Deepal Chairman: Car refrigerator usage at 5%, rear entertainment used sparingly

Deepal Chairman Deng Chenghao has raised concerns about the limited actual utilization of certain in-car comfort features.

Speaking at the 2026 World New Energy Vehicle Conference, Deng noted that while the penetration of electric vehicles is increasing, many user pain points within the electrification sector remain unresolved.

Deng stated that accumulating hardware does not equate to a genuine user experience. He cited data indicating that the actual usage rate for in-car refrigerators stands at just 5%. Similarly, rear-seat entertainment screens and in-car karaoke systems are used by customers no more than ten times per year.

This trend suggests that product success is shifting away from simple hardware stacking towards a reliance on systematic capabilities.

Earlier statements from Deng indicated that the automotive industry competition has entered an elimination phase, where selling 3 million vehicles annually is merely a baseline for survival.