Chevrolet, it’s not easy
My video content is quite diverse, but there is an irregular segment called "Sister Cha Debunking." Based on my professional habits from studying journalism, I would never rashly take a stance on "debunking" if I am not sure about the content. Within three minutes, I have to present the content in a reasonable and well-supported manner.
Chevrolet has really had a tough time. The rumors about Chevrolet started with someone saying, "They are going to exit the Chinese market."
At the Beijing Auto Show, Chevrolet's first PHEV plug-in hybrid vehicle, the Traverse Plus, was launched, priced from 149,900 yuan to 179,900 yuan.
More importantly, the Traverse Plus, along with the Buick GL8 Avenir, has become the "first model" to carry SAIC General Motors' new generation PHEV intelligent electric hybrid system, a fact that underscores its significance and strategic position.So the actions of manufacturers are a more convincing "refutation" than the views of media people.
After Chevrolet leveraged the Equinox Plus to enter the plug-in hybrid market, the previous notion of "exiting the market" has largely disappeared, but new rumors have emerged.
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Since its release in April, there has been no sales information available to date, and naturally, some people are saying "Chevrolet is not doing well."
Of course, this time the "refutation" is actually quite simple:
Last week, the official video account of SAIC General Motors featured footage of the GL8 plug-in hybrid and the Equinox Plus officially starting shipment, which means that the first batch of new cars has just begun to be shipped from the factory, and it should be in the next few days that the first deliveries will take place.Saying "no" before delivery is a bit premature, don't you think?
Now, why has the delivery only just begun? I believe the reasons are as follows:
The Beijing Auto Show, which took place on April 25th, saw the debut of the Explorer Plus and its announcement of going on sale—quite a preemptive move.
Logically, for a strategic new car like this, not to mention the long lead-up of secret photography of the exterior and interior, as well as secret dynamic tests, at the very least, the process should follow the rhythm of unveiling and releasing a pre-sale price - initiating reservations - officially launching with the price - and then delivery.The Explorer Plus, on the other hand, concentrated all its actions at the Beijing Auto Show press conference on April 25th, and now it seems to have been launched ahead of schedule& mdash; Official news shows that the first batch of deliveries will begin on June 18th, so those who say sales are not good are really coming out of nowhere. Why does Chevrolet do this? Instead of following conventional marketing tactics? I think playing all the cards in one go only indicates the importance of this car. Faced with the rapidly changing market, Chevrolet has chosen to take risks and make quick decisions. But I think the Explorer Plus is worth taking the risk for Chevrolet. On the day of its launch on April 25th, I wrote an article titled "Explorer Plus plug-in hybrid launched for 149900 yuan: Chevrolet, buy with your eyes closed" to interpret this strategic new car. At that time, this article received many positive reviews.More importantly, during these two months, several of my colleagues have also gone to China's strongest test track—Guangde Proving Ground—to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of this car.
When we possess the ability to think independently, as well as a sufficiently professional evaluation system, we will not simply follow the crowd.
From our evaluation, the following conclusions can be drawn:
1. A plug-in hybrid system is not merely about equipping a fuel-powered vehicle with an electric motor and a battery—For most plug-in hybrid models, the hybrid system assists when there is electricity and becomes a burden when there is none.
However, the power performance of the Explorer Plus when the battery is depleted is very good. My colleague has tested the situation where the instrument display shows the pure electric range as 0. At this moment, the engine has already started to intervene and force charging while the vehicle is stationary. Subjectively, there is no significant difference compared to when the battery is at a medium to high level. This is mainly due to the difference in control strategy: under the depleted battery condition, the vehicle still relies on the electric motor for power output up to 30 km/h, after which the engine intervenes and outputs in parallel.What's even more exaggerated is that we have even achieved better results with power shortage than with power supply.
This is precisely why we believe that among the current plug-in hybrid models, SAIC General Motors' new generation PHEV intelligent electric plug-in hybrid system is not just what they modestly call "the strongest plug-in hybrid in joint ventures," but can be rightfully dubbed as "the strongest plug-in hybrid SUV in the 150,000-class."
The concept of Chevrolet's plug-in hybrid is completely different from the previously perceived "joint venture brand plug-in hybrid."
2. Previously, few plug-in hybrid models would emphasize performance because the difference between having power and experiencing power shortage is just too obvious.And the actual measurements by my colleagues have shown a very clear "performance reverse specification":
The official claim of the fastest 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 6.8 seconds, our actual measurement in the power-depleting state reached the fastest at 6.44 seconds.
Even after the test vehicle had been heavily driven by a group of people for a long time, under the condition of the motor battery overheating, the actual measurement of the power-depleting 0-100 km/h acceleration was still just over 7 seconds.
As one of the pioneering brands of SUVs, Chevrolet's SUVs, regardless of sales volume, are actually outstanding in their class in terms of performance—I, as a long-term user of the Equinox and Blazer test vehicles, have enough say on this after using them for several years.
Many brands' plug-in hybrids are nothing more than a hasty move to cater to the market, to meet the green license plate and the natural advantages of being "electric" on the surface, inevitably making compromises in performance, let alone the range extender, which is obviously discounted in performance in the power-depleting state—this has created a common perception among consumers that "plug-in hybrids save fuel and have no range anxiety, but their performance is not good."With power, it's a one-stop dragon; without power, it's still a one-stop dragon. It sounds simple, but truly achieving it, especially against the odds to perform better without power, reflects Chevrolet's consistent sincerity towards SUV models.
3. My colleague drove it on the Guangde high-speed test track, and it easily reached a speed of 170 kilometers per hour. The engine noise and wind noise during high-speed driving are still good, and the chassis maintains a high-performance advantage, while also taking into account comfort.
This not only indicates that the Borderlander Plus has a high upper limit in terms of performance, but it also does a good job in balancing comfort with it. It's not the kind of "specialized student" that sacrifices comfort to highlight performance.
The reason I considered the Borderlander Plus a "no-brainer buy" at the first moment of its launch is not a mindless suggestion. Instead, it means:If your requirement for an SUV is a distinctive muscular appearance, excellent performance whether it has electricity or not, and a good cost-performance ratio, then the Chevrolet Equinox Plus, priced between 149,900 yuan and 179,900 yuan, is almost the only choice in this price range.
In addition to the aforementioned zero-to-hundred acceleration performance without electricity, the vehicle's endurance and energy consumption are also directly labeled in reverse. With the official fuel consumption of 5.97L per 100km without electricity and a pure electric range of 102km, Chevrolet has actually measured a fuel consumption of 3.7L and a pure electric range of 124km without electricity. Therefore, the capabilities of the Chevrolet Equinox Plus are not just talk. Whether it is performance or energy consumption, it is the most dazzling SUV in the entire Chevrolet lineup at present, without exception.
In summary:
I know many people still believe that "since it's a green license plate plug-in hybrid, performance doesn't matter."
This notion should be corrected with the advent of the Equinox Plus.Perhaps previously, consumers purchased plug-in hybrid SUVs based on the need for a family utility vehicle, with configurations like refrigerators, color TVs, and large sofas, making a car a comfortable commuting tool. However, this is just one of the demands users have for a green-plated SUV.
There is another undeniable demand: the need for a plug-in hybrid SUV to have a reassuring power performance just like a fuel-powered SUV, and to be as durable and robust as a fuel-powered SUV.
Driving in the city won't be a constant encounter, and there's no need to worry about being overly delicate when going through construction sites and rough roads, nor will it be too boring to drive.
It can be said that the rugged characteristics that an excellent Chevrolet fuel SUV should have, the Traverse Plus possesses. If you can also charge at home, it can also handle the "frugal and economical" daily pure electric commuting.And it is the brand that can create such a vehicle that is constantly being mocked with the phrase "not up to par." In my opinion, evaluating whether a plug-in hybrid SUV is good or not is actually quite simple—
First, achieve the same level of performance with a plug-in hybrid-specific internal combustion engine as Chevrolet's 1.5T engine;
Then, ensure that the performance with depleted battery is consistent with that when fully charged.
In the plug-in hybrid SUV segment at the 200,000 yuan price point, it should not be about superficial "configuration competition," but rather overlook a significant portion of consumers who have demands for performance and solid mechanical quality.
In terms of purchasing benefits, the Trailblazer Plus, in addition to being exempt from purchase tax, will offer a limited-time gift of an official charging pile (excluding installation services) for orders placed before June 30th. Additionally, customers can enjoy a trade-in subsidy of up to 22,000 yuan, further reducing the barrier to car ownership.If creating such a car is still considered "not good enough," then Chevrolet has really had a tough time.
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