Recently, the 8th China Electric Vehicle 100 Forum (2022) with the theme of "Greeting a New Stage of Market-oriented Development of New Energy Vehicles" came to an end. At the forum, Wan Gang, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology, pointed out that the three trends in the development of the new energy automobile industry are: maintaining high-speed growth, continuously increasing market penetration, and moving towards high-quality development. Wang Chuanfu, chairman and president of BYD, predicted that according to the speed of industry change last year, if it is calculated at the same speed, at the end of this year, the penetration rate of new energy vehicles in the mainland is expected to reach 35%.
There is no doubt that the new energy automobile industry has entered a high-speed growth channel, but when people are hotly discussing its technological improvement path, should they also ask: Is the aftermarket ready? If there is no high-quality after-sales service level, consumer satisfaction declines, and the consumption of new energy vehicles can only be a flower in the mirror and a moon in the water.
What is the current status of after-sales service for new energy vehicles? In fact, all the forces aimed at this emerging market have appeared on the scene, whether it is an independent maintenance agency, an Internet platform, or a new and old car-making force, dealer groups, and even core parts suppliers are actively layout, or joint operations, or self-operated, like a group of males chasing deer.
1
The after-sales gap of new energy vehicles is large and there are many opportunities
Sales of new energy vehicles accounted for only 1.2% of new vehicle sales in 2016, to 1.2 million units in 2020, accounting for 5.8%, and then to 3.52 million units in 2021, accounting for 15%, with rapid growth. And it will continue to grow at a high rate in the future, and it is expected to account for about 32% of new car sales in 2025.
With the continuous rise of new energy vehicle ownership, the demand for pre-sales and after-sales full-chain services around this will continue to be released. According to CITIC Securities, the new energy aftermarket will show explosive growth, and it is expected that by 2030, the output value will reach 100 billion yuan, and the layout of the new energy aftermarket is the general trend.
A set of data is telling. Based on the current total number of auto service stores to calculate, the number of single-store service vehicles is about 340; but the total number of self-operated and authorized stores of new energy vehicle companies is only about 3300, according to the existing ownership and future sales growth rate, a single store to serve nearly 2400 vehicles, the supply is obviously insufficient, and this contradiction will become more prominent as new energy vehicles concentrate on entering the maintenance service period.
In addition to the serious shortage of maintenance supply, the development of new energy vehicles has also brought a great impact to the automotive aftermarket: without the engine, there is no cyclical maintenance project, and the business scope of the aftermarket is greatly reduced; the maintenance of the core components of new energy vehicles is completely different from that of fuel vehicles, the former involves the chemical, electronic and information fields, a large number of intelligent software control, the need to use more accurate and rigorous testing and maintenance equipment, general maintenance enterprises do not have complete new energy vehicle maintenance conditions and maintenance personnel.
At the same time, new energy vehicle accessories are close to "monopoly", there is no alternative so-called homogeneous accessories or non-original parts circulation on the market, and the original parts provided by the three power suppliers to the main engine factory are the only options for car owners and after-sales stores; and the three electric system technology is mostly in the hands of the main engine factory and the battery factory.
Wang Hao, founder and CEO of Coppola Auto Consulting Services (Qingdao) Co., Ltd., pointed out that new energy vehicles, as an innovative composite form that gathers the core elements of the "new four modernizations" of automobiles, integrates cutting-edge technologies in multiple fields, and has significant differences with traditional cars in terms of technical routes, product structure, user consumption, after-sales service, supporting support systems, etc., so its after-sales business cannot be treated in a traditional way.
2
Veteran players in the repair market accelerate their transformation
Due to the current new energy automobile industry, from technology research and development, parts production, vehicle manufacturing, user operation, after-sales service, etc., there are a large number of opportunities, especially around the user-centered service system needs to be reconstructed, which also makes all kinds of forces flock in, both in the trend to capture market opportunities, but also for the future development of the layout.
Traditional after-sales maintenance enterprises, including Huasheng, Harmony Repair, Zhongxin Zhibao, etc., have reached strategic cooperation with new energy vehicle companies to intervene in the new energy vehicle aftermarket. Industry insiders pointed out that under the concept of direct sales, the demand of new energy vehicle companies such as new car manufacturers in after-sales will generate considerable traffic, and will be distributed by car companies to service centers and after-sales service enterprises, and cooperation with them will undoubtedly master the new traffic code.
Recently, the professional automobile maintenance e-commerce platform Tuhu Yangche, together with the China Electric Vehicle Hundred Talents Association, Ningde Times and other industry institutions and industrial chain enterprises launched the first industry platform for the new energy vehicle aftermarket - the new energy and intelligent vehicle aftermarket joint innovation platform, and released three major layout plates in the new energy vehicle business: accelerate the transformation of new energy business under the traditional maintenance network; improve the technician training system, through digital network courses + systematic practice, to create qualified new energy technicians The whole life cycle layout of the power battery, from building a power battery maintenance service platform, to promoting the business model of Internet + power battery recycling, to exploring the joint construction of a power battery operation and maintenance management platform with partners, and exploring the replacement mode of the old power battery specification.
New energy vehicles have also become the keywords of Tmall car this year. It plans to carry out work related to new energy vehicles in three aspects. First, docking upstream resources, including automobile manufacturers and battery manufacturers, to find a suitable cooperation model; second, the transformation and upgrading of new energy workstations in stores, such as reaching higher standards in insulation and transforming charging infrastructure; third, talent training, including the certification of electrician certificates, needs to meet the technical requirements of new energy vehicle maintenance.
There are also innovative service institutions such as Coppola Consulting that focus on the domestic new energy vehicle aftermarket, with the help of innovative project operations such as "New Energy Vehicle Training Academy" and "Electric Workshop", deeply link upstream and downstream partners such as new energy vehicle parts suppliers, insurance companies, maintenance companies, etc., and comprehensively support and help traditional automobile after-sales service enterprises to achieve electrification service transformation by providing a comprehensive operation system for new energy vehicle after-sales service that integrates brand authorization, technical support, talent training, business drainage, etc.
The Internet auto aftermarket service platform Minren Auto Union is also actively laying out the maintenance of new energy vehicles, empowering the maintenance technology of new energy vehicles to its self-operated stores and more than 100 selection stores, so that repair shops in lower-tier cities can also master the technology of new energy vehicle maintenance, filling the gap in new energy vehicle maintenance services in third-, fourth- and fifth-tier cities.
3
The voice of new players in the industry chain has soared
Li Yi, chief operating officer of Xinkangzhong, once said that new energy vehicles are similar to gray rhinos, and it is difficult to say that a large-scale outbreak is ushered in at a certain node, and it can only be said that when you find that this market is very large, the opportunity may be gone. Therefore, the head enterprises must fully embrace new energy vehicles. Indeed, not only is the head of the aftermarket greeting the arrival of the era of new energy vehicles, but new players are also entering the aftermarket.
At the level of car companies, Jihu Automobile and Tuhu Car Have cooperated to string together the entire cycle of car users from car purchase decisions to car maintenance and daily travel vehicles to build a one-stop new energy car owner after-sales service ecosystem; Tmall Car X Xiaopeng Automobile Service Center Store officially landed, Xiaopeng Automobile and Tmall Car Cooperated to open a new model of new energy sales and service integration; Tesla also plans to take all after-sales business in its own hands based on the 4S store model in its own hands.
Including Xiaopeng, Ideal, Weilai, Zero Run and other new car-making forces, they also began to implement the "member traffic system" customized service projects. For example, in addition to adding value-added services to the traditional basic services, Xiaopeng Automobile has also shown advantages in intelligent services, unique intelligent claims, intelligent car insurance makes the owner's car life more convenient, after purchasing a car, you can order car insurance by yourself, when the owner has a scratching incident outside, you can also quickly apply for a claim through the intelligent system.
At the dealer level, Yongda Automobile is focusing on the development of new energy vehicle authorized maintenance and centralized sheet metal spray center and other aftermarket services, set up a new energy vehicle service industry development preparatory group, and reached a brand authorization agreement with WM, Xiaopeng and other car companies; Guanghui Automobile has also established a new energy division, fully obtained the authorization of the main engine factory, and signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the ARCFOX Jihu brand to jointly create the ARCFOX Jihu brand boundless ecology.
It is worth noting that in many projects in the aftermarket of new energy vehicles, the figure of the power battery giant Ningde era can be seen. Wang Du, deputy secretary-general of the China Automobile Dealers Association, introduced that suppliers of core components such as batteries occupy an important position in the aftermarket.
On the one hand, because the battery has a high proportion of cost in new energy vehicles, on the other hand, the power battery due to the particularity of its structure, there is a high technical threshold, in order to ensure its safety often need battery manufacturers to repair, so in the establishment of what kind of after-sales service system to maintain the future of new energy vehicle services, so that consumer satisfaction, battery suppliers even have more say than car companies.
4
Real estate developers also want to get a piece of the pie
It was thought that the after-sales service of new energy vehicles entered by power battery suppliers has become a cross-border, but the addition of real estate developers has also brought a lot of imagination space to the after-sales service of new energy vehicles. With the natural advantage of "my chassis is my master", real estate developers can give more powerful support to car companies in the layout of outlets such as sales, after-sales and charging.
Recently, Agile Group, a well-known high-end real estate enterprise in China, invested 400 million US dollars in WM Motors. In addition to equity financing, the two sides also signed a strategic cooperation agreement to give full play to their respective resource advantages and carry out in-depth cooperation in brand, sales and service network, charging facility layout, auto finance, supply chain finance, after-sales service and other aspects. In the announcement disclosed to the public, Agile said that this is the Group's strategy to diversify its business and can create synergies with the Group's smart city services and environmental protection related business segments.
Coincidentally, Wanda has entered the automotive market with "car sales + car services". Since the end of last year, Wanda Automotive Technology has established subsidiaries in 11 cities, and its business operations are mainly based on automobile sales and aftermarket services.
Wanda pioneered a new automotive service ecological chain in China, including service ecology, energy ecology, and member ecology. Wanda uses more than 7,000 parking lots and smart parking systems to provide test drive, delivery, beauty washing, light maintenance, charging and other upstream and downstream extension services of the industrial chain to the owners of cooperative car brands, that is, "shopping malls sell cars, parking lots provide after-sales service". At the same time, combined with the resources of Wanda Mall, it provides car owners with preferential policies for parking, movie watching, hotels, events, tourism and vacation services.
5
After-sales service is not limited to car repair and maintenance
The after-sales service of new energy vehicles has attracted players from all sides to smell the wind and shake their fists. Many enterprises hope to enter the field of after-sales and maintenance of new energy vehicles, but Wang Hao believes that new energy vehicles have different characteristics from other industrial products, and their after-sales service, especially maintenance services, has a higher threshold. For example, how to quickly establish a service network for multi-regional coverage of the country, how to cultivate and export new application-oriented technical talents, how to efficiently support the supporting supply chain system, and how to achieve the division of labor in the specialized market.
It is difficult for new entrants to achieve the ideal form of operation, especially for enterprises that lack experience in automotive after-sales service, and will face difficulties such as understanding the domestic market, understanding auto users, and understanding industry characteristics. Wang Hao believes that the new energy vehicle maintenance market may show three characteristics in the future, which need to be grasped by new and old players.
First, the demand for product after-sales service is simplified. With the replacement of traditional mechanical components represented by three electrics and intelligent technology, the conventional maintenance and accident repair needs of new energy vehicles due to natural wear and tear and accidents will be greatly reduced, leaving only long-term vehicle inspection and part replacement needs.
Second, service channels will be decentralized. Most of the services in the future may be through the Internet and other scientific and technological means to achieve "manufacturer-user" direct access, so many 4S stores, maintenance plants will disappear.
Third, technical services will achieve a professional division of labor. In the future, the technology of automotive products will be more complex, from the current mechanical-based technical category to involve electricity, electronics, information and communications and other professional fields, so there will be more complex and diversified requirements for the professional knowledge, technology, talents and places of maintenance services. Therefore, in the future, the professional differentiation in the field of automobile maintenance will be realized, and professional service agencies divided according to technology or function will appear, thus replacing the existing one-stop comprehensive service.
Zhang Hong, secretary general of the New Energy Vehicle Branch of the China Automobile Dealers Association, believes that new energy vehicles are rapidly rolling out to second- and third-tier cities, and many regions are even carrying out new energy vehicles to the countryside, but the current after-sales service system and capabilities are difficult to meet the market demand for new energy vehicles, and it is urgent to accelerate the layout. The layout of the aftermarket of a number of after-sales chain enterprises for new energy vehicles will not only break the after-sales service system dominated by car companies and charging facility manufacturers so far, promote the diversified development of the market and unprecedented competition, but also be expected to spawn new after-sales service formats.
The after-sales service system will not be limited to car maintenance and car repair, but provide a package of services in many aspects such as evaluation, circulation, financial insurance, vehicle networking services, charging and replacing, testing, safety, quality management, maintenance, recycling, etc., and launch industry standards according to the actual needs of the market, create industry norms, and form a new automotive aftermarket service industry chain ecology. Of course, there are many differences between new energy vehicles and fuel vehicles in the after-sales link, participants will face new challenges, how to smoothly transform, is the traditional after-sales chain enterprises to face the real problem.
Although suffering from the epidemic and the tight supply of raw materials, new energy vehicles are still growing against the trend and entering a new stage of market-oriented development with a vigorous trend. The development prospects of new energy vehicles are broad, but in addition to making major breakthroughs in key technologies and achieving comprehensive improvement in the level of safety, after-sales service and guarantee cannot "drop the chain", "talking about problems" is more conducive to growth than "talking about achievements".
Text: Hao Wenli Editor: Jiao Yue Layout: Li Peiyang