"At present, the automobile industry is facing a once-in-a-century change" Last month, Miao Wei, former minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, once again reminded in good faith that the pace of subversion of this electric revolution is far beyond imagination, and the new energy war that rises with the wind is unscrupulously sweeping every corner of the industry.
Although unfavorable factors such as policy decline, unstable supply chain, and incomplete supporting facilities will continue to affect for a period of time, the new energy vehicle market is destined to move forward in repeated shocks. "Last year's 3.4 million vehicles, this year is expected to be 5 million vehicles, next year 8 million vehicles", the huge body of the market began to rotate, the pattern and rules will also change immediately, the scenery of the new forces will be unique in this year to meet the traditional car companies to fight back, the market into a moment of deep adjustment.
Kia has changed
"Death also requires change, if you don't change, you have to die, and if you die, you will not hesitate to die", Wei Jianjun's bold and crazy view is not the heart of many traditional brands seeking transformation.
The overall planning between traditional business and new energy sector, the innovation of service system, the adjustment of internal organizational structure, and the layout of domestic and international markets... The dimension and scope of change are rapidly expanding. In fact, as long as traditional car companies can sort out the relationship between these dimensions and rebuild the competition system towards the future, it will certainly produce countless wonderful possibilities in this big change.
In the era of collective awakening, sometimes a moment is eternal, so the ambitious new and old forces of autonomy, the ambitious Europeans and Japanese, and the American and Korean systems, which are not willing to be left behind, have invariably increased the intensity of change and prepared to stage a good drama of attack and defense.
At the end of last year, Jiangsu Yueda Automobile Group, as the sole bidder, won 25% of the equity of Dongfeng Yueda Kia listed by Dongfeng Company, and a disturbance and sharp edge that lasted for nearly 20 years officially ended with the withdrawal of Dongfeng.
After the equity restructuring, Kia in China is moving towards the second stage of development in the midst of turmoil.
Recently, South Korea's Kia Co., Ltd., Yancheng People's Government and Jiangsu Yueda Group officially signed an expansion investment agreement, announcing that Kia has opened a new chapter in its development in China. Taking this as an opportunity, Kia and Yueda will set up a new joint venture to increase capital by 900 million US dollars, and rapidly increase vehicle sales and capacity utilization rates by expanding investment, introducing new models, developing new energy vehicles, and setting up export bases.
For the future, Li Bin said, "I don't understand why there are still people who want to buy fuel vehicles"; While opposing the radical pure electric route, Toyoda Akio also had to stand in front of 15 pure electric cars and tell the world that Toyota was ready to catch up; Yu Chengdong and Lei Jun, the original "laymen", also stepped into the center of the storm without hesitation, announcing that the border was melting and the old world was collapsing...
Kia's answer is, "In the next ten years, Zia plans to achieve a total production and sales target of more than 4 million units in China", and it is difficult to complete such a bloody goal in ten years. Faced with a treacherous market environment, of course, it is difficult.
However, China's auto market, on the one hand, stands the opportunity for market recovery, on the other hand stands the unparalleled wave of new energy development, Kia knows in his heart that the opportunity to turn the tide has come, after cleaning up some of the internal problems of the enterprise, what to do now is to firmly embark on a correct road of innovation.
Kia's current core problem is to break through the shackles of the brand and form a new and effective combat mechanism, which requires it to rethink how to build a more clear and competitive development method in all aspects of the whole value chain such as brand, product, marketing and channel in the new round.
"In 2022, with the establishment of the new joint venture, Kia will open a new phase of Development in China. Based on the Turn-around strategy and 'All New Kia, All New Start!' 'Business policy, Kia will accelerate the implementation of the global strategy, integrate global resources, better feed the Chinese market, so that more people can see a different new Kia." At the previous New Year's meeting, the Kia brand has once again emphasized the importance of the Chinese market to Kia and the need to connect with Kia's global boundaries, setting a new strategic direction for Kia.
The magic box has been opened, and moving forward is the only way. It is understood that the joint venture company operated by Kia and Yueda will refer to the successful experience of global Kia, whether it is from brand remodeling or product renewal, it will be supported by global resources, and move closer to the global market, including the global unified image of the brand, the landing of the electrification strategy, the adjustment of the organizational structure, and the introduction of high-quality products, to achieve the combination of globalization and localization, relying on the global feedback to China, and building a system competitiveness that is more in line with the needs of the times.
"Sinicized" Kia
The product is always the basis of the market, and it is also the core factor that determines whether Kia can achieve a reversal. In the early years, freddy and Huan chi gained the coveted market share in the process of price exploration, but they also dragged Kia into the dilemma of cost performance.
In recent years, from the introduction of core technologies such as the i-GMP platform and CVVD engine technology to the new logo and the launch of the "global flagship MPV" Jawa, Kia has been trying to keep pace with the global market, quickly sort out the product line, actively adjust the product strategy, and achieve a brand breakthrough.
This time, Kia's change is more clear and thorough, and on the basis of continuous layout of the high-end market, other trump cards in Kia's hands are also gathering momentum. This year, Kia will unveil a new flagship SUV, the Sportage, and its hybrid version, as well as a K3 facelift.
More importantly, 2022 is also the first year that Kia will start electrification, not only on the eve of the market full hybridization of the first to introduce HEV hybrid models, but also will be the overseas market hot pure electric model EV6 will soon be introduced into the country, and plans to introduce at least 1 pure electric vehicle per year from next year, and will successively launch 6 new electric vehicles by 2027.
Yes, one is the brilliant representative of the traditional fuel era sportage, the other is the scorching new star EV6 in the new energy era, this year's Kia spared no effort, a change in the previous Wentong way, and strive to create a Kia electrification product matrix in the new energy era. Reconstructing the brand image of new Kia and accelerating the competition for new energy is undoubtedly a "strong medicine" to completely reverse Kia's current "aphasia" state.
Kia has changed, becoming not only a product strategy, but also an internally localized synergy mechanism. After the establishment of the new joint venture, Yancheng is still Kia's only production base in China and the development base of future business, which is an open letter and a letter of submission, indicating Kia's determination to join hands with "old friends" to take root in the local market.
From the perspective of production capacity layout, Yancheng will serve as Kia's export base. In addition, Yancheng is also building a new ecological chain system, creating a platform that exerts a agglomeration effect, and striving for an opportunity for Kia and the entire Yancheng automobile industry to regain its life.
Of course, during Kia's great transformation period, taking Yancheng as a strategic place to show its determination to localize must also carry out corresponding in-depth localization reforms in the dimensions of product layout, organizational structure and marketing service system. According to Kia, it is a reference to the world's successful experience, like China's new power startups, with a sincere attitude to run Kia's market in China.
On the one hand, in order to be able to efficiently understand the Chinese local market and make corresponding coping strategies, it is also indispensable to make positive localization personnel adjustments in the organizational structure. The joint venture will build a new organizational structure, establish an innovative organizational culture, actively introduce local talents and professionals, accelerate localization efforts, and enhance organizational competitiveness, just as its subsidiaries in other markets around the world have done.
On the other hand, in the field of marketing, New Kia will set up a marketing headquarters to strengthen the online and offline integrated marketing of the MZ generation target group. In addition to carrying out cross-border cooperation and holding IP activities such as brand days according to user preferences and life scenarios, Kia will also comprehensively upgrade the dealer network based on global standards, create a new dealer store image, and continue to carry out services such as "door-to-door test drive" and "door-to-door service" as the contact point to strengthen consumer experience, strengthen brand building, and establish an innovative brand image.
Everyone is watching to see if the new Kia can add a handful of firewood to the gradually recovering Korean brands, including the dealers of the Kia brand. They have gone through the storms with Kia, experienced the glorious years of brand and sales, and re-established their confidence and trust, which is the premise and foundation of the new Kia's strengthened service system.
In the eyes of new Kia, focusing on the profitability of terminal dealers to carry out business work is the focus of strengthening the channel system, only by making dealers profitable, they can healthyly stand on the new starting line with Kia again, and can all the changes have a practical landing possibility.
Therefore, according to the ability of dealers and the actual needs of the market, Kia not only continues to promote the "retail-centric" mode of operation, but also further formulates more scientific and reasonable operating indicators and policies, optimizes business policies, rewards excellence, encourages more work, stimulates the vitality of dealers, and achieves sustainable development with dealers.
Under the disturbance, Kia is more calm and determined, in the days and nights to come, Kia will not take every step too easily, but with the help of clear goals and precise changes, who dares to judge that the "siege" that plagues Kia and the Korean system will not be quickly breached?