DONGFENG GROUP has released a trump card

Author | Zhou Zhiyu, Zhang Chong

Editor | Huang Yu

Under the siege of new car-making forces such as Aito, Xiaomi, XPeng, and Li Auto, traditional car manufacturers have also begun to make their move. Dongfeng's Voyah has teamed up with Huawei, attempting to carve out a path in the fiercely competitive new energy market.

On July 12, Voyah FREE+ made a strong debut with Huawei's full suite of products, attracting over 11,000 orders within just 15 minutes of its launch. This new vehicle, priced between 219,900 and 279,900 yuan, precisely targets the core area of the mid-to-large SUV market.

This dazzling opening performance undoubtedly dropped a heavy bombshell in the new energy market, signaling a potential significant change in market dynamics. However, the sudden surge in orders is merely the beginning of a long journey; whether Voyah FREE+ can convert this enthusiasm into a stable market share and sustained sales performance faces a comprehensive test in a complex market environment.

The core competitiveness of Voyah FREE+ lies in its integration of Huawei's advanced intelligent driving system, the QianKun ADS 4.0, and the Harmony cockpit 5.0. Other configurations are also fully loaded, yet the price starts at only 219,900 yuan. Previously, SUV models with such configurations and technology were generally priced above 250,000 yuan.

While achieving as many as 1,366 upgrades, the price has also been reduced by 10,000 yuan compared to the older model. Voyah FREE+'s revolutionary "more features, lower price" strategy constitutes its primary impact.

As the world's first model equipped with Huawei's QianKun ADS 4.0 intelligent driving system and Harmony cockpit 5.0, Voyah's sales vice president, Zeng Qinglin, positions it as "a million-level chassis, top-tier Huawei intelligent driving, fully equipped comfort, with no competitors under 250,000 yuan," directly targeting the weaknesses of competitors like Li Auto's L series and Aito's M5/M7.

Huawei provides not only the QianKun ADS 4.0 (which supports a maximum emergency stop at 130 km/h and NCA city navigation without maps) and Harmony cockpit 5.0, but also its strong brand appeal and intelligent label, allowing Voyah to quickly ascend to the first tier in intelligent experience, directly facing the core battlegrounds of new forces like XPeng and Li Auto.

In addition, compared to other "Huawei system" products like Aito, Voyah FREE+'s core advantage lies in its self-developed "million-level chassis," which provides a top-tier hardware execution platform for Huawei's top intelligent driving software (QianKun ADS 4.0), achieving deep coupling of software and hardware and building an unreplicable technological barrier.

In terms of power technology route selection, facing the dual pressures of unresolved pure electric range anxiety and slowing growth in the hybrid market, FREE+'s extended range solution (318 km pure electric range, comprehensive range of 1,458 km + 0-100 km/h acceleration in 4.9 seconds) precisely meets the needs of family users.

Voyah's Chief Operating Officer, Jiang Tao, believes that "user scenarios determine the technology route; when the charging network is not yet perfect, extended range is the optimal solution for free travel." Compared to competitors like Xiaomi's YU7, which focuses on aesthetics and performance, and XPeng's G7, which emphasizes computing power and cost-effectiveness, FREE+'s "zero anxiety on range + Huawei's full suite" combination aligns with the dual core demands of middle-class families for safety and driving control, opening up a unique competitive track.

Clearly, Voyah has high hopes for this new vehicle. According to Wall Street News, Voyah Automotive is very optimistic about the sales performance of Voyah FREE+ and has set a target of "monthly sales exceeding 20,000 units, ranking among the top three in the segmented market." In fact, under the "annual sales target of 200,000 vehicles" set at the beginning of the year, Voyah urgently needs to create a second hit model following the Voyah Dreamer, and the FREE+ was born out of this necessity.

Based on the creation of multiple hit models, Voyah has proposed a goal for the next five years: to fully establish itself as "the top brand of high-end new energy for central state-owned enterprises."

Latest data shows that in June this year, Voyah achieved a monthly sales volume of 10,053 vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 83%, and has broken the 10,000-unit sales mark for four consecutive months. In the first half of the year, Voyah's cumulative sales reached 56,128 vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 85%, but it is still far from the target of 200,000 vehicles.

The launch of the FREE+ is a key battle for Voyah to break through sales and elevate its brand. The introduction of Huawei's intelligent driving technology has shortened Voyah's catch-up cycle in the process of intelligence, greatly enhancing product competitiveness, and is expected to help the brand escape past market difficulties and establish its position among mainstream intelligent electric brands.

Compared to Seres (Intelligent Selection Car Model), Voyah has maintained a more dominant brand influence and overall vehicle control in its deep cooperation with Huawei (HI Model).

15 minutes for 10,000 orders is just the starting point of the journey. Whether the Voyah FREE+ can transform "explosive orders" into a sustained "hit model" still faces severe challenges: the dual pressure of delivery capability and early reputation is the foremost concern. Supply chain resilience, production capacity ramp-up speed, and stringent quality control are key to preventing user enthusiasm from waning due to long waits or initial quality defects.

Voyah CEO Lu Fang's declaration, "There is no way for the wavering, only the steadfast can move forward," signifies the determination of this battle. The Voyah FREE+ uses Huawei's intelligent driving as a spear and a million-dollar chassis as a shield, with user co-creation as its soul. Its ultimate success or failure will profoundly impact the evolution of the high-end intelligent electric vehicle market in China.

Below is the transcript of the dialogue between Wall Street Insights and Voyah Chief Operating Officer Jiang Tao and Deputy General Manager Zeng Qinglin (edited):

Question: Now that the Voyah FREE+ and the upcoming new Zhi Yin are both in deep cooperation with Huawei, particularly in the areas of cockpit and assisted driving, does Voyah plan to further deepen its cooperation with Huawei in other areas?

Jiang Tao: Our cooperation with Huawei actually started quite early, and we are currently in a state of comprehensive collaboration. We are also discussing other products, including audio systems. Voyah is a relatively open company, and both sides are complementary. We hope to build an ecosystem because we produce a terminal product, and we cannot do everything ourselves. Building such an ecosystem allows everyone to put good things in our cars for use, which is what we want. At the same time, we will maintain platformization and modularization, as it is related to costs. We must keep the same components for the same vehicles to reduce costs. Therefore, our cooperation with Huawei is in a relatively good state.

Question: Has Voyah rethought its positioning in these five years? Additionally, while fully utilizing Huawei's elements or empowerment, how does Voyah maintain some of its uniqueness? Jiang Tao: The Voyah FREE is our first car, achieving the brand's transition from 0 to 1, and it has brought some genes to our products, namely being easy to drive and safe. The label of this product actually comes from the FREE model; the earliest batch of owners liked Voyah cars even before they started selling, mainly because of the handling and the solid chassis.

At the same time, new energy vehicles are continuously evolving, and in the past two years, our brand label has been constantly enriched. We used to emphasize being easy to drive and safe, and later we talked about comfort, and now we are discussing intelligence. The comfort aspect may give you the impression of being a bit homey, but it doesn't mean that the original qualities of being easy to drive and safe have been abandoned; it just means we have added the "home" aspect. You may have also seen that refrigerators, sofas, and large TVs have been added; this addition does not mean that we have lost our original genes. Regarding Huawei, our technical route is not limited to just one line; we are also conducting independent research and development. Why do we want to do independent research? The main reason is to have the ability for rapid iteration in our own hands. To have distinctive features, to iterate quickly, and to add a function swiftly, we must do it ourselves. So, our qualities of being easy to drive, safe, comfortable, and intelligent prove that we are becoming increasingly rich, continuously filling in our shortcomings while extending our strengths in the future.

Q: The Voyah FREE+ is approximately 10,000 yuan lower than last year's model. How does Voyah think about its pricing strategy?

Jiang Tao: Overall, we will implement cost reduction across the entire value chain. This cost reduction does not mean reducing configurations, but rather we aim to achieve this through some systematic combinations. For example, some functions that were originally controlled by touch panels on the FREE can now be controlled by voice, allowing us to eliminate less frequently used functions and add the features that customers need. This way, we still maintain a gross profit and enable the company to develop healthily.

Zeng Qinglin: One aspect is cost control, and another is pricing strategy. We leave the difficulties to ourselves and still need to win the market with market orientation; this is definitely a major principle. On another front, our management is quite refined; we are still a startup-type enterprise, which is one factor. Another factor is based on our platform advantages; by optimizing the platform first and then enhancing performance, we avoid significant waste. For instance, some new energy products are developed based on gasoline vehicles, and modifying and enhancing them incurs substantial costs. In contrast, Voyah first develops the platform, sharpening the axe before chopping wood, so we have a significant advantage.

Thirdly, in terms of overall enterprise operations, we are indeed quite tight; the efficiency of the entire enterprise is very high, with minimal waste. As I mentioned earlier, for example, if a project takes us a year and a half to complete versus eight months, the costs are entirely different. Therefore, our overall operational efficiency is very high, which supports our ability to set this pricing and is the secret to our profitability.

In fact, Voyah started making profits last year, and among all new energy enterprises, we should be one of the fastest to achieve profitability. We have been profitable in just over four years, and our operational status is very good I believe this has platform advantages, as well as the advantages of a finely managed entrepreneurial organization, and advantages in cost control and full value chain management. These supports give us more confidence in future development.

Q: What are the strengths of the Aito FREE+, or what are the selling points that can truly attract consumers?

Zeng Qinglin: In one sentence, I would say that the Aito FREE+ is the strongest product under 250,000. If I were to use three words, they would be a million-level chassis, the highest-end Huawei technology, and fully equipped comfort. Overall, these three points summarize that it has the strongest performance under 300,000, and if we add the price, there may be no competitors under 250,000.

Q: The monthly sales target for the Aito FREE+ is 20,000 units. When do you expect to achieve this target? How will Aito maintain its hot sales?

Zeng Qinglin: In addition to challenging the monthly sales target of over 20,000, we also have a goal of hoping that the Aito FREE+ can enter the industry TOP 3. I believe both of these are goals that the FREE+ should strive for. From the product strength of the Aito FREE+, we have the capability to create a blockbuster. Aito's sales have doubled on average over the past two years. Even though the monthly sales target of over 20,000 is very challenging, we are still very confident in this product.

Regarding how to maintain hot sales, the new energy vehicle industry is different from five years ago. Five years ago, a product might last one or two years. For Aito, we will continuously launch new products, such as the Aito FREE+ and the newly unveiled Aito Zhiyin, which will be launched at the end of August. In the second half of this year, more heavyweight models will continue to be launched.

On one hand, Aito will use a high-frequency new product release rhythm to drive sales; on the other hand, we need to focus on underlying technology and technology platforms to achieve product strength leadership, allowing the product's competitiveness to be recognized by the market.

Q: Do you have expectations for the sales of the Aito FREE+ after its launch? What are the characteristics of the order demographics based on the pre-sale orders?

Zeng Qinglin: In terms of order data, before today's press conference, our small orders had already exceeded 35,000. After announcing the price, we started converting to large orders, and within 15 minutes, the large order lock-in quantity reached 11,583 vehicles, and this speed is still accelerating. The quality of the small orders for the Aito FREE+ this time is very high. From internal data, it is slightly higher than last year's Dreamer quality.

In terms of user demographics, the users of the Aito FREE+ are significantly different from those of the Dreamer. The average age of Dreamer users is around 38 years, while our old FREE users were around 35 years. From my visits to stores across the country and feedback from various stores, the FREE+ demographic is younger, around 32 years old. This demographic has a notable characteristic: they are younger and more interested in technological configurations Question: In the face of the competitive trend of domestic new energy vehicles, what directions do you think the future will take?

Zeng Qinglin: Regarding trends, we used to talk about electrification in the first half and intelligence in the second half, where intelligence might only be a competition at the software level. As we reach this year, we find that competition at the software level will also lead to changes in hardware, which is a very obvious trend. Previously, we believed that in the first half, electrification meant that the hardware of fuel vehicles would not change; we would just add batteries and then add software. However, this year we can see that the enhancement of intelligence will also bring about a transformation in hardware. This is also why we proposed the L3-level intelligent architecture, combining intelligent driving with intelligent architecture. This means that even the best software needs a good physique to execute it, just like we at Voyah have very good hardware technology, such as a good chassis.

One future trend is that, on one hand, intelligence will develop, and on the other hand, it will drive changes in hardware. At this point, it will test the underlying technology and the fundamental skills of car manufacturers.

Question: How does Voyah define the "hit gene" of a car internally, and how can this hit gene be sustained?

Zeng Qinglin: Since the launch of the all-new Voyah Dreamer last year, we have gained a lot of experience and encouragement. To create a hit product, we can say that we have summarized many methods from product, marketing, to manufacturing quality. From the product perspective, it is essential to "listen to advice," to fill in the gaps, and to meet current user needs. Whether it's our seats or intelligence, we must address user pain points while also providing emotional value. In terms of products, we need to be closer to user needs and achieve this quickly. This is the product foundation we believe is necessary to create a hit. Additionally, in marketing, we need to connect with users in a more socialized way.

How to sustain the creation of a hit product involves product, marketing, and overall manufacturing control. Voyah has its own internal summary methods. Regarding products, the reason we set such high goals is that we have this confidence.

So how do we define it? The simplest way is to at least be in the TOP 3 of the industry. Our internal requirements are higher than what others expect from us, and our challenge goals will also be higher. For example, we hope to achieve a doubling of sales every year. As someone in the industry knows, this is very challenging, but we are still very motivated.

Question: I would like to ask if the orders have exceeded expectations, and with the all-new ZhiYin launching at the end of August, what measures will Voyah take to ensure production capacity and delivery?

Jiang Tao: The capacity issue is not significant because Voyah FREE+ and ZhiYin are produced in two different factories, and we are also making large-scale improvements to our production capacity. Our suppliers are also increasing their capacity, so we can fully ensure smooth delivery for users.

Question: As the first car since Voyah's establishment, the Voyah FREE undergoes upgrades almost every year. What tasks does this model bear for Voyah, and what is its significance for the brand? Jiang Tao: The Voyah FREE represents Voyah's journey from 0 to 1. At that time, we had nothing—no brand, no factory, no team, and certainly no research and manufacturing. This car has sold nearly 100,000 units so far, essentially connecting us to the entire system, and its significance and value are self-evident.

Zeng Qinglin: For the model, the Voyah FREE is essentially our eye, positioned in a fully competitive SUV market. We must build it into our second blockbuster. The success of the Voyah FREE+ will definitely elevate Voyah to a higher level. This significance for the brand is that it allows us to progress from the MPV market to the mass market, forming a second or even third blockbuster in the SUV market alongside our loyal customers, supporting our brand's journey towards greater horizons.

Question: Currently, the hybrid and range-extended market is actually experiencing a slowdown in growth. Most of Voyah's current sales are in hybrids, including the Voyah FREE+. Do you have any plans for pure electric vehicles in the future? How do you view the current inertia in range-extended development? Will the brand continue to operate in the range-extended market?

Jiang Tao: Our products have always been developed with two power modes from the beginning. The earliest models, such as the FREE, Dreamer, and Chasing Light, all featured two types of power. At different stages of new energy development, due to concerns about charging convenience and range anxiety, if we can solve these problems, the proportion of range-extended vehicles may decrease while pure electric vehicles will increase. Many people might think that making new energy vehicles starts with pure electric, but it also involves charging convenience and range anxiety