Renewed "Joint Venture" in the Field of New Energy Vehicles

On August 29, the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Dongfeng Motor announced the establishment of a new joint venture company, Easyjet New Energy Automotive Co., Ltd. (eGT). Before that, Volkswagen, JAC, Daimler, BAIC New Energy, Ford and Zotye ... In the field of new energy, it seems that there has been a new round of joint ventures and cooperation.

Since the establishment of the joint venture company by Jianghuai, many industry experts and even auto makers have expressed concern about the impact of the new energy joint venture on the new energy industry in China. However, the author believes that the situation of the new energy industry is different from that of the previous year, and there is no need to worry about the joint venture and cooperation retaking the old road of “using the market but not in exchange for technology”. However, we should still pay attention to seize the first-mover advantage, seize the time to achieve the accumulation of new energy automotive technology and brand, and strive to grasp more of the initiative.

Since the new wave has inevitably arrived, it is hoped that Chinese companies will be able to “leave the first hand” while they are embracing their arms. The first is to retain the belief and actions of “independence and self-improvement”, and to keep the R&D and investment in technology unchanged. The second is that in the control of core technologies, there can be no relaxation.

"Joint venture tide" is affected by many factors

The Chinese government’s “double-integration” policy is seen as a way for foreign brands to speed up the search for new joint venture partners and complete their “accelerator” for electric vehicle programs. On August 29, Ruan Guochun, deputy director of the Department of Equipment Industry of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, re-emphasized that the "Measures for the Concurrent Management of Passenger Vehicles' Average Fuel Consumption and New Energy Vehicle Integration" are in the process of implementation and will be released soon.

According to the provisions of this approach, traditional fuel vehicles produced must meet both fuel consumption and emission standards, and new energy vehicles must also meet the requirements for new energy vehicle integration. In short, companies must produce a certain number of new energy vehicles, offsetting each other with points and fuel truck points. If a company is not up to the standard, you can purchase points from companies with surplus points to fill the gap.

According to this year's revising of the revised draft and publicizing the contents of the delegates, the new energy vehicles will formulate bicycle points according to models, pure electric mileage, and energy consumption. At the same time, the ratio of new energy vehicle points to annual passenger car production will reach 8 in 2018-2020. %, 10%, 12%.

Due to the tilt of China’s policy towards self-owned brand new energy vehicles and the relatively late response of foreign brands to new energy in the Chinese market, for many years of joint ventures with sales volume of mega million, it is necessary to produce and sell so much new energy in a short period of time. The model is undoubtedly a huge challenge. Joint ventures with Chinese companies to establish new energy companies have become a fast way for them to obtain new energy "points."

Secondly, Chinese companies have made many attempts in the field of new energy, and their product layout has been explored in multiple market segments. The establishment of a new energy joint venture between a foreign brand and a Chinese brand is also a way of “filling in the gap” and sharing existing results.

In addition, China has become the largest new energy market. According to statistics from the China Automobile Association, the production and sales of new energy vehicles in 2016 were 517,000 vehicles and 507,000 vehicles, respectively, an increase of 51.7% and 53% over the same period of the previous year. The most important new energy market in the world is like a huge cake, coupled with various policy support for the promotion of new energy, and it is also one of the reasons for attracting foreign companies to enter the Chinese market.

Senior industry insiders expressed to NetEase that this can actually be seen as a "pilfer" behavior: "The original Chinese government stipulated that a multinational company could only cooperate with two Chinese auto companies. The rules were broken. Let's take the place for the first time."

Who is the joint venture who is the cheapest

"I personally oppose the establishment of new new energy vehicle joint ventures based on two joint ventures in China by foreign vehicle manufacturers. The relevant government departments have not considered this." Not long ago, the electric vehicle technology innovation alliance technology The director of the committee, Wang Binggang, former director of the China Automotive Technology Center, said.

He said, “From the perspective of the automobile joint ventures in the past few decades, we have not used the market for real technology. A new wave of joint ventures will bring some benefits, and there are also many bad places. China New energy has struggled so hard for so long that it has done very well in terms of technology development, customer habits influence, and infrastructure construction. We are already very close to the international advanced level, and we are entirely possible to become a world power in the field of new energy, but The sudden opening of the joint venture is like pouring a cold water."

There are not a few people in the industry who share the same views. An auto media official told Netease Automobile: “In the past, when fuel vehicles in China had no technology, they took the market for technology. Now that our new energy technologies are at the same level, why do we have to give up the market? They? Foreign brands take Chinese companies as gunmen, so they prefer to find better controlled SMEs."

However, objectively speaking, Chinese brands that are joint ventures with foreign brands are not simply “cheap” but they also have their own needs. In the case of Zotye, which has established a new energy joint venture with Ford, some people claim that its "ugly duckling" has become a "swan." The brand influence brought by foreign brands and some of the technologies that they may bring will also help these companies themselves.

Interestingly, there are also very different opinions among car companies.

Gao Lixin, general manager of Chery’s new energy, said to Netease that he did not agree with the joint venture from a personal perspective. From 1999 to now, the state, the government, and the enterprises have invested almost a few hundred billion RMB. Whether it is new energy technologies, market size, or industrial development, China is a world leader. A joint venture is tantamount to handing over these achievements. In addition, because new energy vehicles are often linked to smart grids, they are not suitable from the perspective of national security.

Gong Bing, vice president of Chang'an Automobile Co., Ltd., said: "We do not exclude cooperation with appropriate partners in an appropriate manner when appropriate." However, he stressed that many people hope to stay outside. Chang'an's new energy strategy is still based on its own.

Zhong Wei, General Manager of Southeast Automotive, said: “Our mentality is open. The input of joint venture brands in new energy, at least in the Chinese market, is lagging behind. By then, they may be in the motherboard. The accumulation of the company's assets will be put into the joint venture company, which should also be helpful for our Chinese brand to increase the strength of new energy."

In fact, for this new field, the automotive industry analyst Zhong Shi believes that protection alone is not a solution, and that simply letting go doesn't have to be flooding. The future trend of China's electric vehicle market, foreign companies are also confused, there is no ready-made solution, but also take a step step, unlike the original joint venture, a simple transplant model can make money.

Influx is inevitable. China’s new energy companies should “keep a hand”

Whether they agree or support, as new new energy joint ventures spring up like mushrooms, it seems that this force seems to have become unstoppable. However, the author believes that the situation of the new energy industry is different from that of the previous year, and there is no need to worry that joint ventures and cooperation will revisit the old path of “using the market without transposing technology”.

At present, China's new energy market is dominated by Chinese brands and has occupied the vast majority of sales in the new energy market. China's new energy industry started early, and the market environment is relatively favorable. There are also various policies to boost it. It can be said that in the field of new energy, it has been at the same starting line with multinational auto companies. It even has the strength to compete with its opponents in the process of joint ventures and cooperation. There will not be a completely passive situation. At the same time, for foreign brands, their new energy products in the Chinese market are relatively late and there is still a lack of understanding of the new energy market in China. This is also the place where they need to rely on Chinese partners.

The impact of the period on Chinese companies, the author believes that the difference should be treated. With the gradual liberalization of policies and subsidy withdrawal, China's new energy "greenhouse protection cover" is gradually disappearing. Those Chinese new energy companies that have seized the opportunity to develop well and have become firmly rooted in China are naturally not afraid or even welcome a good wind and a good rain. Those with weak core competitiveness and “deep roots” respond The impact of foreign brands is probably a headache.

For companies that already have a certain foundation, such as Chang'an and Dongfeng, which has already been joint ventures, they first master their own new energy technologies, followed by a wealth of joint venture experience. In the joint venture will not be in a relatively passive position. A senior industry insider said to Netease: “It is not always necessary to be tit for tat with a competitor, but to participate in it and understand each other’s dynamics.”

However, no matter what kind of cooperation model, Chinese companies should "stay one". The first is to retain the belief and actions of “independence and self-improvement”, and to keep the R&D and investment in technology unchanged. Do not rely solely on foreign parties to gain more initiative in joint ventures. The second is that in the control of core technologies, there can be no relaxation. Especially for core technologies in the field of new energy vehicles, such as batteries, motors, and electronic control, the “triple power” technology, as well as important technologies such as charging and vehicle manufacturing, all need to maintain absolute leadership, and enhance their own design and R&D capabilities. Build your own product and brand.

Competition is a good thing. The policy level clearly limits the number of new energy vehicle joint ventures. First, it is hoped that foreign brands can bring their technologies and designs into China. It is also hoped that they can exert the catfish effect and inspire the Chinese new energy automobile industry to be healthier. Development. With the gradual opening of the new energy automobile market, there will be more and more foreign new energy joint ventures. At this time, for Chinese brands, the most important thing is to grasp the first-mover advantage, seize the time to achieve new energy automotive technology and brand accumulation, and strive to grasp more initiative.