The 20th China International Industry Fair (CIIF) opened on Sept 19, 2018. SAIC Motor Corporation Limited (SAIC Motor for short) displayed seven new-energy-vehicles (NEVs) and intelligent-connected vehicles at 1H, National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), among which the Roewe Marvel X, a smart electric SUV, won the Gold Award for Innovation. The advanced vehicle models that SAIC Motor presented fit well with the theme of the fair, i.e. “innovation, intelligence and eco-friendliness”, and demonstrate the company’s vigorous efforts in driving innovation and building itself into a world-renowned auto maker, as well as its determination and strength in promoting vehicles with the “Made in Shanghai” brand.

In recent years, SAIC Motor has been focusing on the new development trend of the auto industry, and has made every effort in promoting its innovation strategy to support its new targets: Electrification, Intelligent Connectivity, Sharing and Globalization, greatly enhancing its innovation capacity and generating many innovative achievements. The seven SAIC models on display at the 2018 CIIF include the smart electric SUV Roewe Marvel X, the seven-seat smart internet-connected luxury SUV Roewe RX8, the electric internet-connected SUV Roewe ERX5, the "Hormone SUV" MG HS, the luxury internet-connected NEV coupe MG eMG6, the smart customized internet-connected MPV Maxus G50 and the electric MPV Maxus EG10.

Advanced intelligent-connected vehicles

Roewe Marvel X, a new model of SAIC Motor, sets a new record in many aspects. It is the world’s first mass produced car equipped with the AR (augmented reality) technology that fulfills the in-vehicle AR live navigation, and with the pioneering function of autonomous parking. It is also the world’s first mass produced car equipped with the Banma 3.0 smart system for internet-based vehicles that supports multiple tasks at the same time, and allows navigation, air conditioning, lighting and multi-media entertainment to be controlled by voice command.

The advanced intelligent-connection technology is a result of SAIC Motor’s unremitting efforts. The company cooperated with Alibaba in 2016 and jointly launched the world’s first mass produced internet-connected SUV Roewe RX5. Over the two years, SAIC Motor has sold about 700,000 internet-based cars in total, and has provided services in multiple areas ranging from finance, insurance, maintenance, navigation to entertainment. The Banma 3.0 smart system conducted the world’s largest-scale OTA (over-the-air) upgrade by the end of 2017, allowing users to download data packets in their vehicles at any time in any place and upgrade their cars online from a remote distance, just like upgrading a smart phone.

Notably, SAIC Motor commenced research in the key technologies of intelligent driving in 2013 and has so far completed developing two generations of intelligent-drive-based vehicle platforms, as well as an IoV (Internet of Vehicles) platform integrating 5G communications technologies, with the total test distance of sample cars exceeding 70,000 kilometers.

World-class new-energy-vehicles

The NEV models presented by SAIC Motor have an outstanding performance in dynamic property, battery life and charging efficiency. Roewe Marvel X can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h within 4 seconds and has a maximum range of 500 km; Roewe ERX5 has a maximum range of 425 km and supports a quick charge of battery, to 80 percent of capacity within 40 minutes; the Ekg of Maxus EG10 is only 0.1 Wh/km·kg, much lower than the industrial standard, and the car has a maximum range of 450 km; MG eMG6 is equipped with a hybrid system composed of a 1.0T engine and an electric motor, with a combined fuel consumption of 1.5 litres per 100km.

SAIC Motor is the only auto maker in China that sticks to the synchronous development of electric vehicles, plug-in electric hybrid vehicles and fuel cell vehicles. Its core technologies related to the electric drive system, battery, and electric control system of NEV maintain a leading position both at home and abroad. In January 2018, the company was awarded the 2nd prize in the year’s National Prize for Progress in Science and Technology, for its project of Key Technologies and the Industrialization of Low-Power Plug-in Hybrid Electric Passenger Vehicles, which was the only auto project that won the prize that year. At present, SAIC Motor is working at full strength on new innovations in its core technologies related to the electric drive system, battery, and electric control system of NEV. The R&D of its brand new E-series electric vehicles is underway as scheduled, and the improvement of its Type 300 high-power fuel cell stack is also being stepped up, with the aim of it becoming globally leading.

In the future, SAIC Motor will accelerate the launch of NEVs for family use to meet the market demands, and will, in accordance with the nation’s three-year action plan for air pollution control, produce NEVs for commercial use in the fields related to bus services, taxi services, street cleaning, postal services, logistics, commuting services, and dock operations.

Industry-leading smart manufacturing

Internet technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, big data and cloud computing not only redefine the automobile, but also exert a deep influence on the production of vehicles. SAIC Motor has been pushing forward the intelligent production of vehicles, making it digital, internet-connected, intelligent and customized. The smart customized internet-connected MPV Maxus G50 displayed at the fair is just one example. It applies the creative business model of Customer to Business (C2B) mass customization, allowing customers to engage in the definition, development, pricing and optional parts selection of vehicles, so as to create the most suitable and ideal car for them. 

The C2B model of SAIC Maxus breaks the traditional boundary of manufacturing and integrates the R&D, manufacturing and marketing of vehicles, which increases efficiency, lowers production costs, and provides more diverse and personalized vehicles for customers. In August 2018, the model was upgraded to Version 2.0 with the following new functions. All Maxus vehicle models can be mass customized instead of only a single model as was the case previously; customers who have already bought such a car can have its configuration changed; an advisory service is added, providing not only intelligent recommendations and reminders but also an online consulting service from 169 engineers for customers to choose an ideal car.

Looking ahead, SAIC Motor will keep promoting its innovation strategy to support its new targets: Electrification, Intelligent Connectivity, Sharing and Globalization, to build itself into an innovative globally-recognized company that leads the future of the auto industry, and to make greater contributions to promoting vehicles with the “Made in Shanghai” brand, as well as the transformation and upgrading of the auto industry.