--- title: "Is 'eating hot pot in the car' a good business idea?" description: "What gaps still need to be filled in the MPV market? In the past, the MPV market has shown a parallel pattern of two forms. The representative of the multi-functional family car route is the European-" type: "topic" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/topics/25631437.md" published_at: "2024-11-20T06:24:32.000Z" author: "[汽车之心](https://longbridge.com/en/profiles/3726156)" --- # Is 'eating hot pot in the car' a good business idea? What gaps remain in the MPV market? Historically, the MPV market has been divided into two parallel segments: European-style MPVs like the Volkswagen T1, which emphasize multifunctionality for family use, and American-style MPVs like the Buick GL8, which prioritize passenger capacity. The former focused on personalized space and practicality, with over 1.8 million units produced before discontinuation. The latter filled a critical gap in China's corporate and business transportation market, peaking at 15.7% of China's MPV market share in 2021 before declining by 12.60% last year. This aligns with the growth trajectory of MPVs in China: a budding phase pre-2010, a functionality-driven phase from 2011 to 2016, and an experience-driven phase from 2017 onward. By 2023, private buyers accounted for nearly 60% of MPV purchases, reflecting a shift from pure necessity to lifestyle upgrades. One dad even traded his 7-year-old Honda Odyssey for a ZEEKR MIX, drawn by its "amusement park-like" cabin. While the Odyssey was limited to school runs, the ZEEKR MIX unlocks endless parenting possibilities. From drivability to utility to entertainment, China's MPV market is undergoing a seismic transformation. To enable these innovations, ZEEKR's product team brainstormed relentlessly—configuring seats for chess, card games, or even hotpot dinners, creating a virtually boundary-free mobile space. But beyond the novelty of car-top hotpot, ZEEKR faces tougher questions: How practical is it really for families to dine inside a vehicle? Traditional MPVs waver between business and family use, but the ZEEKR MIX reimagines the category—blending MPV space, sedan comfort, and SUV capability. ***01、*****ZEEKR MIX's Triple Challenge** Whether disrupting traditional MPVs or carving a niche in this blue ocean, ZEEKR MIX's success hinges on solving three engineering paradoxes. **First: Achieving a 3m+ wheelbase and compact turning radius within a sub-4.7m body.** The ZEEKR MIX's radical "four-corners" design achieves a 0.64 axle-to-length ratio. At 4688mm long with a 3008mm wheelbase, it matches the wheelbase of 5m+ vehicles like the Toyota Alphard (5005mm/3000mm). While elongating the body eases R&D, the 4.6m length delivers agility rare in large vehicles. This reflects ZEEKR's calculated trade-offs—prioritizing both spaciousness and maneuverability. With a 4.95m turning radius (0.25-0.6m tighter than Audi Q5 e-tron or VW ID.BUZZ), the MIX redefines frame architecture—shortening the front overhang by 80mm while meeting global crash standards. The pillarless design and coach doors are revolutionary but costly—R&D exceeded ¥1 billion for these features alone. While pillarless models like Ford B-MAX exist, ZEEKR's **second challenge** was enabling simultaneous front/rear door operation without B-pillars. Structural integrity was manageable; the real hurdles were door mechanics, dustproofing, and sealing—requiring five design iterations. The solution: embedding dual 2000MPa hot-formed steel beams into doors that function as B-pillars when closed. The passenger-side front door slides forward like an aircraft cabin door. VP Yang Dacheng revealed that unlike Waymo's sequential door system, the MIX allows simultaneous or independent door operation—a ¥400 million investment in durability and noise reduction. The true game-changer is ZEEKR's reengineered **rotating seats**—**the third challenge**, integrating seatbelts, swivel mechanisms, and adjusters into one system. Developing these seats cost 3x more than conventional ones (¥240M+), with 70% spent on safety testing. To accommodate them, ZEEKR pioneered a tilted firewall, rear-mounted coaxial motor, and relocated crossbeams—achieving an industry-leading 93% usable cabin space. Instead of brute-forcing size, the MIX "excavates" space intelligently—even optimizing face-to-face seating distances (1340mm slide range) for family interaction. ***02、*****The Zero-Compromise Space** True innovation solves basic needs elegantly. Some may lament the MIX's five-seat configuration when comparably priced 7-seaters like the Buick GL8 exist—but ZEEKR's research showed families prioritize second-row comfort over extra seats. Hence, the MIX offers a class-leading 962mm legroom (20% more than the Alphard) while omitting ceiling screens for a cleaner roofline. Tablet mounts provide flexible entertainment. **A 6-seat variant is underway, but the 5-seat maximizes the SEA-M architecture's potential—redefining mobility spaces beyond traditional MPV constraints.** Traditional 3+3 seating While Geely's SEA platform excels in safety and handling, SEA-M focuses on spatial reinvention—enabling radical designs like the MIX and future Waymo collaborations. ***03、*****Why "Car Hotpot" Matters** Is the ZEEKR MIX truly innovative? Critics demand sales figures, but like foldable phones, breakthrough categories often precede mass adoption. Targeting affluent households as second cars, 100% of MIX buyers are families seeking unparalleled space and versatility—features no competitor currently offers at any price. In an era of Tesla clones, ZEEKR gambled on originality—packing 1,000+ patents (vs. industry norms of dozens) into the MIX. As Steve Jobs noted, customers can't articulate needs for nonexistent products. While range extenders and ADAS address practical pains, the MIX explores emotional needs—proving that in a homogenized market, bold ideas still find their tribe. $Geely Auto(GELYY.US) $Intelligent Vehicle(399432.SZ) ### Related Stocks - [GM.US - General Motors](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/GM.US.md) - [GELYY.US - Geely Auto](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/GELYY.US.md) - [00175.HK - GEELY AUTO](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/00175.HK.md) - [80175.HK - GEELY AUTO-R](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/80175.HK.md) - [399432.CN - Intelligent Vehicle](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/399432.CN.md) --- > **Disclaimer**: This article is for reference only and does not constitute any investment advice.