Reds roars into new energy market with promises of better services

China Hi-Tech Group Corporation is striding into the new energy passenger vehicle business, aiming to provide better service efficiency for customers and secure a chunk of the lucrative market.

A large conglomerate, China Hi-Tech Group operates a raft of businesses, including the manufacture of textile machinery, commercial vehicles, financial investment and asset management, according to the company's official website.

With its achievements and experience gained in the commercial vehicle industry, the enterprise is well prepared to enter the new energy vehicle market, according to Wang Jiangan, president of Reds Co, an automaker subordinate to China Hi-Tech Group.

The president made the remarks at the launch event of the automaker's first new energy passenger model - Redspace, on Oct 22 in Beijing.

"Redspace is a traffic solution for megacities and will make city travel a pleasure," Wang said.

Chris Bangle, a renowned car designer who has worked for automotive giants BMW and Rolls-Royce, and the designer of the Redspace, explained the reasons why the model is such a great traffic solution at the event.

The model is designed as a space rather than a vehicle, so as to maximize the car's service efficiency, Bangle said.

"With a length of less than 3 meters, which is just a little longer than that of Mercedes-Benz's smart fortwo, Redspace can accommodate four adult passengers when driving and even five adults while stopped," he added.

Equipped with a rotatable driver seat, folding steering wheel and adjustable rear seat, Redspace can be transformed into a mobile living room, meeting room, baby care room, karaoke and movie theater when necessary, according to Bangle.

"The biggest secret of Redspace is geometry. And you may find that it's like a transformer." The friendly little car will offer customers a comfortable space where they feel like at home, said the designer.

The model is equipped with a level-3 driver assistance system which means that the car can drive itself in certain conditions such as on a freeway. Redspace also comes with induction charging. A maximum speed of more than 125 kilometers per hour can be achieved by the Redspace, which also has a range of between 350 km and 500 km on a single charge, according to the carmaker.

"We are scheduled to establish a plant to produce Redspace and the following models of Reds family. And the Redspace is expected to go into mass production by 2020," Wang said to China Daily at the launch event.

Reds follow-up models, the Redsky and the SUV Redstrong, were also showcased at the launch event to demonstrate the automaker's ambition to expand its product portfolio.