Chinese auto giant Changan Automobile on Monday launched the E07, an electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) that can be transformed into a pickup truck, in an attempt to meet a wider range of customer needs.
Debuting at the fourth Changan Tech Ecosystem Conference, the model features another selling point -- Changan's self-developed advanced intelligent driver assistance system.
"Through tech innovations, we have made breakthroughs in using foundation models to achieve end-to-end intelligent driving, as well as enhancing vehicle perception in complex scenarios. In the future, we will gradually introduce multimodal large language models (LLMs) and vision models to provide better interactive experience between drivers and vehicles," said Wang Jun, president of Chongqing Changan Automobile.
To cater to the personalized and diversified demands of customers, the automaker has built an intelligent plant with digital technologies, allowing consumers to participate in the manufacturing process.
"Once customers determine the specifications for the vehicle they want to buy on their cellphones, they can directly modify the parameters of our Bill of Materials (BOM) on the digital chassis. Then we will send material requirements to and place orders with our suppliers so as to efficiently match the personalized needs of our customers," said Wang.
Changan Automobile debuts transformable electric SUV to meet customers' personalized needs
Duty-free sales in China's Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) reached 161 million yuan (about 22.8 million U.S. dollars) on Thursday, the first day of island-wide special customs operations, according to official statistics released Friday by Haikou Customs.
Nearly 24,800 shoppers purchased about 118,000 items on the day, up 53 percent and 25 percent year on year, respectively, the data showed.
At the Haikou International Duty-Free Shopping Complex, significant discounts drew large numbers of customers.
"We were curious about the changes after the island-wide special customs operations were implemented, so we came to have a look," said a customer.
"Foot traffic is up at least three to four times compared with usual levels, and new products are selling very well," said Xu Xueli, a salesperson at the Haikou CDF Mall.
The Haikou Global Premium Duty Free Plaza was also bustling with customers engaging in interactive games and promotional activities.
"The performances are fantastic, and the discounts are very generous. I came after the island-wide special customs operations began to buy some duty-free items. I've had my eyes on, and I'm really happy," said another customer.
"By integrating cultural experiences and duty-free shopping, we aim to better incorporate Dongpo culture into the consumer experience," said Chen Haidan, sales manager in the operations management department of the Haikou Global Duty-Free Plaza.
Su Dongpo was a prominent poet and cultural figure of China's Song Dynasty (960–1279), celebrated for his literary legacy and culinary skills.
The island-wide special customs operations took effect Thursday in the Hainan Free Trade Port, the world's largest free trade port by area, allowing freer entry of overseas goods, expanded zero-tariff coverage and more business-friendly measures.
Hainan records 161 mln yuan in duty-free sales on first day of special customs operations
