I have worked at an automobile manufacturing plant for 10 years, and my daily job involves participating in car development. I wouldn't say I know everything about cars, but I can understand the aspects I'm responsible for.

(This article will be continuously updated to 普及 basic knowledge about cars and engines for beginners, including information on electric vehicle battery packs. Everyone is welcome to leave comments and discuss car knowledge together.) Note: "普及" is not a proper English word. The correct translation should be "to popularize" or "to 普及 disseminate." Here is the corrected version: (This article will be continuously updated to popularize basic knowledge about cars and engines for beginners, including information on electric vehicle battery packs. Everyone is welcome to leave comments and discuss car knowledge together.)

Now there are too many people claiming they "understand" cars. If you open Douyin, Kuaishou, Xiaohongshu, or Zhihu, you'll find a lot of content about cars. For the same model, some say it's good, others say it's bad, some recommend it, and others criticize it. Many netizens are swayed by the emotions of car reviewers, leading to a one-sided understanding of a particular car and jumping to conclusions about whether it's good or not.

There is also a part of the comments from car repair personnel, who are relatively better than car salespeople, as they can at least provide some opinions from the perspective of automotive after-sales repair, but these are also very one-sided. Another part comes from university or vocational school teachers, whose main job is to teach courses related to automobiles to college students, and they can also offer some advice. University teachers have a solid understanding of theory, but this is not very useful for consumers. I also studied automotive engineering in college and have been working in automotive design after graduation, which can be considered a match for my major. In fact, 95% of the knowledge I learned in college is not used in my work.

A car is a complex system engineering project, involving a wide range of specialties such as stamping, casting, forging, welding, injection molding, assembly, quality control, testing, regulations, calibration, and more. Each of these specialties could be a lifelong study on its own. It's not as simple as designing a very powerful engine, purchasing an advanced transmission, and then assembling them together to create a good car.

How should ordinary consumers choose a car? In my personal opinion, it's still necessary to have a slight understanding of car knowledge before buying, and then make a choice based on your budget and needs.

  Check the sales volume first

A car with good sales indicates that it has gained consumer recognition. There must be reasons for a car to have good sales. Newbies who are not very familiar with cars can use sales as the best reference, although it may not always be accurate. Following the trend generally won’t lead to major mistakes, and after-sales maintenance is relatively easier. However, cars with good sales are mostly those with high cost-performance, such as the Wuling Hongguang MINI EV, BYD Song, Sylphy, Lavida.

  How should the configuration be selected?

A car has many configurations, low, medium, high, and various others. The price difference between high and low configurations can be quite significant. Consider your usage frequency; if you rarely use the car throughout the year or drive for very short periods each time, there's no need to choose features like heated steering wheel, ventilated seats, and heated seats. These features are just icing on the cake; not having them won't affect the car's performance, and having them just adds another option. From personal experience, the second-lowest configuration offers the best value for money, but of course, it still depends on personal preference.

  How to choose between domestic and joint venture cars?

This part needs to be talked about in detail. The domestic automobile industry started late and has only seen unprecedented development in the past 20 years. The automobile industries in Europe, America, and Japan have been developing for much longer, leading the domestic industry by several decades. However, domestic cars are getting better and better, with many models outselling joint venture cars. The automobile is a complex system involving many fields, and the development cycle is also quite long. In Europe and America, the general time for developing a car model is 36 months, or 3 years. During these 3 years, experiments must be continuously conducted from the prototype stage, and every phase and every time point must clearly specify what the car should achieve, what design and experimental work the parts should complete. This is what is known as the development process, which is the result of over a century of accumulation in European and American countries. Domestic brands initially learned from Europe and America, then made some improvements. I know of domestic brands that can launch a new car in a year and a half, or a bit longer, in 2 years. Sometimes this is a good thing; the shorter the development time, the sooner the car can hit the market and capture a share. However, the quality and performance stability are concerning. No problem, just hand it over to the suppliers and let them handle it. Domestic brands generally do this, pushing suppliers to shorten the time and control the quality. If the supplier is reliable, it’s still okay; if not, after the car is launched, there might be no major issues, but minor problems will keep cropping up. Another issue is the choice of materials. Each part of a car has a cost, and most of the parts are sourced from suppliers. Some car manufacturers, due to high sales volumes, can negotiate very low prices with suppliers and even demand annual price reductions. However, suppliers need to make a profit, so they can only cut corners on materials and quality. For example, in places where the eye can’t see, use cheaper materials or just cancel the part altogether since it’s not visible. The anti-collision beam in the bumper doesn’t need to be so thick; the more material used, the more expensive it is. The protective panels inside the car doors don’t need to be so numerous; one is enough. When you do the math, the cost savings on the entire car are significant. As for parts that need to meet national regulations, they are handled separately. Therefore, many cars are sold at very low prices, and the prices keep getting lower. Domestic cars have done this, and many joint venture cars have done the same. However, American cars are relatively better, even though they also do this, but not as recklessly. At the same price and class, domestic cars generally have richer configurations than joint venture cars. It depends on the individual’s needs; if you really need those configurations, choose a domestic car, but you must accept its drawbacks. If you don’t need those fancy configurations, choose a joint venture car, which has a higher tolerance for errors. Joint venture cars have slightly better quality control than domestic cars, which is a fact. Quality control is the result of time and experience, not something that can be achieved simply by finding a better supplier.

  Let's stop here for now, there's still a lot to talk about, I'll update it gradually later.

  Then update

Domestic cars, having started late, initially adopted a reverse engineering approach in their design. Reverse engineering involves buying a car, disassembling it, taking photos before, during, and after the disassembly process. When it comes to bolt torque, measurements are taken before disassembly using a torque wrench, and the torque values are recorded. Finally, the disassembled parts are scanned with a machine, and the part models are drawn using CATIA. This entire process is called reverse engineering. In my first year after graduating from university, I worked on this, disassembling four cars and then drawing the parts. Therefore, early domestic cars were very similar to imported or joint venture cars, as all major manufacturers followed this approach. However, this method can only mimic the surface features; the essence cannot be learned. In fact, Japanese cars also developed through this method, but later they established their own set of processes and standards, which are quite impressive.

The Chinese are actually very intelligent; our strength lies in modifying and transforming others' foundations into our own, but the underlying architecture and logic still belong to others, which makes it difficult for us to develop truly our own technology.

Domestic cars can be bought, but it's better to choose those with good sales, as it makes maintenance and repairs more convenient later on. The driving experience of most domestic cars is not as good as that of joint venture or imported cars; no matter how well they imitate, they can't capture the essence. However, they are still suitable for daily commuting and can be driven. The quality control of domestic cars is relatively inferior to that of joint ventures, which is related to two factors: cost and the accumulation of experience. For example, if the market feedback indicates a quality issue with a certain model, the manufacturer will assess how many times the issue has occurred, the current sales volume of the model, at what mileage the issue appeared, and in which regions, among other analyses. Then, engineers will recheck the design for any problems, whether the design was done according to standards, if the supplier's parts dimensions are within tolerance, and if the factory followed the assembly standards, among other analyses. If the issue is due to a design problem or supplier manufacturing errors, and the probability of occurrence is relatively high, a design change will be necessary. The design and assembly requirements may differ among different manufacturers, and joint venture manufacturers generally have more stringent requirements due to their accumulated experience. Domestic car manufacturers have less experience, so their requirements are relatively fewer, which highlights the difference between domestic and joint venture cars. Previously, when chatting with a colleague who used to work at a joint venture engine factory, he mentioned that once a part on the production line developed a crack, all the factory leaders, including foreigners, were present to investigate where the problem occurred. However, in a domestic car factory, employees were very calm about such issues, saying that they occur every day and are nothing out of the ordinary. Therefore, the quality control of joint venture cars is generally better than that of domestic cars, but it's not absolute.

At the beginning of development, we all evaluate what material to use for this part and which supplier to entrust with it, then assess the capabilities of different suppliers. Car manufacturers also consider costs during development, usually choosing a supplier with a good cost-performance ratio, meaning the price is not high and the quality is acceptable. However, for some important components, a reliable supplier must be found to ensure there are no quality issues. Every year, we require suppliers to reduce their prices, but suppliers need to survive too. In my view, most price reductions come at the cost of quality, unless you have sufficient volume to support the price reduction. In fact, good quality does come with a higher cost; there's no such thing as excellent quality at a very low price.

  Then update

Today, let's talk about engines. I have been involved in engine research and development for 5 years, so I'll share some basics.

The engine is a complex mechanical moving part, including the valve train, exhaust system, fuel supply system, cooling system, and lubrication system. It is hard to find a more complex machine in the world than an engine.

Engine technology is still monopolized by European, American, and Japanese companies; domestic engine technology has always failed to surpass them. The development of engines is not much different from the development of the entire vehicle, except that there are many parts that need verification and testing, including the engine itself, which requires a lot of testing. In fact, engines are quite durable; aggressive acceleration and braking will not damage the engine. Therefore, as long as you ensure safety and follow traffic rules, feel free to step on the gas pedal! There is a durability test for engines, which involves maintaining the RPM at 5000-6000 for 800 hours. To put it in perspective, these 800 hours easily exceed 240,000 kilometers, and that's at high RPM. The durability test is designed to identify issues; when problems arise, they are recorded, corrected, and after the test is completed, the engine is disassembled to check each part for issues, such as wear or damage. In fact, each part must also undergo a series of tests during development, including durability, fatigue, corrosion, and so on, with different parts having different requirements. Therefore, the development of a car is a long-term process. A part being problem-free on its own does not mean it will be problem-free when assembled with other parts, and a car not having issues in the first year does not guarantee it won't have issues in the second year. Domestic brands have increased the development cycle to 1.5 or 2 years; you can weigh that in your own minds!

In our daily driving in the city, the engine speed rarely exceeds 3500 RPM, so don't think that high RPM is bad for the engine, or that long driving is bad for the engine. Even when running on the highway, there's no need to stop at a service area after a while to open the hood and let the engine cool down. Just drive with peace of mind, it's fine.

The engine should be maintained regularly, following the instructions in the user manual. The maintenance manual is written by the manufacturer, and the time intervals listed are quite conservative. Personally, when I maintain the engine, I extend the time intervals recommended in the user manual. I have some knowledge about this, but if you don't understand, just follow the time intervals in the user manual, and there won't be any problems. An American lubrication expert came to China to give us training on engine lubrication design. One of my colleagues asked the expert how often the engine oil should be changed. The expert's answer was that if it's full synthetic oil, it should be changed every 15,000 kilometers, and if it's semi-synthetic oil, every 10,000 kilometers. Personally, I am more cautious, and I usually change the semi-synthetic oil every 8,000 kilometers.

Next, I will talk about three-cylinder engine

When it comes to three-cylinder engines, the first impression that comes to mind is that they vibrate and are noisy. That's true, as three-cylinder engines do vibrate more and produce more noise compared to four-cylinder or six-cylinder engines, which is inherent to their design. Both you and the car manufacturers know this, so during development, they use design solutions to address these inherent issues. Vibration can be reduced with a balance shaft, though it can't be completely eliminated. Therefore, a balance shaft is usually added below the crankshaft and above the oil pan, driven directly by the crankshaft. Some balance shafts are integrated with an oil pump to provide lubrication as well. However, a balance shaft alone cannot solve the noise problem, but it can mitigate some of the vibration. The remaining vibration is addressed through engine mounts. Vibration issues are relatively easier to handle, but noise problems are truly challenging. If you're lucky, they can be easily resolved; if not, no matter what you do, they remain unresolved. What can be done then? Add sound insulation material, which means wrapping a layer of sound insulation around the engine to muffle the noise, and then add an engine cover to further reduce the noise. Additionally, sound insulation can be added to the hood. See, the noise problem is solved this way, right?

But soundproofing materials cost money, and a lot of soundproofing materials will cost a lot. Cars need to be profitable, and if the cost is so high, wouldn't the car price increase? So if this engine is used in a lower trim, it won't have soundproofing materials. If you choose a cheaper car, it means you can accept more noise. The engines with soundproofing materials will be used in higher trims. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. It's normal for consumers to expect better materials when they pay more. So sometimes, when buying a car, you shouldn't just go for the cheapest option. A more expensive car has its reasons for being pricier, such as configurations that improve quietness and ensure your safety. Of course, it ultimately depends on your own choice.

In fact, there is nothing wrong with the three-cylinder engine itself. Currently, the three-cylinder engines being developed have better performance parameters and fuel economy than four-cylinder engines. The three-cylinder engine has been overly criticized by self-media and car reviewers, which has ultimately led to the entire Chinese market disliking three-cylinder engines.

The original intention of companies to develop three-cylinder engines was to reduce costs. Compared to four-cylinder engines, having one less cylinder means fewer parts and materials, and the weight would also be lighter. From the perspective of car manufacturers, the advantages of three-cylinder engines far outweigh those of four-cylinder engines. During the R&D phase, cost is very important; only by reducing costs can car manufacturers achieve higher profits, and part of the reduced costs can be passed on to consumers, making car prices more affordable. Unfortunately, the Chinese market does not favor three-cylinder engines. You can see that very few cars equipped with three-cylinder engines have good sales. The most typical example is Ford's Focus and Freestyle. The three-cylinder engine directly ruined these two models, it's a pity for such a good car as the Focus. In fact, the three-cylinder Focus is much better than the older four-cylinder version, and it's very worth buying. Ford's three-cylinder engine is newly developed and should be the best-performing three-cylinder engine among all car manufacturers.

  Let's talk about fuel consumption next

Then, fuel consumption is also a complex issue, related to many factors such as vehicle weight, road conditions, the vehicle's drag coefficient, the heaviness of pressing the accelerator, and a series of other factors. The fuel consumption of engines from different manufacturers is not much different, as engine technology has largely reached its limit, making it difficult to achieve new breakthroughs. However, overall, Japanese engines have slightly lower fuel consumption than those from Europe and America, because the Japanese have a characteristic of being rather extreme, including in technology, where they can push technology to its limits. But still, any technology that stands out and has highlights comes with a high cost, which will ultimately be passed on to the consumer.

The fuel consumption figures provided by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) are generally achieved under ideal road conditions, and many are obtained using 95-octane gasoline. Under the same road conditions and with the same vehicle, 95-octane gasoline can save a bit more fuel compared to 92-octane gasoline. It is difficult for us consumers to achieve the fuel consumption figures given by the MIIT in actual use, as we face more complex road conditions.

The main factors affecting fuel consumption are road conditions, vehicle weight, and driving technique. When waiting at a traffic light, the moment you start moving, that initial press of the gas pedal is the most fuel-consuming, because the vehicle needs to quickly increase the engine speed from a stationary position, which requires more fuel. The engine is also calibrated to spray extra fuel during the process of accelerating from idle to start, in order to rapidly increase the vehicle's speed. On this basis, the heavier the vehicle, the higher the fuel consumption. Additionally, if you floor the gas pedal, causing the engine speed to jump directly to over 3500 RPM, that burns a lot of fuel, essentially wasting money.

Hybrid cars completely avoid the situation of high fuel consumption during startup, whether they are FHEV or PHEV. They use electricity to drive during startup and low-speed driving, and the engine only kicks in at high speeds. The pure electric mode is suitable for startup and low-speed driving, but at high speeds, the electric energy would be consumed faster. On the contrary, the engine is more suitable for high-speed driving, during which the fuel consumption would decrease.

If you want to save fuel, don't accelerate too quickly when starting off; take it slowly. The same goes for braking; when you see a red light, ease off the gas early and coast to a stop. Don't come to a sudden stop right in front of the red light, as this will wear out your brake pads and tires quickly. These are all issues related to driving habits. A car is most fuel-efficient when maintaining a steady speed of 70-80 km/h, not at 100-120 km/h, as the wind resistance at 100-120 km/h is much greater, making it far less fuel-efficient than 70-80 km/h.

Japanese cars, Korean cars, and some Volkswagen models are very fuel-efficient. Part of the reason is the engine technology from Japan, but the main factor is the vehicle weight and the overall calibration of the car.

Engine calibration involves defining a series of parameters such as performance, fuel consumption, and emissions. For example, during idle, it is usually set to 800 RPM, which is the result of calibration. Some engines may be calibrated to 750 RPM or 900 RPM at idle. There are also engines that automatically provide fuel when starting, which can make unfamiliar drivers feel a sudden surge forward at the start. The engine's power is also the result of calibration. Nowadays, many car manufacturers calibrate the same engine to have a low-power version and a high-power version, with the high-power version being more expensive. This practice is purely unethical.

Vehicle weight has a significant impact on fuel consumption. You can see that the top-selling cars generally have features such as small displacement, low fuel consumption, and light overall weight. These cars are fuel-efficient and easy to drive. If they also have more space and a longer wheelbase, they are usually bestsellers. Typical examples include the Volkswagen Lavida, Nissan Sylphy, Toyota Corolla, Camry, Honda Accord.

The weight of the car is actually related to safety. Next, let's talk about the safety and material issues of the car.

Car safety is essentially built with money; the more you invest in active and passive safety systems, the more it costs. Seat belts, airbags, side curtain airbags, and the energy-absorbing structures of the front and rear bumpers all fall under the category of passive safety systems. Passive safety systems cannot actively prevent accidents, but they can protect you and reduce the extent of injury, or even prevent injury, in the event of an accident. It's important to emphasize that seat belts save lives. In the event of a collision, only the seat belt can ensure your survival. Airbags, on the other hand, reduce the severity of injuries. Therefore, as long as the vehicle is in motion, please make sure to wear your seat belt! Make sure to wear your seat belt!

Of course, the more airbags, the better. Whether it's head airbags, knee airbags, or side airbags, they will all be equipped to provide you with comprehensive protection. As they say, the more equipped, the higher the car price. Many economical and practical cars basically only come with a head airbag, and nothing else, as they focus on cost-effectiveness. Why equip so many if it's just about saving money? If you are very concerned about safety, you can ask more questions when buying a car, as different models come with different airbag configurations.

Another aspect of passive safety is the energy-absorbing structure on the bumper. Talking about this really makes me angry, some unscrupulous car manufacturers, in order to cut costs, not only omit the energy-absorbing structure but also skip the bumper altogether, using a piece of foam instead. Since it's inside the car body, consumers can't see it, and many consumers don't understand this, so they might overlook it. The best design for a bumper is made of full aluminum, with thicknesses ranging from 4 millimeters to 1 millimeter that I've seen. The supporting structure is designed in a wavy shape to absorb energy during a collision. Some car manufacturers have changed the aluminum material to steel, still for cost reasons, as steel is much cheaper than aluminum, so they call it a steel bumper. If they switch to steel, they should make the material thicker, but the problem is, they just use a thin steel sheet. To put it bluntly, it deforms with just a kick. How can it absorb energy in a collision? It's really deceiving consumers.

The front bumper should have foam inside, why? To protect pedestrians, if a person is hit, the foam can act as a cushion to reduce injury. The rear bumper doesn't need foam; instead, it should have a thicker anti-collision beam to absorb energy in case of a rear-end collision. Everyone knows that some fuel-efficient cars put a lot of effort into the anti-collision beam and bumper, using plastic or foam instead of metal whenever possible, and if they do use metal, they prefer thin steel, not aluminum. The reason is to save money on energy-absorbing structures. After all, consumers can't see these parts, and if a collision occurs, the insurance company will pay for the replacement. Many cars on the road, especially those that are fuel-efficient, economical, and practical, get smashed up when they are rear-ended or when they rear-end others.

Many people would say, "I bought a car to drive, not to crash." That's true; no one wants a traffic accident. You can ensure that you won't crash into others, but how can you ensure that others won't crash into you? Some thin-skinned hatchbacks get smashed into a single compartment on the highway by larger vehicles. If there were people in the back seats, they would be gone instantly. Safety is something you only need once, and one time is enough to finish you off. Don't save a little money or fuel by choosing a thin-skinned car. Look at those thin-skinned cars; they use the money they save on the interior and exterior, which are the parts consumers can see directly. Make them look prettier, more refined, and no one can resist them, leading to higher sales, how sweet. In my view, safety is the most important part of a car.

  Not finished, continue updating


In 2019, China Insurance Research Institute revealed that the Passat had a severely deformed A-pillar in the 25% offset collision test. 144 days later, SAIC-Volkswagen chose to have the China Automotive Research Institute C-NCAP retest the collision, and as expected, it would definitely score full marks. Do you say SAIC-Volkswagen can't make good cars? It's all because consumers have spoiled them, relying on good sales to cut costs without limits. The configurations cut down are all white money, how sweet it is to put them in their own pockets.

The A-pillars and B-pillars of cars are made of high-strength steel. The Camry has used 1500MPa steel, the Nissan Teana has used 1200MPa steel, Honda Inspire has used 980MPa steel, and Ford uses 1700MPamartensitic steel. In general, the higher the car price, the better the materials used. The more economical and practical the car, the more average the materials. The same principle applies to the door panels; you'll find that the doors of economical and practical cars are lighter, while more expensive cars have relatively heavier doors. Luxury cars generally use more substantial materials. Many cars priced around ten thousand dollars do not have anti-collision beams inside the doors, and if they do, they are just thin steel plates, let alone sound insulation cotton. Many manufacturers will cut corners on parts that consumers can't see or feel, saving money where they can. Look at the cars they dare to sell in the U.S. market; even domestically produced cars exported to Europe generally have better quality and materials than those sold domestically, due to the strict regulations in Europe and the U.S., especially in terms of design safety. In comparison, the requirements in China are a bit lower. However, in the area of new energy batteries, our standards are stricter than those in North America and Europe. Many vehicles that meet U.S. standards cannot meet domestic standards, indicating that China is leading in the field of new energy vehicles, which is a good thing.

Sales-successful domestic and joint-venture cars have long understood the Chinese consumer's mindset, spending money on visible aspects, such as making the interior more refined, the exterior more attractive, the features more abundant, and the wheelbase longer. As for the invisible parts, they save wherever possible, even omitting some safety-related panels. To meet the national collision test standards, those areas are separately reinforced to pass the tests. Therefore, they generally perform well in collision tests, but in real-world scenarios, the results are often disastrous. Don't assume that getting a 5-star rating in the China Insurance Research Institute or China Automotive Research Institute collision tests means the car is safe and problem-free. In my view, that's just the minimum standard, like passing an exam with 60 points, which is just barely passing. Excellent students aim for 90 points. The standards of car companies should exceed national standards by at least two times to be considered acceptable. Some car companies today, in pursuit of profit, really cut corners without any 底线 (底线 means '底线' in Chinese, which translates to '底线' in English, but is better translated as 'limits' or 'boundaries' in this context).

Let's talk about the active safety systems in cars. Active safety systems can prevent accidents from happening. I believe the most useful active safety system in cars is ESP, also known as the Electronic Stability Program. If you are driving at high speed and suddenly encounter an obstacle, your instinctive reaction is to steer to avoid it. Since you are driving at high speed, oversteering can easily cause a rollover. At this moment, ESP will intervene, promptly correcting the steering to stabilize the vehicle and prevent a rollover. The electronic response is much faster than a human's, keeping the vehicle stable and avoiding a rollover. Another active safety system is automatic braking, which uses a camera to detect obstacles ahead and automatically applies the brakes. Automatic braking is generally only equipped in more expensive cars. Among active safety systems, these two are the most commonly used. Lane departure warning and lane change assist systems are also typically found in more expensive cars, while economy and practical cars rely entirely on the driver.

  Next, let's talk about electric vehicle batteries


In 2018, I began to get involved in the design of new energy battery packs. I still remember that my first project related to battery pack design was the battery pack housing. At that time, the project required designing a high-pressure die-cast aluminum battery pack, and I was very familiar with the structural design of high-pressure die-cast aluminum, as many engine parts are made this way. That's how I officially transitioned into the new energy battery field. In fact, the technical content of battery packs is far lower than that of engines. Battery packs are stationary and do not involve movement, with lower assembly requirements. The structure of battery packs is also simple, including the battery box, cooling water plate, battery modules, high and low voltage harnesses, high voltage copper plates, BMS, high voltage disconnect protection box, exhaust valve, top cover, and top cover seal. That's basically it, with not many parts involved.


The battery packs of new domestic forces are generally directly outsourced, usually to battery manufacturers. Whichever brand's battery is used, the battery pack is outsourced to that brand. The reason is simple: batteries are mostly pre-designed, and if changes are needed, the cost would be significant. Therefore, they are directly outsourced to battery manufacturers. CATL is often chosen for outsourcing, so the battery packs designed by CATL for any original equipment manufacturer (OEM) look similar. CATL also has secondary suppliers, and the same design can save a lot of costs. The battery packs designed by CATL are standard, with no special technical content except for the Qilin Battery.


Joint ventures generally design their own battery packs, directly purchasing batteries from battery manufacturers. Designing their own battery packs has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that they can fully control the quality themselves, without having to hand over the parameters of the entire vehicle chassis to the battery manufacturer. Issues related to collision safety for the whole vehicle with the battery pack are also easier to resolve, meaning they can keep more technical parameters in their own hands. The disadvantage is that the development cycle is long and the cost is high. Joint venture automakers have well-established development processes, which are derived from traditional internal combustion engine vehicles, and these processes continue to be used in the development of electric vehicles. Although these processes are very rigorous, the development cycle is really long. In contrast, domestic new forces entrust most of the part designs to suppliers, pushing them to speed up the development process, and also entrust quality control to the suppliers, who are responsible for any issues. The new forces only need to set requirements and provide the parameters of the entire vehicle, which allows them to launch new models very quickly. This results in joint venture automakers' new models not even being out when the new forces have already moved on to the next generation. By the time the joint venture models hit the market, the new forces have already upgraded. This forces joint venture automakers to speed up, but accelerating is not that easy, as they all use traditional development processes, which are hard to change. Now, joint venture automakers are struggling to keep up in terms of speed.

  Not finished, continue updating

What kind of battery should be chosen for electric vehicles, many consumers have such concerns, wondering what kind of battery they should choose. Currently, there are two types of batteries on the market: ternary lithium (known in the industry as NCM) batteries and lithium iron phosphate batteries (known in the industry as LFP). Ternary lithium batteries use nickel, cobalt, and manganese as materials for the positive electrode. The commonly mentioned ternary lithium 811, 523, or 622 actually refers to the ratio of nickel, cobalt, and manganese. The higher the proportion of nickel, the higher the energy density. Cobalt stabilizes the layered structure of the material, improving the cycle life of the material, and cobalt is the most expensive. Manganese has the most stable electrochemical properties, which can enhance the stability and safety of the material. Lithium iron phosphate batteries use lithium iron phosphate as the positive electrode material and carbon as the negative electrode material. Lithium iron phosphate is much cheaper than nickel, cobalt, and manganese. Therefore, electric vehicles equipped with ternary lithium batteries are more expensive than those with lithium iron phosphate batteries.

The advantage of ternary lithium is its high energy density, but its safety is lower than that of lithium iron phosphate. If a needle is directly inserted into the cell, ternary lithium will almost certainly catch fire, while lithium iron phosphate will at most emit some smoke. The charge-discharge cycles of ternary lithium batteries are generally around 1500 times, and by around 1500 cycles, the battery capacity will degrade to about 80%, at which point the battery is no longer suitable for use as a power battery. Lithium iron phosphate batteries, on the other hand, will degrade to 80% after about 3000 charge-discharge cycles. However, there's no need to worry too much about this, because both ternary lithium and lithium iron phosphate can easily handle at least 240,000 kilometers.

The low-temperature performance of ternary lithium is better, while that of lithium iron phosphate is relatively poor. This is determined by the chemical properties of the battery. If the temperature drops further, electric vehicles with lithium iron phosphate batteries may not even start. Therefore, friends in the north are suitable to buy ternary lithium electric vehicles, while friends in the south can buy either.

The battery is very finicky; it doesn't work well when the temperature is too high, as it can easily lead to thermal runaway. It also doesn't work well when the temperature is too low, as it drains quickly and may even prevent the car from starting. It cannot be compressed, nor can it be bumped or knocked. Therefore, the battery needs excellent protective measures and a good thermal management system.

This is my forte, my job is to do this. If there's anything you don't understand, leave me a message, and I will provide an answer.

Now the commonly used technology in the market is to place battery modules inside battery packs. Battery modules are composed of cells, which are first assembled into modules, and then the modules are placed into the battery pack. Cells come in three shapes: pouch, prismatic, and cylindrical. Pouch cells can only be NCM, while prismatic and cylindrical cells can be either NCM or LFP. Most cells in China are prismatic, Tesla uses cylindrical cells, and BYD uses blade cells. The so-called blade cells are also prismatic, just elongated to look like blades. BYD now uses LFP in all of its vehicles.

When cells are assembled into a module, aerogel is laid between each pair of cells. The function of aerogel is to provide thermal insulation, capable of easily blocking temperatures up to 1200°C. Some designs also add an insulating cotton layer on top of the aerogel. Aerogel was initially used in aerospace rockets and later applied to batteries. At the recent Li Auto L7 launch event, the thermal insulation design of the cells in the Li Auto battery pack was introduced, which actually uses aerogel. There's nothing to hype about it, as the industry generally uses this method. If one cell experiences thermal runaway, the aerogel prevents the heat from spreading to the adjacent good cells. The cells are connected by high-voltage copper bars, both in parallel and in series. For example, 3P4S means that every four cells are connected in series, and then three sets are connected in parallel, totaling 12 cells. Inside the battery module, there are also battery sampling harnesses and end plates, side plates, plus a battery top cover. The battery sampling harnesses are connected to the BMS, which monitors each cell, end plate, and side plate. These are usually made of aluminum. This is how a battery module is formed.

The battery modules are fixed on the battery case, which supports the weight of all the battery modules.

The main function of the battery box is to carry and protect the battery modules. The battery box can be made of high-pressure cast aluminum, extruded aluminum, stamped steel, or composite materials, such as steel-aluminum or steel-aluminum-plastic composites. There is no absolute good or bad in the manufacturing processes, each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

High-pressure die-cast aluminum is not suitable for the battery packs of pure electric vehicles, mainly because the battery packs of pure electric vehicles are too large. The length of the battery pack case is generally around 2 meters, and the width is around 1.4 meters. Such a large size cannot be achieved with high-pressure die-cast aluminum, as there are no molds that big. High-pressure die-cast aluminum is typically used for the battery packs of mild hybrids or plug-in hybrids, in short, the battery pack must not be too large. The advantage of high-pressure die-cast aluminum is that it can be formed in one operation without additional processes, but the disadvantage is that it cannot be made too large. The installation surface of the top cover is a sealing surface that requires machining, and the machining area is particularly long. If there are air holes during casting, and these air holes are machined out during the machining process, the entire part will be scrapped. Therefore, the mold design by the supplier is crucial. The battery pack cases for Ford's Escape L Hybrid and Mondeo Hybrid are both made using high-pressure die-casting.

The most commonly used design domestically is extruded aluminum. CATL designs battery packs for all OEMs, which are basically all made of extruded aluminum, Volkswagen ID series, BMW i series, and BYD also use extruded aluminum. The reason is that extruded aluminum technology is the most mature, has the strongest structure, and is also lightweight. The cross-section of extruded aluminum beams is generally a "日" or "田" structure, and the aluminum beams are connected through welding, typically using MIG welding. MIG welding technology is very mature and generally ensures no leakage.

There is also a battery pack housing made of pure steel. The process used for pure steel structures is stamping, generally using 1-2mm steel plates, which are stamped into shape. The installation surface of the battery pack on the vehicle chassis needs at least 2-3 layers of steel welded together for the load-bearing areas, as a single layer of steel is not sufficient. The biggest advantage of stamped steel is its low cost; steel is much cheaper than aluminum. However, the disadvantages of steel are also evident, mainly its weight and the significant springback if the stamped part is too large. This requires structural design to ensure low springback, typically by designing various types of stamping ribs.

Finally, there are mixed materials, such as steel 混合, steel-aluminum-plastic 混合, which are rarely used in the country. Regardless of the material, the battery case must be strong enough to ensure that when collisions occur, the vehicle body absorbs part of the energy, and the remaining energy is entirely dependent on the battery case. The structure of the battery case must be robust to protect the battery from compression and impact. Additionally, the seal must be well done to prevent water and air leakage.

  Next, let's talk about the cooling section.

The cooling of electric vehicles is much more complex than that of engines. Engine cooling has two methods: one is oil cooling, where oil not only lubricates but also cools; the other is water cooling, where the engine block has water jackets and the cylinder head has water passages to facilitate water cooling. The thermostat controls the large and small circulation loops. Small circulation refers to the water flow within the engine itself, where the coolant does not pass through the radiator fan. When the engine temperature rises to a certain level, the thermostat opens, and the coolant flows through the radiator fan, with both large and small circulation loops working simultaneously. The transmission is cooled using oil cooling because it contains gears, making it impossible to design water passages. Instead, oil flows through a cooler, which is connected to a coolant to reduce the temperature, thus cooling the oil as well. However, cooling water passages can be designed in the transmission housing, and coolant can be circulated through them to partially cool the transmission. The principle of engine oil cooling is the same. Generally, small-displacement engines do not have oil cooling, only those above 2.0T do. If the oil temperature exceeds 150°C, oil cooling must be designed.

The battery pack of an electric vehicle needs cooling, the motor needs cooling, inverter needs cooling, DC-DC, and the charger all need cooling. Therefore, the cooling system of an electric vehicle is a bit more complex than that of a fuel vehicle. Generally, the battery cooling is integrated with the air conditioning and heat pump. Here, I will only discuss the cooling of the battery pack.

Battery pack cooling methods include air cooling, water cooling, and refrigerant cooling. Early hybrid battery packs used air cooling, as those battery packs were small in size and capacity, and air cooling was sufficient. Nowadays, battery packs have much larger capacities, and air cooling cannot meet the requirements. The most common method now is water cooling. The BMW i3 uses refrigerant cooling, but here we will focus on water cooling.

The housing is made of high-pressure cast aluminum, with only one cast aluminum cooling water plate. The water channels are designed on the housing, and the water plate is installed on the housing. This involves the sealing of the cooling water plate, which is left to the supplier. The supplier will design a sealing ring, which is actually quite challenging because if the housing is too large, the sealing area will also be large, making it very easy to leak.

The design of the cooling water plate for extruded aluminum beams is completely different from that of high-pressure cast aluminum. The cooling water plate for extruded aluminum beams is divided into two parts: the upper plate and the lower plate. The upper plate is a flat plate, on which the battery is placed, and the lower plate is designed with water channels. The upper and lower plates are welded together. This is the design of the cooling water plate for a general battery pack.

Tesla uses cylindrical cells, and the cooling water plate is designed to be vertically wrapped around the cylindrical cells.

CATL's Qilin battery cooling water plate is designed to be sandwiched between the cells, which is a relatively innovative design. The large cooling area helps with heat dissipation from the cells.

Some battery packs are designed with a large cooling water plate for all battery modules, while others have a cooling water plate for every four battery modules. The future trend should be to design a large cooling water plate, as this approach is cost-effective.

The cooling water plate needs to undergo CAE analysis after the design is completed, including a series of analyses such as pressure, flow rate, and temperature.

The cooling water pipes, as part of the cooling system, are also very important. They carry the coolant to the cooling water plate, ensuring the cooling circulation of the battery module.

If the battery pack is designed as a large single cooling water plate, then the cooling water pipes inside the pack don't need to be so long. However, if every two or every four batteries share a cooling water plate, the cooling water pipes inside the pack still need to be well designed. Generally, the water inlet is designed in parallel, with cold water entering all the cooling water plates simultaneously, and then coming out as hot water, which is then combined into a single cooling water pipe.

The connection between the cooling water pipe and the cooling water plate is a quick-connect type. If there are sharp parts near the cooling water pipe, a wear-resistant sleeve should be installed over the cooling water pipe to prevent it from being worn through.

In fact, the design of the battery pack cooling system is mostly left to the supplier. The OEM mainly provides parameters, and the supplier is responsible for the specific design, as well as the experiments and validation simulation analysis. Having a strong supplier makes things easier for the OEM.

  Wang Dafu

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It has been a year, and this answer has been receiving likes from netizens all along, thank you very much for everyone's recognition. This answer was written casually by me a year ago, all typed out on my phone, one character at a time, over more than half a month, and I didn't expect it to become so popular.

Many netizens have been asking me what car I drive, but this is actually not important at all. Everyone's usage environment and needs are different, which means different car models are suitable for different people. When buying a car, the main consideration should be your actual needs and budget. As long as it meets your usage requirements and is within your budget, it is a good car.

Throughout 2023, the changes in China's automotive market have been significant, with the penetration rate of new energy vehicles (NEVs) increasing and surpassing one-third, squeezing the market for gasoline vehicles, which have also seen substantial price reductions. Will this situation continue into 2024? It is certain that the penetration rate of NEVs will increase further in 2024, with industry estimates suggesting it could reach 40%. This would leave gasoline vehicles with only 60% of the market share. Will they continue to reduce their prices? That's uncertain.

The reason is that 2023 was an unexpected situation for the fuel car market; no one anticipated that the penetration rate of new energy vehicles would be so high, while the production of fuel cars was estimated before the year. This has led to a large amount of inventory for fuel cars. The best way to solve the inventory issue is to reduce prices or decrease production, but both methods result in losses for the manufacturers. Reducing production incurs even greater losses than lowering prices. At the beginning of the year, the manufacturers informed suppliers about the approximate number of parts needed for the year, essentially setting the production volume in advance. If there is a sudden reduction, compensation will definitely be required. Additionally, the car production lines cannot be halted; stopping for one day would result in a minimum loss of 2 million. Therefore, reducing prices is the best solution.

In 2024, major automakers are not particularly optimistic about the sales of gasoline vehicles. At the beginning of the year, they will definitely reduce production budgets, which means that inventory may not be very high, and there won't be a need for significant price cuts. Therefore, some models have increased in price by 5000-10000 yuan. They are also testing the waters with these price hikes to see how sales perform; they can't increase prices too much, as excessive increases would deter consumers. To deal with such behavior, it depends on whether netizens are willing to tolerate it. If you're not in a hurry to buy, you can wait, but there will always be people who buy. So, often, automakers take advantage of this mentality: if you don't buy, someone else will.

New energy vehicles? It's really hard to see clearly, as they are developing too fast. With internet companies like Huawei and Xiaomi entering the market, it has become even more confusing. BYD has already secured its position as the leading brand in new energy vehicles. When buying a new energy vehicle, choosing BYD may not be the best choice, but it's likely not to be a wrong one.

New car manufacturers 蔚小理 have also been making cars for seven or eight years, and have released five or six models, so they have a certain amount of car-making experience and can be considered for purchase. Of course, the new energy vehicles from traditional automakers can also be considered, as their entire car-making process and system are still very well-established. Huawei's leading Huawei Intelligent Selection Vehicles, although also labeled as new car manufacturers, the currently available Wenjie and Zhijie models are made by traditional automakers. I believe that Huawei Intelligent Selection Vehicles do not belong to the new car manufacturers, as Serius and Chery are legitimate companies with car-making experience.

In short, for the new entrants in the car manufacturing industry, it's best to wait and not rush. Our colleague, when buying a car from our own company, usually wouldn't buy in the first year after it hits the market. The reason is that with a newly launched model, you never know what issues might arise. Let others buy first and iron out the problems; don't be the first batch of guinea pigs. You all know which brand I'm talking about, right? The most challenging part for a car is before it goes into production, because there are too many minor issues that need to be resolved, otherwise it can't be launched. Some brands don't resolve these issues before launch, waiting instead to fix them after the car is on the market, which is a sign of irresponsibility. I know that some domestic brands do exactly this.

For example, when a car is released and customers place orders, but the delivery is consistently delayed, often exceeding the promised delivery time by the manufacturer. The manufacturer will tell you it's due to production capacity issues, but this is just a surface excuse. Most likely, it's because of quality problems, or the supplier is unable to deliver high-quality parts on time, or there are quality issues with the supplier, causing delays. Ultimately, these are all problems of the manufacturer. The production line is set up during the R&D phase and is continuously being adjusted. The manufacturer would make a lifecycle estimation for the car during the initial R&D phase, such as how many years it will be sold and how many units will be sold each year, and use these estimates to set up the production line. Otherwise, why would they set it up blindly?

The new car manufacturers really use adjectives and packaging in their launch events. Since the launch event is not an advertisement, adjectives can be used freely, such as "first," "best," and so on. By now, the technology for new energy vehicles has been standardized, and the supply chain is also very mature, making it hard to claim any breakthrough technology. New entrants in the car manufacturing industry are basically following the paths others have already taken. The overall technology is the same, and everyone does it this way. As a newcomer, what gives you the right to claim you are the best, the world's first? Even BYD, the most experienced company in new energy vehicles, has never made such bold claims. Behind all this is just packaging; they take existing technology, make some modifications, and claim it as their own R&D, using numerical comparisons to become the world's best. Don't believe any of this. Just remember, when buying a new energy vehicle, choose BYD first. Go with the company that has the most experience in car manufacturing, and don't be a guinea pig.

Many netizens may be confused about whether to choose a new energy vehicle or a gasoline car when buying a car. It still depends on your actual usage needs and car purchase budget.

  To be continued...

Choosing between a gasoline car and an electric car depends on the actual usage. My suggestion is that if you drive less than 20,000 kilometers per year, don't consider an electric car. If you drive less than 20,000 kilometers per year but still want to try the 智能化 of electric cars, then consider a plug-in hybrid from a domestic brand, which can use both gasoline and electricity. If you drive less than 10,000 kilometers per year, just go for a gasoline car and don't think about an electric car; the rich can do as they please, but I am speaking from an economic and practical standpoint. A prerequisite for buying an electric car is being able to install a private charging station.

Why running over 20,000 kilometers is suitable for electric vehicles: For vehicles of the same class, electric vehicles are more expensive than gasoline vehicles, mainly due to the high cost of batteries, which can account for nearly 30% of the total vehicle cost, not including the electric drive and control systems. In contrast, the engine and transmission of traditional gasoline vehicles together account for 15%-20% of the total vehicle cost. Some people might think that with the significant reduction in the price of lithium carbonate, a key raw material for batteries, the cost of batteries will definitely decrease, to about 300 yuan per kWh, compared to the previous 800-1000 yuan per kWh for ternary lithium batteries.

Lithium carbonate is just one part of the raw materials for batteries; there are many other raw materials as well. Battery factories also need to purchase a lot of raw materials and support their workforce, and talent in the battery industry is not cheap. If battery factories simply sell cells, they won't make much money. Most battery factories sell battery packs directly, which means they develop battery packs for the main manufacturers. Battery packs contain many components and also have design costs. Therefore, even if the price of lithium carbonate, a raw material for batteries, falls significantly, the price of battery packs won't drop much. As for 300 yuan per kWh, that's impossible. Just wait and see.

Because of the high cost of batteries, the cost of electric vehicles (EVs) in the same class is higher than that of gasoline vehicles. The extra cost can be considered as the money saved on fuel in the long run, meaning the more you drive, the more you save. If you don't drive much later on, how can you save money? Therefore, if you buy an electric vehicle and rarely use it, it's really better to buy a gasoline vehicle.

The advantage of electric vehicles is that the later usage cost is low, with the electricity cost for running one kilometer being just a few cents. However, the insurance premium for electric vehicles is usually higher, but not by much, only about 20%-30% more than gasoline vehicles, because if electric vehicles involve battery replacement or catch fire, the cost can be quite significant.

The maintenance cycle for trams is quite long, mainly just changing the tires and brake pads. The lubricating oil for the electric drive does not need to be changed.

The driving feel, the quick start of the battery, this is due to the characteristics of the electric motor, which can instantly deliver a large torque. However, a quick start also leads to faster tire wear, so the tires used on electric vehicles are usually better than those on gasoline cars. Another reason is that electric vehicles are much heavier due to the weight of the battery, with a battery pack typically weighing around 400kg, while the motor weighs only a few dozen kilograms, and the engine and transmission weigh about 200kg. Therefore, for vehicles of the same class, electric vehicles are much heavier, leading to the need for better tires and faster brake pad wear. Another reason for using good tires on electric vehicles is the lack of engine noise, which means that at high speeds, only tire noise and wind noise are heard. Since there is no engine noise, tire noise is particularly noticeable, so most electric vehicles use tires with low noise.

The chassis tuning and driving experience of electric vehicles (EVs) are better than those of gasoline vehicles. This is because the batteries of current EVs are placed on the chassis. If it's a single motor, the motor can be placed either at the front or the rear, and I personally think it doesn't matter where it's placed, unlike gasoline vehicles where front-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive have significant differences. With the battery on the chassis, if the motor is placed at the rear, the electronic control components can be placed at the front, making it easy to achieve a balanced front-to-rear weight distribution, which is beneficial for chassis control tuning.

The engine and transmission of traditional gasoline vehicles are usually placed at the front, where the front weight is higher than the rear. The front wheels bear a lot of weight and are also responsible for steering, which makes the front layout very compact and the overall handling not as good as rear-wheel drive. Generally, better cars use rear-wheel drive because it is more expensive. Rear-wheel drive requires a long driveshaft and a rear axle, while front-wheel drive does not need a driveshaft; the transmission can be directly connected to the half shafts. Therefore, rear-wheel drive cars are usually more expensive, but the driving experience is better.

Many people who buy electric vehicles may have the greatest concern about the range. The range provided by the official is usually not achievable by ordinary consumers, and it's very normal to get only 80% of the stated range. In winter, in northern regions, it might be only 50%. The range issue is indeed a significant problem, and our R&D engineers are continuously working to improve it through technological breakthroughs. However, there are still no good solutions at present.

Batteries are afraid of low temperatures; in a cold environment, the battery capacity is low, and with low battery capacity, the motor's output power and torque are also low, which leads to electric vehicles not performing as they should. Although we have improved the situation through battery thermal management design, insulation and heating design, and the addition of heat pump air conditioning, the effect is still not as good as in summer. The fundamental reason is due to the properties of the battery. The properties of the battery are what they are, and the thermal management designs we have implemented are only improvements. If we want to completely solve the problem of low battery performance in cold temperatures, it might require solid-state batteries. However, solid-state batteries will not be mass-produced anytime soon and will require more time.

As for the battery life, I don't think there's much to worry about. Many electric vehicle manufacturers offer an 8-year or 160,000-kilometer warranty, which is actually quite conservative. This is because the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) want to reduce their after-sales costs, and a shorter warranty period is more beneficial for them. The 8-year or 160,000-kilometer warranty that OEMs promise is generally honored. In fact, under normal use, driving for 10 years or 240,000 kilometers should be no problem. If you drive 20,000 kilometers per year, 10 years would be 200,000 kilometers, and very few household cars can reach that mileage. However, you might say that if you drive for 8 years or 160,000 kilometers and then want to sell the car, it might be hard to find a buyer. That's not entirely true, as the price will definitely be significantly discounted, but it's unlikely that no one will buy it, because the batteries from electric vehicles can be reused for energy storage. If you want to replace the battery at that time, the cost might be high, but the reuse of batteries is absolutely feasible.

There is also a very important issue, which is safety. Indeed, safety is no trivial matter. Nowadays, there are frequent reports online about electric vehicles catching fire and exploding. Watching related videos might make you feel scared, fearing that the electric vehicle you buy might also catch fire or explode. What I want to say is that the probability of a fire or explosion is very low, with perhaps only one out of tens of thousands of vehicles experiencing such an event. During the vehicle's development, the battery undergoes over 100 tests, all aimed at ensuring that the vehicle can function normally under various conditions and usage environments. These tests include battery pack compression tests, battery pack fire tests, and battery pack water immersion tests, all conducted under harsh conditions. The most critical of these is the thermal runaway test. What does this mean? It involves creating a short circuit within the battery pack to simulate thermal runaway. According to national regulations, the battery must not catch fire within 5 minutes; that is, it can emit smoke within 5 minutes but must not produce visible flames, providing passengers with sufficient time to escape.

Currently, all electric vehicles on the market must pass this thermal runaway test, which is mandatory to ensure consumer safety. So in terms of safety, there's no need to worry; just drive normally, even if you drive aggressively, it shouldn't be a problem. However, don't go over large rocks for no reason, as the battery is placed at the bottom of the car and can easily be damaged. If it gets severely squeezed, it might really start smoking. My suggestion is to buy electric vehicles from major manufacturers, as they have more experience and their products are relatively more reliable. Do not buy electric vehicles that are converted from gasoline vehicles; these conversions are essentially just to grab a share of the market. The original design of these vehicles was for gasoline, and now they are forcibly converted to electric, which is not a good move and does not truly respect consumers, so I do not recommend purchasing such converted electric vehicles.

I think the current electric vehicles are a transition, and I am speaking from the perspective of the battery. This is because whether it's the ternary lithium battery or the lithium iron phosphate battery currently in use, the electrolyte is liquid. The energy density and safety of liquid electrolytes are inferior to those of solid-state electrolytes, which are commonly referred to as solid-state batteries. In the future, batteries will definitely be solid-state batteries, and at that time, a range of over 1,000 kilometers will be easily achievable. However, when will solid-state batteries arrive? No one can say for sure; it could be in three years, five years, or even ten years. But if you want to buy an electric vehicle and also want a solid-state battery, should you keep waiting? There's no need to, because no one knows how long you'll have to wait. If you need to buy, just buy and enjoy it early. Enjoy the present; there's no need to worry about uncertain things in the future. It's like how everyone will eventually die; no one can escape it. Does that mean you shouldn't eat now because you will die eventually? It's all baseless worry, and there's no need for it. Just enjoy the present.

The future will definitely belong to electric vehicles, but the current market is so competitive that the survival space for gasoline cars is getting smaller and smaller under the pressure from electric vehicles. This leads to gasoline cars having to reduce their prices to sell, and sometimes even price reductions don't help. So if you have really had your eye on a particular gasoline car for a long time, it might be a good time to buy it while it's on sale. However, if you care more about cost-effectiveness and the usage costs in the long run, you should carefully calculate before buying to determine whether a gasoline car or an electric vehicle is more economical.