Text/Peach Lee
Recently, Changan Automobile official micro released an explanation on the price adjustment of UNI-K iDD: Affected by the recent sharp rise in raw material prices, Changan Automobile will adjust the official guidance price of the new energy model UNI-K iDD, with an increase of 6,000 yuan. The price adjustment will take effect at 00:00 on May 1, and users who have been determined before this time will not be affected by this price adjustment.
The release of this news is also so that the majority of consumers can not see when the price increase of electric vehicles is the head, since this year, the price of electric vehicles has risen again and again, the country has experienced 2 consecutive rounds of new energy vehicle price increases, 1-2 months is the first wave, March is the second wave, and according to relevant data forecasts, perhaps to May this year, new energy vehicles may have a third wave of price increases.
However, it is worth mentioning that unlike the price increase of electric vehicles, the price of domestic lithium battery materials has shown signs of falling in recent days. According to the data released by Shanghai Iron and Steel Federation, on April 13, some lithium battery materials continued to maintain a downward trend, of which the average price of battery-grade lithium carbonate was 495,000 yuan / ton, down 1000 yuan / ton; lithium cobalt oxide fell by 5000 yuan / ton; lithium manganese oxide fell by 1000-2000 yuan / ton; electrolytic cobalt fell by 3500 yuan / ton; nickel beans fell by 6280 yuan / ton.
From January to early April this year, the price of lithium carbonate soared from 291,000 yuan / ton to more than 500,000 yuan / ton, an increase of 77% in just 3 months, including battery factories, automobile factories and other manufacturers have been greatly affected. Many people think that the rise of lithium battery materials is too crazy, has exceeded the normal scope, and the price of lithium battery materials has continued to decline recently, which seems to be good news for the new energy vehicle market. Since the price of raw materials has been reduced, why are new energy vehicles still rising in price?
The author believes that the situation of the price of lithium battery materials is actually only temporary, because the price rises too fast, some battery factories and material factories in the industry have resisted the surge of lithium battery materials, trying to rely on the "digestion of inventory, reduce procurement" to reduce the price of lithium battery materials, although the current market demand has indeed weakened, resulting in traders began to sell goods at low prices, but this situation can only last for a few weeks, and in the long run can not solve the current situation of lithium battery boom.
On the other hand, affected by the epidemic, Weilai, SAIC Volkswagen, FAW-Volkswagen, Tesla and other car companies have also announced the temporary suspension of production or production cuts, the production of electric vehicles has decreased, and the situation of short supply of raw materials has been alleviated, but the current penetration rate of new energy vehicles has been continuously improved, and after the epidemic has passed, major car companies will gradually resume production, and the supply and demand relationship of raw materials will return to the previous situation, and it may be difficult to reduce prices. Since the price of raw materials cannot be reduced, the price of new energy vehicles naturally cannot be reduced.
In addition to this, there are reasons for national policy. On the last day of last year, the Ministry of Finance and other four departments jointly issued the "Notice on the Financial Subsidy Policy for the Promotion and Application of New Energy Vehicles in 2022" and the subsidy plan. The content is as follows: In 2022, the subsidy standard for new energy vehicles will be reduced by 30% on the basis of 2021, and new energy vehicles that are licensed after December 31 this year will no longer be given state subsidies. With the reduction of subsidies and the rise in raw material prices, it is not surprising that the prices of new energy vehicles continue to rise.
So will the price of new energy vehicles be reduced? I think so, but not in a short period of time. First of all, although the price of raw materials has dropped, as mentioned above, this is only temporary, and only after the new energy vehicle market tends to be saturated, the supply and demand relationship will be changed The price of raw materials will be reduced.
In addition, with the continuous advancement of car-making technology, the cost of new energy vehicles will be reduced in the future, which will also promote the reduction of electric vehicle prices. As for how long it will take for these situations to be realized, no one can say for sure, and it also depends on changes in the market environment.
summary:
At present, the development trend of new energy vehicles is still very hot, temporary, small raw material price reduction on the price of new energy vehicles is not very large, the future trend of new energy vehicle prices also need to observe the entire market and the entire industrial chain supply and demand situation can be clear.