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author: xiao man

it's already 2024, and range extension is still a shortcut for automakers to increase sales.

according to 36kr auto, xpeng is developing its first extended-range model, which is expected to be mass-produced in the second half of 2025. it is reported that xpeng's first extended-range vehicle is developed based on the g9 prototype, a large suv with an internal project codename g01. the model will be mass-produced at xpeng motors' second huangpu plant in guangzhou.

if this is true, it means that nio is the only new force left that is purely focusing on the pure electric track.

earlier, he xiaopeng revealed at a media exchange meeting that xiaopeng motors will share its views on extended-range products with everyone at xiaopeng 1024, and said that xiaopeng's views are not exactly the same as those on the market now. by then, there will be a positive response to xiaopeng's layout of extended-range products.

so far, new car companies such as hongmeng intelligent driving, ideal, leapmotor, xiaopeng, and nezha have already started planning or selling extended-range models. among traditional car companies, changan (avita, deep blue), baic, geely (zekr), dongfeng, byd (yangwang), gac (aion), and saic (zhiji) have also made plans and layouts for extended-range technology.

it is worth mentioning that xiaomi auto previously released positions related to extended-range technology for new energy vehicles on its official recruitment website. according to outside sources, the first xiaomi car equipped with extended-range technology may debut at the end of 2025 or 2026.

interestingly, li xiang, ceo of ideal auto, wrote on a social platform in november 2023: "chinese independent brands that are still insisting on multi-speed phevs will switch to extended-range technology routes in the next one or two years. this judgment can be verified in 2025." it seems that he is right.

the shift from pure electric to extended-range electric vehicles is actually because car companies have seen the sales potential of extended-range vehicles.

data shows that the sales of extended-range vehicles reached 469,000 units in the first half of 2024, a year-on-year increase of 124.2%, which is much higher than the sales of plug-in hybrid and pure electric vehicles. for some new car companies, extended-range models have become the "leader" to drive sales growth. taking august delivery volume as a cutting point, the top three ideal, wenjie, and leapmotor have all deployed pure electric and extended-range models, and the sales of extended-range vehicles account for a relatively large proportion.

although the extended-range model is considered a "backward" technology, compared with pure electric models, there is still a large market demand for extended-range models at this stage. "the future direction of automobiles is not determined by the technology promoted by the oems, but by the choice of the market," gu huinan, general manager of gac aion, once told huxiu auto.

from the working principle of extended-range technology, the engine charges the battery and does not participate in the direct operation of the vehicle, which can adapt to more scene requirements. in addition, the extended-range technology is relatively mature and has a simple structure and low cost, making the extended-range vehicle model have a high cost-effectiveness in the market.

in addition, new energy vehicles are gradually sinking. according to statistics from the charging and swapping branch of the china association of automobile manufacturers, from 2022 to 2023, the penetration rate of electric vehicles in rural areas will increase from 4% to 17%, a significantly higher increase than the urban market.

however, the charging measures in third- and fourth-tier cities are still insufficient compared to those in first- and second-tier cities, which has become an opportunity for extended-range models to break through. relevant data shows that currently county-level public charging facilities only account for 11% of the national total, and it is expected to reach 15% by 2025. on the one hand, the demand in the sinking market is rising, and on the other hand, the charging infrastructure has not yet been fully popularized, which gives extended-range models a certain market space.

"the extended-range route is a technology route driven by market consumer demand, and it has quickly become an effective supplement to the pure electric route in its development process," said zhang yongwei, vice chairman and secretary general of the china electric vehicle 100.

it is not difficult to understand why players in the pure electric field such as xiaopeng and avita have turned to the extended-range route.

the reason why xiaopeng switched to extended-range models now also has its own personal factors. since the beginning of this year, xiaopeng motors' sales have been lagging behind other new forces in the automotive industry. ideal and wenjie have formed a leading trend, weilai has also stabilized at the 20,000-level, and leapmotor has even delivered more than 30,000 in the past month.

in comparison, with five models on sale, xpeng motors' average monthly deliveries in the first eight months have been hovering around 15,000 vehicles. this is undoubtedly a major risk factor in the fierce market competition. if it is difficult to make a breakthrough in sales, xpeng's crisis will be further magnified.

since the beginning of this year, xiaopeng has made changes in its product layout, including the launch of a new 150,000 yuan car, the mona m03, and the rumored layout of extended-range vehicles. according to xiaopeng's plan, it will release new cars in the next five quarters, and extended-range models will be included.

the new car mona m03 has achieved a phased victory, with 30,000 orders locked in 48 hours after its launch, and more than 2,000 new orders per day, showing the explosive power of low-priced models. the extended-range models will also further lower the price of xiaopeng motors' products, becoming a key move to boost xiaopeng motors' sales.

but an extended question is, with multiple product lines, multiple brands and multiple routes, the key is how xiaopeng should coordinate the layout and form synergy. otherwise, it will still be difficult to win the market competition with only the false prosperity of low-priced models.