At present, the economic and social environment has undergone profound changes, the automobile industry has undergone a storm of change, and the wave of intelligence and electrification has swept the world. Under the tide, there are brave people. In 2021, SAIC-GM will take into account both the present and the future, vigorously promote the innovation and transformation of the whole business chain, and achieve all-round system capability improvement in technology upgrading, product strength improvement, brand building, marketing innovation, intelligent manufacturing, system layout and other aspects, showing strong brand resilience, and writing a strong and powerful stroke on the curtain of high-quality development of the automotive industry.
Active transformation, 2021 high-quality development to open a new situation
In 2021, under the pressure of chip shortages, rising raw material prices and repeated epidemics, SAIC-GM actively integrates resources and strives to reduce the supply gap, while optimizing allocation and ensuring key production capacity. On the sales side, SAIC-GM continued to grow, with its buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac brands selling a total of 1,331,567 units throughout the year. Among them, the sales of high-end models accounted for more than 5 percentage points higher than in 2020, and the average transaction price of each brand increased by 6% to 16%. Especially in mainstream market segments such as large-scale MPVs and mid-to-high-end SUVs, the advantages have been further consolidated and the market share has been enhanced; in the rapidly developing mainstream new energy market, the company has also achieved high growth that exceeds the industry average and ranks among the top three sales of joint venture brand new energy vehicles.
This data is undoubtedly of great significance in boosting confidence in the automotive industry. Behind the beautiful market report card is a microcosm of SAIC-GM's all-round system capability improvement in 2021 in terms of technology upgrading, product strength improvement, brand building, marketing innovation, intelligent manufacturing, system layout and other aspects.
SAIC-GM said that from 2021 onwards, it has accelerated a new chapter in its strategic transformation for the future. In September 2021, SAIC-GM launched a new division standard, showing a new look, which also means that it has officially sounded the clarion call of full-speed transformation, showing a comprehensively renewed image to embrace change and resonate with the future.
It is under the guidance of the spirit of innovation that the three major brands and products of Buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac are not only in J.D. Power won 9 first places in the 2021 China AutoMotive Market Survey Reports, and also won a number of laurels in the 2021 China Automotive User Satisfaction Evaluation (CACSI) released by the China Association for Quality. Not only that, SAIC-GM, which adheres to the harmonious development of people, vehicles and society, won the title of "China's Most Respected Enterprise" for the 17th consecutive time in 2021 and the "China Corporate Social Responsibility List" for the 13th consecutive time, reflecting the full affirmation of consumers and industry authorities for the company's leading product strength, excellent service and corporate citizenship responsibility.
The continuous improvement of brand influence is behind the blessing of scientific and technological strength. With the continuous development of new energy, intelligence and networked technology in the automotive field, innovation has become the main theme of the automotive industry. SAIC-GM, which has always been well versed in consumer demand, once again accurately pulsed the pulse of the times, focused on the development of cutting-edge technology and the future travel ecological needs of the market, made efforts to "electrify, intelligentize and network" forward-looking strategic planning and achievements, actively explored new business models, and made major breakthroughs, laying a solid foundation for the high-quality development of enterprises.
It is understood that focusing on the Chinese market and consumers' demand for cutting-edge travel technology and intelligent travel life, SAIC-GM has always been continuously integrating global advantageous resources to bring consumers a new new energy driving experience. In the face of industrial transformation and continuous upgrading of consumer demand, and relying on the superior resources of both parent companies, in April 2021, SAIC-GM announced its leading technology and strategic layout in the field of "electrification, intelligence and networking", and promised to invest more than 50 billion yuan in the field of electrification and intelligent networking new technologies by 2025.
Under this grand blueprint, SAIC-GM will bring the Ultium Aoteneng electric vehicle platform, which brings together the industry's cutting-edge technology, to China. As the cornerstone of GM's full electrification, the Aoteneng Electric Vehicle Platform integrates GM's 26 years of electrification experience and forward-looking technology, bringing consumers a new electrified driving experience with the advantages of smarter, safer and more performance. As the first model after the Aoteneng electric vehicle platform entered China, the Cadillac luxury pure electric medium and large SUV LYRIQ, it is highly concerned by the market and consumers. With the completion and commissioning of the Aoteneng Gigafactory at the Jinqiao Base in Shanghai in October, as well as the opening of the Pan-Asia New Energy Test Building and the Guangde Battery Safety Laboratory, it marks that SAIC-GM has a complete new energy system capability from technology research and development, test verification, local procurement to production and manufacturing, and has laid a solid foundation for leading the future development of electrification. From the introduction of the Aoteneng electric vehicle platform to China to the completion of the new energy technology system, SAIC-GM has made comprehensive preparations and is always charging forward.
While vigorously developing new energy, SAIC-GM, which adheres to the "dual engine" drive, continuously improves the efficiency of the internal combustion engine, introduces the eighth-generation Ecotec's new 1.5T four-cylinder direct-injection turbocharged engine, and popularizes the 48V light hybrid technology on a large scale on its models, realizing the comprehensive upgrade of the intelligent and electrification of the internal combustion engine system. Under such a fierce capital and technology offensive, it is believed that SAIC-GM will also open a new chapter in the future high-quality development in China.
Technology-enabled, 2022 to accelerate and continue to improve
If SAIC-GM proves to the outside world with strength and facts in 2021 that the comprehensive innovation and transformation is a thick accumulation, it is now erupting with powerful energy and standing on a new starting point in 2022. Looking forward to 2022, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers believes that multiple factors are conducive to the development of the automobile market: it is expected that China's new car sales will reach 27.5 million in 2022, an increase of 5.4% year-on-year.
In the face of the industry changes and consumption upgrading and industrial upgrading trend of China's automotive industry, SAIC-GM is accelerating its future-oriented product and business layout with a new look, new technology, new layout and new system. In particular, it will usher in a number of blockbuster technology upgrades to create greater value and better experience for consumers.
Looking back, GM has always been at the forefront of smart technology. Now in the field of new energy, SAIC-GM relies on its leading edge of being smarter, safer and more performing, and the three major brands of new energy models will bring consumers a wealth of choices and establish a technical benchmark for joint venture brand electric vehicles. It is reported that Cadillac LYRIQ has sounded the "rallying number" of the Aoteneng electric vehicle platform and will be officially delivered within the year. In addition, buick and Chevrolet's new energy products based on the Outone platform will be unveiled in 2022. Many new products equipped with core scientific and technological forces have arrived, and the market prospects of SAIC-GM in 2022 are even more exciting.
In the past two years, intelligent driving cars are undoubtedly one of the hottest keywords in the automotive industry, after experiencing a series of preparations and accumulations such as questioning, argumentation, enlightenment, following the trend, trial and error, etc., Chinese cars have ushered in a new year of intelligent interconnection development. In the field of intelligent driver assistance, SAIC-GM will, as always, adhere to the concept of "extreme safety and reliability", and will accelerate the introduction of more powerful intelligent driving assistance systems in 2022 and continuously expand its application scenarios. At the beginning of 2022, some models of buick GL8 will add ILC driver command lane change function, the first company to upgrade the assisted driving system through OTA remotely. A new generation of Super Cruise super assisted driving system will be introduced, and a number of new features such as command lane change and automatic lane change will be added to comprehensively improve the user experience. It is understood that in the next 5 years, the Super Cruise super assisted driving system will gradually cover the three major brand models of Cadillac, Buick and Chevrolet, and continue to be updated iteratively. More models will be equipped with traffic congestion assistance systems to further improve the convenience of driving in urban conditions. The parking assistance system will also be upgraded in 2022, and a smart key or mobile app remote parking function will be added.
As a pioneer in the field of automotive intelligence and networking, GM began to develop in-vehicle navigation and communication technology as early as the 1960s. In the field of intelligent networking, SAIC-GM will popularize a new generation of VIP intelligent electronic architecture: the new generation of VIP intelligent electronic architecture opens up the "cloud, tube, terminal", providing strong support for software-defined cars, and by 2025, most of the new models of SAIC-GM's three major brands will apply this new electronic architecture. The new generation of VCS intelligent cockpit system will enter the market in 2022, through the continuous improvement of the vehicle function and service experience, so that consumers who choose different energy and drive methods can enjoy the comprehensive intelligence of the product.
In the past 24 years, SAIC-GM has always been working hard to meet the needs of the Chinese market, and has always stood on the trend of travel change, and its three major brands of Buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac have brought high-quality and reliable products to 20 million Chinese users. In the midst of the unprecedented changes in the automotive industry in a hundred years, under the empowerment of scientific and technological forces, SAIC-GM said in 2022 that it will press the "acceleration button" of transformation and innovation. At the same time, it will also accelerate the promotion of marketing innovation, service innovation, and channel innovation, maintain high-quality development and steady progress, and move forward in the direction of "leading smart travel and achieving a better life".