Who says you can only drive an "old man's car"? Chinese car companies how to build electric cars for rural brothers

A few days ago, in order to promote the promotion and application of new energy vehicles in rural areas, guide the upgrading of the mode of travel of rural residents, and help the construction of beautiful villages and rural revitalization strategy, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the Ministry of Commerce jointly issued a notice deciding to jointly organize and carry out new energy vehicles to the countryside activities (July 2020-December 2020). Among them, the parties concerned will arrange one kick-off event (Qingdao City, Shandong Province, time to be in late July), four special events (located in Haikou City, Hainan Province, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, and Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, from late August to late September), and a series of corporate events.

Different from the past car, home appliances to the countryside, this round of new energy vehicles to the countryside activities, although the government, the Association stage, but the main enterprises themselves "singing", there will be no additional separate central financial subsidies, and whether or not to participate in the activities of the car companies to decide on their own, and then you can continue to sign up.

The first batch of "rural electric cars" to give or not?

"Electric curiosity" noted that the first batch of participation in this new energy vehicles to the countryside activities **** 10 car enterprises of the 16 pure electric models, which, in addition to the BAIC new energy EC3 (official guide price of 73,800 yuan - 79,800 yuan, a comprehensive range of 301 kilometers), Chery EQ1 (59,800 yuan - 78,800 yuan, a comprehensive range of 301 kilometers), the Jianghuai IEV6E? IEV6E?2020 (59,500-75,500 yuan, integrated range of 310 kilometers), these long-term gallop in the new energy market products, but also Changan Ben E-Star (69,800-74,800 yuan, integrated range of 301 kilometers) such as the first half of this year listed on the market of the new models.

Additionally, Great Wall Motor's Ola R1 (69,800-798,000 yuan after subsidies, the new R1 will be renamed "Ola Black Cat" and announced the price at the Chengdu Auto Show, with a range of 351 kilometers from 351 kilometers to 405 kilometers) and the Ola IQ (114,800-124,800 yuan, with a combined range of 401 kilometers); BYD's Yuan EV (122,000-162,400 yuan, integrated range 305-410 kilometers), E1 (76,000-96,000 yuan, integrated range 305 kilometers), E2 (106,000-154,800 yuan, integrated range 305-405 kilometers), E3 (106,000-126,000 yuan, integrated range 305 kilometers) are "grouped together". The E3 (106,000-126,000 yuan, with a range of 305-405 kilometers) and the E3 (106,000-126,000 yuan, with a range of 305-405 kilometers) are all "going to the countryside in a group", and the Euler White Cat (75,800-88,800 yuan, with a combined range of 360-401 kilometers), which was just launched in July, is not on the list, but with its eye-catching styling, it will still have a chance of going to the countryside.

The FAW Pentium E01, which is expected to be launched in July and August, also appeared in the list of the countryside, as FAW Pentium's entry into the pure electric market, "the opening work", this pure electric SUV based on the C105 concept car body dimensions (length, width and height of 4639/1880/1640mm, wheelbase of 2810mm) and the CR105 concept car. The body dimensions of this pure electric SUV based on the C105 concept (length, width and height 4639/1880/1640mm, wheelbase 2810mm) are similar to those of the CRV, and will be equipped with Ningde Times lithium ternary batteries, with a combined range of 450 kilometers, and with reference to competitors on the market in the same class, the starting price of the Pentium E01 after subsidies will probably be around 150,000 yuan.

The Dongfeng Fengshen EX1 (pre-sale price of 70,000-80,000 yuan), which has already arrived in stores and is expected to go on sale in the near future, is no slouch, either. As a sister model of the Dongfeng Renault eNuo (differing only in details such as its exterior and interior), it has a combined range of 271 kilometers in the NEDC.

Interestingly, Hezhong New Energy, which has been quite active in responding to new energy vehicles going to the countryside, will also bring the Nezha N01 Youth Edition (starting at 59,800 yuan after subsidies, with a combined range of 301-351 kilometers), which is currently the only product from a new car-making force.

Among these models for the countryside, I'm afraid the most attractively priced ones are none other than the three products from SAIC-GM-Wuling. Needless to say, the Baojun E100 (49,800-59,800 yuan, with a combined range of 250 kilometers) and E200 (54,800-64,800 yuan, with a combined range of 250 kilometers), and the Hongguang MINE?EV (presale price of 29,800-38,800 yuan, with a combined range of 120 kilometers-170 kilometers), which is still in the pre-sale period, are undoubtedly being held to greater expectations.

What do rural consumers really want?

People must ask, can these new energy models win the favor of township and rural consumers?

Last weekend, the China Electric Vehicle Association (hereinafter referred to as the "100") held its first "Automotive Market and Consumption Forum" through the "cloud", in which Zhang Yongwei, secretary-general of the 100, officially released the "Automotive Market and Consumption Forum", which is the first of its kind in China. Zhang Yongwei, Secretary General, pointed out in the official release of the "China Rural Electric Vehicle Mobility Research" report (hereinafter referred to as the "report") that the rural areas already have the basic conditions for the development of economic electric vehicles, as compared with the urban areas also have better conditions for parking and charging, and at the same time, the electric vehicles currently on the market in the range of 200 kilometers, the charging speed, power and other performance has already reached the requirements of rural consumers. The rural consumer's requirements.

However, as the budget of rural residents to buy electric cars is mostly below 70,000 yuan, and most of them are concentrated in about 50,000 yuan, which makes the difference between the products provided by the current car companies and the ideal budget of rural residents is still about 20,000 yuan--according to incomplete statistics, the market sells 241 models of mainstream electric passenger cars, the price of 70,000 yuan, the price of 70,000 yuan, the price of 70,000 yuan, the price of 60,000 yuan. According to complete statistics, of the 241 mainstream pure electric passenger cars on sale in the market, those priced below 70,000 yuan account for only 16.2%, coupled with the use of fewer scenarios (which can't satisfy the production of life applicable), the cost-effectiveness of the fuel car is not high and lack of attraction, the "mismatch between supply and demand" problem is restricting the promotion of electric vehicles in rural areas.

Chen Qingtai, chairman of the Hundred People's Congress, made a calculation: as of 2019, China has 90 million motorcycles, 250 million two-wheeled electric vehicles, more than 6 million four-wheeled low-speed electric vehicles and more than 20 million three-wheeled and four-wheeled agricultural vehicles, most of which are distributed in rural areas and three, four and five-tier cities, and with the construction of the new rural areas and the increase in economic level, a large part of which will be upgraded to automobiles. It can be expected, mainly small economical electric vehicles, the future "stock replacement" and "new" market is vast, in the three, four and five-line cities and rural areas may form a ten million electric vehicle market, become China's sustained economic growth of the important driving force.

Not only that, China's electric vehicle industry is still in the growth period, power batteries, drive motors, power electronics, control systems and other key components and materials to form an economic scale. In the face of global competition in the electric vehicle market, a large number of small economic electric vehicles, the basic use of domestic parts and components, can expand China's electric vehicle industry, "plate", and effectively promote China's related parts and materials to form the advantages of scale, to achieve production growth, cost reduction, market expansion of the virtuous cycle, improve the electric vehicle Cost-effective, enhance the competitiveness of China's automobile industry.

It should be noted that, although there are still some experts, practitioners call for low-speed electric vehicles (commonly known as "old man music", the elderly mobility scooter, does not have the qualification of the legal road) to make up for the current traditional vehicle enterprises "mismatch between supply and demand" problem, and the For a long time in the gray zone of the low-speed electric vehicles to the majority of consumers left a "mobility scooters do not need a license and driver's license" of the general impression. However, from recent years, the relevant departments at all levels to strengthen the governance, rectify the illegal motor vehicles (low-speed electric vehicles) and constantly emphasize the "safety bottom line, strengthen safety supervision" attitude, unless like Hebei Yujie, Shandong Redding, as through the acquisition of access to new energy automobile production qualification "corrective "Otherwise, this kind of vehicles want to be legal on the road hope will be more and more remote (especially "Liuzhou model" also proved that the small micro-electric vehicles can completely replace its living space).

"In the rural market, the price range of 50,000 yuan is the 'golden point'." Ma Chunsheng, director of the Automobile Development Division of the First Department of Equipment Industry of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, also believes that rural residents' consumer groups are relatively price-sensitive, and that in the case of meeting the basic needs, A00-class small electric vehicles with a range of 200-300 kilometers below 50,000 yuan have a great deal of attraction for them.

It is easy to see that the models prepared for the new energy vehicles to the countryside still have a certain gap with the psychological price of small and medium-sized cities, rural consumers, although the various car companies are prepared to varying amounts of cash discounts, but still exposed the supply side of the car companies are still insufficient preparation.

"Small and medium-sized cities and rural areas must be an important market for electric vehicles in China, and more specifically, the main market for small and medium-sized electric vehicles. In the past, (companies) still did not pay enough attention to it, and (next) car companies should put the development and production of electric vehicles suitable for small and medium-sized cities and rural areas in an important position." Wang Binggang, head of the National New Energy Vehicle Innovation Project Expert Group, analyzed the technical needs of small and medium-sized cities and rural micro-electric vehicles summarized by the research:

First, the mileage should be set according to the use, generally speaking, 200-300 kilometers will be enough.

Secondly, they should be safe, reliable and robust, and strive to be maintenance-free.

Third, power, the maximum speed should not be less than 100 kilometers per hour.

Fourth, good economy of use, to save electricity, infrastructure power supply should encourage the use of renewable energy .

Fifth, charging is convenient, to small power slow charging.

Sixth, multi-purpose, multi-species. Not only to solve the mobility, but also can pull people, cargo, and can even match the water pump and other agricultural power equipment.

Seventh, the car price should be economic, less than 50,000 yuan is the standard.

"For any product, it is nothing but three aspects for consumers: performance, cost, and service ...... We want to build a national electric car suitable for China's national conditions and promote the competitiveness of the electric car industry." Li Weili, deputy director of the National Information Center Consulting Center, further pointed out that new energy vehicles (in small and medium-sized cities and rural areas) need a new orientation and a new development model, on the one hand, we can learn from the functional positioning and market experience of the Japanese light automobile (K-car) (smaller models, lower prices, and diversified functions); on the other hand, in order to achieve a higher price-performance ratio, the car companies need to change the design of their product concepts.

It is worth mentioning that the current lithium iron phosphate battery's single energy density can reach 180-200Wh/kg, although it can't be compared with the 260-300Wh/kg of lithium ternary batteries, but the micro-electric vehicles equipped with lithium iron phosphate batteries can make the driving range up to 300 kilometers by lowering the power of the motor, etc. and have a longer cycling service life (about 2000 times, which is longer than that of lithium ternary batteries). 2000 times, about twice as long as lithium ternary batteries), while having the obvious advantages of lower price, higher safety and stability. Therefore, the industry generally believe that lithium iron phosphate batteries are more suitable for small micro-electric vehicles.

In recent times, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other ministries have been to the central and western, small and medium-sized cities, rural areas, as well as automobile manufacturers, to support and encourage the promotion of new energy vehicles in these areas of the signal. It is suggested that the next step should be to study the development and introduction of various types of electric vehicles end of the preferential policies, to encourage enterprises targeted specifically to develop products suitable for rural economic capacity and multi-scenario applied.

Business model and after-sales service innovation can not wait

It is easy to be ignored is to carry out new energy vehicles to the countryside can not be a "hammer deal", in addition to the car companies need to strengthen the product research and development, financial services, the exploration of business models, but also need to be introduced at the local level, including the operation, the use of charging, infrastructure construction, parts subsidies and other utilization links. Infrastructure construction, parts subsidies and other aspects of the use of support policies, and set the efforts of all parties to gradually improve the after-sales service system.

While automotive companies have been gradually focusing on and emphasizing the rural market, most of the sales channels have not yet sunk to the county or village areas, and the after-sales service capacity needs to be improved. Of course, the situation of "easy to buy a car, but maintenance is very troublesome," even in the very mature fuel car market also exists widely, many county and township level consumers tend not to return to the 4S store after the first warranty, but turn to the roadside store, small repair store. This is convenient for maintenance but professionalism, safety requirements of pure electric vehicles, the lack of professionally trained technicians and hard equipment is likely to bring security risks. In addition, with the gradual promotion of electric vehicles in rural areas, the scale of decommissioned power batteries will also increase, the decommissioning of the battery for a unified, professional recycling treatment can not be ignored.

To this end, the Hundred will suggest that local governments should provide policy favoring and support for the construction and operation of automobile and electric vehicle after-sales service outlets in rural areas, and at the same time encourage rural areas to cultivate electric vehicle maintenance technicians. According to reports, Ningde, Haikou, Danzhou and other places have already started the electric passenger car village to village project from 2020 to provide villagers with lower price appointment and carpooling services, which will undoubtedly become an important entry point for electric vehicles to enter the countryside, while playing a good demonstration in the power grid, fire protection, after-sales service and other aspects.

Many industry experts have put forward the idea that we can learn from the "Liuzhou model", that is, multi-party synergy, from policy support, the use of preferential links, the right of way, parking lots, infrastructure construction, and so on, to create a better overall favorable conditions for electric vehicles in small and medium-sized cities and rural areas, to enhance the protection of after-sales service capacity, the scope of after-sales service, to be able to enter the rural areas, and to enhance the ability to provide after-sales service. The ability of after-sales service, the scope of after-sales service, can cover more small and medium-sized cities and rural areas, when the product has problems in a timely manner to respond and service.

And as a representative of the corporate sector, Yu Fei, vice general manager of marketing for Great Wall Motor's Ola brand, put forward a very specific suggestion, that is, car companies should pay more attention to the use of the mobile Internet and e-commerce platforms to open up access, solve the problem of reaching products to the low-tier market (as opposed to the high-tier market in first- and second-tier cities), thus reducing the channel costs of building large 4S stores. In terms of products, he believes that "the young market does not need to form a clear division by geography or first, second and third tier, especially the popularization of the Internet allows young people to focus more on the focus of anime, e-sports, images, idols as a focus on the division of the point, the same as long as we seize these young people (needs), they will still be affected by these communications we have, cover to."

This article comes from the author of the automobile home car family number, does not represent the views of the automobile home position.