The Low-Nicotine Era Is Coming, and Atomization Will Shape Flavor

The low-nicotine era is approaching for e-cigarettes. Recently, media reports revealed that the national standard for e-cigarettes has entered the approval stage and may officially be implemented in October this year. It is reported that the national standard will strictly regulate e-cigarettes from seven aspects, with reducing nicotine concentration in e-liquid being a top priority.
 
Currently, countries and regions such as the United States, Japan, and the European Union have clear regulations on nicotine concentrations in e-cigarettes. For example, under the EU TPD directive, the nicotine concentration in e-liquid must be limited to 20mg/ml, meaning the nicotine concentration should be below 2%. Industry insiders believe that lowering nicotine concentration is an inevitable trend, and 2% may become the benchmark for nicotine concentration in domestic e-cigarettes in the future.

The nicotine concentration in e-liquid affects the user experience of e-cigarettes. Higher nicotine concentrations provide users with a better throat hit and satisfaction.

A representative from a manufacturing company stated that some domestic e-cigarette brands rely on ODM/OEM models, with low product technology levels, while 3%-5% nicotine concentrations provide the best simulation of real smoking, becoming the choice for the vast majority of brands. If the national standard of 2% nicotine concentration is implemented, the entire e-cigarette industry will undergo a reshuffle, with underqualified companies being eliminated from the market, while companies with R&D capabilities will face the challenge of simulating the smoking experience at a 2% concentration.

Looking back at the history of e-cigarettes, atomization technology has always been a key factor in enhancing flavor.

Early e-cigarettes used freebase nicotine e-liquids, resulting in a poor user experience and a taste far from that of real cigarettes. To solve the "distortion" of flavor, large vapor devices emerged. These devices upgraded various aspects such as battery voltage, atomization modules, and output power, improving the atomization effect of e-liquid and compensating for the flavor gap caused by low nicotine concentrations, allowing users to experience a throat hit and satisfaction closer to that of real cigarettes. Additionally, some large vapor enthusiasts DIY their devices, making subtle adjustments to the atomization system to create differentiated and personalized flavor experiences.

I believe that as a smoking cessation product, the quality of flavor will determine the success or failure of the product. How to achieve a realistic flavor experience under the national standard's low nicotine requirements will test the technical strength of every e-cigarette company. Currently, atomization technology will remain a key factor in determining flavor differences for some time.