On August 19th, the Chinese EV startup NIO (WEILAI) once again boarded the hot search, the reason is that there are media reports that NIO is in the process of a new round of layoffs, it has closed its office in Silicon Valley, and plans to return to SSE STAR Market from the US New York Stock Exchange, saying that “participating operators have IDG, Hillhouse Capital “.
In this regard, Li Bin, founder, chairman and CEO of NIO, responded that it was “rumor” and “nonsense”, and NIO officially responded later: “The Silicon Valley office has been in normal operation and staff optimization is in order. In the near future, NIO has no plans to return to SSE STAR Market.”
NIO responsed in WEIBO there is no plan to return to SSE Star Market recently
In fact, the layoffs of NIO have been fermented for a long time. On March 21 this year, a user who claimed to be a former employee of NIO posted comments on NIO’s massive layoffs and sales scams in the online Q&A community, which triggered widespread concern about the operation of NIO.
Since then, NIO has filed a lawsuit with the Shanghai Jiading District People’s Court on the grounds of “infringement of reputation”. Recently, NIO said that it was found that the owner of the account corresponding to the mobile phone number was not a former employee of NIO. The publication of the relevant content about NIO was subjective speculation and fabrication.
Although NIO has always disagreed with the “layoffs”, “employee optimization” has been going on. It is reported that NIO had about 8,400 employees as of the end of July, which was reduced by 1,400 compared with the number of employees (about 9,800) disclosed by Li Bin in March this year. Qin Lihong, co-founder and president of NIO, told the media at the time: “We have been doing local optimization this year to improve operational efficiency, and this is what we should do at this stage.” At the same time, however, the size of NIO’s branch offices in North America is also being streamlined.
There are voices in the industry that NIO’s practice of optimizing the number of employees is directly related to the company’s loss pressure. In the first quarter of this year, NIO’s revenue was 1.6 billion yuan and the net loss was 2.62 billion yuan. At the same time, NIO has been on the market since its listing. The stock price also fluctuated significantly. As of 16:00 EST on August 19th, the price of NIO was US$3, which was more than 50% lower than the issue price of US$6.26 when it was listed in September last year. This has a big impact on start-ups that are still in the growth stage. The rumors of “NIO turned to the SSE Star Market” will cause a lot of discussion in a short time, and it is also because the financial situation of NIO has been receiving much attention.
On August 19, 2019, 2020 Geely Borui GE (Geely Emgrand GT) was officially launched in China market. 2020 Geely Borui GE offers 8 trims with 3 kinds of powertrains, price ranges from 136,800-209,800 yuan (~US19,548 – US$29,980) . Compared with the outgoing models, the 2020 Geely Borui GE added a new power combination of 1.8T engine + 6AT.
Geely Borui GE was known as Geely Emgrand GT in some countries outside China.Geely Borui GE is the flagship sedan in Geely lineup, it was formerly knowns as Geely Borui, based on Geely Borui, the Borui GE redesign with a fastback style, update in interior to further enhance its technical sense. Geely Borui GE is based on the CMA platform jointly developed by Geely and Volvo, this is also the most different with Geely Borui (which was based on KC platform).
As an annual redesigned model, the appearance of the 2020 Geely Borui GE is basically the same as outgoing model. The family-style front grille has brought a very high degree of recognition. But on this basis, the 2020 Geely Borui GE has been replaced with a new blackened badge. In terms of body size, the 2020 Geely Borui GE has a length and width of 4986/1861/1513mm and wheelbase of 2870mm. In addition, a new starry night blue car paint color has been added.
In terms of interiors, the overall design of the 2020 Geely Borui GE has not changed, it has been improved in trim level. more than 30 configurations come standard such as Bosch ESP9.3, GKUI Intelligent Ecosystem, Reversing Image, Keyless Entry + Push Button Starter.
2020 Geely Borui GE 1.8T fuel model
The 2020 Geely Borui GE offers three sets of power combination: 1.8T gasoline engine, 1.5T MHEV and 1.5T PHEV. The maximum power is 135kW (181hp), 142kW (190hp) and 192kW (257hp) respectively. In terms of transmission system, the 1.8T engine is matched with a 6 AT gearbox, and the other two are matched with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. In addition, the plug-in hybrid model is equipped with a battery pack with capacity of 11.3 kWh, the cruising range is 60 km in pure electric mode.
China’s “King of Pickups” has now decided to challenge world-class opponents.
On the evening of August 18, Great Wall Motors (GWM) officially released its new pickup brand “Pao” (“Pao” means “cannon” in Chinese”) or P-series at the Beijing GWM Brand Experience Center. The new pickup truck model with the new badge also appeared at the same time, and announced the pre-sale price of 126,800 to 159,800 yuan (~US$18,280 – US$23,037).
Update: GWM Pao Pickup (Passenger Version) has launched in Chinese market with price range from 126,800 – 159,800 yuan ( ~US$18,280 – US$23,037 ), powered by 2.0T, paired with 8AT; and the Commercial Version are priced at 104,800 to 128,800 yuan (~US$15,108 – US$18,568), offers 2.0T in both diesel and gasoline engine, paired by either manual or 8AT.
“The Pao (P-series), born for the break, reinvents the global pickup force layout, the goal is the world’s top three!” This sentence from Li Ruifeng, vice president of GWM and general manager of the sales company, also saw the determination of GWM in the pickup market.
At the same time, GWM’s “1-2-3” strategy was announced, which kept the Chinese and export sales as the absolute No.1 (in Chinese brand); by 2020, the annual sales exceeded 200,000; in 2025, the global cumulative sales exceeded 3 million.
In terms of appearance, the Pao (P-series) pickup uses a new design language, but it still maintains the tough style that pickups should have. The front face features an oversized grille, and the addition of chrome trim enhances the texture, giving a very domineering visual experience. The Pao pickup has a silver front bumper with black trim and is wild.
At the same time, the new pickup has also replaced with new “P”-like badge. According to the GWM’s official, the badge “P” represents “Power and Strength”, “PK” (Challenge and Innovation) and “Perfect and Extreme Life”, which is also the spiritual connotation pursued by Great Wall Cannon.
In terms of body size, the length/width/height are 5410/1934/1886mm, the inner dimensions of the truck bed are 1520/1520/538mm, the wheelbase is 3230mm.
The interior design of the Pao pickup is very luxurious. A lot of soft materials and leather wraps are used in the car, it is worth mentioning that the leather seat and the door trim panel are stitched into a diamond shape, which makes the interior more luxurious. In addition, the 9-inch central control large screen on the right side of the multi-function steering wheel is also a highlight. The Pao pickup will be equipped with the latest intelligent network connection system of GWM, integrating high-precision voice recognition, entertainment control and other functions, it can also remotely control vehicles through mobile phone interconnection, such as remote starting of vehicles, control of air conditioners, and oil quantity detection.
The Pao pickup also features push button starter, ACC adaptive cruise, smart parking, seat heating and other configurations. In terms of safety configuration, the car is equipped with the latest generation Bosch 9.3 version ESP, 360 panoramic image, reversing image, Blind Spot Monitor, smart front view, 12 radar probe as well as L2 autopilot driving system
In terms of power, it will be powered by GW4C20B 2.0T petrol engine with maximum power of 145kW(194 hp)/4000-5500 rpm and peak torque of 360 Nm/1800-3600 rpm. The transmission system is matched with 8-speed AT from ZF and four-wheel drive system. In addition to the passenger pickup, GWM will also provide commercial and off-road pickups in the future.
The GWM P-Series pickups are based on the new P71 platform from Great Wall Motors. It will have three variants such as passenger pickup, commercial pickup and off-road pickup. Due to the different positioning, the three pickups differ in appearance, interior, and configuration. The pickup launched this time is the Pao passenger pickup.
The Pao off-road series pickups will feature three differential locks, wading depths up to 900 mm, and it will be equipped with wading, winch, off-road shock absorbers, crawl control, tank turn and other off-road configurations.
The Pao commercial pickup series is a pure electric version with a closed container that comes with the original factory and has a cruising range of up to 500 kilometers.
The Pao commercial version will be released at the Chengdu Motor Show on September 5th. The off-road series will bring more information to later soon.
Unlike other Chinese competitors’ pickup strategies, GWM pickups are independent as an all-new brand now. The
More than halfway through 2019, although the GWM pickup has firmly occupied the Chinese pickup truck market of 30%, it also holds the No.1 in the Chinese pickup sales list, but the sales performance in the first half seems to be somewhat unsatisfactory.
According to the July 2019 production and sales report issued by Great Wall Motors, the company’s cumulative sales volume from January to July was 72,953 units, down 1.58% year-on-year. Although it has declined, it can also outperform the market. However, the company’s brand sales in July was only 8075 units, down 11.15% year-on-year, a relatively large decline.
Previously, Great Wall Motors’s pickup products used the badge of Great Wall Motors’ company logo, it’s changing in recent years, the company is undergoing brand adjustment: in 2016, the company released the high-end passenger car brand WEY; in 2018, the company named its pure electric car brand “ORA”. At this conference, GWM finally ushered in the change of its pickup brand.
The adjustment of the brand may be a way for GWM to establish its popularity in different market segments and deepen the brand’s personalized label. Previously, the launch of the ORA brand made it a preliminary success in the new energy market. Whether the Pao (P-series) can become famous overnight, it still needs to watch after the market test.
We learned from relevant channels that the pure electric SUV Hongqi E-HS3 was officially listed in China market, it offers two trims, the pre-subsidy price range is 225,800-265,800 yuan. As FAW-Hongqi’s first pure electric vehicle, Hongqi E-HS3 features two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive, with range of 252miles(407km) and 213miles(344km) respectively.
The Hongqi E-HS3 is positioned in a compact pure electric SUV, which debuted at the 2018 Beijing Auto Show. Although it is the first mass-produced pure electric vehicle of FAW-Hongqi, the new large, straight waterfall chrome grille is enclosed and embellished with blue accents, indicating both the identity of the new energy vehicle and the family design.
In terms of the rear end, the overall shape of Hongqi E-HS3 is relatively simple. The taillights adopt the popular bar-style design, while the middle is decorated with chrome strips to stretch the lateral visual effect. In addition, the Hongqi E-HS3 is also equipped with a large-sized cyclone-type aluminum alloy rim, it has a closed design, which looks more sporty.
In terms of interior, the Red Flag E-HS3 also adopts the latest design style. It features 3 digital display, the 12.3-inch LCD instrument panel and a 10.1-inch floating central control panel. The high trim level models also features HUD head-up display, electric lumbar support, plasma generator, indoor ambient light, active braking, and Lane departure warning, lane keeping function, remote key calling, power tailgate, etc. Automatic headlights, 6 airbags, Bose audio, wireless charging in the car, remote vehicle control, etc. are standard.
In terms of power, the two-wheel drive version is powered by a motor with maximum power of 114kW(152hp) and maximum torque of 340Nm. The acceleration time of 0-100km/h is 10s. The four-wheel drive model is powered by dual motors. the maximum power is 228 kW (305hp), the maximum torque is 680 Nm, and the acceleration time from 0-100 km/h is 6 s. In terms of cruising range, both models are equipped with a 52.5kWh ternary lithium battery, of which the two-wheel drive model has a cruising range of 407km (252miles) and the four-wheel drive model has a cruising range of 344km (213miles).
With the emergence of Buick Encore series models, Buick’s layout in the small and compact SUV market has gradually improved, and the Buick envision sits in mid-size SUV. However, Buick still have to fill up in the segment of mid-to-large SUV market in China, earlier, the imported Buick ENCLAVE has captured a part of Chinese consumers’ hearts, but its high price due to its import status and its unsatisfactory fuel consumption have finally made the car not expand into a larger market.
Buick ELCLAVE China version spotted by China MIIT
This is 2018 Buick ELCLAVE US
However, in recent days, with the latest report of China MIIT, the name of the ENCLAVE is impressive. Many people speculate whether Buick will officially launch the Chinese version of ENCLAVE, in order to complement the current downturn in the market for Encore.
Buick ELCLAVE China version
Buick ELCLAVE China version
2018 Buick ENCLAVE US
Seen from the application information, the appearance of the new ENCLAVE has the same design idea as the recently launched Buick Encore GX. Whether it is a long and narrow split headlight or the latest tail-wing grille, it has a strong family style. Interestingly, the chrome trim on the grille combines the badge with the LED daytime running lights, while the real headlights are distributed in the traditional fog light area, which is very personal. In addition, the sleek chrome trim on the rear ned echoes the style of the front.
Depending on the trim, the new car will use different styles of front grille, such as dot matrix and horizontal chrome trim. The shape of the hub and the rear lower guard will also be differentiated according to the configuration.
Since the car style has not been announced this time, it can be understood from the published information that the new ENCLAVE will be equipped with ACC adaptive cruise, 360° panoramic image, lane keeping assist, partially open panoramic sunroof and other configurations.
The new car is positioned in 7-seat mid-to-large size SUV. It is worth noting that the body size of 4981/1953/1732 (1736) mm wheelbase of 2863mm are much shorter to the Buick ENCLAVE US version in either Length (5180mm) and Wheelbase (3070mm).
In terms of power, according to the application information, the new car will be powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine code-named LSY with maximum power of 169 kW (about 226 hp) and maximum speed of 210 km/h, which can meet CN-6 emission standard. According to the two different fuel consumption declaration values of 7.8L and 8.1L, the new car will have two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive models. The specific information will still be subject to the official announcement.
So who is exactly the Chinese Enclave?
Chevrolet Trailblazer China version
From the aspect of wheelbase, the Buick Enclave China version is the same as the Cadillac XT6, while the XT6 comes from the universal C1XX platform. Although this Chinese “ENCLAVE” has much different body size with ENCLAVE US version, we speculate it will still be ENCLAVE but specially for Chinese market, as we reported in somedays ago the all-new Chevrolet Trailblazer China version was just launched in Chinese market, the all-new Chevrolet Trailblazer China version is totally a different vehicle comparing to the Trailblazer US version, it is actually a product specially developed for Chinese market. As for the Buick “Enclave” China version, we guess it will use the same strategy as Trailblzer.
Wuling Hongguang is the first cross-border independent research and development product between commercial vehicles and passenger vehicles launched by SAIC-GM-Wuling. Wuling Hongguang’s perfect balance of power and economy, as well as its strength in handling and safety, subverts the traditional impression of commercial vehicles.
However, Wuling Hongguang’s sales have fallen sharply in recent years. Of course, this also reflects the fact that the Chinese low-end vehicle market is gradually shrinking with the upgrading of consumer demand. How to move to the high-end has become a difficult problem in front of Wuling Hongguang.
On August 14th, we obtained the declaration information of SAIC-GM-Wuling Hongguang Plus from China MIIT. Compared with the Wuling Hongguang models sold, the appearance of the Plus version looks more fashionable and dynamic, a 1.5T engine with maximum power of 147 horsepower is also replaced. It seems that Wuling Hongguang has also begun to take the high-end route!
Wuling Hongguang’s design has got rid of the cheap feeling of the past, unlike the previous Wuling Hongguang models, the overall design of the Wuling Hongguang Plus has completely got rid of the post cheap feeling, it looks more like a regular MPV. Specifically, the overall body of the new car is more square, and the wide and heavy front is matched with more straight lines, which looks more tough. As for the design of the tail, although it is very simple, it seems more coordinated, the “Plus” logo at the end also indicates the identity of the new car.
In terms of body size, the new car has a length and height of 4720/1840/1810mm and a wheelbase of 2800mm. Compared with the current model (4420/1685/1755mm, the wheelbase is 2720mm), there is a certain improvement in all aspects, which means the room performance of the new car should be greatly improved. As for the interior layout of the car, Wuling Hongguang Plus offers two options: 7-seat (2+2+3) and 8-seat (2+3+3), which are consistent with the current model.
2018 Wuling Hongguang in China market
According to the information of CHINA MIIT, the new car offers three trims: low/medium/high. The low trim level model features steel wheels, pure black front grille, black plastic nude door handles/external rearview mirrors, etc. . On this basis, the mid-trim model has added front fog lights, front grille chrome strips, body color door handles/external rearview mirrors, and reversing radar/imagery, and have been fitted with aluminum alloy wheels. The high trim level model is further equipped with black headlights with lenses, rear wipers, and black window frames. Overall, it is true that the medium and high trim level models have to be more graded.
As for the power, the Wuling Hongguang Plus is powered by a 1.5T engine ( codenamed: LJO), with maximum power of 147 horsepower. Compared with the current 1.5L (105 ps) engine, it has increased 42 horsepower and meets CN-6 emission standards. Previously, some Chinese netizens exposed Wuling Hongguang’s top speed can be close to 200km/h. would it be like to take off if it replace such more powerful engine?
At present, the guiding price of Wuling Hongguang is 42,800-69,800 yuan in China market.
In the Chinese car market, many joint venture automakers are using the two-car strategy, Honda is one of them. Honda has two joint ventures in China, the GAC (Guangzhou Automobile Motor Corporation) Honda and Dongfeng Honda, they have many sibling models, such as Accord and INSPIRE, Crider and Envix, VEZEL and XR-V, AVANCIER and UR-V. However, in the segment of compact SUV, there is only Honda CR-V is currently available from Dongfeng-Honda in Chinese market, so GAC-Honda has recently stepped up its efforts to fill this gap.
Recently, China MIIT just exposed the GAC-Honda’s “CR-V”, this vehicle has the same position as the CR-V, it will be named BREEZE. This news has caused a lot of Chinese consumer attention and discussion, but most of the sounds are good, because the appearance of Honda BREEZE looks more sporty and atmospheric.
This is the GAC-Honda BREEZE
This is the Dongfeng-Honda CR-V
By comparison, the family design language of Honda BREEZE in appearance is very obvious, the decorative strips at the badge are exactly the same as the Honda Accord, the headlights are also flattened and the internal light cavity structure is also a winged family design, the front air intake grille has a top and bottom layered design, the fog light area and the side air intake grille also adopt a layered design, the layered design makes the front face of Honda BREEZE look more stereoscopic and younger.
The side of Honda BREEZE has a large number of blackened designs, including the hub, taillight side, side window trim, side panel trim and side skirts are all blackened, but the side window trim and hub are optional. Smoked black is undoubtedly a very young design style, but in addition to the large-scale blackened design, it can also be a little stable.
This is the GAC-Honda BREEZE
This is the Dongfeng-Honda CR-V
The overall layout of Honda BREEZE rear end is unconventional, with no extra design, simple and generous. The slender taillights and the slender strip bar above the bumper make the overall rear view more spacious. The bilateral exhausts are hexagonal, and they are younger and more refined.
BREEZE’s length, width and height are respectively 4634/1855/1689mm, the wheelbase is 2660mm, the body length is 49mm longer than CR-V, and the wheelbase is also slightly increased by 1mm. In terms of wheels, BREEZE is available in 17-inch and 19-inch sizes with tire sizes of 235/65 R17 and 235/55 R19.
The interior of Honda BREEZE has not yet been announced, but the powertrain of BREEZE is now available. The BREEZE will be powered by a 1.5T engine with maximum power of 143kW (the rear trunk letter “240TURBO”), this is the same on the Honda CR-V.
In terms of configuration, Honda BREEZE offers long strip front fog lamps, B-pillar/C-pillar bright black window, wheel eyebrow/door/back bump bright black trim, front radar, rear radar, bright black mirror housing , right outer mirror with camera, black rim, panoramic sunroof and other configurations. In addition, Honda’s latest autopilot technology and multimedia interconnection system are also likely to be mounted on Honda BREEZE.
Like Honda’s other sibling models, the Honda Breeze will be the China-only model. The official declared to release Honda BREEZE on 26th Aug. 2019 and expect to be launched with 2019.
Recently, Li Bin, founder, chairman and CEO of NIO(Weilai), said in an internal mail that Zheng Xiancong, co-founder and executive vice president of NIO, officially retired. However, Li Bin stressed that Zheng Xiancong will continue to serve as his personal consultant after retirement, and support the company in the supply chain and partnership. In addition, Zheng Xiancong will continue to serve as the chairman of XPT, guiding the development of XPT from a strategic perspective.
The 61-year-old Zheng Xiancong is a veteran of automotive industry. He joined NIO as co-founder and executive vice president in 2015. He previously served as vice president of Fiat China Global Purchasing Center and general manager of GAC-Fiat, worked for Ford for many years.
Zheng Xiancong, NIO Co-Founder
However, some insiders believe that this is a manifestation of the ” Wave Of Resignations ” of the NIO executive team, that is, Zheng Xiancong is not really “retired”, but intends to resign from NIO. At the end of June, Zhuang Li, vice president of NIO Software Development (China), also officially left.
Since the beginning of this year, NIO has been subjected to various pressures: frequent stock price changes, spontaneous combustion accidents, financial pressure, etc., and the most direct impact is reflected in sales. According to official data, in July, NIO delivered a total of 837 new vehicles, down nearly 38% year-on-year. Among them, the NIO ES6 delivered 673 units, and the NIO ES8 delivered 164 units. As of the end of July, NIO delivered a total of 19,000 vehicles, of which 8,379 were delivered in 2019.
Li Bin said that the decline in the delivery volume of NIO in July was mainly affected by factors such as vehicle recalls and new energy subsidies, and its delivery target for August was set at 2000-2500 units.
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