In the first half of April, China's new energy (3.810, 0.07, 1.87%) automobile market penetration rate exceeded 50%, and the market position of fuel trucks began to shake. Industry insiders said that in a longer period of time, the auto market may present a dual-track parallel, new energy vehicles and fuel vehicles will compete and coexist in different areas.
Recently, the automotive industry is talking about a data: China's new energy vehicle market penetration rate exceeded 50%. Related to this, the topic of "buying fuel vehicles officially became a minority" once rushed to the top of the Baidu hot search list.
When it comes to fuel cars, you may think of their distinctive smell of fuel and deafening engine roar. With the improvement of the endurance capacity of new energy vehicles, the maximum has reached 2000 kilometers, and the market position of fuel vehicles seems to be wavering.
In the interview with the reporter in recent days, many industry experts admitted that with the implementation of environmental protection regulations and the continuous development of new energy technologies, fuel vehicles are bound to carry out innovation and improvement in order to maintain their competitiveness in the market. In the future, fuel vehicles will adopt a more environmentally friendly and energy-saving design, or integrate with new energy technologies to adapt to the changing market demand. In the longer term, the automobile market may present a dual-track parallel, new energy vehicles and fuel vehicles will compete and coexist in different areas.
A landmark event
According to the data of the Passenger Association, from April 1 to April 14, the national passenger car market retail 516,000 units, of which the sales of new energy vehicles increased by 32% year-on-year to 260,000 units, and the penetration rate reached 50.39%; The country's passenger car manufacturers wholesale 534,000 vehicles, of which 268,000 new energy vehicles, a penetration rate of 50.19%.
The retail and wholesale penetration rate of new energy vehicles both exceeded 50%, reaching this historic node, faster than many people expected. From 2005 to 2015, China's new energy vehicles took 10 years, and the market penetration rate exceeded 1%. But in recent years, its development has accelerated significantly.
With the advancement of electric vehicle technology, the range and charging speed of electric vehicles have been significantly improved. The gradual completion of charging facilities has attracted more and more consumers to choose electric vehicles. Coupled with the reduction of battery costs, the cost of purchasing electric vehicles has decreased significantly, and electric vehicles have become the new darling of family travel.
As the engine of change in the contemporary automotive industry, intelligent driving technology continues to promote the advancement of new energy vehicles. At the beginning of the New Year, people have witnessed a leap in intelligent driving technology from Level 2 assisted driving to Level 4 almost fully autonomous driving. Statistics show that intelligent driving systems can effectively reduce traffic accidents by about 40% and significantly reduce driver fatigue. With the increasing perfection of regulations and the continuous advancement of technology, the penetration rate of intelligent driving is expected to double in the next few years.
A number of new energy models newly launched this year have a high degree of autonomous driving capability in highway and urban environments, using high-precision map and sensor fusion technology, real-time insight into road conditions, intelligent decision-making to bring unprecedented convenient experience to drivers.
The rise of domestic brands is a common trend
In recent years, technological progress and the improvement of brand image have made domestic cars win the favor of more and more consumers. Taking Geely and Great Wall as an example, their market shares have shown a strong growth trend at home and abroad. In the field of electric vehicles, BYD's sales (227.480, 8.98, 4.11%) have topped the global market for several months.
In the view of Mo Yuanming, a professor at Chongqing Technology and Business University, the rise of domestic new energy vehicle brands is the result of many factors, of which policy support and technological innovation are particularly important.
From the policy level, in recent years, China has continued to guide and encourage the development of the new energy automobile industry. This year's government work report clearly stated that "consolidate and expand the leading advantages of intelligent net-connected new energy vehicles and other industries" and "boost intelligent net-connected new energy vehicles", once again highlighting China's determination to accelerate the development of new energy vehicles.
From the technical point of view, BYD has a series of leading technologies such as blade battery, CTB battery body integration, and Chery independently developed hybrid technology Kunpeng super hybrid C-DM mass production and loading. Changan Automobile (14.790, 0.07, 0.48%) has created the first self-designed "UNIBrain central computing platform" that integrates cabin and driver... The reason why China's new energy vehicles realize lane overtaking is that the key is to achieve power change and kinetic energy conversion with scientific and technological innovation.
China's new energy vehicle production and sales have ranked first in the world for nine consecutive years, showing huge consumption power and potential. The huge market scale effect helps enterprises reduce costs in research and development, production, sales and other links, and improve market competitiveness. The relevant person in charge of Changan Automobile said that at present, many car companies, including Changan, reduce car prices to improve market competitiveness, which also reduces the threshold of new energy models.
Where are the boundaries of smart cars in the future?
"There is still a long way to go before the annual penetration rate of new energy vehicles exceeds 50%, and the new stage also means unprecedented challenges." China Automobile circulation Association vice president and secretary-general Xiao Zhengsan said.
Changan Automobile national skill master CAI Yudong admitted that the current new energy vehicle chip, basic software and other aspects of the obvious shortcomings, in some regions and periods, consumers are still facing power anxiety. In addition, the current power battery recycling system is not perfect enough, and the problems of energy reuse and environmental pollution need to be solved urgently.
In addition to the need for further breakthroughs in technology, the development of new energy vehicles is also facing the test of the market. This year, the car market price competition is still relatively fierce. Cui Dongshu, secretary general of the Association, said that last year's market price reduction was generally relatively balanced, but this year it reached a super degree. From the beginning of 2023, this price war has been playing for more than a year, and there is no sign of ending the war.
"New energy vehicles quickly occupy the market with advantages such as environmental protection, energy saving and economy, but fuel vehicles still have a market position with convenient refueling, stable endurance and high warranty rate." CAI Yudong said that policy and technical support will promote the development of new energy vehicles, and sodium battery technology may be the key to the future. For a long time, new energy vehicles and fuel vehicles will compete and coexist in different fields.
Mo Yuanming believes that for some consumers, the uncertainty caused by new technology is a hindrance in the car buying process. Fuel vehicles have a stable endurance, are not affected by factors such as temperature, and are especially suitable for use on long trips, and their performance, reliability and technology have passed the test of time. Electric cars, on the other hand, need more time to prove their reliability. As technology continues to evolve and consumer needs diversify, the automotive market will become richer and more flexible to adapt to the needs and preferences of different consumers.
