For many OEMs trying to build a high-quality development pattern, auto export is undoubtedly the most important column in many work schedules in 2022.
According to data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, in January 2022, domestic auto exports reached 231,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 87.7%.
Among them, the export volume of new energy passenger vehicles reached 54,000, a year-on-year increase of 538.7%.
It is worth noting that in 2021, my country will export 2.015 million vehicles, surpassing the 2 million mark for the first time, a year-on-year increase of 100%, accounting for 7.7% of the total annual vehicle sales.
Among them, 310,000 new energy vehicles were exported, an increase of 3 times year-on-year.
"China's auto going global is inseparable from the improvement of its comprehensive national strength. In recent years, my country's auto quality, technology, brand service level has been continuously improved, its international competitiveness has been gradually enhanced, and exports have grown rapidly." Some analysts believe that my country's auto exports have grown rapidly. It is mainly driven by three factors: first, the recovery of the global automobile market, second, the obvious driving effect of the export of new energy vehicles, and third, the continuous improvement of the international competitiveness of my country's automobile enterprises and the increasing international influence of brands.
In the journey of upgrading from "Made in China" to "Made in China", in the journey of building high-quality development, Chinese car companies undoubtedly need to write more templates for expanding overseas markets.
The reporter noticed that in recent years, with the rise of Chinese auto brands, Chinese auto brands represented by SAIC, Great Wall, and Weilai have all targeted the European market for their overseas exports.
Recently, SAIC Motor announced that it will fully develop the European market in 2022. The sales volume of its own brands MG and MAXUS in Europe is expected to reach 120,000 units.
Focusing on the European market, SAIC emphasizes "systematic operations" when going overseas
"Europe will take the lead in becoming SAIC's first '100,000-vehicle' overseas regional market." Yu De, assistant to the president of SAIC, general manager of SAIC's international business department, and general manager of SAIC International, said that in 2022, SAIC's overall overseas sales target It will reach 800,000 units, of which the MG brand will strive to achieve an annual sales target of 500,000-600,000 units.
According to reports, in 2021, SAIC will sell a total of 697,000 vehicles in overseas markets, a year-on-year increase of 78.9%, ranking first among domestic car companies for six consecutive years. , America, the Middle East, ASEAN, South Asia six "50,000-level" regional markets.
"It is equivalent to that for every three Chinese cars sold in overseas markets, one is made by SAIC." Yu De told reporters that as the champion of overseas sales of a single Chinese brand, the MG brand maintained its "three consecutive championships". The sales volume reached 470,000 units, and it ranked among the top ten single brands in 17 countries around the world. As the first Chinese auto brand to fully cover the European light commercial vehicle electric market segment, the MAXUS brand overseas sales reached 52,000 units.
In the European market, SAIC's self-owned brands MG and MAXUS will sell 73,000 vehicles in developed countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Sweden in 2021, of which more than 40,000 new energy vehicles will be sold.
In addition, SAIC has established more than 800 marketing service outlets in the European market, actively establishing a new image of "intelligent manufacturing in China".
In order to better manage the European market, SAIC Motor will speed up the distribution of local sales channels, and plans to build more than 1,200 sales and service outlets in the European market in 2022.
In addition, aiming at the fast-growing European new energy vehicle market, SAIC will launch the first "global car" pure electric SUV - MG EH32, as well as other new energy vehicle products, and accelerate the product launch in the European market in a targeted manner.
"Chinese auto brands have actually entered the overseas market. Now the overseas auto consumption market is gradually recovering, which provides a good foundation for the export of Chinese auto brands. At the same time, the product competitiveness of Chinese auto brands has also been significantly improved. Overseas markets have gradually established a good reputation.” Xu Haidong, deputy chief engineer of the China Automobile Association, believes that considering that the European market has increased subsidies for new energy vehicles, the market potential is huge, and now is a good time for China to export new energy vehicles.
He said that compared with foreign brands such as German and Japanese brands, Chinese car companies have made efforts in the field of new energy, especially pure electric vehicles, earlier, and have more obvious in product research and development, quality verification and power battery industry chain layout. The advantages.
"Only with excellent new energy vehicle products can Chinese brands dare to enter a mature automotive market like Europe."
"Consumers in Europe, especially in Germany, are very picky about car products and have high brand loyalty. If Chinese car companies can win the German market, they are expected to open the entire European market smoothly." Vice President of the German Association of Automobile Manufacturers (China) President Zhang Lin believes that compared with the globalization of Chinese car companies 20 years ago, the globalization of Chinese car companies is now more solid.
"Only when the products enter the market of developed countries can Chinese car companies truly participate in international competition." Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the National Passenger Car Market Information Joint Association, told reporters that once Chinese car brands make breakthroughs in the European market, not only can cars The export situation has been greatly improved, and it also meets the requirements of Chinese auto brands to make breakthroughs and high-quality development of the auto industry.
The reporter noticed that since 2021, on the one hand, Chinese car companies have keenly seized the opportunity of the transformation of new energy vehicles, used increasingly diverse new energy vehicle products to meet the current global market demand, and accelerated the pace of layout in overseas markets. On the other hand, some foreign companies such as Tesla have increased their investment in China, moved the most advanced new energy vehicle production lines to China, and built a new energy vehicle export base.
As the first country to control the new crown pneumonia epidemic, the stability of China's supply chain is self-evident. China's auto industry has made important contributions to meeting the "supply guarantee" of the global auto industry chain.
However, some industry experts have warned that the new crown pneumonia epidemic has brought greater uncertainty to the global market. Therefore, to maintain the prosperity of China's auto industry and achieve high-quality development, more technological innovation and longer-term investment are needed.
"In the global competition, localization is an important factor that determines the success of an auto company." Yu De said frankly that as China's only auto company with a systematic, planned and established "going out" system, SAIC has established a The automotive industry chain that integrates R&D, marketing, logistics, parts, manufacturing, finance, and used cars for the global market, lays the foundation for its systematic operations in overseas markets and lays the foundation for rapid expansion of overseas business.
According to him, in overseas markets with sales of more than 50,000 vehicles this year, SAIC will set up a financial company to support SAIC's long-term development in overseas markets.
Building a world-class brand still needs to continue to break through the barriers
"From a big country in the introduction of automobiles to a big country in the export of automobiles" is the common wish of all Chinese automakers. However, compared with household appliances, smartphones and other fields, the road to China's automobiles going overseas is more complicated, and self-owned brands "need to make up lessons".
"The situation in overseas markets is often more complicated, and we need to build differentiated competitiveness." An insider of a car company in charge of export business told reporters that in the face of turbulent market changes, in addition to making every effort to reduce the chip supply caused by insufficient supply The impact of production capacity, but also to find ways to build confidence in partners such as overseas distributors.
Some industry analysts reminded that the export scale of China's new energy vehicles is still small, and it has not yet formed a world-class brand, and it is relatively difficult to prevent overseas risks.
"The epidemic, exchange rate, trade protectionism, local economic and political environment... These factors may change rapidly, and enterprises should be cautious in their layout when going overseas. In addition, issues such as protecting intellectual property rights, maintaining the security of cross-border data transmission, and reducing logistics costs are also issues for China. The life and death hurdles that car companies need to pass before they go overseas.”
"In view of the long automobile industry chain and many supply links, relevant enterprises should have the thinking of 'a game of chess at home and abroad'." Cao Guangping, an independent researcher of new energy and intelligent connected vehicles, analyzed that domestic auto companies and parts companies should "prevent the epidemic abroad, and Pay attention to the core situation and keep an eye on the market.”
He suggested that, first of all, to prevent the company and the region from being disturbed by the new crown pneumonia epidemic, secondly to pay attention to the integrity of the supply chain of auto chips and other components, and finally to keep an eye on the changes in the domestic and foreign markets.
"For example, when the new energy vehicle market in certain regions gradually emerges, we must have products that can continue to make efforts to fill the gap in this market."
"When operating the overseas automobile market, we have to face a very long industrial chain and deal with various complex challenges." Yu De admitted to reporters that SAIC has established a collection of R&D, marketing, logistics, parts, manufacturing in overseas markets. The multi-integrated industrial chain such as production, finance, etc., and today's achievements are the result of the continuous efforts of several generations of SAIC employees.
"We will take one step at a time to bring Chinese manufacturing and Chinese brands to the global auto market. We have the confidence and the confidence to say this."
In 2021, China's auto exports exceeded 2 million for the first time, achieving a breakthrough that has hovered around 1 million for many years.
From the toddler chasers in the past to today's pathfinders who have the courage to "go global" and participate in the international market competition, more and more Chinese auto companies are taking firm and powerful steps to become the next generation after high-speed rail and smart phones. New "Made in China Business Card".
"Cars have natural globalization attributes. It is inevitable for Chinese brands to go global, and it is also the only way for Chinese car companies to continue to develop upward." Cui Dongshu believes that China's auto exports have been rising along the way, reflecting the Chinese auto industry. The world competitiveness of China has been greatly improved. "As Chinese car companies continue to innovate in the fields of electrification and intelligence, there is still huge room for China's auto exports in the future."
China Youth Daily, China Youth Daily reporter Xu Yajie Source: China Youth Daily
February 24, 2022 Version 12