SAIC Motor’s internet-based car wins gold medal at CIIF 2016
The CIIF is an important event showcasing the world’s most up-to-date technologies and products in equipment manufacturing and information technology, and also the only exhibition approved by China’s State Council to give out awards. Therefore, products granted the CIIF awards represent the innovation ability of leading companies in equipment manufacturing.
In October 2016, SAIC’s self-developed plugin hybrid Roewe e550 won first prize of the China Automotive Industry Science and Technology Award, dubbed “China’s automotive Nobel prize”. The latest national award given to RX5 was another endorsement on SAIC.
SAIC has been implementing an innovation-driven development strategy in all aspects and has pushed forward with its transformation and upgrading. The group’s R&D concentrates on the key areas of new energy, internet and intelligent technologies. RX5, the world’s first mass-produced car on the internet, is the latest achievement of SAIC’s effort to make independent innovations. So far, the company has received orders for more than 70,000 RX5s and is still working to meet consumers’ demand.
While developing RX5, SAIC created the concept of “car on the internet” to address the problems faced by users during the lifecycle of a car, and knocked on the door to the “age of internet of things”.
The RX5 is equipped with the YunOS for Car, which entitles the user to an independent ID. The user can lock or unlock the car, switch on the air conditioner, and heat the seats through remote control, or operate the air conditioner, play music and turn on the navigation system through voice control. The YunOS can “accumulate and learn from” the user’s habits and, with the deepening of “exchanges” with the user, constantly make improvements to provide more accurate and personalized services. RX5 can accelerate from 0 to 100 kph at least two seconds faster than its rivals, while its braking distance from 100 kph is at least two meters shorter. RX5’s fuel consumption per 100 km is 2L less than rivals.
Besides RX5, a variety of SAIC’s other innovative cars were also presented in Guangzhou, including the smart driving concept MG iGS, the plugin hybrid SUV Roewe eRX5, Roewe e950 plugin hybrid, the Maxus pure electric MPV EG10, Roewe e950 fuel cell and Maxus V80 fuel cell. All models embodied the CIIF 2016’s theme of being “Innovative, Intelligent and Green” and represented SAIC’s achievements and capability in accelerating independent innovations and exploring sustainable growth.
From January to September 2016, SAIC new energy vehicles posted sales of more than 19,000 units, up 128 percent year-on-year. Roewe e550 plugin hybrid’s monthly sales exceeded 2,000 units in September, while the Roewe e950 plugin hybrid’s monthly sales stood at around 1,000 units and beat rivals to become the champion of all B-Class sedans in Shanghai. Moreover, the Roewe eRX5 plugin hybrid was officially released at Auto Guangzhou on Nov 18, 2016. It is likely to become another critical model for SAIC to seize the new energy market.
In the future, SAIC will continue to develop “new energy + internet + intelligent technologies”. It will accelerate the push for independent innovation and actively explore sustainable development models. It will make every effort to build itself into a world-famous innovative auto company, and make new contributions to the Chinese auto industry’s innovation-driven transformation and development.
