As the Model Y becomes the "politically correct" choice for mainstream automakers, and as family SUVs climb higher on product planning lists, who can truly understand the real needs of family users? Emerging brands are still exploring, while traditional automakers are stumbling along.
LeDao L60 Launches to "Overwhelming Demand"
Event Overview: On September 19, the LeDao L60, the first model of Nio's second brand LeDao, was officially launched, with prices ranging from 206,900 to 235,900 yuan. The following day, Nio's chairman, Li Bin, stated in a media interview that the L60 saw overwhelming demand. He also revealed the production ramp-up schedule for the vehicle: approximately 5,000 units in October, 10,000 units in December, 16,000 units by January, and 20,000 units by March.
September 19, 2024, Hefei City, LeDao L60 launch press conference.
Commentary: This was to be expected. The LeDao L60 is the first product built on the NT3.0 platform, and its 900V architecture is currently the strongest foundation in the industry. This means that, in some product aspects, it outperforms the Nio brand models built on the NT2.0 platform. The differences arising from the platforms include the efficiency of the three electric systems, energy consumption, and the layout of interior space. A few key parameters: a vehicle length of over 4.8 meters, a wheelbase of 2.95 meters; a 60-kWh battery with a range of over 500 kilometers; and a charging time of just 10 minutes to go from 20% to 80% charge. These are significant gains made possible by the advanced electric systems.
In other core areas, such as intelligent driving, the LeDao L60 uses a pure vision solution that is more cost-effective than laser radar. While this may sound like a "low-end solution," the industry has reached a consensus that, with the advancement of AI capabilities, pure vision solutions are the "right path" for autonomous driving.
In terms of comfort, various materials have been blended to create a supportive structure that is both soft and resilient; the front passenger seat can recline and connect to the rear seats to form a couch; the super hard seat in the rear center has transformed into a comfortable soft seat; and the legroom in the rear is exceptionally spacious—regular-sized individuals cannot touch the front seats unless they stretch their legs purposefully.
The coupe-like design also offers a surprisingly spacious trunk, with just the storage compartment under the trunk floor capable of holding a carry-on suitcase, while the main storage area above is both wide and deep.
This vehicle has taken all aspects related to "family" to an extreme. For the consumer group in the 150,000 to 200,000 yuan range, few cars balance quality and functionality as well as the LeDao L60 does.
More importantly, the L60's competitiveness lies not only in its product strength, but also in the Nio ecosystem behind it. No new brand has established 350 service centers nationwide and 1,000 battery swap stations from the moment of its inception. One might say that the decade-long technological foundation and strategic layout crafted by Nio comprises the necessary conditions for LeDao to "hit the ground running."
The remaining factor is the price. With the Battery as a Service (BaaS) model, the L60 can be taken home starting at 149,900 yuan, with a monthly battery payment starting at 599 yuan. In comparison, the Model Y costs 249,900 yuan. Even though it is the pioneer of electric vehicles and holds the title of the best-selling vehicle across all categories globally, as Li Bin said in an interview, "Who would refuse to embrace a better deal? Comparing the 149,900 yuan L60 with the 249,900 yuan Model Y seems a bit absurd."
Currently, the only issue is that Nio owners are feeling a bit disgruntled. Why should a car purchased for over 400,000 yuan have weaker product strength than the 200,000 yuan LeDao L60? We can look at this from another angle. Would anyone compare the Porsche Macan with the Haval H6 in terms of configuration? The former doesn’t even come with a reversing camera, yet people still find the 600,000 yuan price reasonable. So why is there discontent when it comes to comparing Nio with LeDao? After all, apart from the more refined materials in Nio, it is entirely reasonable for a luxury brand to carry a premium.
Nevertheless, even if Nio owners feel unhappy, it won’t significantly impact LeDao's business. According to information shared by LeDao's president, Ai Tiecheng, the overlap between LeDao users and Nio users is only 5%. This means that only 5% of LeDao's potential customers are existing Nio owners.
Haval H9 Postponed Launch
Event Overview: At noon on September 19, Haval's general manager, Zhao Yongpo, announced on Weibo that the originally scheduled launch event for the Haval H9 had been postponed because "management believed the event lacked creativity, so they required us to quickly develop a more creative and meaningful launch event."
Commentary: The second-generation Haval H9's launch, originally scheduled for September 19, was delayed — the reason being that management felt the creativity was lacking and wanted further polishing.
September 3, 2024, Chongqing, inspectors check the Haval H9 off-road vehicle on the production line.
Industry insiders know well why the launch was postponed. The evening of September 19 belonged to LeDao and Nio. In the era of smart electric vehicles, any effort to overshadow emerging brands is a misguided strategy. While the positioning of the Haval H9 doesn’t directly overlap with that of the LeDao L60, their pricing is strikingly similar.
The price range for the 2024 Haval H9 is set at 205,900 to 235,900 yuan, while the recently launched LeDao L60 is priced at 206,900 to 235,900 yuan.
Despite Haval's strong credentials as a traditional SUV manufacturer, the current market discourse is largely dominated by emerging brands that excel in producing electric vehicles.
In fact, with the robust support of China's powerful new energy supply chain, electric vehicles in the same price range currently offer significantly enhanced product capabilities compared to fuel vehicles.
Let’s examine a few points. In terms of space, the H9 has a wheelbase of 2,850 millimeters with a length of 5.07 meters, while the L60 measures 4.82 meters with a longer wheelbase of 2,950 millimeters. This is a natural advantage of the electric vehicle architecture; the extensive parts in fuel vehicles pose a challenge here.
Regarding intelligence, the H9 features functions such as voice control, remote control, lane keeping, and adaptive cruise control, merely achieving mainstream levels; the L60 can offer the top-spec 8259P, Orin X, and nationwide-capable city navigation assistance.
Without listing all configurations, it’s clear that the Haval H9’s last-minute cancellation of its September 19 launch is obviously not due to a "lack of creativity."
Initially, the Haval H9 gained attention with its friendly price in the 200,000 yuan range and became a standout in the large SUV market among domestic brands, with retail sales of 17,300, 11,500, and 12,400 units from 2020 to 2022. However, starting in 2023, as market competition intensified, sales of the H9 began to decline, dropping to 5,792 units, with a total of only 2,743 units sold in the first eight months of this year.
Against this backdrop, the pressure on the second-generation Haval H9 is undoubtedly immense. It is not just a new car, but a strategic vehicle that could determine its position in the SUV market.
From a traffic perspective, facing killer products from emerging brands, it is wise to delay the launch to avoid direct competition.
