Wang Junjun's Debut: E-Pai Also Plays the Huawei Card

On June 26th, Dongfeng Motor Corporation officially launched Dongfeng Yipai Technology Company through the deep integration of the resources of its three major brands: Yipai, Nami, and Fengshen.

On August 1st, Epropulsion Technology held its first strategic press conference since its establishment. At the conference, Epropulsion Technology's General Manager, Wang Junjun, made his debut appearance and unveiled the "Wings of the Future" strategic plan. Additionally, at the event, six models including the 2026 models eπ007, 008, Flash 01, Dongfeng Fengshen L8, Nano 01, and 06 were showcased. It was also announced that they will collaborate with Huawei to launch a new intelligent boutique model.

During a post-meeting interview with media outlets such as Cheyun, Wang Junjun and the entire leadership team of Yipai revealed many behind-the-scenes stories and details about the establishment of the new company. Wang Junjun stated that he was completely unprepared mentally for taking over the new company. The night before, he was still attending a meeting at Lantu, and the next morning, after a discussion with the group, he immediately assumed his new position, making a seamless transition.

In the past month or so, the new company has moved from being listed to operating normally. As for what to do next, Wang Junjun said that the entire new leadership team has had many discussions recently and has ultimately decided to make user reputation the top priority project for Yipai Technology.

Wang Junjun also provided some figures: for user issues, we aim to respond within 10 minutes, provide a solution within 1 hour, and achieve satisfactory closure within 1 day. "We are a brand that listens to advice. This listening not only involves proactively embracing user criticism but also taking immediate action after listening, quickly implementing, and integrating user feedback into our decision-making loop."

At the press conference, Wang Junjun mentioned that a user gave him a copy of "On Protracted War," which he reads every day. "Yipai Technology also has its own protracted war: always standing with the users, never giving up!"

01

Technology, Brand, Product, Overseas Four Major Strategies

At this press conference, Yipai Technology proposed the "Wings of the Future" strategy, focusing on four aspects: technology, brand, products, and overseas markets. In terms of technology, leveraging Dongfeng Group's more than fifty years of automotive manufacturing expertise, Yipai Technology has already accumulated industry-leading technological reserves including Tianyuan Intelligent Driving, Tianyuan Intelligent Cockpit, Quantum Architecture, and Mach Power.

Specifically, the world's first automaker with its own 16,000-ton integrated mega casting equipment, with torsional resistance capability of the cast body reaching three times that of a traditional body, will have its first 10,000-ton mega casting product officially launched in 2026.

The self-developed solid-state battery will be launched in 2026, with a performance reaching 350 Wh/kg and maintaining a driving range retention rate of over 70% at -30°C.

The world's first ultra-high-voltage architecture exceeding 1,000 volts will release its first 1,000-volt platform vehicle in 2026. The voltage platform will be elevated to 1,200V, featuring a peak 12C fast charging capability that adds 2.5 kilometers of range per second of charging at room temperature. The all-new drive-by-wire chassis offers a braking response time of 100 milliseconds, vibration filtering at 20 Hz, and an ultra-small turning radius of 3.5 meters.

Four levels of the Tianyuan Intelligent Driving solution make assisted driving truly practical; the Tianyuan Intelligent Cockpit 3.0, compatible with industry flagship chips like 8295P/8397, seamlessly integrates the entire ecosystem of "people-vehicle-life."

In addition to its strong technological reserves, Dongfeng Yipai Technology collaborates with leading technology service providers such as CATL, Momenta, Baidu, Tencent, and Amap to enrich new energy travel scenarios, build an intelligent technology ecosystem, and create the Yipai+ ecological matrix.

In terms of products, by 2028, Yipai Technology's product lineup will reach 20 models, with a commitment to evolve each model annually, ensuring they remain fresh and up-to-date.

Yipai Technology will merge the Yipai and Nami brands. After the merger, the Yipai brand will be responsible for "moving upward" into the mid-to-high-end market, and will be divided into the Mainstream Technology Series and the Premium Series. The Mainstream Technology Series will launch models such as Nami 01, 06, eπ007, and 008 for the mainstream market, with at least three more new models to be released in the future.

The Intelligent Premium Series is a joint creation by Dongfeng eπ and Huawei Qiankun, with the internal code name DH. The first model is a high-end intelligent full-size SUV, scheduled for official launch in 2026. By 2028, the number of products under Dongfeng eπ will reach 10 models, covering segments from A0 to C-class! At least two brand new products will be launched every year!

Dongfeng Fengshen focuses on the global energy-efficient vehicle market, taking responsibility for “innovation”, targeting mainstream families, and becoming the main force in Dongfeng’s overseas markets, while launching L4-level Robotaxis. By 2028, the number of models on sale will reach 10, with a focus on the core A and B segments. No fewer than two all-new or updated products will be launched each year.

In the overseas market, Dongfeng Yipai Technology will expand its global presence through four major initiatives: product leadership, channel optimization, localized operations, and marketing transformation. By 2027, Dongfeng Yipai Technology will offer more than 30 overseas models, comprehensively covering multiple powertrains including ICE, HEV, and EV, as well as various vehicle segments from A0 to C class, accommodating both left-hand and right-hand drive markets. This will drive the evolution of overseas products from traditional fuel vehicles to mild hybrids, accelerate new energy adoption, and achieve intelligent upgrades.

By 2027, the number of global outlets for Dongfeng eπ Technology will reach over 2,000, with joint venture or self-built factories covering key markets. By 2026, the share of localized manufacturing in total sales will exceed 20%, with the goal of increasing localized manufacturing to over 50% by 2030. The company will also target 10 strategic markets, leveraging Chinese cultural elements and localized overseas IP to enhance brand awareness and reputation.

02

Cooperation with Huawei is a strategic priority.

In January this year, Dongfeng Yipai signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Huawei on intelligent vehicles, agreeing to carry out comprehensive collaboration on core technologies such as intelligent cockpits, intelligent driving, and intelligent electrification. After entering the second quarter, both parties quickly promoted the DH joint innovation project and established a new company in Chengdu in April.

It is evident that Huawei is a very crucial part of Yipai brand's "upward" strategic positioning and is also one of Yipai's key strategic focuses moving forward.

Wang Junjun stated that the Yipai brand is an important vehicle for the comprehensive cooperation between the two parties. Both sides have brought out the most advanced technology and the best resources, starting with joint product definition, joint development, and further deepening cooperation in subsequent areas such as marketing and ecosystem services.

Both teams have already started working together in a joint office. EP has also learned a lot from Huawei, such as insights into user needs. The goal is to create a series of high-quality, highly intelligent vehicle models.

Wang Junjun also mentioned that the latest generation of QianKun Intelligent Driving ADS 4 and HarmonyOS Cockpit 5, which are a generation ahead in technology, will be applied to the collaboration products of Yipai and Huawei, and will be continuously upgraded and iterated.

The collaboration between Dongfeng Group and Huawei has a long history. As early as 2023, Huawei's Kirin began cooperating with Voyah Automotive. Subsequently, models such as the Voyah Dreamer Kirin Edition and Voyah FREE+ series were launched. Starting in 2024, Huawei teamed up with Mengshi Technology to introduce the Mengshi M817, bringing intelligence to off-road vehicles.

In May of this year, Dongfeng Group and Huawei officially signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement, which also means that there will be more in-depth and comprehensive cooperation in the future.

Undeniably, Huawei's support has a very positive impact on the hot sales of Avatr and Mengshi. Taking Avatr as an example, in the past July, Avatr delivered 12,135 vehicles in a single month, a year-on-year increase of 102%, a month-on-month increase of 21%, and achieved six consecutive months of growth. In the first seven months of this year, Avatr's cumulative sales reached 68,263 vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 88%.

In the high-end new energy MPV sector, the best-selling Voyah Dreamer has secured the championship. Within half a month of its launch, the Voyah FREE+ has entered the top 3 in the 300,000 RMB-level hybrid SUV market.

The all-new Voyah ZhuYin, which was launched at the end of August, will also be equipped with Huawei's latest technology and is expected to become the "strongest pure electric SUV at the 250,000 yuan level with Huawei."

The initial success of the cooperation between both parties also proves that Dongfeng, as a traditional central enterprise transitioning to new energy, can possess strong product competitiveness. As long as a good business model is found, it can stand out from the fierce competition.

Regarding the collaboration between Yipai and Huawei, how can they differentiate themselves from Lantu to avoid internal competition? Wang Junjun stated that Yipai and Lantu have different market positions. Lantu is positioned at a higher level, while Yipai is the main sales force of Dongfeng, currently focusing on the most mass-market segments. However, it does not rule out the possibility of higher-end products in the future. "As long as the products meet user needs, there are always opportunities in even the most competitive markets."

03

Shouldering the heavy responsibility of driving the group's sales volume

According to Dongfeng's official statement, eπ (Yipai) will become a technology company covering the entire value chain, including "business, R&D, manufacturing, procurement, sales, and after-sales." It will possess an independent operating mechanism, comprehensive development capabilities, and the authority to integrate external resources, accelerating the advancement of Dongfeng Motor's independent passenger vehicle business.

The organizational structure of the new company takes reference from Voyah Auto. For example, the original passenger car sales company and brand matrix remain unchanged, while an independent styling and development department for specific models has been added, granting it greater autonomy and authority. Essentially, this creates a new entity within the company, similar to Voyah.

In Wang Junjun's words, the group has fully delegated authority, allowing Hyper to make independent decisions in areas such as products, business, and services. "All that should be delegated is delegated." The goal is to improve efficiency within Hyper's closed loop, making it more market-oriented and flexible in its operations.

Before transferring to eπ Technology, Wang Junjun served as CTO of Voyah Auto. There are also members of the eπ leadership team who come from Voyah or are familiar with Voyah’s operational system. Therefore, whether it is in product cooperation with Huawei, organizational structure, or business philosophy, it is evident that Dongfeng hopes to replicate Voyah’s successful experience in building the brand-new eπ.

Wang Junjun does not deny this point; he admits that Yi Pai can fully learn from the successful experience of Lantu. However, Yi Pai is clearly not a copy of Lantu, but rather a key link within the entire Dongfeng Group, bearing the important task of boosting the group's volume.

For a long time, although Dongfeng's own passenger vehicles have had a certain market share overall, Nano, Yipai, and Fengshen have each had limited presence and scale in the market. Wang Junjun believes that a significant reason for this is that the research and development, production, supply, sales, and service of the three brands are separated from each other, leading to resource duplication, high coordination costs, and mutual depletion.

With the integration of the new company, these issues have been addressed first and foremost, enabling seamless connectivity across all stages. Decision-making and information loops will be completed internally, thereby driving efficiency improvements and cost reductions.

Secondly, the establishment of the new company marks Dongfeng Motor’s renewed commitment in the independent passenger vehicle sector, allowing all efforts to be further concentrated. "Operating each product separately means that investment in each brand will not be substantial, making it difficult to focus resources. Only by focusing can we produce high-quality products and create more bestsellers through saturated promotion."

This year, Dongfeng Motor has set a sales target of 1 million new energy vehicles. As one of the core business segments for new energy under Dongfeng Passenger Vehicle, eπ faces significant challenges. In the first seven months of this year, eπ achieved cumulative sales of 134,592 units, representing a year-on-year increase of 32%. In July alone, sales reached 27,923 units, a year-on-year growth of 70.9%. With the establishment of the new company, comprehensive adjustments, and the launch of multiple new models in the second half of the year, eπ is expected to achieve another breakthrough in sales.