Affected by the superposition of factors such as the epidemic, the production and sales of domestic new energy vehicles fell sharply month on month in April and suddenly stalled. Recently, the reporter of Shanghai Securities News investigated the domestic new energy vehicle industry chain in Shanghai, Shijiazhuang, Lanzhou, Zhengzhou and other places. Through field visits or telephone interviews, it is found that China's new energy vehicle market, which was originally hot, is experiencing "late spring cold". Including new energy vehicle enterprises, parts enterprises and other industrial chain participants have encountered difficulties in production and delivery.
▲ in the exhibition hall of hezhonghuijin store of Zhengzhou FAW Volkswagen, the staff recorded a small video outside the tent on the roof of an SUV to attract traffic. Photographed by reporter Wang Qiaoqi
▲ Tesla Shanghai Super factory resumed production
▲ Shanghai Bosch Huayu factory resumed production
Reporter Yu Liyan editor Qin Secretary
Insiders pointed out that new energy vehicles have a long industrial chain, and problems in any link will affect the whole. All parties need to try their best to rescue and repair the breakpoints as soon as possible.
Vehicle end: sharp decline in production capacity
"I've been at home for two months and pay attention to the epidemic prevention and control in the community every day." Mr. Zhang, who lives in Yangpu District, Shanghai, told reporters that he is a front-line worker in SAIC GM's new energy vehicle workshop. Since the end of March 2022, he has been waiting at home for resumption of work.
As the state-owned automobile enterprise group with the largest production and sales of new energy vehicles in China, SAIC produced 158100 complete vehicles in April, down 62.02% from 416400 in the same period last year; In April, 166600 complete vehicles were sold, down 60.30% from 419500 in the same period last year. The production and sales of SAIC GM, where Mr. Zhang works, fell by 70% year-on-year.
"The epidemic since March has increased the uncertainty of production and marketing." The relevant person in charge of SAIC Group told reporters.
The situation in the whole country is not optimistic. According to the production and sales data released by China Automobile Industry Association, in April, China's automobile production and sales completed 1205000 and 1181000 vehicles respectively, with a month on month decrease of 46.2% and 47.1%, a year-on-year decrease of 46.1% and 47.6%, and the production and sales volume was the lowest in the same period of nearly 10 years. The original hot new energy vehicle market was also deeply affected. The production and sales of domestic new energy vehicles in April were 312000 and 299000 respectively, down 33% and 38.3% month on month.
"Since April, the domestic epidemic has generally shown a multiple trend. The supply chain of the automobile industry chain has experienced the most severe test in history. Some enterprises have stopped production, logistics and transportation have been greatly hindered, and the production and supply capacity has declined sharply." Introduction by Chen Shihua, Deputy Secretary General of China Automobile Association. It is estimated that in April, the domestic vehicle production decreased by about 1 million.
According to the production and sales data of mainstream new energy vehicle enterprises, the wholesale sales of new energy passenger vehicle manufacturers exceeded 10000 in April, down to 4 from nearly 10 before, including 105500 BYD, 30000 SAIC GM Wuling, 15600 Chery and 10200 GAC EA. In April, Tesla China produced 10800 vehicles, and the wholesale sales volume was only 1512.
Parts: shortage has affected delivery
"I haven't left my neighborhood since March 17." Shen Hui, chairman of Weima automobile, a new energy vehicle company headquartered in Shanghai, revealed. Compared with Shanghai headquarters, Shen Hui is more worried about Weima automobile's complete vehicle production plants in Huanggang, Hubei and Wenzhou, Zhejiang. Although there is no epidemic in Hubei and Zhejiang, the output of Weima factory has decreased because of the shortage of parts.
Shen Hui introduced that the Yangtze River Delta region centered on Shanghai is an important town of China's automobile industry. This region plays a decisive role in the ecology of new energy vehicle parts. This round of epidemic has a great impact on enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta region. Although Weima automobile's complete vehicle factory is not in Shanghai, it is also greatly affected by logistics and other reasons. "Several of our suppliers are in Jiading, Songjiang and other regions of Shanghai".
Like Weima automobile, ideal automobile also faces multiple challenges. Considering the impact of battery cost and raw material price fluctuation, ideally, the price of its only electric vehicle will be increased by 11800 yuan on April 1.
"The price fluctuation of raw materials will be passed on to end consumers, which will eventually affect market demand." Shen Yanan, President of ideal automobile, said that the price rise of some parts in the first quarter of this year has been relatively serious, but the overall cost has been little affected because the enterprise has a certain inventory. Since the second quarter, new energy vehicle enterprises have raised prices one after another, facing challenges such as rising battery prices.
Cui Dongshu, Secretary General of the Federation, told reporters that the recent Chinese new energy vehicle market was affected by consumers' expectations of rising prices of new energy vehicles. Before the price rise, the market performance was hot and the orders were sufficient. However, the aggravation of the shortage of new energy vehicles in April and the superposition of the impact of the epidemic have led to serious delays in the delivery of undelivered orders. The passenger Federation estimates that the current undelivered orders of new energy vehicles are between 600000 and 800000.
Ideal cars also face delivery difficulties. Shen Yanan introduced that about 80% of the upstream suppliers of ideal automobile are in areas with serious epidemic, of which only about half of the suppliers began to resume production, and many suppliers could not return to work quickly.
"Since the end of March, affected by the epidemic in the Yangtze River Delta, the supply chain, logistics and production of the whole industry have been seriously disrupted. The production of ideal cars has been greatly affected and can not continue to maintain production after digesting the existing parts inventory, resulting in the delay of the delivery of new cars by some users." Shen Yanan introduced.
According to statistics, ideal cars delivered 4167 new cars in April and 11034 new cars in March; Weilai automobile delivered 5074 new cars in April and 9985 new cars in March; Xiaopeng automobile delivered 9002 new cars in April and 15414 new cars in March. Known as "Wei Xiaoli", China's new power of new energy vehicle manufacturing decreased by more than 40% in April compared with March.
Some industry experts said that because the products of "Wei Xiaoli" and other new forces in car making are only new energy vehicles, their delivery data are highly representative. In the short term, the delivery of new energy vehicle enterprises has been seriously hit by the epidemic. In addition, the impact of the epidemic on the budget of target consumers of new energy vehicles will change their willingness to buy and change cars, which also needs to be paid enough attention.
Industrial chain: we are stepping up coordination and resumption of work
The upstream parts enterprises of new energy vehicle enterprises are also facing a severe test. More and more new energy vehicle industry chain companies are speeding up the pace of resumption of work and production.
As an important international enterprise in the automotive industry chain, Bosch recently announced that it will speed up the resumption of work and production in China. However, Chen Yudong, President of Bosch China, revealed that the output capacity of the company after the resumption of production is about 30% to 75%. The situation of each product and factory is different, "it is difficult to fully explain the proportion of resumption of production".
"For Bosch, the focus is to make every effort to ensure the supply and ensure that the main engine factory of new energy vehicles does not stop the line, which also takes into account the amplification effect. Because the production of auto parts with less than 1000 yuan (Sales) may be the production of a car with less than 100000 yuan for the whole vehicle." Chen Yudong said that on the premise of ensuring the safety of employees, Bosch China is trying its best to ensure the supply of parts for new energy vehicle enterprises. "The factory is ready for closed-loop production. We don't hesitate to spend money, even if the cost of logistics is very expensive."
The relevant person in charge of Junsheng electronics, which is adjacent to Tesla's Shanghai factory, told reporters that the company's products are supplied to mainstream new energy vehicle enterprises such as Tesla. At present, the resumption rate of Junsheng's Shanghai factory is about 67%, which is in a closed-loop production state, and the logistics is not too stable.
"Automobile has a long industrial chain. Not only suppliers like Bosch and their primary suppliers, but also superior suppliers of more suppliers need to resume production." Chen Yudong said that if the supply chain of new energy vehicles does not form a "chain", they will not be able to produce products in the end. For example, if a coating supplier does not return to work for coating, the subsequent product processing enterprise will not be able to complete the next process.
Supply chains are interdependent and interdependent. Chen Yudong introduced that if the fourth and fifth tier suppliers of Bosch do not return to work, it will affect the output of Bosch's final products, and this "chain" cannot be formed. "Even if all our factories are closed-loop production, we can't continue to operate if we can't get the materials in the supply chain."
With the improvement of the epidemic prevention and control situation, more and more new energy vehicle industry chain companies are speeding up the pace of returning to work and production.
According to relevant sources of Ningde times, at present, all power battery manufacturing bases, including Shanghai Lingang factory, have been in normal production. SAIC revealed that on the premise that the supply chain and logistics remain stable, SAIC's complete vehicle enterprises are expected to gradually resume normal production in late May, and strive to reach the same level in 2021. SAIC will still strive to sell more than 6 million vehicles in 2022, with a year-on-year increase of more than 10%.
The China Automobile Association also pointed out recently that industry enterprises need to strive to catch the key window period starting in May to make up for the lost production and sales.