Interview with Chery QQ Owner Zhang Hongyu: How Does QQ Return?

This article originates from AutoR Interviews, author Jia Hongbing

"The return of the all-new QQ, we are not simply competing with opponents to make this market more competitive. We hope to give users a new choice, to have a warmer companionship with QQ."

"Many A0 class small cars in the industry are making 'trade-offs', but users actually don't want to make trade-offs; they want it all. We use platformization and scale to bring down costs without reducing user experience."

"The Chinese market is just a part of the all-new QQ. Since its birth, it has been built as a global car according to global standards."

—— Chery QQ Owner Zhang Hongyu

Interview with Chery QQ Brand Owner Zhang Hongyu: How Does QQ Return?

Produced   by: AutoR

Host: Jia Hongbing

Guest: Zhang Hongyu

Chery Automobile's senior 'veteran', possessing deep accumulation in the automotive industry for over 20 years. He personally experienced and witnessed the history of the first generation of Chery QQ sweeping the nation and becoming a national divine car; now, he shoulders the main burden again, serving as the all-new Chery QQ brand owner.

He takes the lead in the operations of the product sequence for the all-new QQ. Relying on the 'Grand Middle Platform' system of big Chery, he promotes the full chain from brand definition, product development, manufacturing to terminal delivery, committed to opening a new chapter for the QQ brand in the electrification and intelligence era facing the global market through intelligent pure electric native platforms and 'tech with warmth'.

AutoR interviews Chery Automobile QQ Brand Owner Zhang Hongyu: How Does QQ Return?

01.

All-new QQ operates independently within the Chery system

AutoR: You have a new Title here, I am quite interested, why call it 'QQ Owner'?

Zhang Hongyu:QQ returns, refreshed, actually at this time point, domestic brands are not just Chery, everyone is thinking about brand issues.

Chery already has Fengyun, Jetour has Shanshui, Jetour high-end Zhongheng, Chery's high-end also has Exeed.

If QQ returns again as a brand brand, it seems quite a lot.

Of course QQ should also be a brand with a lot of feelings, the first generation of QQ everyone still likes it very much!

So for the first product of the all-new QQ return, we still want to use hardcore product power to respond to everyone's expectations.

Why call it Owner? It is back to what I just said, that we don't want to come back and use a new brand organizational structure to do it, we still want to borrow the ability of the big system.

I as the product person in charge, later our team said, then you just call Owner!

This naturally came out, in fact it is still pushing forward according to the idea of operating as an independent brand.

From brand to product definition, to product development to manufacturing to delivery to the whole terminal delivery, experience channel operation management, in fact it still runs according to a set of organizational structure.

Overall I lead this team, in charge of everyone pushing this thing, so everyone gave me a name Owner.

AutoR: How many people are in your team now?

Zhang Hongyu: It is the wholeQQ from brand to marketing to terminal channels, to product definition development, this is actually QQ team exclusive, we this team total about 1,000 people.

AutoR: Over 1,000 people?

Zhang Hongyu:Over 1,000 people. Then the whole backend also has us do product engineering development specially, do engineering development verification, do manufacturing delivery, do quality control management, these are actually Chery whole 'Grand Middle Platform' give us do support, equivalent to we make requirements, we set targets, they have to give us delivery, to reach my requirements.

Then this is 'Big Chery' system team help us do support, we exclusive team now already about 1,000 people.

AutoR: You are also an old Chery person, here for more than 20 years.

Zhang Hongyu: Yes.

AutoR: Actually the first generation QQ was also nearly 20 years ago, exactly you witnessed the first generation QQ to now second generation QQ resurrection. When the first generation, you originally in Chery what position?

Zhang Hongyu: Cannot mention position, now also cannot mention any position.

Do Chery, everyone still very happy.

We hope regardless of do QQ or do Chery other brand cars, must do it well, let users like.

First generation QQ why there so big sales, actually essence is still that car from modeling above say, is grow on everyone's aesthetics point.

That car in that era, its color very bright, color many, let users have many choices.

At the same time its product power also very capable, in that time small cars achieved large space, chassis also very solid, its power also very strong.

Many users actually drive QQ that small car still open to Lhasa up, Lhasa certain degree represent do car, your hardcore mechanical performance still very solid.

Users many spontaneously set up car owner association, we also set up QQ primary school, actually is users through QQ this platform, many people become very good friends, some also borrow this platform do their career make very well.

QQ second time return, I personally think also is everyone's voice, users very look forward.

Today we again come do all-new QQ, more confident, because today electrification, intelligence, Chery technology foundation strength stronger.

So we more confident do QQ every car can achieve user interaction experience sense, driving experience sense should can do better.

So we not simple come do a compete with opponent car, or let user choose very hard car, we hope it can achieve like past QQ same, it very classic, it very different, it very lively, it can reflect young people that kind exploration, free.

Put this spirit can return to new QQ, we want do such thing.

So we all-new QQ, actually company still spent heavy money create a new platform, call intelligent pure electric platform.

It can in electronic architecture, chassis platform these aspects just can very well realize, we future regardless whether in space, in driving, in intelligence, in OTA above, it can do infinite stretch.

We not simple go compete with opponent, let this market more competitive, we hope let users have a new choice, can with QQ do more warm companionship.

We internal team say we must use more temperature technology, give users bring best, extreme experience.

All-new QQ3 everyone can see four get users point call high appearance, large layout, strong body, more understand you.

We talk large layout is space not only big, not only more is easy to use, more is you maybe use more use want, so we for this why like put front trunk, we want do many kind open way, actually we think each kind open way it may certain in scene under let your experience sense pull full, let you very convenient.

I once with our team say, I say we do a voice interaction, you think ah, I say mom drive car go pick her own baby, then in school gate, this baby use he like wake word open front trunk, put his schoolbag in.

I say that instant open and auto close that instant, this kid absolutely in his classmate face, he is full sense of pride, this certain degree reflect this car technology, but more reflect it has temperature technology, it understand you.

So we hope do such QQ, this is Chery confidence, technology strength.

QQ second time return time, we think we can achieve call 'King Return, One Step到位'.

02.

All-new QQ focuses on A0 class small cars

AutoR: Chery so many brands, QQ in Chery new brand group, it status a what position?

Zhang Hongyu: We now should call product sequence, just belong Chery brand below product sequence, focus do this kind call A0 class level small cars.

This kind car we hope for a kind call have passion, explore, can enjoy in it also willing to share (people provide), just hope put our brand build have this slogan spirit a product sequence.

So our product you will see it very suitable do DIY, it very lively.

At the same time its inside technology factors many, just this kind intelligence.

And this kind intelligence thing still can constantly OTA, it this chassis solid, let you can go farther place.

These are we QQ next do product, we want grasp technology route.

For example our space and driving, we just use all-new intelligent pure electric platform go create.

We next car wheelbase may can achieve 2 meters 8 above, this platform will make our internal space, regardless height, main line above this length and width, it all will very comfortable.

AutoR: China many brands also all do A0 class small cars, and all are pure electric, just our this native pure electric platform have what advantage no?

Zhang Hongyu: This platform because is new consider ah! It from start design time, is with user demand as origin go consider, at the same time consider do multi model have extendibility, so in chassis platform above, first achieve rear drive layout.

Rear drive layout benefit lies in put front space give let out, it has front trunk.

This kind small cars past all are oil cars, oil cars sure front drive, because engine all in front ah, engine gearbox in front you then less space utilization, very convenient electric front trunk it just unable achieve.

This must rely on platform layout, another, I just said chassis layout above, we in steering, braking above all consider future extend models.

So this kind platformization, universal design, future small cars cost also favorable, it not let users do configuration trade-off, actually use we this kind platformization, universalization put scale do up, cover multiple markets.

So my cost can hit down, but user experience I not reduce, his demand not reduce.

For example its computing power must enough, it can support from domain control to central integration, so it can constantly OTA.

It not a piecemeal, makeshift car, now industry small cars, I not say complaint our friends not good, everyone actually all for users do very hard, also do all very excellent, but overall say I think many directions still in trade-off.

Because you trade-off after, he will inconvenient, or his experience just not so good.

For example some want range do very high very long, but he for this more pile cost after, other place maybe do interior do pull weak a bit, plastic sense stronger, or material use maybe it smell just not how good, even he sometimes in body chassis safety on he maybe do some sacrifice, in turn he some maybe is chassis driving comfort above maybe he also sacrifice, for example he use torsion beam, then you think he use torsion beam that this bump, pass shock absorber strip it sure uncomfortable ah!

We consider small cars time, we second row often consider elderly want with family together, weekend time go out elderly sit back, itself elderly he just endure not fiddle, you this small car again bump, that sure not like sit ah.

This not our original intention, these are we consider do QQ time, we how use platform put it create well.

03.

Born Global, China is just one of QQ's markets

AutoR: We know Chery export very powerful, QQ is a face global market model, you on its global sales how view?

Zhang Hongyu: Now domestic brands all go export, call domestic brand strengthen, make strong, do long-term, inevitable experience this process.

Especially this one two year, should domestic brand export do all very excellent.

Chery because always do overseas market, always do global layout, Chery do time is longest, from performance look also not bad, continuous many years all domestic brand export first.

QQ from start all consider global layout, right steering like Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia these markets, still left steering markets, we all are do global layout.

So this car from start platform design time, in development verification time, we all according to local law, regulation and user demand.

So I in launch release meeting once say, we QQ3 actually experienced various exams, global big exam, practice a body skill.

So you in China market buy QQ3, actually it is fit global car standard.

This year 5 month, I just go to some right steering markets, like Malaysia, Indonesia, to 9 month I will go Europe like UK, Aus New these markets, about next year beginning just direct global pave. China just is me this QQ one market.

AutoR: Then on its sales have what expectation?

Zhang Hongyu: Sales ah naturally bigger better.

Currently look, domestic market demand should very lively, last year year, this Geely one car Xingyuan just sell 460,000 units, and single month sales several months just passed 50,000, and it now overseas export also very good; include BYD many small cars, like Seagull, Dolphin, these cars export also very good.

Buy electric car, its experience sense better than oil car very much, economic performance also very good, use maintenance cost also low, then consumer is understand, so I believe choice people will more more.

AutoR: This small car this year actually some new technology configurations, for example like 80,000 yuan install LiDAR, some want run world model, but we feel this QQ3 actually not above go compete. In intelligence driving aspects we how layout?

Zhang Hongyu: We this car also configure Falcon500, on Highway NOA above is not have problem.

On Sharing Edition above all up automatic parking, just parking assist. This small cars parking assist, we think user should be use high frequency scene, because many moms she on parking mind actually still have anxiety, include young people just get driving license, so we in Sharing Edition two configurations up, automatic parking all have.

Because QQ in this platform also plan new others models, we also will with this intelligence driving ability continuous enhance, cost continuous dip, finally also must put it perfect match to QQ above go, but this must look intelligence driving experience maturity and it can give consumer pricing, because small cars overall sale price should not high, so must overall put it match well.

I think in intelligence driving above, especially domestic brands, in chip, computing power, large model above, this development in multiple models above application more and more mature, I believe more and more excellent.

AutoR: Is future QQ this product line how arrange? For example have QQ5, still a car is right?

Zhang Hongyu: Later we will with industry will gradually release these information, overallQQ dream still very big, global layout, we also aim for more consumers can choose QQ, as mission to go develop, so later models have bigger point, also more personality point, all go launch.

AutoR: If take five years as one time node, you hope five years after, QQ can achieve a what vision can satisfy your effort?

Zhang Hongyu: I think right now we first step go well, first step go well, everything possible.

Of course is company include shareholder, expect maybe all very big ah!

QQ overall because we global layout, according now industry this kind A0 class car currently development trend look, I think we achieve a bigger target should have challenge, but should we have confidence.

"Interviewing Pioneering Figures, Recording Human Mobility Transformation." AutoR Interviews is AutoR Network's in-depth interview column launched for AI and future mobility field, planned and hosted by AutoR Network founder, editor-in-chief Jia Hongbing.

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