France: Sales collapse of BEVs imported from China in the first 4 months of 2024
- 詳細
France: Sales collapse of BEVs imported from China in the first 4 months of 2024
- Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) imported from China (Chinese brands and European brands) represented around 25% of the BEV market in France during the first half of 2023 and around 30% during the second half of 2023 until October. Then the announcement of additional criteria to benefit from the ecological bonus for Battery Electric Vehicles produced outside Europe created an opportunistic effect in November and December 2023. Indeed, the French market share of BEVs imported from China suddenly increased to 37% in November and 36% in December. After this period, we should therefore expect a compensatory effect at the time of application of the new criteria of the ecological bonus during the last weeks of December, i.e. a significant drop in sales of BEVs imported from China in 2024, or at least during the first half of 2024.
- This is exactly what happened. The French market share of BEVs imported from China thus fell to 28% in January 2024, then 17% in February 2024, 11% in March 2024 and 7% in April 2024. The new ecological bonus has therefore had a real impact on sales of BEVs imported from China in 2024 in France. But we see that it is the Dacia Spring, a French car, which has suffered the most from this new ecological bonus, undoubtedly because the 5,000 euros of bonus removed represents 25% of its price (20,000 euros), i.e. much more than for an MG or a Tesla.
- In terms of volume, BEVs imported from China which were around 6,000-7,000 units per month in August-September-October 2023 increased to 11,000-13,000 units per month in November-December 2023 before collapsing to 5,500 units in January 2024, 4,300 in February 2024, 3,800 in March 2024 and 1,660 in April 2024. At the same time, sales of BEVs produced in European countries increased, as Chinese BEVs customers shifted to other BEVs available on the market, in an overall French market remaining stable.
Inovev forecasts 70,000 units per year of the Renault Symbioz SUV
- 詳細
Inovev forecasts 70,000 units per year of the Renault Symbioz SUV
- Renault unveiled its new SUV called Symbioz in May 2024, positioned between the B and C segments, while the range of SUVs is already dense at the French carmaker, with the Captur (launched in 2019), the Arkana (launched in 2021), the Austral (launched in 2022), the Espace and the Scénic E-Tech (both launched in 2023).
- The Renault Symbioz is an extended version of the Renault Captur, a B-segment SUV. The body has been extended to 4.41 m, which places the Symbioz between a Captur (4.23 m) and a Scénic E-Tech (4. 47 m), an Austral (4.51 m) or an Arkana (4.57 m). The Renault Symbioz is a little longer than the new Citroën C3 Aircross (4.39 m) and is therefore one of the new stretched out B segment models, on the edge of the C segment. Unlike the C3 Aircross, the Renault Symbioz will not be not available in a seven-seater version.
- The Renault Symbioz shares its platform and engines with the Renault Captur and Renault Arkana, but the first version available on the European market will be the E-Tech Full Hybrid (HEV) version developing 145 hp (107 kW), an engine already seen on the Renault Clio, Captur and Arkana. The other engines (including an MHEV = Mild-Hybrid) will come later in 2025.
- The Renault Symbioz therefore does not compete with the Scénic E-Tech which is only available as a BEV, but it could grabe customers from the Captur and Arkana, which are also available in full-hybrid. According to the carmaker, the Symbioz rather targets the Toyota CHR hybrid, Kia Niro hybrid and Nissan Qashqai hybrid. The Renault Symbioz which will be produced at the Spanish site of Valladolid (alongside the Renault Captur) and will be sold according to Inoev forecasts at 70,000 units per year until 2030.
Inovev forecasts 65,000 units a year for the new Opel Grandland SUV
- 詳細
Inovev forecasts 65,000 units a year for the new Opel Grandland SUV
- The Stellantis group has released the second generation of its Opel GrandlandSUV, which is 17 centimeters longer than the previous generation, going from 4.48 m to 4.65 m, making it a model between the C and D segments. This increase is explained by the fact that the Frontera, an SUV located just below in the Opel range, has increased in length by 18 centimeters (from 4.21 m to 4.39 m) compared to its previous generation named Crossland. The two Opel SUVs therefore grow in the same proportions, thereby leaving more room for the Opel Mokka, an 4.16 m long B-segment SUV. With its dimensions, the Grandlandis positioned between the 3008 and 5008, in comparison with its Peugeot equivalent models
- The new Grandland is based on the STLA-Medium platform, shared with the Peugeot 3008 and 5008, and powered by a 1.2 mild-hybrid (MHEV) 48V petrol engine with 136 hp (100 kW), a 1.6 plug-in hybrid engine with 195 hp (143 kW), a pure electric motor of 210 hp (155 kW) coupled to a 73 kWh battery allowing a range of 500 km according to the WLTP cycle and a pure electric motor of 230 hp (170 kW) coupled to a battery of 98 kWh allowing a range of 660 km.
- The new Grandland competes with C/D segment SUVs such as the Peugeot 3008, Peugeot 5008, Citroën C5 Aircross, Renault Austral, Renault Espace, Nissan Qashqai, Nissan X-Trail, Ford Kuga, Ford Explorer EV, Volkswagen Tiguan, Volkswagen ID4, Skoda Kodiaq, Skoda Enyaq, Seat Tarraco, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Toyota Corolla Cross, Toyota RAV4 and Tesla Model Y. In a way, the new Grandland could also interest owners of the old Opel Insignia (D segment sedan).
- Inovev forecasts 65,000 units per year of the new Grandland, produced in Eisenach (Germany).
Inovev forecasts 75,000 units per year of the new Citroën C3 Aircross SUV
- 詳細
Inovev forecasts 75,000 units per year of the new Citroën C3 Aircross SUV
- The Stellantis group has released the new generation of the Citroën C3 Aircross SUV which is an extended version of the recent Citroën C3 showed at the end of last year. It is therefore based on the Smart Car platform, also technical basis of the Citroën C3 and future Fiat Panda and Opel Frontera. This platform is, a version of the STLA-Small platform which makes it possible to design low-price cars to compete with the Dacias of the Renault group.
- The new Citroën C3 Aircross is 23 centimetres longer than the previous model, going from 4.16 m to 4.39 m, thus making it possible to fit a seven-seater variant in addition to the five-seater version. By being at the top of the B-segment in terms of dimensions, at the limit of the C-segment, the new C3 Aircross directly compete the Dacia Jogger and Dacia Duster. The Opel Frontera will be positioned in exactly the same way.
- The new C3 Aircross will be powered by a 1.2 petrol engine of 100 hp (74 kW), a 1.2 mild-hybrid (MHEV) 48V petrol engine of 136 hp (100 kW) and a pure electric motor of 113 hp (83 kW) coupled to a 44 kWh battery similar to the e-C3 which allows a range of around 350 km.
- Inovev forecasts a volume of 75,000 units produced per year at the Slovak Trnava site alongside the Citroën C3 and Opel Frontera(while the previous generation of the C3 Aircross was assembled at the Spanish Zaragoza site). Remember that the C3 Picasso (ancestor of the C3 Aircross) was already produced in Trnava between 2008 and 2017.
Lessons to learn from the 2024 Beijing Motor Show
- 詳細
Lessons to learn from the 2024 Beijing Motor Show
The Beijing Motor Show has become over the years the most important global motor show, far surpassing the influence of traditional shows such as Paris, Munich, Geneva, Tokyo or Detroit which have gradually become regional shows. While these traditional shows are increasingly neglected by carmakers, the Beijing show welcomes all Chinese carmakers (more than a hundred brands) as well as most foreign carmakers established on Chinese soil. However, we note the absence this year of the 14 brands of the Stellantis group which has certainly almost completely disappeared from the Chinese market. What is interesting about this Beijing 2024 show is not so much the profusion of new vehicles presented by a hundred different Chinese brands, but the trends that we can highlight.
1. First of all, Chinese carmakers, who now represent 60% of passenger car sales in China, and who do not intend to stop there, were a hit this year at the Beijing show. Foreign carmakers have shown their presence but are in the minority and appear less innovative, constrained in a certain way by their history and traditions.
2. Only Volkswagen seems to want to change the paradigm, by presenting the ID Code concept which announces a completely new design, far removed from the brand's models marketed in China whose sales are decreasing year after year. While Audi, BMW and Mercedes are still resisting, Volkswagen will only represent 8.5% of the Chinese market in 2023 compared to 10% in 2022, 13% in 2020 and 14.5% in 2019. To differentiate its electric models from its thermal models, Volkswagen creates the ID Unyx brand, thus imitating the strategy of Chinese carmakers who create new brands dedicated to electric vehicles to give birth to new and unique brand images not subject to the influence of the brand image of more traditional firms.
3. Other lessons can be learned from the 2024 Beijing Motor Show. Chinese carmakers are working more closely with foreign carmakers to design their models. Thus, Volkswagen collaborates with X-Peng for the design of its future BEVs, JLR (Jaguar Land-Rover) collaborates with Chery for the design of its future BEVs, Mazda collaborates with Changan for its new AZ-6 and Arata, etc… The balance of power has changed.
4. While in the past, it was foreign carmakers who imposed their view and the design of their models on Chinese carmakers, today it is exactly the opposite. This new situation was favored by the fact that Chinese technology is now superior to that of foreign carmakers, whether in terms of design, BEV technology, interior concepts and even PHEV technology, which was very present at the Beijing 2024 show, is increasingly appreciated by Chinese customers, unlike what is happening in Europe or the United States. Their market share in China continues to increase: by 3% in 2021, PHEVs increased to 7% in 2022, 11% in 2023 and 14% in the first quarter of 2024. At the same time, BEVs remained stable at 21% of market share in the first quarter of 2024. Indeed, many Chinese customers have switched from thermal cars to plug-in hybrid in addition to BEVs, as the market share of thermal cars decreased from 67% in Q1-2023 to 62% in Q1-2024.
5. On the other hand, we are also seeing a return of MPVs, numerous at this Beijing 2024 show, while this type of vehicle has practically disappeared from the European market and become marginal in the United States. This is another specificity of the Chinese market and the Beijing 2024 show.
6. Finally, we can note the attractiveness of models designed in cooperation with smartphone carmakers, such as Xiaomi or AITO (Huawei), since these models recorded a significant number of orders during the Show.