– Jilin Provincial Government Implements Electric Vehicle Taxi Distribution Demonstration Project in Changchun
– Electric taxi model Hongqi E-QM5, popular with both passengers and drivers
– Battery-replaceable electric vehicle taxis are popping up all over Changchun City
An electric vehicle battery exchange center has appeared on Weishan Road in the High New Technology Development Zone in the southwest of Changchun City, attracting the attention of passersby. A few taxis are waiting to enter a place like an automatic car wash tunnel, and the taxi that enters the tunnel is lifted 50cm from the ground, and after about a minute, it is lowered again and exits to the other side and slides into the road, followed by another taxi. Enter the tunnel. It is a scene where an electric car taxi, which has established itself as a new specialty in Changchun, changes its batteries.
<Electric Vehicle Taxi Battery Exchange Center>
<Electric taxi with battery replacement>
Jilin Provincial Government Implements Electric Vehicle Taxi Distribution Demonstration Project in Changchun
On March 2021, 3, the Jilin Provincial Government held a groundbreaking ceremony for the "Electric Vehicle Changchun Green Jilin" project with Ditche. This project is a plan to make Changchun, a city with long winters, a pilot city for electric vehicles by expanding the supply of electric vehicles, centering on taxis and public vehicles. Dichcher, headquartered in Changchun, Jilin Province, developed and supplied an electric vehicle model exclusively for taxis, and Jilin Province supported the construction of electric vehicle battery exchange centers in Changchun. On November 1, 2021, 11 taxi-only E-QM5 models developed by Hongqi Motor Company under DH were delivered to major taxi operators in Changchun and put into commercial operation, with a total of 2,000 battery exchange centers operating throughout Changchun City. went into
Electric car taxi model Hongqi E-QM5 is well received by both passengers and drivers
Hongqi's E-QM5 model was developed for public transportation, and there are two models: battery replacement and rechargeable. The battery-replaceable model was developed exclusively for taxis, and the rechargeable model is being supplied for shared vehicles. According to an official from Hongqi Motors, sales of the E-QM2 to general consumers will begin within the year 2022, but it has not been decided which model will be sold, a rechargeable type or a battery replacement type.
<Hongchi E-QM5, battery-replaceable electric car taxi>
E-QM5 is equipped with an iron phosphate battery (LFP) with an empty vehicle weight of 1,810 kg and a capacity of 54 KWh, and has a mileage of 431 km (based on NEDC) when fully charged. With a total length of 5,040mm and a wheelbase of 2,990mm, it is a large sedan class. Considering that the existing internal combustion engine taxi is the main class of the Volkswagen Jetta, a semi-medium sedan with a wheelbase of 2,604mm, there is a lot of room in the interior space, It is also excellent in
At the KOTRA Changchun Trade Center, we met taxi drivers who are operating electric taxis and heard various stories related to electric taxis.
E-QM5 evaluated by taxi drivers
Q1) How is the satisfaction level of the EV taxi E-QM5 compared to the existing natural gas taxi model?
A1) Not only am I very satisfied, but the satisfaction of the passengers is also very high. Above all, the interior space is spacious, so there is room for the knee and head space even for a large passenger. The driving performance is excellent and the noise is low. In addition, the dashboard is up-to-date and there is almost no noise when waiting for a signal or stopping.
Q2) Are there any inconveniences caused by battery replacement?
A2) Almost none. Battery replacement takes less than two minutes and the waiting time in front of the exchange is also short. In the case of conventional natural gas taxis, there was usually a line of 2 to 20 minutes at gas stations, but after switching to an electric car, the waiting time in line is around 30 minutes. You can also check the nearest charging station through the mobile phone application and make a reservation in advance. Currently, there are about 5 charging stations in Changchun, and it is expected that more charging stations will be added in the future, so it will be more convenient.
<Information on Electric Vehicle Battery Exchange Center>
Q3) Changchun is evaluated to have an unfavorable climate for the spread of electric vehicles as it has five months of winter. What is the range of electric taxis?
A3) The cruising range is slightly less than expected. It seems that the battery efficiency is lowered because it is winter, and the use of a heater can increase the battery consumption. If the battery is replaced in winter, the actual driving distance is about 140~160km, but some fellow drivers say it is more than this, and there are people who say it is less. The replaced battery is approximately 70-90% charged, and if the remaining amount is less than 20%, the driving performance deteriorates, so it should be replaced with a new battery. Therefore, it can be said that the battery capacity used in actual operation is about 60% of the total capacity.
Q4) How much is the fuel cost compared to a natural gas vehicle?
A4) The fuel efficiency of an electric vehicle is 100 yuan per 30 km and the fuel efficiency of a natural gas taxi is 100 yuan per 34 km, so the electric car is 12% cheaper. For reference, the battery replacement cost is calculated based on the mileage. For example, if you replace the battery when the accumulated mileage was 1 km last time and then replace the battery again after the accumulated distance reaches 1 km, you pay for the additional 200 km.
Q5) Are there any inconveniences in driving an electric car taxi?
A5) The relatively short cruising distance is inconvenient. It is not easy to pick up long-distance guests heading to the suburbs, and even if you are only driving in the city, you may become impatient to replace them first if there is not much remaining.
<Passenger catching an electric taxi>
Although battery-replaceable electric vehicle taxis are given generous marks in terms of performance, battery replacement convenience, and passenger satisfaction, there seems to be room for improvement in terms of driving distance after charging. The problem of drivability is due to the adoption of iron phosphate batteries (LFP), and although iron phosphate batteries are cheaper than ternary batteries, the previous evaluation was that they have low energy density and are heavy, making them unsuitable for application to electric vehicles. However, through technological innovation in recent years, sales of passenger cars equipped with iron phosphate batteries (LFP) are steadily increasing in China.
The E-QM5 is currently being supplied with batteries from two companies, BYD and CATL. Yang Guo of Ichipumao, a subsidiary of The Church Group in charge of sales and service, said, 'As batteries are a core part of electric vehicles, we have selected multiple suppliers to manage costs and stabilize the supply chain.
implication
Jilin Province, located in the northeast region of China, is at a disadvantage compared to cities in the south in terms of electric vehicle distribution due to its climatic characteristics. However, it is significant in that it overcomes climatic limitations and leads a new standard in electric vehicle dissemination by swiftly implementing the battery exchange-type taxi project promoted in cooperation with the government and the private sector.
It is also worth paying attention to changes in the status of the EV battery market. So far, the global EV battery market has been dominated by ternary lithium-ion batteries such as MNC, and Korean companies are also prominent in this field. On the other hand, in the field of iron phosphate battery (LFP) led by China, Korean companies are insignificant. The proportion of EVs equipped with iron phosphate batteries (LFP) is already increasing in China, and it is also worth paying attention to the impact this will have on the global EV market.
On February 2022, 2, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for Audi's electric vehicle plant construction project (PPE project) in Changchun. As Jilin Province and Changchun City have attracted factories dedicated to electric vehicles with an annual capacity of 18 units through persistent efforts, Changchun, China's leading automobile city, is expected to continue its reputation in the field of electric vehicles. It is expected that opportunities for investment or technological cooperation will be expanded to Korean companies in related fields.
Source: Comprehensive data from The Qiche and Hongqi Automobile website, Red Book Ichi Hongqi official account, SOHU, Aodong, KOTRA Changchun Trade Center