Written by Wu Jing
Edited / Tu Yanping
Design / Shi Yuchao
Even though the Year of the Ox has come to an end, the lively car scene shows no signs of subsiding.
In the past, BYD sued the rumor-mongers, and then Tesla sued the self-media big V. The car circle that has been disturbed for a year is destined to end in the disturbance.
Of course, a few joys and some sorrows. As the "new energy + intelligence" track becomes the consensus of the industry, the upstream and downstream of its related industrial chain also usher in a new round of development opportunities. This week, Changan New Energy, Baidu's smart car brand Jidu, in-vehicle lidar system supplier Liangdao Intelligence, Core Vision Microelectronics and Beijing Yijing Technology all completed a new round of financing. Among them, in addition to the vehicle brand, more are automotive software and hardware suppliers.
On the topic of new entrants to cross-border car manufacturing, auto business reviews have also been tracking for almost a whole year, but the new forces of car manufacturing in the next scene seem to have been endless. Different times, different protagonists, telling the same story. And this time the protagonist is Chang Jing, founder and CEO of Stone Technology.
With the arrival of 2022, the subsidy policy for new energy vehicles has declined and the joint venture share ratio has become an unavoidable problem for each of us. In order to cope with the decline of the subsidy policy for new energy vehicles, before that, more than a dozen car companies have collectively announced price increases, and at the end of the year and the beginning of the year, China's auto market has ushered in a wave of price increases.
As for the issue of the joint venture stock ratio that the industry is very concerned about, GAC FCA has already played the prelude. The Oolong incident has also made more people realize that although changes will definitely happen, the road ahead is more tortuous than we expected.
Autobots don't have holidays. All kinds of phenomena indicate that a magnificent new era of automobiles will set sail again in the Year of the Tiger.
BYD and Tesla are synchronized
On the evening of January 25, the WeChat public account of the "BYD Network Reporting Center" issued a statement saying that the recent online rumor that "BYD started a fire and ignited the Tesla next door" was seriously inconsistent with the facts and was a rumor. In this regard, BYD has applied for a case and demanded that the relevant infringers publicly apologize and pay 1 million yuan in compensation.
You sing me out.
On January 26, Tesla's relevant departments revealed that they had officially sued the self-media big V "Xiaogang Senior", the original reason for the lawsuit was that the latter used the information network to carry out defamation.
The cause of the incident was that from April 29 to 30, 2021, Xiao Gang successively posted two videos on the Internet called "Use your two cars to do an emergency brake test".
In the video, "Xiao Gang Senior" drives the Tesla Model 3 and Xiaopeng P7 models, driving in the closed road to the paper fake car and humanoid doll that have been placed in advance, releasing the accelerator pedal at 50km/h and then not stepping on the brake pedal, only relying on the vehicle's AEB (Automatic Emergency Braking System) for active braking, and not colliding with the obstacle is regarded as a "test" success.
The results of Tesla's "test" showed that the Model 3 hit obstacles twice because of "no brake response". After the release of the video, some careful netizens found that Xiao Gang was suspected of stepping on the accelerator pedal during the AEB intervention when "testing" the Tesla Model 3.
On January 27, Xiao Gang released a video response that the first time to step on the electric door was due to the existence of Tesla kinetic energy recovery, less than 50 kilometers per hour of test speed, in order to ensure strictness, lightly step on the electric door to maintain the speed, the second time in the test, there was no operation error, the result of the vehicle also did not brake.
Senior Xiao Gang also said that he hopes that the notary office, Tesla officials, other media, and fans will work together to verify the active brake problem; it doesn't matter if you lose the lawsuit, just to restore a truth, China is a society ruled by law, responsible for its own actions, no matter whether the lawsuit is won or lost, it will not regret it.
Changan New Energy, Jidu, Liangdao Intelligence, Core Vision Microelectronics, and Beijing Yijing Technology completed a new round of financing
The era of automobile electrification and intelligence has accelerated, bringing great development opportunities for upstream and downstream enterprises in the industrial chain.
On January 24, Changan New Energy held a signing ceremony for the B round of financing, announcing that it had received investment from 10 units, including Changan Automobile, raising a total of about 4.9773 billion yuan.
For the landing of the B round of financing, Wang Jun, president of Changan Automobile, said that this will surely inject new impetus into the future development of Changan New Energy, and comprehensively boost its market competitiveness and medium- and long-term value.
In April 2021, Changan New Energy officially opened the B round of financing work, originally planned to raise 3 billion yuan, after nearly 200 negotiations, three rounds of screening, identified 9 investors, and then after several rounds of communication, and finally successfully completed the delisting of investment institutions on December 23, 2021, and finally raised nearly 2 billion yuan beyond the plan.
On January 26, Baidu's smart car brand Jidu also announced that it has completed nearly $400 million in Series A financing. The round of financing is jointly added by Baidu and strategic partner Geely, after the completion of the financing, Jidu will continue to accelerate the process of research and development and mass production, the first automotive robot concept car will be released at the Beijing Auto Show in April this year, and the mass production model will be launched in 2023.
This is a new round of financing that Jidu has obtained again after 10 months. Jidu said that the new round of financing will help it accelerate the process of automotive robot research and development and mass production, and in the future, it will increase the introduction and training of cutting-edge talents in high-level autonomous driving, smart cockpit, intelligent manufacturing and other related fields, accelerate the construction of the system for the development and operation of users in the intelligent car market, and ensure that the first automotive robot products of Jidu will be presented to consumers in 2023.
In addition to vehicle companies, emerging automotive software and hardware suppliers have also become the object of capital pursuit.
On January 25, tianyancha app showed that Beijing Yijing Technology Co., Ltd. underwent industrial and commercial changes, adding a new shareholder Guangzhou Xiaopeng Automobile Investment Consulting Partnership (limited partnership), while the company's registered capital increased to about 3.0683 million yuan.
In fact, as early as January 10, Yijing Technology has announced the completion of hundreds of millions of yuan Pre-C round of financing. The round of financing was led by Xiaopeng Automobile, and SAIC Motor's Shangyi Capital, Dongfeng Bocom Automobile Fund and old shareholder Intel Capital continued to raise bets.
This round of financing will be used for the iterative development of a full range of vehicle-grade front-loading mass-produced lidar products with long and short distance of one-path technology, strengthening production line upgrades and supply chain and total quality management, and continuously promoting the research and development and commercialization of vehicle-grade MEMS lidar solutions.
On the same day, Liangdao Intelligence, a supplier of on-board lidar systems, also announced that it has recently completed an A+ round of financing of more than 100 million yuan. The round of financing was led by SDIC China Merchants, and the leading enterprise in the field of computer vision, Hongsoft Technology (688088. SH) and other industry investors followed suit. After obtaining the investment, Liangdao Intelligent will further increase investment and productization in technology research and development, and accelerate the mass production and delivery of lidar system integration solutions.
Nanjing Core Vision Microelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. also announced that it has recently completed hundreds of millions of yuan of strategic financing, this round of financing is led by Ningde Times (Chendao Capital), and Goertek's Goertek Microelectronics, BYD and others followed.
Core Vision Microelectronics' financing will be mainly used for chip mass production and research and development of advanced d-ToF sensing technology, further consolidate Core Vision's industry leadership position in the field of single photon d-ToF, actively promote cooperation with the industry in technical products, and accelerate the research and development and technological innovation of next-generation products.
Cross-border car manufacturing continues, and the price of new energy continues to rise
On the trillion-level new energy market track, there must be someone to follow. This time, the protagonist is Chang Jing, founder and CEO of Stone Technology.
On January 24, some media reported that Luoke Automobile, the car-making project of Chang Jing, founder and CEO of Stone Technology, has completed a financing of $100 million by the end of 2021. Stone Technology has applied for the "Pole Stone Automobile" brand, the first new car positioned in the hard SUV, using range extender power, the endurance may exceed 1000 kilometers.
In fact, as early as April 2021, when Xiaomi announced the construction of cars, Stone Technology was exposed to enter the field of car manufacturing. However, at that time, Stone Technology responded that the project was not directly related to Stone Technology, and Stone Technology was not involved. Stone Technology focuses on scientific and technological innovation, is committed to intelligent hardware research and development, has launched intelligent sweeping robots and other products, is a Xiaomi ecological chain enterprise.
According to a number of media reports, Changjing is a typical car enthusiast, especially fond of off-road vehicles, and the positioning of the first car of Luoke Automobile is to benchmark the off-road model of the Mercedes-Benz G series, hoping to use the range extension technology to break through 1,000 kilometers in a single endurance.
On the one hand, there is the continuous cross-border car manufacturing, and on the other hand, there is a constant wave of new energy vehicle price increases.
Following the official announcement of more than a dozen car companies to raise the official guidance price of some new energy models, due to factors such as the decline in subsidies for new energy vehicles and the rise in raw material prices, Euler, a pure electric brand under Great Wall Motor, is also preparing for price adjustments.
"At present, the sales department is formulating adjustment plans, and it will look at the changes in the market and costs." Regarding whether the prices of the products under the Euler brand will be adjusted, some Great Wall Motor insiders said. But according to Euler insiders, Euler's new product "will definitely increase in price."
Previously, Euler had launched an insurance policy for its good cat products: users who purchased Euler good cat and good cat GT from January 1, 2022 to February 28, 2022 would save up to 5400 yuan of subsidies, the cost was borne by the manufacturer, and users enjoyed the same comprehensive subsidy price as in 2021.
This means that after February 28, Euler Good Cat and Good Cat GT will no longer enjoy this policy, and the official guidance price will also increase by 5400 yuan. In addition to the official guidance price increase, Euler Good Cat may also tighten the discount in the future.
The power exchange track is getting hotter and hotter
On the road to change electricity, Weilai Automobile is finally no longer the lonely forerunner.
Ruilan Automobile is positioned as a new potential energy for a new generation of electric replacement travel, and will be engaged in the research and development, sales and operation of automobiles (including but not limited to electric vehicle replacement). According to the plan, Ruilan Automobile's products will cover cars, SUVs, MPVs, and even logistics vehicles and light trucks, and work together at the B and C ends to meet the needs of different markets such as online car-hailing, private cars, taxis, and logistics vehicles.
With the entry of "Ning Wang", Geely joined hands with Lifan to enter the power exchange track, and the outside world has begun to re-examine this once unpromising energy replenishment model.
Yuan Jiancong, an analyst at CITIC Securities, believes that power exchange solves the core pain points of electric vehicles and can effectively help increase the penetration rate of electric vehicles in all scenarios. New energy vehicles are the main development trend in the future, and power replacement is an important driving force for the further improvement of the penetration rate of new energy vehicles.
As the first energy service platform in China to realize multi-brand multi-model sharing and replacement, Aodong New Energy began to explore power exchange technology as early as 2000, and set up the first charging and replacement experimental station in Lanzhou in 2005. Up to now, Aodong New Energy has reached cooperation with many mainstream automobile companies such as BAIC, FAW, SAIC, GAC, Changan, Dongfeng, etc., and constantly improves and expands the layout of the power exchange service network nationwide.
Recently, Nezha Automobile launched the Nezha U taxi model in Jinan City, Shandong Province, which also adopts the power exchange mode and cooperates with the Aodong Substation.
Jiangling Ford Technology was officially announced
In 2022, the first joint venture automotive technology company was born.
On January 26, Jiangling Motors Co., Ltd. and Ford Motor Company jointly established by Jiangling Motors Co., Ltd. and Ford Motor Company (hereinafter referred to as "Jiangling Ford Technology") were officially announced. According to the information of Tianyancha, the company was established on December 27, 2021.
The new joint venture has a registered capital of 200 million yuan, of which Jiangling Motors invested 102 million yuan, holding 51% of the shares, and Ford Motor contributed 0.98 billion yuan, holding 49% of the shares. The new joint venture is a new initiative of Ford Motor and Jiangling Motors in the passenger car business based on the common strategic goal, and will be committed to accelerating the expansion of the passenger car business, accelerating the improvement of channel capabilities, and promoting the innovation and upgrading of user experience.
What is the difference between Jiangling Ford Technology and the current positioning of Jiangling Motors Sales Co., Ltd.? The relevant person in charge told the automotive business review that Jiangling Ford Technology is mainly responsible for Jiangling Ford brand passenger cars, while Jiangling Motors Sales Co., Ltd. is mainly commercial vehicles.
Since 2021, Jiangling Ford passenger cars have achieved a sales growth rate of nearly 30% in the fourth quarter; Ford Territory's export volume in 2021 has increased by 106% compared with the previous year.
The establishment of Jiangling Ford Technology is a further upgrade of the cooperation between Ford Motor and Jiangling Motors, and will accelerate the implementation of Ford's China 2.0 strategy.
Jiangling Ford Technology has a number of models on sale, covering different levels of SUVs and MPV models, including Ford Lingyu, Ford Lingrui, Ford Collar S, Ford Collar EV, Ford Roadbreaker, Ford Tourroz and so on. According to the plan, the brand's new model Lingrui has opened pre-sale on January 10, and is scheduled to be launched in the first quarter of 2022, Lingrui is positioned as a medium-sized SUV, and plans to launch three configurations for the first time.
GAC FCA makes a fuss over the oolong
On January 27, Stellantis Group announced on its official website that it plans to increase its shareholding in GAC FCA, a joint venture with GAC Group, from 50% to 75%, and that GAC Group and Stellantis have agreed to the relevant procedures for the transaction, but still need to be approved by regulatory authorities.
The plot flipped that night. GAC Group issued an announcement that GAC Group learned from the official website of Stellantis about its release on the equity adjustment of GAC FCA, and the shareholders of the two sides of the joint venture have conducted in-depth communication and consultation on their joint venture and cooperation and GAC FCA's revitalization plan, and the two sides have not yet signed a formal agreement on the equity adjustment of GAC FCA.
On January 28, the official website of GAC Group once again issued a statement saying: "GAC Group learned from the official website of Stellantis about its release on the equity adjustment of GAC FCA. This announcement is not approved by us, and GAC Group deeply regrets it. Regarding foreign joint venture cooperation, GAC Group will promote in strict accordance with national laws, regulations and policies, adhering to the principle of mutual trust and win-win results. ”
This is not the first time that GAC FCA has reported a stock ratio adjustment. In September 2021, it was reported that GAC Group had negotiated with Stellantis Group to transfer 20% of its shares in GAC FCA and was going through the process.
Behind the rumors of the adjustment of the stock ratio many times is the development dilemma faced by GAC FCA in China. According to the data, the company's sales from 2018 to 2021 were 125,200 units, 73,900 units, 40,500 units and 20,100 units, respectively.
After the "Oolong Incident" of GAC FCA's share ratio adjustment, there are also media reports that in the new strategy to be announced by Stellantis Group, it may also involve the change in the share ratio of DPCA, a joint venture between Stellantis Group and Dongfeng Motor Group. The news was not officially confirmed by both sides.