Text/Shore Qing
The popularity of new energy vehicles is a known trend, but what everyone did not expect is that the vigorous vitality of the new energy industry far exceeds the expectations of everyone, in 2021, the retail sales of new energy vehicles were 2.989 million units, an increase of 169.1% year-on-year; from January to February 2022, the cumulative sales of new energy vehicles were 765,000 units, up 154.7% year-on-year.
The A00-class tram market ushered in an inflection point?
At the moment when the new energy automobile industry is booming, we have found that the A00-class tram market has shown a downward trend, taking the Wuling Hongguang MINI EV, which has been at the top of the list for many years, the total sales volume in February was 26116 vehicles, although the sales volume is still far ahead, but compared with the monthly sales data of 55742 units at the end of last year, it is really inferior.
In addition, Chery QQ ice cream, Changan Ben E-Star, Chery Little Ant and other models have also shown a downward trend in sales, February terminal sales were 6442 vehicles, 5613 vehicles, 3735 vehicles, even compared with last year, even January terminal delivery volume is not comparable, some model sales have a plummeting of up to 50%.
Looking back at the previous scenery, A00-class models can be described as a quick spelling out a blue ocean in the market, in the third and fourth-tier cities and urban-rural junctions and other areas, many young people will choose to buy a small scooter because of the basic commuting needs of the city, and its low price has won the love of many consumers.
Wuling Hongguang MINI EV has dominated the top of the list all year round, and many micro scooters have flocked out, and the once A00-class tram market is really booming. But now the decline in sales of many models has also led many friends to speculate that the micro-electric vehicles that were once thriving and relied on the advantage of low-priced and people-friendly transportation to kill a world are really insufficient and are about to usher in an inflection point?
If the cost rises, can it continue to be profitable?
In fact, in addition to the decline in sales, at present, for small trams, a bigger problem is the problem of revenue, the current storm of new energy vehicle price increases is one after another, raw material costs rise, subsidies decline, upstream suppliers increase pressure and other issues for car companies is not a small pressure.
Conventional models have increased prices, and the small electric vehicles that have always been "small profits and high sales" are more vulnerable under the dual pressure of the market and cost, and if the price increases, they will face the risk of negative profitability, and the blind price increase will lose the customer base, even if the sales decline is ignored, whether the A00-class tram that continues to bear the cost pressure can still achieve profitability is still unknown.
Under high pressure, many car companies have chosen to suspend the repair, Euler Automobile as a traditional car company launched a new energy brand in the market performance is quite good, but recently many friends found that their black cats and white cats have stopped taking orders, in this regard, the official explanation is loss.
On February 23, Dong Yudong, CEO of The Euler brand, issued a statement: "Euler Black Cat and White Cat stopped taking orders, not stopped production, we are actively seeking solutions." ”
Car companies turn to the A-class market
Small electric vehicles in order to highlight the price advantage, the profit space is very low is the general recognition of the market, earlier some people said that Wuling Hongguang MINI EV in fact the whole vehicle does not make money, the real profit is the points, but with the market turn, the current points policy is also changing, the road to integral profitability is not feasible, manufacturers naturally do not have the need to promote the "0 income" small electric vehicles on a large scale.
On the one hand, micro-electric vehicles do not make money, on the other hand, the user's acceptance of electric vehicles is generally improved, under the two factors, many car companies have chosen to turn to the A-class tram market. At the very least, the market for such models is broader, the profit margin is greater, and even a small price increase can be accepted by the market.
In this regard, industry insiders said: "Of course, car companies will be more inclined to the A-class car market, after all, this is the home of new energy vehicles." "In the past, people did not have a deep understanding of electric vehicle models, worried about battery safety, charging problems, etc., but with the development of the market and the improvement of the charging network layout, people's acceptance of electric vehicles has gradually increased, and manufacturers will naturally invest more energy in the A-class car market."
Write at the end:
The current cost rise and the pressure of insufficient upstream supply have indeed caused a lot of pressure on the A00 car grade market, but I think that pressing the pause button may be good news for the car market, and it is inevitable that there will be some chaos in the hot impact on the car market.