cars, which would be a shame. It's better to just make one model and deliver it as soon as possible. Quickly increase the sales of the single model and build its reputation."

"This way, once we have sufficient production capacity for a single model, we can produce another one."

"Yes, this arrangement is the most suitable." Zou Zefeng agreed: "But between the Xingyi S5 sedan and the Xingyi X5 SUV, which one should we release first?"

"We will first release the extended-range version of Xingyi S5. It has a good-looking appearance and is suitable to be our first flagship product! The pure electric version will be released simultaneously."

After Wang Yi finished speaking, he silently apologized to Porsche.

That’s right, the design of Xingyi S5 is derived from Xiaomi su7, no, it is derived from Porsche Taycan!

I have to say that the design of Porsche Taycan is so beautiful that even su7 is a big seller.

Of course, there are many other models that imitate the Porsche Taycan.

The difference is that Porsche Taycan has not been released yet, but Xingyi Technology has released S5 in advance, making it the first one!
Judging from the appearance of Taycan, plus the full stack of self-developed hardware and configuration, the performance that crushes Tesla model s, and the lower price, it is hard for Xingyi S5 not to sell well!
Perfectly suitable as the first flagship product.

Tesla Model S is a pure electric car, and its induction motor is far inferior to the permanent magnet motor of the pure electric version of Xingyi S5.

As for the comparison with the extended-range version, there is even less comparability.

With the same price of 70 yuan, the Model S has a range of 380 kilometers, 362 horsepower, and a rear-wheel drive single induction motor. The Xingyi S5 extended-range model can achieve a range of 1380 kilometers, 570 horsepower, four-wheel drive dual permanent magnet motors, and even a laser radar!
There is no comparison between the two sides!
Tesla's only advantage is its assisted driving Autopilot 1.0, but unfortunately, Autopilot 1.0 is very immature, has low computing power, and requires you to pay for the Autopilot package.

The few assisted driving functions are also very immature.

For example, adaptive cruise control can automatically adjust the speed of the vehicle to maintain a safe distance, but it cannot identify static obstacles. If there is a car accident ahead or road maintenance, it is over. The driver needs to be fully monitored.

Lane centering also requires the driver to fully monitor the situation and not take his hands off the steering wheel.

As for automatic lane changing, not only can it only be used on highways, it is also unable to independently judge the timing of lane changing and requires manual confirmation.

But I manually judge the timing of lane change and manually confirm the lane change. What else do I need your assistance for?
To put it bluntly, this feature is worse than not having it.

The only useful features are automatic emergency braking (AEB) and automatic parking, and the automatic parking of Autopilot 1.0 is also very slow and the effect is average.

It can be said that there is no difference between having Autopilot 1.0 assisted driving and not having it.

Xingyi Technology’s intelligent driving is also under development and testing.

The progress is similar to Tesla's Autopilot 1.0, but the difference is that Wang Yi will never launch this immature intelligent driving.

Once it is launched, it will cause trouble!

To this end, Wang Yi decided to split Xingyi Automobile's Intelligent Driving 1.0 into automatic emergency braking (AEB) and automatic parking.

Focus on getting automatic parking right, and you win.

As for functions such as NOA automatic lane change, it is better not to launch them until they are perfect.

Public opinion is very important. Once Xingyi Technology launches immature intelligent driving and something goes wrong, it will be a big trouble.

It’s better to take it slow.

Moreover, it is quite difficult to implement NOA Intelligent Driving in 2015.

Wang Yi looked at Zou Zefeng and said, "The research and development of intelligent driving is very weak and immature. At this rate, it will not be released next year."

Zou Zefeng nodded and said, "Chairman, we will step up testing and accelerate the development of intelligent driving."

"Well, Tesla will launch Autopilot 1.0 in the third quarter of this year, which will include adaptive cruise control, lane centering, and automatic parking."

"It will be launched in the third quarter of this year!" Zou Zefeng felt a great crisis:
"Okay, I'll have the intelligent driving department sign a military order. In the second quarter of next year, our adaptive cruise control + lane keeping system will also be launched online, and it will be better than Tesla's!"

"Okay!" Wang Yi did not object.

The development process of intelligent driving is destined to be a long one.

Nowadays, being able to achieve adaptive cruise control + lane keeping + automatic parking is already very good.

As for automatic lane change (NoA), it is too difficult.

Either a visual solution or a lidar, and it has to be a 128-line lidar.

The 64-line LiDAR can only achieve basic high-speed NOA. To achieve full-scenario high-speed NOA, a visual solution is required.

But these days a 64-line laser radar costs 50 RMB, which is too expensive and even Tesla cannot afford it.

Therefore, in 2017, Tesla launched Autopilot 2.0, which is also a visual solution and realizes true automatic lane changing.

As for the automatic lane changing function of Autopilot 1.0, it is purely for show. It is impossible to judge the timing of lane change and requires confirmation from the driver, which is the same as not having it at all.

The most important problem is that the hardware of Autopilot 1.0 is not powerful enough and cannot change lanes automatically.

"By the way, how is the development of our lidar going?" Wang Yi thought of this.

The key to when new energy vehicles will have a huge sales volume is still the progress of intelligent driving.

Not to mention the very mature map-free city navigation that will be available in seven or eight years, even the highway NOA and city NOA that support automatic lane change are very good and can boost sales.

The basis for the realization of NOA and Wutu Pilot, in addition to algorithms, is also the breakthrough of LiDAR!

Zou Zefeng was somewhat helpless: "Chairman, the 64-line laser radar has been successfully developed. Although it uses a semi-solid solution and the cost is 1 per unit, it is still very high and far from the per unit you requested."

"The cost is 100,000 per piece. How is the performance?"

"The 64-line laser radar has very good performance. It can be used for automatic parking and lane keeping. If the weather is good, high-speed NOA is theoretically no problem, but it won't work when the weather is bad. However, the high cost is a big problem."

Wang Yi nodded: "A full-scenario NOA requires at least a 128-line laser radar, or an equivalent 128-line laser radar. However, the research and development of a 128-line laser radar is difficult and more expensive, and it will take a lot of time to reduce the cost."

"So in the next few years, our intelligent driving solution can only be a 64-line laser radar + vision solution."

Wang Yi remembers that the development of intelligent driving is divided into three stages.

One stage is from now to 2017, when assisted driving has just begun to be used commercially, and its main functions are adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, and automatic parking.

The second stage was from 2017 to 2020, when automatic lane change NOA appeared. It was mainly a visual solution, but the effect was average.

The third stage is after 2021, when Huawei ADS, Tesla FSD, and Xiaopeng XNGP will realize map-free intelligent driving.

Only at this stage can intelligent driving be said to have truly stood up.

Among them, the lidar solutions of Huawei ADS and Xiaopeng XNGP both require 128-line lidar or equivalent 128-line lidar.

Tesla FSD's visual solution has extremely high requirements for algorithms, data closure and computing power.

If Wang Yi wants to defeat Tesla completely, he can only launch map-free intelligent driving before Tesla launches FSD.

However, it is difficult for Wutu Intelligent Driving's 128-line lidar to achieve extremely low costs in the short term, so it can only adopt a 64-bit lidar + vision solution.

Only in this way can we hope to launch map-free intelligent driving before 2020 and become the world's number one!

The road is long and difficult!
"Chairman, I have another question. The test vehicles we are currently making include a smart driving version equipped with a 64-line laser radar and a normal version without a laser radar. So which version of the Xingyi Automobile S5 will we launch first next year? Will it be equipped with a 64-line laser radar?"

Zou Zefeng asked another key question: "The difference in the cost of the laser radar alone between these two versions is 10 yuan!"

“That’s the core issue.”

Wang Yi thought for a while and said, "Cost is important, and selling price is also important."

“In this way, we don’t make choices, but leave the choice to consumers.”

"Next year's Xingyi Automobile S5 extended-range version will be made into three versions!

The standard version, with 30kwh battery + extended range, without intelligent driving kit, is priced from RMB 40.

The flagship version, with 40kwh battery + extended range, without intelligent driving kit, is priced from RMB 50.

Intelligent Driving Edition, 40kwh battery + extended range + intelligent driving kit (64-line semi-solid laser radar + 6 high-definition cameras + computing chip! Price starts at 70!)"

The intelligent driving version of Xingyi S5 increases the cost by about 15 yuan, but its intelligent driving capability is very powerful.

Not only can it realize adaptive cycling, automatic parking, and lane keeping, but it can also push for high-speed NOA and even urban NOA in the future!

Equivalent to Tesla's level in 2020.

Tesla only started testing FSD in 2020, and only then did it surpass the Xingyi S5 Intelligent Driving Edition.

It can be said that the intelligent driving of Xingyi S5 is one year later than Tesla Autopilot 1.0, but its performance exceeds Autopilot 2.0!

"The intelligent driving version has been tested more, and the functions can be pushed online one by one through OTA, but it must be stable!" Wang Yi emphasized:

"Next year, the intelligent driving version will first launch adaptive cruise control and lane keeping, and will launch automatic parking at the end of the year, and high-speed NOA the year after!"

Wang Yi plans to take four steps to develop intelligent driving:

Next year, in 2015, we will first realize basic assisted driving, adaptive cruise, lane keeping and automatic parking.

In 2016, high-speed NOA was achieved with the help of 64-line LiDAR + vision solution.

In 2017, NOA in urban areas was achieved with the help of 64-line LiDAR + vision solution.

Before 2020, with the help of 64-line LiDAR + vision solution, or 128-line pure LiDAR, mapless navigation will be realized!

Four steps, one step at a time!
As long as it can be achieved, NOA and Wutu Pilot will be two or three years ahead of Tesla and become the world's number one.

As for the fact that the smart driving version starts at 70 yuan, there is nothing that can be done about it. The configuration and subsequent upgrade prospects are there, and the cost is high.

Of course, in a few years, when the sales of the intelligent driving version are high and the cost of the 64-line laser radar is low, subsequent modifications will also launch an intelligent driving version priced at four or five hundred thousand yuan.

But in 2015 that's not realistic.

The cost of intelligent driving kits such as laser radar alone is over 100,000 yuan.

With Wang Yi's instructions, Xingyi Automobile immediately started an emergency meeting and adjusted its direction comprehensively according to Wang Yi's requirements.

In the first half of next year, the Xingyi S5 extended-range sedan will be launched first, and the pure electric sedan will be launched simultaneously.

In the middle or second half of the year, based on market sales and production capacity, we will launch the Xingyi X5 extended-range SUV and pure electric SUV.

Xingyi Technology has few rivals in the mobile phone field, and it is bound to enter the new energy field next year to compete head-on with Tesla.

In the evening, Wang Yi and Song Si Ning left Xingyi Automobile headquarters and returned to Song Si Ning's home.

"Look, the house I bought in Shanghai has a pretty good environment, right?" Song Sining pulled Wang Yi into the house.

As the president of Xingyi Automobile and the president of Xingyi Technology Eastern Center, Song Sining will live in Shanghai in the future, so he simply bought a house in Shanghai.

"Very warm and stylish!" Wang Yi looked around. The large flat of about 200 square meters was very close to the headquarters of Xingyi Automobile. The environment was also very good and the location was also very good.

I can only say that Song Sining has good vision!
(End of this chapter)