This week, what are the major events in the domestic and foreign automotive industries?
With AITO in one hand, do you still believe that Huawei does not build cars?
On the evening of December 23, Huawei, which does not build cars, launched the first Hongmeng automobile that was almost fully operated by Huawei- AITO Q&I M5.
As the first model of the AITO brand, the Inquisitive M5 is positioned as a medium and large luxury SUV with a range extender powertrain and a comprehensive cruising range of more than 1,000km. Its biggest highlight is that it is the first model equipped with the "Harmony OS Smart Cockpit".
Huawei as an incremental supplier empowers AITO Q&I M5, image source: Huawei
For the AITO Q&I M5, Huawei is full of expectations, and it urgently needs a victory in the automotive market to prove the correct route of its own route, so the AITU Q&I M5 must be sold. According to relevant media news, for the new car launched this time, the internal sales expectation is three times that of the Selix SF5.
It is also understood that from December 24, this car will be successively landed in Huawei stores in 118 cities across the country; from January 20, 2022, the appointment test drive and reservation will be opened, and it is expected that the car can be delivered at the end of February. A Huawei salesperson also revealed to the relevant media that in addition to entering Huawei stores, AITO will also set up brand direct stores in Beijing.
Gaz comments: I want to share a message, that is, on the 24th, after yesterday, the stock price of Xiaokang shares fell again, once falling to a halt; and then raised a question, "Who remembers the polar fox on the shore of 'Daming Lake'?" ”
Dongfeng completed the transfer of 25% of the equity of Dongfeng Yueda Kia, and Dongfeng Yueda Kia became history
On December 17, the official website of the Shanghai United Assets and Equity Exchange showed that the 25% equity project of Dongfeng Yueda Kia was delisted from the listing project of Dongfeng Yueda Kia, and the transfer price was 297 million yuan. This means that Dongfeng Group officially withdrew from Dongfeng Yueda Kia. However, the domestic media learned from Kia that after Dongfeng Group withdrew from Dongfeng Yueda Kia, the future share ratio of the joint venture company is still under negotiation with Yueda, and the results are expected to be announced in April next year.
On November 19, the Shanghai United Equity Exchange listed the transfer information of 25% of the equity of Dongfeng Yueda Kia Automobile Co., Ltd. at a transfer price of 297 million yuan, and the transferor was Dongfeng Motor Group Co., Ltd. This has given the industry's long-rumored withdrawal from the joint venture company Dongfeng Yueda Kia a real hammer. Dongfeng Yueda Kia is a tripartite joint venture established by Dongfeng Motor Group, Yueda Group and Kia Automobile in 1992, with a shareholding ratio of 25%, 25% and 50% respectively.
Gaz comments: Near 2022, the share ratio of domestic automobile joint ventures is about to be fully liberalized, who will be next?
AFS: Global production was cut by nearly 40,000 vehicles last week, and the lack of core crisis may have reached its peak
According to the latest data from AutoForecast Solutions (hereinafter referred to as AFS), as of December 19, due to chip shortages, the cumulative production reduction in the global auto market this year was 10.272 million units, of which the cumulative production reduction in the Chinese auto market has reached 1.982 million units, accounting for 19.3% of the total production reduction.
Last week, global automakers cut production by about 39,600 units. Europe suffered the hardest, losing about 26,000 vehicles, or about two-thirds of last week's total production cuts; followed by the rest of Asia, which lost about 12,500 vehicles; South America, which cut about 450 cars; and North America, China, the Middle East and Africa, all of which cut production by less than 100 percent.
While global automakers lost another 39,600 vehicles last week due to a global chip shortage, AFS is steadily reducing the number of cars expected to cut production. AFS currently expects cumulative production cuts in the global auto market to reach 11.31 million units this year due to the chip crisis, an improvement from the 11.33 million units forecast on December 12.
Gestapo comments: The peak of the core shortage crisis may have passed, but the long tail effect may still have a far-reaching impact.
Volkswagen headquarters plant may increase vehicle production by 43% next year
According to foreign media reports, Daniela Cavallo, chairman of the Union at Volkswagen's Wolfsburg headquarters plant, revealed that next year, Volkswagen's car production at its main plant in Wolfsburg is expected to increase by about 43%. Compared with this year, the expected production of vehicles at Volkswagen's headquarters plant will increase significantly, but it will still be affected by the shortage of semiconductors.
Image source: Volkswagen
Cavallo said volkswagen expects to produce about 400,000 vehicles at its headquarters plant in Wolfsburg this year, down from his initial target of 1 million, which he previously mentioned. For 2022, he further pointed out that although the situation is expected to improve next year and the supply of chips will ease, factories will still feel the impact of chip shortages. Volkswagen had expected the supply situation to remain very volatile in the first half of next year.
Plans for next year's car production at the Wolfsburg headquarters plant have not yet been finalized, but the plant is currently expected to produce about 570,000 vehicles next year, an increase of nearly 43 percent from this year's production. Of course, there are still risks. Cavallo said.
Gaz Comment: Even if the annual production volume of 570,000 vehicles is still far from the original production capacity target of 1 million vehicles.
Guoxuan Hi-Tech received a large order of 200GWh iron lithium from a car company in the United States
On the morning of December 20, Guoxuan Hi-Tech issued an announcement that its overseas wholly-owned grandson company GOTION, INC. (Guoxuan, USA) signed an agreement with a large listed automobile company in the United States, which is expected to purchase a total of no less than 200GWh of lithium iron phosphate batteries from Guoxuan Hi-Tech between 2023 and 2028, and the two sides also plan to establish a joint venture in the United States to achieve local production.
According to the announcement, Guoxuan Hi-Tech will ensure that the number of batteries required to meet the customer's needs between 2023 and 2028 is expected to be no less than 200GWh. In order to meet the customer's huge battery procurement needs, Guoxuan Hi-Tech will export LFP batteries through the Chinese mainland battery production base on the one hand, so Guoxuan will coordinate or expand the production line in China, on the other hand, Guoxuan plans to build a factory in the United States to produce the required LFP batteries, the above LFP battery products will be used for electric vehicles and other applications in the customer's U.S. and global markets; in addition, the two sides will also jointly explore the establishment of a joint venture company to build a battery production base. Possibility of co-investing in upstream materials and downstream battery recycling industries.
The announcement also mentioned that in order to show the sincerity of cooperation, the automobile company will support the establishment of a factory in the United States by way of a phased advance payment. Guoxuan Hi-Tech out of the commercial confidentiality agreement, the announcement did not disclose the specific name of the US car company, but only mentioned that the transaction party ranked high in the global car market value, the product coverage of the global market, with good performance ability, and Guoxuan has maintained a long-term and good cooperative relationship.
Gaz comments: As an investment company of Volkswagen Group, and based on the deep cooperative relationship between Volkswagen and Ford, boldly guess that Guoxuan Hi-Tech's 6-year 200GWh order will be Ford?
Japan will legislate for L4 self-driving cars on the road
According to foreign media reports, the Japanese Police Agency will propose a licensing system for the use of L4 self-driving cars in rural areas. L4 self-driving cars can achieve fully autonomous driving under certain conditions.
A bill to amend the road traffic law will be submitted to the Diet next spring, and if approved by the Diet, Japan will bring an L4 self-driving car on the road for the first time. Authorities in Japan are considering approving the operation of self-driving buses on designated routes in less populated areas. Under the plan, county-level public safety committees will review the plans of autonomous vehicle operators and approve them to provide autonomous driving services.
(Image source: Nikkei Shimbun)
The Japanese government plans to implement L4 self-driving cars on the road in areas mainly targeting elderly passengers by fiscal year 2022 (April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023), and expand it to more than 40 locations in the country by fiscal year 2025 (2025.4.1-2026.3.31).
In Japan, autonomous driving technology has reached L3 level, which means that autonomous vehicles can drive on the highway on their own, but if they encounter difficulties, they still need to switch to manual driving. Unlike L3 autonomous driving, L4 autonomous driving is premised on the premise that the autonomous driving system can safely drive or stop under certain conditions, including following a specified route in bad weather or when an emergency vehicle is approaching, without the driver's involvement.
Gaz comments: The era of autonomous driving is accelerating.