Say goodbye to high quality and low price, advanced technology becomes the label of China’s electric vehicles

"Toyota's successful overseas expansion is inseparable from the outbreak of the first oil crisis. They had the most fuel-efficient engines at the time. Relatively speaking, this was a product that the more mature European and American OEMs at the time did not have." Austria Truls Thorstensen, President and CEO of EFS Automotive Business Consulting Company, said when summarizing Toyota's overseas model.

This senior expert who has co-organized the 10th "World Auto Experts Selection of China's Car of the Year" Xuanyuan Awards with the well-known Chinese media Automotive Business Review said that Toyota has the most fuel-efficient technology, and they are very focused on technology, quality and reliability. These three product characteristics are characterized by sex, and there are supporting marketing technologies to promote them. Also due to enough focus, people now have a very clear understanding of Japanese car brands.

There are many similarities in history, and history will not repeat itself, but corporate development experience can always be learned. Global electric car makers are leveraging advanced technology to compete with each other and local brands in the fiercely competitive Chinese market.

On August 10, Landu Motors, a subsidiary of China's Dongfeng Motor Group, announced that its luxury electric MPV Landu Dreamer has obtained the European Union Whole Vehicle Type Approval (EWVTA). The European version of Landu Dreamer will be exported in batches and sold in all countries within the EU. Officially registered. The European Union is one of the markets with the most stringent import and export regulations in the world. EWVTA certification involves multiple test items such as vehicle safety, performance, environmental protection, and cruising range, and is recognized as one of the most "golden" certification systems in the world.

"Chinese local brands have leveraged their early entry into the electric vehicle sector to take market leadership in the development and implementation of advanced driver assistance systems," Canaris Consulting said in a recent report.

Analysts at Bank of America Securities Group said: "Chinese automakers are accelerating upgrades or innovations in vehicle platforms and technologies to bring superior user experience. China's electric vehicle products are more competitive than before, and we believe that China's electric vehicle penetration The rate will continue to expand.”

BMW China announced that it is accelerating the development of L3 autonomous driving functions. At the end of July, Volkswagen Group announced that it would invest approximately US$700 million in Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Xpeng Motors to acquire 4.99% of its shares. "We are now accelerating the expansion of our local electric vehicle portfolio while preparing for the next step in innovation," Volkswagen Group China said in a statement.

Today, one out of every two electric cars in the world is driven in China, and Chinese automakers only see U.S. automaker Tesla as a real competitor in their home market. Chinese car buyers, especially those with high incomes, have become more and more inclined to buy local brands in recent years. "The market is undergoing disruptive changes."

Chinese technology giant Huawei is jointly developing a highly intelligent electric coupe with Chery Group▼

According to reports, Chinese customers’ car purchasing motivations have begun to shift from favoring brand value to recognizing technological content. The opinion given by the consulting firm Beryls is: "The main motivation for buying German luxury cars is out of love for the brand, while buying Chinese high-end cars is recognition of the product itself."

In March this year, a poll conducted by the Russian car magazine "Drive" showed that 58.7% of Russian car enthusiasts said they could buy Chinese cars. 10.3% of people pointed out that they plan to buy Chinese cars because they want to try something new.

In April this year, a British website surveyed that 25% of British people were ready to buy Chinese cars, and 10% said that Chinese cars have more and better technologies.

30% of German drivers said they would consider Chinese cars next time they buy a car, while the proportion in Spain was as high as 43%.

Respondents said Chinese cars are quite modern and stylish, and Chinese automakers are poaching European designers to ensure their new fleets have high consumer appeal. Meanwhile, Chinese cars have beaten more established car brands in Europe, earning some of the highest safety ratings.

A report in Business Week magazine titled "The Global Electrification Transformation Depends on a Chinese Company" explains CATL's leadership in the field of electric vehicle batteries and that it has always strictly protected its intellectual property rights and has not hesitated to launch a price war.

Not only is it far ahead in the fields of smart electric vehicles and power batteries, but China is also at the forefront of the world in autonomous driving research and development.

For Tesla and other automakers following the trend toward higher levels of autonomous driving, tracking China's path to artificial intelligence will be important if they want to catch up and keep up. . When it comes to smarter cars, European companies have come to rely on Chinese companies like Thunderstar.

Just like in electric cars, where China has focused on overcoming battery challenges and effectively set global standards by taking the lead on policy, autonomous driving may eventually follow China's rules for artificial intelligence.

Business Week magazine pointed out in the article "Volkswagen's China Problem" that the rise of China's local automakers has been assisted by China's technology giants. Since 2021, these technology giants have invested more than US$19 billion in automobile-related fields. Including Huawei and Baidu, they are developing self-driving tools and so-called smart cockpit functions, focusing on the safety and comfort of drivers and passengers. Smartphone giant Xiaomi is developing its own smart car, with mass production expected in 2024.