21st Century Business Herald reporter Du Qiaomei Beijing reported that Weipai, which once led China's own brand cars to break through in the era of fuel vehicles, is switching tracks at the moment when the penetration rate of new energy vehicles is rapidly increasing, and it is comprehensively transforming from traditional car manufacturing to high-end new energy vehicles.
On March 1, Weipai's Mocha DHT-PHEV was officially launched, and the new car was aimed at the new middle-class consumer groups in first- and second-tier cities, and a total of 2 models were launched, priced at 295,000 yuan and 315,000 yuan respectively.
If Qoros, Lynk & Co and Weipai have previously sounded the clarion call to face the competition in the same market segment with joint venture brands in the field of fuel vehicles, then with the listing of Mocha DHT-PHEV as the beginning, Weipai opened the second "entrepreneurship" of high-end of its own brands. More importantly, Weipai's second "entrepreneurship" is not only facing the luxury car market where Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, etc. are located, but also opening up a new track in the new energy field that has not been involved before.
"From traditional car manufacturing to new energy vehicles, from 200,000-level high-end brands to 300,000-level high-end new energy tracks, from traditional high-end to compete with new forces, Wei is to break into the BBA and new forces, the most competitive high-end market." The day before the launch of Weipai Mocha DHT-PHEV, Weipai CEO Li Ruifeng said in an interview with the 21st Century Business Herald reporter.
It is understood that the price range of 295,000 yuan - 315,000 yuan of mocha DHT-PHEV is just a beginning, in 2022 and 2023, Wei brand will gradually improve the brand product layout, in addition to the coffee series that has been launched, will also launch fashion retro models and high-end new energy MPV.
In the future, all wei brand products will be positioned in the high-end market of more than 300,000 yuan.
Transformation is imminent
The transformation to high-end new energy is an important mission of Great Wall Motor in 2020.
For a long time, in the traditional fuel vehicle market, joint ventures and foreign brands have occupied most of the high-end market for a long time, and the road to high-end of independent brands is very bumpy.
However, with the outbreak of the new energy vehicle market in the past two years and the stage success of local new forces represented by Weilai and Ideal in the new energy market, the impact on the high-end new energy track has become a new path for independent brands to expand their market share in the high-end.
In the past two years, Dongfeng and BAIC have respectively created the Zhiji brand with Alibaba, SAIC and Ali have created the Zhiji brand, Changan has joined hands with Huawei and CATL to create Avita, and Geely has also launched a high-end new energy brand, Extreme Krypton Automobile.
In the face of the new track, Wei Pai, who once undertook the heavy responsibility of the high-end transformation of Great Wall Motors, opened a second venture.
"Weipai has undertaken the mission of the group to rush upwards since its birth, and has driven a number of independent car companies to launch an independent high-end brand boom." The mission of Weipai is to serve as a benchmark for the upward breakthrough of the Great Wall Motor brand, and to break out a successful road for the upward breakthrough of various brands of Great Wall Motor. Li Ruifeng told reporters that only the success of Wei Pai can lead the future brands to break through upwards.
However, the upward breakout is destined to be a narrow and difficult runway. Compared with other brands under Great Wall Motors, Weipai, which has been born for six years, has not been smooth in its development path.
In 2021, Great Wall Motor Group sold more than 1.28 million vehicles in the whole year, an increase of 15.2% year-on-year, while Weipai, which stripped off the tank brand, sold only 58,000 vehicles in 2021.
Transformation is imminent.
"How to fight a beautiful turnaround battle?" Only by living to the death can Wei be renewed. ”
In Li Ruifeng's view, Wei Pai's renewal is definitely no less than the second entrepreneurship, and it is not like the traditional new car-making forces, nor is it like Xiaomi, a new entrant. Wei's transformation from traditional fuel vehicles to high-end new energy has spanned several stages and is very difficult.
On the one hand, Weipai is not to improve the innovation in the past track, but to switch to a new track, which means a change in the way of thinking; on the other hand, the competition circle and user circle layer in the new track have changed, and consumers' demands for services and products are new challenges, not only the main engine factory, the future service channels must change; in addition, in the face of the new customer group of the new middle class, the service form, business model and service industry must be adjusted.
"Why is the transformation very difficult, because it is an all-round challenge." Li Ruifeng said frankly that the brand rush is not achieved overnight, it is a long-term difficult complex project.
Switch to a new track
"The development of high-end new energy by independent brands is, on the one hand, the law of manufacturing development, on the other hand, thanks to the difference in technology is being eliminated." On March 2, some insiders familiar with the automobile industry said in an interview with the 21st Century Business Herald reporter that the rapid growth of the domestic new energy vehicle market has brought opportunities for independent brands to soar again.
On the one hand, Weilai, Tesla and other products that first cut into the field of electric vehicles are relatively high-end, on the other hand, the supply chain, talents and design in the field of electric vehicles are global, and the opportunities brought to all brands are equal, and independent brands are no longer subject to the constraints of traditional car engines and transmissions. The narrowing of the gap in key technologies also sees the opportunity for independent brands to break through to high-end products.
However, unlike the pure electric route or range extender route of Weilai, Ideal and even Lantu, Jihu and Ji Kr, Weipai's second entrepreneurial road has chosen a new track - with the two major technologies of "smart DHT" and "coffee intelligence", the whole series layout long-lasting DHT-PHEV models.
This is also seen as a breakthrough for Wei Pai upwards.
According to reports, Mocha DHT-PHEV adopts intelligent hybrid DHT technology with two-speed hybrid dual motor architecture, which can realize electric and hybrid power modes under one system, and can realize EV, hybrid, two-stop direct drive, energy recovery and other working modes in hybrid mode, which not only solves the mileage anxiety of pure electric travel, but also solves the problem of high fuel consumption of traditional PHEV models.
More importantly, with the release of the "Energy-saving and New Energy Vehicle Technology Roadmap 2.0" and the "New Energy Vehicle Industry Development Plan (2021-2035)" two important documents, hybrid vehicles are becoming the key areas of future new energy vehicle development, including Changan, BYD and other domestic car companies in the development and industrialization of hybrid vehicles significantly strengthened.
From the perspective of market demand, by 2035, the entire new energy market share will reach more than 60%, and PHEV models will also reach a volume of millions.
"Under the general trend of automobile consumption upgrading, the market range of more than 300,000 is growing very strongly, and the market size of medium and large SUVs of 300,000-400,000 in 2021 is 670,000 units, an increase of 40% year-on-year." In this market, ideal ONE is a very successful product, with increased range power + intelligent rapid opening of the situation. In the view of Weipai CMO Qiao Xinyu, in the fast-growing market, the ideal ONE has achieved success through the smart + new energy track, and the Mocha DHT-PHEV can also be successful.
In addition, in Li Ruifeng's view, the automobile is a strong technical product, the technical barriers will always exist, and the intelligent DHT hybrid technology will become the "moat" for the upward development of Weipai.
"As far as intelligent DHT hybrid technology is concerned, it is difficult to achieve long-term without a huge technical reserve, including the long-term accumulation of engine, motor, gearbox and other technologies." Li Ruifeng told reporters that the main difference between the new car-making forces and traditional car companies is the lack of these core technology reserves, and the intelligent DHT hybrid technology is too difficult for them. There is not enough technical reserves, and it is necessary to choose a low threshold technology such as extended range electric. Or start from the field of pure electric technology.
In addition to cutting into a new product track, Weipai holds high the banner of globalization of Great Wall Motors and comprehensively explores the European market.
According to reports, Mocha DHT-PHEV will "incarnate" WEY Coffee 01, which will be officially listed and delivered in the European market in the first half of this year. Weipai's first European experience center will also open in Berlin, Germany, in June, and Weipai offers 02 (latte DHT), vintage categories and larger SUVs will also be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October.
"In Germany we don't go all out for sales. In addition to the sales team, our technical research and development system, localization certification team, etc. are also being established in an orderly manner, so as to achieve Local research and development, technical certification and styling design in Germany. Li Ruifeng said.
Of course, whether it is the competition in the hybrid market or the development of the international market, Weipai has chosen a difficult path.
"One that can open up the market is a product that is leading in some technologies and has a first-mover advantage; in addition, whoever can quickly build a customer base with customer-centric thinking on the Internet can win." The industry insider said, "Under the intelligent new energy vehicle or new business model, the customer-centric organizational structure and corporate genes are very important, but this is really difficult for traditional enterprises." ”
"User-operated enterprises do not mean that they have changed an organization and established a mechanism, or that dealers have a simple change in the direct operation model to achieve, and it is very difficult to continuously change from the aspects of mode, awareness, ability, system, mechanism, and form." Li Ruifeng told reporters that Weipai is adjusting the organizational mechanism and channel business.
"The traditional automotive industry is all based on the quality of business results to determine the future agency rights and long-term profit sharing strategy. Now it is a user-driven business policy to build, from short-term interest-driven to long-term 'user-centric' management model changes. Li Ruifeng finally said, "But this direction is undoubtedly right, and it must be changed in this direction." ”