On May 20th, GAC-NIO held a brand conference in Hangzhou Yunqi Town International Convention and Exhibition, launched its new brand “HYCAN” (Chinese say “合创”，means CO-CREATION), and debuted its first concept car.
A few points:
1. “HYCAN” will integrate different advantageous resources to create more products and achieve “win-win”;
2. The first concept car is a pure electric 5-seat SUV. The mass production version will be launched at the end of 2019 and will be delivered in the first half of 2020.
3. The new car will be produced by GAC New Energy Intelligent Factory.
From the signing of the contract at the end of 2017, the questions about “What to do with GAC-NIO” have not stopped in the China auto industry, after more than a year of operation, this question may have an initial answer.
Brand concept: Combine each other’s advantages, “HYCAN ” opens new thinking.
On the evening of December 27, 2017, GAC Group announced that Guangzhou Automobile Group, GAC New Energy and Shanghai NIO Automobile and Hubei Changjiang NIO New Energy Industry Development Fund will jointly establish GAC-NIO New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd. In April 2018, GAC-NIO New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd. was formally established with a registered capital of 500 million yuan.
The official of GAC-NIO said that they are not a traditional joint venture company, but a “co-creation” company. The so-called “co-creation” is not only a business mode, but also a way to create the best user experience.
At the brand launch conference, “HYCAN” innovatively put forward the concept of “practical innovationism” – means: measuring each innovation with objective application, making products better for people, and having good innovation and design. At the same time, users are more friendly, authentic and comfortable when they experience products and services.
The most important thing is that “HYCAN” will fully utilize the advantages of shareholders and third-party industry supply chain to provide users with reliable, innovative and intelligent products, and fully present the “win-win” superiority of “CO-CREATION”. The first mass production vehicle will be produced at GAC Zhilian New Energy Automobile Industrial Park and will be unveiled at the end of the year.
What can GAC and NIO output for GAC-NIO?
NIO will provide research and development, services, and branding. As we all know, NIO is mainly focusing on EIC system.
What about GAC? To be sure, GAC-NIO’s products will be produced in the intelligent factory of GAC New Energy, which means that the design, research and development of the products will be dominated by GAC.
In fact, this innovative working mode tells us a very clear fact: the cooperation mode between GAC and NIO is essentially different from the JAC & NIO we are familiar with. JAC & NIO is a cooperative production mode, while GAC-NIO is to create a brand-new electric vehicle brand. This new brand will involve the development, production, sales and follow-up of vehicles. In fact, from the perspective of user perception, this is not much different from other Chinese EV startups that people are familiar with now in China market.
So, how does the GAC-NIO’s new concept car look like?
The first concept model born in the “Co-Creation” mode is designed with “Balance Aesthetics”. The strength and softness, classics and innovations are measured by the overall balance, which is just right aesthetic expression.
“7” as a design element is an important symbol to promote “balance”, but also symbolizes the energy balance of modern people’s “7” days a week.
In terms of appearance, the front face is still somewhat familiar. the LED daytime running lights draws a figure of “7” on both sides around the headlights, which becomes an attractive point. The bottom side is an inverted trapezoidal intake grille with a radar probe in the middle and a gold-colored bumper guard on the bottom. The overall look is more harmonious.
The new car has a two-tone design, floating roof, the lines are tough and technological. The door handles are also designed in a hidden style to enhance the sense of technology while reducing wind resistance. At the tail part, its brand identity is set in the center of the trim, the LED taillights of the “7” element echo the shape of the headlights.
The cooperation model of “GAC-NIO” is unique and intelligent. However, regarding to the competitiveness of the products, it still need to wait.
