In order to reduce the user's car purchase pressure, many new energy brands have launched a "car-electricity separation" car purchase program. That is, the body and power battery pack are sold separately, and the user can obtain the right to use the battery through leasing. NIO, which is based on power exchange technology, is a pioneer in the implementation of "vehicle-to-electricity separation", which NIO calls "BaaS" (Battery as a Service).
The biggest difference between WEILAI BaaS and the purchase of the whole vehicle in installments is that even if the total rent paid by the user can offset the value of the battery pack, the final ownership of the battery pack does not belong to the owner, and still belongs to the battery asset company. In the plan of purchasing the whole vehicle in installments, after the user settles the loan, the ownership of the battery pack belongs to the owner.
To this end, many users who have chosen BaaS for "early adopters" feel that it is not cost-effective and want to directly buy out the ownership of the battery pack. Seeing this, Weilai also recently launched the "BaaS buyout plan". However, the plan has been controversial, and some car owners have even protested by returning the car.
The rent is void and the battery must be bought out at the original price
NIO has launched a total of ET5, ET7, EC6, ES6, ES8 five models, the five models support power exchange, users can choose the standard endurance of 70kWh/75kWh battery pack, long life 100kWh battery pack, the price of the former two is 70,000 yuan, the price of the latter is 128,000 yuan. If you choose BaaS, you will have to pay a battery rental of $980 or $1,480 per month.
In the "BaaS to Buyout Scheme", Weilai mentioned that users who want to terminate the BaaS lease agreement can choose to purchase a new battery pack, and the price is consistent with the above. However, no matter what kind of battery life, an additional service fee of 3,000 yuan is required, and the service fee includes the logistics, testing, disassembly and assembly costs of the new battery.
However, because of the subsidy issue, BaaS users who originally chose 100kWh could not buy out the 75kWh battery pack.
Of course, users can also choose not to replace the new battery, directly purchase the old battery used in the car, you can waive the service fee of 3,000 yuan. At the same time, BaaS users do not support mortgage loans and must pay in full.
The point is that the BaaS buyout scheme does not support the payment of monthly rent to offset the outright fee, because the BaaS scheme is used first and paid later, so the rent previously generated is non-refundable and non-deductible, which is why BaaS users are dissatisfied.
For example, suppose user A chooses a 100kWh BaaS, which has been used for 20 months and pays nearly 30,000 yuan in rent. It currently wants to buy out, the rent of nearly 30,000 yuan can not offset the cost of buying out the battery, but also the original price to pay for the purchase of 128,000 yuan of new batteries. In other words, the user A, who has been using BaaS for 20 months, wants to buy out the battery, and the total cost has exceeded 160,000 yuan.
The service fee of 3,000 yuan seems reasonable, but as long as the user uses weilai's power exchange service, this new battery will still be transferred in the replacement power station and replaced with an old battery, which is equivalent to white flowers.
It is understandable that users cannot purchase new batteries and cannot offset the rent already paid by BaaS, after all, the new battery pack needs to be manufactured. However, users who buy old batteries also need to pay the same price as new batteries, which may be quite different from the assumptions of many users.
The BaaS solution is to rent batteries, not installments, just like renters want to buy the property they currently live in, but the rent generated during the lease relationship cannot be used as a deduction for the cost of the house. By analogy, it will be easier to understand the relationship.
The buyout is more suitable for short-term holding users, which is conducive to the change of hands of the vehicle
So, is the BaaS buyout worth it? First of all, the conclusion, the sooner the better. The BaaS buyout is not mandatory, but can be chosen independently, which is equivalent to Providing More Flexible Options for Nippon in battery services, or providing "regret medicine" for BaaS users.
Rent first and buy later, the total cost of use must be more expensive than the purchase of the whole vehicle. Under BaaS, after 72 months and 87 months of battery use, it is basically equivalent to the purchase price of the whole vehicle, which means that the sooner the user buys out, the more cost-effective it is.
In this way, does it mean that BaaS is the existence of chicken ribs? Not really. BaaS is more suitable for users who have insufficient car purchase budgets, do not have a long time to hold the car, and do not want to spend a lot of money to buy a car. At the same time, another advantage of choosing the BaaS scheme is that the price of the car can be reduced below the level line of 300,000 yuan, so as to enjoy the state's subsidies for new energy vehicles.
However, it should be noted that after the model that chooses BaaS changes hands, the next owner also needs to continue to pay the battery rent to use the vehicle normally. Due to the unfamiliarity with BaaS, most used car dealers are currently reluctant to accept such models, and NIO's official used cars have become the main way to circulate BaaS models.
After the BaaS buyout, this situation that makes it difficult for used cars to circulate due to the BaaS model will usher in changes. The first owner can buy out the battery and then change hands, and the successor owner who buys the BaaS model can also re-choose the opportunity to buy out the battery, which can promote the flow of second-hand vehicles to a certain extent.
Weilai BaaS turned a buyout to "proof" for its peers?
In fact, in addition to Weilai, Xiaopeng, Weima, etc. have provided battery rental services, although these brands have not yet launched a "lease-to-buy" service, but Weilai's "BaaS buy-out" approach can provide them with a good reference experience and reduce the probability of "stepping on the pit" in user operation. It should be noted that because xiaopeng and WM models do not have a power exchange function, even if they launch a "lease-to-buy" service in the future, there will be no situation like Weilai where new batteries are transferred into old batteries.
This also raises the question, with the popularity of power exchange technology, is the battery pack as a core component purchased or leased? If you choose to lease, you can reduce the user's concern about battery durability and high purchase costs, while purchasing will bring higher profits to car companies and reduce the operating costs of power exchange services. Of course, battery manufacturers can also act as power exchange and battery rental operators, thereby reducing the burden on consumers and car companies, but car companies will be more constrained by new car research and development and battery supply options, and EVOGO in the Ningde era is an example.
As a user-oriented enterprise, NIO has always been good at "conforming to the people's hearts" and providing car owners with more diversified choices. However, in addition to the multiple choice questions, Weilai also set up calculation questions for users, throwing the problem of "how to choose more cost-effective" to the users, which will cause users to be disgusted and counterproductive. BaaS buyout is not the original sin, but the implementation of the regulations for some users are not very adaptable, if it can be optimized, I believe it will be welcomed by car owners. Fortunately, this plan has not yet been officially landed, and there is still room for discussion. In any case, Weilai's move also plays a positive demonstration role to a certain extent, providing a reference object for "peers".