Chinese cars accelerate to sea, Europeans love Chinese cars more?

In the "1.0 era", Chinese car companies rely more

The cost -effective advantage enters the developing country market

The emergence of new energy vehicles is changing this situation

In late July, BYD officially announced that it entered the Japanese passenger car market and plans to sell three electric models next year.

In 2021, the total sales volume of Japanese electric vehicles was less than 20,000, accounting for only 0.45 %. In contrast, China's new energy vehicle sales last year had more than 3.5 million vehicles. Although it is "closer and far away," the outside world believes that BYD's move is more significant. After all, in the era of fuel cars, Chinese car companies exported to Japan, which was almost unimaginable. Even in the list of TOP10, the best -selling car company in Japan, it is also a Japanese brand, and Mercedes -Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen are difficult to find opportunities in Japan.

BYD's landing in Japan's passenger car market is more like a microcosm of the current Chinese car companies going to sea, that is, with the advantages of new energy vehicles, the "attack" traditional car market is used. Such an attempts earlier and more successful in Europe.

With new energy vehicles as a breakthrough, the pattern of Chinese cars going out to sea is quietly changing.

Why does the export fate grow up against the trend?

In the first half of this year, car exports were 1.218 million, a year -on -year increase of 47.1 %. Among them, there were 249,000 exports in June, an increase of 1.8 % month -on -month and a year -on -year increase of 57.4 %. This is the "transcript" of automobile exports statistics from the China Automobile Industry Association (hereinafter referred to as the China Automobile Association). It is not easy for this that under the premise of 2021, automobile export data has increased significantly, and once again reached a record high.

(Data Picture) A port in Shanghai, waiting for the car to be exported. Photo/Visual China

In 2021, China ’s automobile exports 2015,000 vehicles, exceeding 2 million vehicles for the first time. China is the world’ s largest car consumer country in the world for many years. Last year ’s export data made China the third largest exporter after Japan and Germany, and it seems that it is about to touch the world’ s largest. The threshold of the car exporter.

You know, compared to the data exporting 1.06 million vehicles in 2020, the export data in 2021 has almost doubled. The export volume of Chinese cars has been hovering for many years. As early as 2012, China's car export volume exceeded 1 million vehicles. In the memory of Cui Dongshu, secretary general of the passenger car market information joint meeting, "Before 2020, The export of Chinese automobiles has not improved significantly. "The growth rate of exports in 2021 was really surprising.

Also surprisingly, the performance of Chinese car companies in overseas markets. In 2021, SAIC Group ranked first with the export volume of nearly 600,000 vehicles. It set a target of 1.5 million overseas sales in 2025. It is expected that this year will reach more than 800,000 units and will exceed 1 million vehicles next year. At a media exchange conference in mid -July, Zhao Aimin, deputy general manager of SAIC International, admitted that the annual growth of each year from 2019 to 2022 has doubled, "I did not expect to grow so fast in the past three years."

Consistent with Zhao Aimin's feelings, China's auto exports still grow rapidly this year. For the reason why the Chinese automobile export market suddenly ushered in the air, several respondents believed that there were many short -term factors such as epidemic. "Like the rapid growth of China's overall exports in 2021, foreign supply chains were dragged down by the epidemic, and China’ s production could fill in some of the demand. "Chen Shihua, deputy secretary -general of the China Automobile Association, explained to China News Weekly.

"The epidemic has led to the tight supply and price of overseas markets, especially the European and American markets, and the prices of Chinese automobiles are relatively stable, and the competitiveness has increased significantly." Cui Dongshu believes that the supply of tight supply in the European and American markets comes from a large part of the factors such as the shortage of vehicle chips and so on. Supply chain problem. "The passenger garage of Chinese car companies reached 3.1 million vehicles at the end of July. When the inventory was low in 2021, there were also 2.49 million units, and the inventory protection was better. In contrast However, at the end of the year, only 1.1 million vehicles were left, which led to the comprehensive increase in the prices of new cars and used cars. Some car companies' shrinking overseas strategy was also forced to choose from the pressure of supply chain. "

Just when Ford and GM exited in North America and China, after Nissan withdrew from the European and Korean markets, the choice of domestic automobile companies to expand overseas markets was exactly the choice of overseas car companies' shrinking business territory.

This choice is related to the decline in Chinese car sales in 2018. "In recent years, the growth rate of the domestic market has slowed down and even has declined. The competition is fierce. Domestic car companies naturally want to open up overseas markets. In fact, not only domestic car companies, but some joint venture car companies originally built factories in China just aiming at the domestic market. Today, we are also considering opening up overseas markets. "In Chen Shihua's view, the strategic adjustment of car companies is the reason for seizing the opportunity to seize the epidemic.

In fact, the domestic automobile industry chain has also suffered a huge impact this year. Since the first quarter, the downward pressure on the car consumer market has increased. In April, due to the multiple influence of logistics, chips, and new crown pneumonia, the automobile consumer market ended from January to March. "The automotive industry's industry chain supply chain has experienced the most harsh test in history. Some companies have stopped working and suspended, and logistics transportation has been greatly hindered. At the same time The task is very difficult. "On May 11, Chen Shihua said at the information conference of the China Automobile Association.

Although the export of Chinese cars in the post -epidemic era still has uncertainty, Cui Dongshu believes that under the impact of the short -term factor of the epidemic, the competitiveness of Chinese cars is reflected, and the short -term favorable can be transformed into long -term advantages. Such competitiveness is reflected in China's new energy vehicles to a fairly extent. According to statistics from the China Automobile Association, 202,000 new energy vehicles were exported in the first half of this year, an increase of 1.3 times year -on -year, accounting for 16.6 %. In 2020 and 2021, the exports of new energy vehicles were 70,000 and 310,000, respectively.

Among them, Tesla's incremental increase is crucial. Its Shanghai Super Factory delivered 480,000 cars in 2021. Except for the supply of domestic markets, about one -third of the car export. The export volume of 163,000 vehicles contributed half of China's new energy vehicle exports in 2021.

According to the statistics of the China Automobile Association, Tesla's export volume in 2021 ranked third among car companies. The top five car companies in the rankings were SAIC, Chery, Changan and Dongfeng. From January to May 2022, the total volume of automobile exports was 746,500, of which SAIC Group's car sales were 226,200, the highest proportion, followed by Chery Group's car sales, reaching 111,400 units, Tesla exported 96,200 vehicles exported to 96,200 vehicles. Essence

On July 13, 2020, a ocean -rolled wheel was loaded with a car exported to the UK in Lianyungang Port, Jiangsu. Photo/Visual China

"In the statistics of automobile exports, the return part is also calculated in it. For example, Tesla's contribution to China's new energy vehicle exports is not small, and it uses China as a production base and radiates neighboring countries and regions." Analysts told reporters that even with Tesla's export volume, the growth rate of new energy vehicle exports is still rapid.

In the future, the institution is still optimistic. The China Automobile Association pointed out that "Although the conflict between the Russian and Ukraine has affected some export markets, according to the situation we know from the enterprise, most enterprises have good overseas orders at present and there are no signs of decline." According to Chen Shihua's estimation, this year's export volume exceeded 200 again by 200 again. 10,000 vehicles are already a high probability event.

Of course, the significance of the export of new energy vehicles is not only reflected in pushing the export data.

"The internationalization of China's automobile industry is far from enough. For many years, it is not a 'starting' at the moment, but the export scale has always been small, but in recent years, auto companies have begun to pay attention to the international market." Chen Shihua believes that the overseas market size of Chinese car companies has too Small, the export volume of the car is maintained at a level of 1 million years and is scattered to multiple countries and regions.

After China's "entering the WTO", the export of cars has also increased rapidly. From 2002 to 2007, China's vehicle exports doubled almost every year, and rose from 20,000 to 613,000 in five years. "Before 2008, the export of Chinese automobiles had grown rapidly, but since it was hit in 2008, Russia's important export destinations were taken to taxation at that time." Cui Dongshu recalled that at that time, Chinese automobile exports were in the "1.0 era", which belonged to trade and belonged to trade. Export type, weak product competitiveness, and the international trade environment is not friendly. Some main destinations of exports frequently take curb measures.

In the "1.0 era", Chinese car companies rely on cost -effective advantages to enter the market of developing countries, and the emergence of new energy vehicles is changing this situation.

Behind the European market

According to Cui Dongshu, according to customs data, in the export of new energy passenger cars in the first half of this year, Western European market accounted for 34 %. Belgium was the country with the largest number of new energy vehicles in China in the first half of the year.

With the transformation of new energy vehicles, the destination and target market of Chinese car companies are also changing. According to the data of the China Automobile Association, from the perspective of the structure, China has exported to the six continents. Asia is the largest market for exports, accounting for 33.5 % of the overall exports. The market share of domestic cars in Asia, Europe and North America is generally not higher than 6 %. The market share in South America and Oceania is slightly higher than 10 %, but the overall is not high. In contrast, the market share in Africa far exceeds the above -mentioned major markets and rises year by year. From 2018 to 2021, the market share increased from 13.4 % to 21.5 %.

Although among the export cars with more than 2 million vehicles in 2021, the export volume for the Asian market is still at the top of 716,000 units, the export volume for the European market has ranked second in 523,000 vehicles, accounting for nearly 25 %. Compared with 121,000 and 170,000 vehicles in 2019 and 2020, in 2018, the number of Chinese car companies exported to the European market was only 67,000 units, accounting for less than 6 %.

"The original export destination is mainly Asia, Africa, and Latin. Now the new energy vehicles of Chinese car companies have certain competitiveness in the European market." Chen Shihua said that although the proportion of new energy vehicles accounted for a limited proportion of exports, it is obviously more entered into the entry. Opportunities in developed countries, on the contrary, fuel vehicles are still difficult to enter such a market.

Europe is becoming an important export destination in China's new energy vehicles. SAIC Group began to lay out and entered the European mainland market in the second half of 2019. In 2020, it achieved more than 7,000 single models. Zhao Aimin admitted, "We did not expect it. At that time, we were quite happy. To achieve the sales target of 60,000 or even 70,000 vehicles, if the United Kingdom is added, Europe will become our first 100,000 overseas regional market. "Zhao Aimin introduced that in the future export structure raised dramatically. BAIC Fox responded to "China News Weekly" that the European market is the strategic market after China, where the polar fox must go. From the new energy vehicle brands of traditional car companies to the new forces of the car, they are all landing in the European market in various forms, but it is not easy to "attack" the European market.

In April last year, BAIC Jihu released an international strategy and launched a partners recruitment in August, hoping to use the power of European dealers to open up the local market. In the first half of this year, Xiaopeng opened four direct stores in Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway, and announced that it would increase investment in the international market in the past two years. In October 2021, Weilai opened the first direct -camp store in Europe, which opened in Oslo, the capital of Norway, and began to deliver the flagship SUV model ES8 to users. It planned to expand its products and services to Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark in 2022.

Although there are many car companies that have shouted in the European market slogan, the actual sales and layout are still in the "test water" stage.

Reform reporters in the polar fox said that since the end of last year, due to the production capacity of the supply chain, the international exchanges caused by the epidemic, and the changes in the political situation of the European mainland, the rhythm of the action of entering the European market plan has made adaptive adjustments, but the direction is direction, but the direction Determine.

According to the car data platform CARSALESBASE, in 2021, Xiaopeng Automobile sold 486 units in the European market. In late June, Xiaopeng Automobile announced that it was affected by the supply chain and suspended the reservation of the new electric sedan P5 in four European countries, and the previous orders could not be delivered on schedule. As of the end of July, the sales volume of Weilai Automobile after entering the European market was 750, of which 200 was in 2021.

"The independent brands of several main car companies perform well." Cui Dongshu said that in contrast, in fact, the export of some new forces of some cars is very small. Take the Norwegian market logged in by multiple companies as an example. Stay at the scale of dozens of vehicles and hundreds.

"In some European areas, such as Northern Europe, environmental protection policies are radical, and the penetration rate of new energy vehicles is getting higher and higher, but in fact, the automotive market of these countries is not large, and the size of the mainstream markets such as Germany and France cannot be compared. Some Chinese car companies enter these markets. It values ​​the market itself, but the intention of the drunkard is not wine, and it is more important to enter the European market to improve the brand value of the brand. "Some car industry analysts told reporters that this aspect provides good story materials for the capital market, and the other is another. Increase the added value of the brand during domestic sales. Because the overseas market is costly, and it needs to be cultivated for many years. From a business perspective, the effect is not good.

"European consumers are relatively pragmatic, and the demand for small and medium -sized electric vehicles is greater. Instead, the demand for large and high -end electric vehicles is limited. Therefore, new forces of car manufacturing may also need to find breakthroughs in Europe. In fact, European consumers also buy them. It is not expensive. "Cui Dongshu believes that it should still understand local consumer preferences. For example, some large -sized electric vehicles may consume high power and are considered environmental protection by European consumers. 12 degrees, and some Chinese car companies consume electricity as high as fourteen and five degrees, or even seventeen or eight degrees, so they should also do more basic work in electrification. Essence

Obviously, it takes time for Chinese automobile brands to obtain the recognition of the European market.

"Car is the top electromechanical product. Users often have strong inertia thinking about brands. Winning trust will also be a slow process. Therefore, although the product level of Chinese cars has improved rapidly, because the brand is 'new face', To cultivate users to pay a lot of money and time costs, it may take 5 to 10 years to truly open a market. "Master Zhong Shi, an analyst of the car analyst, said that Chinese fuel vehicles have not had successful in developed countries such as Europe and the United States before. Chinese cars have succeeded. Chinese cars have been successful. Chinese cars have been successful. Chinese cars have been successful. Chinese cars have been successful. Chinese cars have been successful. Chinese cars are from Chinese cars. The concept is almost blank, even if the signboard of new energy vehicles is now not accepted.

In the European market, the highest -selling Chinese brand is Shangqi MG (MG). In June this year, a single monthly sales in continental Europe exceeded 4,600, a new high. But MG was originally a British brand. "MG had a relatively mature channel in the UK. After SAIC's blood transfusion rescue brand, it hopes to use it to load fuel vehicles and new energy vehicles to open the British market.

In the 1990s, Master Zhong worked at the Beijing Office of the Korean car company and was responsible for exploring the Chinese market. "It was easier to enter China at that time, because China was a shortage of economy, and consumers were generally weak at that time. As long as the product has the price advantage, coupled The market. On the contrary, it is more difficult for Chinese car brands to enter the markets of developed countries such as Europe and the United States. "Master Zhong believes.

Establishing a brand awareness is only one of the thresholds that Chinese car companies need to cross the sea. Car companies go to sea, not only selling cars

Chen Shihua believes that when car companies go to the sea, they cannot "sprinkle pepper noodles" when they choose the target market. They should first refine the market in a country or region. "The export of cars is actually very simple, but whether the supporting facilities are sound is a problem. If there is a complete after -sales service system in the local area, if the supporting facilities are not sound enough, it will cause damage to the overall image of Chinese car companies."

Among them, the construction of new energy vehicles charging and power replacement facilities. When entering the Norwegian market, Weilai simultaneously launched a power exchange service in the local area. It planned to build 20 second -generation power stations by the end of 2022. However, there is currently only one power station operation. In 2021, the actual difficulty was estimated, and the plan was not completed. Europe is still in the pilot stage of the pilot.

In Zhao Aimin's view, sales only sell products, but in the long process of production to overseas sales, many capabilities need to be established. It is only a link for overseas sales, which involves the construction of car companies in local sales networks.

When entering the overseas market, car companies generally choose direct sales or distribution models. The two models have their own advantages and disadvantages. Weilai is a representative of the direct sales model. It opened a direct business store in Europe, but it was considered to have a large investment in the early stage, and more distribution models that rely on local dealers were considered difficult to shape the brand image.

"Some new forces of cars are more customized in China, and some traditional car companies depend on agents. They may have their own strengths and have the opportunity." Chen Shihua said.

"From the perspective of the sales side, our layout has covered the whole Europe. Whether it is high or low threshold, it covers comprehensive coverage." Zhao Aimin said that the sales model will be more flexible and will formulate it according to the characteristics of each country's market. Corresponding to the sales model, adaptability will also be adjusted according to the size of the market and market characteristics. According to the design of the market control level, some may require OEM (foundry model) to control a higher degree of control, and some markets may need to let go.

For example, Zhao Aimin said that consumers in various regions have different loyalty to the brand. German consumers may have a higher loyalty to the brand. For example, it is a car that originally drove a brand, and the next car may be the same brand. Therefore, in Germany and France, different sales models will be adopted. The French dealer model breaks fast in the French dealer model. It has quickly deployed 100 dealers and pushed up sales. Because no one believed in the MG brand at first. "The layout in China is mainly based on burning money, but it must be very rational overseas. You must have a strong ability to control. But if you are still step by step in Germany, go to the BBA dealers and agents, MG such a weak brand, they How can you ignore it? "

"For Chinese car companies, when choosing the market, we must comprehensively consider local political and economic policies, such as environmental protection policies, whether it is suitable for electric vehicle companies to lay out." Cui Dongshu said that the localization efforts that car companies must do are far more than that. To investigate the local language environment, this may involve whether some intelligent equipment can reach a better level of interaction in the local area, which is exactly the advantage of Chinese car companies.

Earlier this year, Dani La Caval, chairman of the Volkswagen Group Trade Union, once said, "For German drivers, it may not value the functions such as the integrated karaoke in the central control screen. It will disappoint some consumers. "Her speech was for the 50,000 sales results of the 5 models of Volkswagen ID. The series last year, which did not meet the expectations of 80,000 to 100,000 vehicles, but it was also soon soon soon. It is considered not to understand the demand for Chinese consumers for new energy vehicles.

Conversely, the challenge of "localization" to Chinese car companies has actually begun from the product design stage.

Recently, SAIC Group began to put MG "Global Cars" -MG4 Electric in Europe. The first step will focus on breaking the British market and the German market of the left rudder. Zhao Aimin said, "Now some Chinese industry partners are scrambling to enter the European market. They are the same as our original ideas, just to launch any products." And MG "Global Cars" is regarded as SAIC Group targeting for the SAIC Group targeting. The first model launched by the European market.

"At the beginning of the product design, the styling designer was a European. At that time, we joked that during the epidemic, we needed to be reviewed but not out. I proposed to go to a street to find some foreigners in China to watch this car. Later, I passed through the pass. The online method is requested to conduct online judges in European foreigners. These evaluations have been done, more than once, "Zhao Aimin said.

"How do we do the localization of overseas markets? In fact, we respect customers very much and fully understand what customers think. Although these other companies can do it, we can They all respect the local market habits very much. "For example, Zhao Aimin said," For example, European consumers prefer simple interior, China is more pursuing luxury and comfort interior, European requirements are high Keep discussions and compromises at the end, and can be staggered if it cannot be achieved. Use different configurations to meet different market needs. "

SAIC Chase is another main force in which SAIC Group sells to developed countries such as Europe and other developed countries. SAIC Chase introduced to "China News Weekly" that the EV90 of the commercial vehicle EV90, which is positioned in Australia and New Zealand's commercial vehicle market, is based on C2B users to create a customized model. It is the model, the length of the car, the high of the car, and can be customized. In addition, in response to the personalized needs of commercial vehicles for electricity, the EV90 can customize different power combinations for it to meet the real scene needs of customers in the logistics industry. "Internationalization is a new business for Chinese car companies, involving a series of issues such as whether the target market culture understands, how the team itself is internationalized, and how to hire local employees." , But it is still difficult to break through cultural and market barriers.

SAIC International regulates more than 30 cadres who can deal with foreigners from the group and enrich the overseas marketing teams. Each overseas company has the general manager of the foreign company and the key positions of the foreign faction. Different languages ​​communicate with locals.

Only the comprehensive layout can the dominant power

Some insiders in the car industry lamented that after the release of export data in 2021, the outside world was keen to pay attention to the ranking of Chinese automobile exports. "This ranking is not significant. Everyone can clearly perceive the competitiveness of China and traditional automobile power in the international market. The gap. "

"Volkswagen's annual production capacity in China is as high as millions of vehicles, and China’ s exports each year have just exceeded two million vehicles, which is indeed a big gap between the German and Japanese automotive industry. There is still a long way to set up the brand image to go. "Chen Shihua said.

The opportunity for new energy vehicles to bring the Chinese automobile industry is considered similar to the opportunity facing the Japanese automobile industry in the 1970s.

From 1960 to 1970, the Japanese automotive industry started. Some Japanese car companies such as Toyota began to try to expand overseas markets such as the United States, but the effect was not good. It was not until the oil crisis of 1973 and the tightening of US emission policies in 1975 that Japanese car companies took the opportunity of technological changes to expand the US market with fuel -saving technology. Japan's exports to the United States quickly jumped from 712,000 in 1975 to 1.82 million in 1980.

Cui Dongshu believes that the opportunity faced by Chinese car companies will even face the opportunity faced by Japanese car companies in the 1970s. Homogeneous competition, and Chinese car companies are currently more inclined to differentiated competition in electric vehicles. "

Of course, a variable comes from environmental protection policies in developed countries and regions such as Europe.

"The new energy vehicle market is a policy -oriented type, and the European market is no exception. Previously, some European countries gave a clear ban on burning timetable and forced car companies to transform. Energy has become the biggest problem in front of you, not clean energy transformation. Therefore, the international market, especially the developed countries market, has not grown in new energy vehicles. "In fact, Master Zhong said that in fact, a traditional car power like the United States, in fact The government did not force enterprises to transform, because traditional car companies still rely on fuel vehicles to create profits, thereby bringing employment opportunities and profit taxes. In recent years, the entire industry has "retrogs" as the era of fuel vehicles as the outline.

Some analysts in the automotive industry told reporters that from the perspective of business logic, the automotive market, especially the new energy vehicle market, is the largest market in front of China, and has grown rapidly in recent years. , Car companies are not necessary to stay close.

Cui Dongshu does not agree with China's car that should be more focused on the domestic market. He believes that if China wants to become a strong car country, the export volume will inevitably increase significantly. In addition, as a large manufacturing country, the export of automobiles can also drive the industrial system to drive the industrial system. Exports of finished products. "The growth of exports means that the supply chain strength is enhanced. In the automotive field, it is also facing the situation where the market leadership is raised from Europe, America, Japan and South Korea."

However, if you want to compete with traditional car power to compete for market dominance, you cannot just rely on car exports.

The aforementioned car industry expressed concerns about the current car export mode of the current car export mode to the reporter of China News Weekly. "On the one hand, the cost of freight in the past two years, especially the high shipping costs, has affected the profit of car companies. On the other hand, it may be more important, and the protection of Chinese car companies is still insufficient. For example, overseas consumers are more accustomed to consumer credit Buying a car, but the support for Chinese car companies in consumer credit is still not enough. "

He told reporters that car companies still face more realistic constraints. "For example, how do car companies make money from overseas? The degree of internationalization of RMB is limited, foreign exchange control in some countries is strict, limited capital outflows, and they hope to invest in local investment. Forcing some car companies to import some red wines in turn to sell, in fact, it is disguised to allow funds to flow back to China through this means. "

Cui Dongshu believes that in the future, car companies will definitely shift from trade types to a more comprehensive overseas layout. "The reason why SAIC Group exports is also the result of long -term accumulation. Breakthrough, it is easier to promote it with the name of the name of the MG brand. At present, it is still difficult for Chinese car companies to launch pure local brands in Europe. On the one hand, the brand's credibility needs to be improved. In addition, the product still needs to do localized improvement . "In 2021, SAIC Group's overseas market sold 697,000 units, one -third of the sales of overseas bases, and two -thirds were exported by China. Zhao Aimin admits that whether it is the political situation or the economic situation, the challenge to the export of the vehicle is great. "In fact, we also hope that in different areas and different markets, we can better integrate into the local area, establish a manufacturing center to achieve sustainability, and reduce the risks caused by political, economic, and exchange rates."

Chen Shihua believes that in addition to the export of the vehicle, some spare parts industry is also going to sea simultaneously, that is, the industry goes to the sea, and Japan is relatively cautious in the choice of export destinations. Some geographical markets are not as enthusiastic about entering the public.

"Observing the investment strategy of Japanese car companies to enter South China, you can find that whether it is early Honda or Toyota and Nissan, Japanese car companies often bind to the entire industrial chain. All supporting supply chain companies such as Aisin, Electricity, and Textiles all set up factories in Guangzhou. "Some analysts in the automotive industry summarized the strategy of Japanese car companies to go out of the sea.

Obviously, Chinese car companies still have a long way to go overseas layout production capacity and industrial chain.

Send 2022.8.8 Total Issue 1055 "China News Weekly" magazine

Magazine title: Chinese car accelerates to sea

Reporter: Chen Weishan ([email protected])

Operation editor: Xiao Ran

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