In the previous article, we talked about the necessity and influence of full-size pickup trucks on the development of China's automotive industry. Today, we talk about the topic of "true and false full size".
In 2021, the Great Wall pickup truck debuted the "first domestic full-size pickup truck" at the Shanghai Auto Show, which accelerated the announcement of the strategy of developing full-size by many companies, and the first year of China's full-size pickup truck is coming.
Is there soil for the survival and development of full-size pickup trucks in China?
For the time being, I think the time for full-size pickup trucks to develop in China is not very ripe. The consumer group of full-size pickup trucks is still a small part of the play users in the short term. Considering the full-size car cost, parking difficulty, high fuel consumption and other issues, it still takes some time to accept the domestic commercial environment.
In fact, we do not have to chase full-size large pickups, consumers outside the US market rarely buy full-size products, the United States low oil prices, tax incentives, sparsely populated and other factors have a certain uniqueness. Taking China as an example, the vast majority of China's population is concentrated in the eastern region, high urbanization and population agglomeration lead to huge urban traffic pressure, urban planning space is tight, which causes a scarcity of vehicle parking space, so we have no way to drive a full-size pickup truck like Americans, medium-sized pickup trucks are now the most suitable choice for the majority of users.
But I do not deny that the domestic production of full-size pickup trucks will promote a major turning point in the development history of China's pickup truck industry, and will also accelerate the globalization process of Chinese brands.
China's first full-size pickup truck already on the market?
Not long ago, the ZTE Weishi 1949, which claimed to be the first full-size pickup truck in China, has been listed. The listing of the car has been widely discussed in the industry. One side is for many media to recognize this "full-size large pickup truck" and talk about it, the other side is a more rational analysis of whether this car is full-size. We belong to the latter.
What are the standards for full-size pickups?
The most terrible thing about a society is to form a chain of rules-breaking, and under the action of this chain, the acts of breaking the rules are recognized and protected to the greatest extent. Whether it is a tool-type pickup truck, a high-end passenger pickup truck, or a full-size pickup truck that is talked about now, there is a standard. Only by meeting this standard, or exceeding the standard, will it be truly recognized by the public.
For the understanding of full-size pickup trucks, people are accustomed to refer to the mainstream pickup truck models in the European and American markets, the main features are fashionable appearance, comfort and luxury, long wheelbase, wide wheelbase, large seating and carrying space, represented by Ford F150, Chevrolet Silverado, Toyota TUNDRA and other models.
Pickup trucks in most markets worldwide are graded based on the body size of American pickup trucks, comparing product sizes with American full-size pickups, medium-sized pickups, and compact pickups to determine which classification the product belongs to. For example, if the length of the car reaches between 5 meters and 8 meters, the size is as large as the Ford F-150 and nissan Titan to be counted as a full-size pickup truck; the length of the car reaches 5 meters 3 to 5 meters 5, and the size is as big as the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux is a medium-sized pickup truck. The body length mentioned in it is basically based on the fact that the cargo box is a TEU (1.6 meters), and the long wheelbase emphasizes not the lengthening of the cargo box, but the guarantee that the interior space of the cab is large enough to enhance the sense of luxury and comfort.
Why did our first full-size pickup truck have to be "above the standard"?
In the past hundred years, China's automobile industry has undergone earth-shaking changes. At present, the consumption of China's automobile market is upgrading and the national tide is rising, and the whole world is watching every move of the development of our automobile industry. The development path of Chinese brands in overseas markets is arduous, especially in the current critical stage of Chinese pickup truck brands entering the global market, and each new model must withstand the test of domestic and foreign markets.
People's impression of full-size pickup trucks is mostly the mature models of Ford, Toyota, and GM in the global market. When China's first full-size pickup truck is launched, the first thing to usher in must be the comparison between the two from users.
Therefore, the first true full-size pickup truck must be good enough, at least must be "above the standard" of public perception, and it has unlimited market opportunities and faces very big challenges at the same time.
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Year-on-year growth of nearly 40%! Sales of automatic pickup trucks for the full year of 2021