Kei cars represented nearly 40% of the Japanese market in 2023
- 说明
Kei cars represented nearly 40% of the Japanese market in 2023
- Kei-cars are small light cars (Keijidosha means “light cars”) marketed in Japan, with dimensions and engine capacities required by Japanese legislation. Today, they must not exceed 3.40 m in length, 1.48 m in width and 2.00 m in height and the displacement of their thermal engine must not exceed 660 cm3. These cars are a little shorter than European A-segment cars and a little longer than small Chinese A-segment cars. These cars, which are distinguished by their yellow license plate, benefit from advantages in terms of taxes and insurance prices.
- This category of cars, which has represented nearly 40% of the Japanese passenger car market for around ten years, is mainly represented by the brands Daihatsu (Toyota group) and Suzuki. In 2023, out of 1,587,000 Kei cars sold in Japan, these two brands represented 963,000 units, or 60% of this market in approximately equal shares. Honda represents 20%, Nissan 10% and the Mazda-Mitsubishi-Subaru-Toyota combination 10%.
- Since 2021, some Kei-cars have evolved towards electric engines, undoubtedly due to changes in legislation. 554 battery electric kei cars were sold in 2021, then 27,221 in 2022 and 44,544 in 2023. It is mainly the Nissan Sakura which developed this electric Kei-car market: 21,887 units in 2022 and 37,140 in 2023.
- It is this type of electric car that Renault would like to import into Europe, A-segment cars (closest to Kei cars) tending to disappear from the European market (market share of 5% in 2023 compared to 12.5% in 2009). The Smart Fortwo and Volkswagen Up! no longer being marketed, there are no longer any electric cars less than 3.50 m long marketed on the European market.
Honda and Nissan team up to develop battery electric vehicles
- 说明
Honda and Nissan team up to develop battery electric vehicles
- Honda had reached an agreement with GM in 2022 regarding the joint development of “affordable” electric vehicles. In October 2023, the two carmakers decided to abandon this project which was to supposed to be concrete through the marketing from 2027 of battery electric vehicles at less than 30,000 euros. GM and Honda said at this time that “the outlook for electric vehicles has darkened due to higher-than-expected costs, lack of infrastructure and slowing demand.”
- This cancel, however, had the consequence of making the development of battery electric cars by GM and Honda separately more difficult and more expensive. Even more so for “affordable” battery electric vehicles. GM is therefore today focusing its efforts on the Chevrolet Bolt which is located in the 30,000 euro price zone, while having few illusions about the success of its other much more expensive BEVs, such as the Cadillac. Which will cause him problems in the long term.
- As for Honda, which still plans to market only battery electric vehicles in 2040 and which is aware of the delay compared to Chinese carmakers, it has decided to turn to a new partner to collaborate in the development of electric vehicles, thus proving that the problem was not the electric vehicle market itself, but the former partner… Honda turned to Nissan which already has a little experience in the development of battery electric vehicles.
- This merger, however, risks frustrating Renault which still had to develop some joint projects with Nissan, including the study of the future electric Nissan Micra planned to be produced in the Douai factory located in the north of France.
The new MG 3 hybrid wants to compete with the Renault Clio and Toyota Yaris
- 说明
The new MG 3 hybrid wants to compete with the Renault Clio and Toyota Yaris
- The Chinese brand MG, (subsidiary of the SAIC group), presented at the 2024 Geneva Motor Show the new MG 3 hybrid (full-HEV) which succeeds the old MG 3 with a thermal engine marketed since 2013 in China and the United Kingdom(and in no other country in Europe). In 2023, this B-segment sedan was sold at 4,632 units in the United Kingdom compared to 4,375 units in 2022 and 2,018 in 2021. In China, this model was sold in 19,088 units in 2023 compared to 31,888 in 2022 and 27,365 in 2021.
- The old MG 3 therefore is in 2024 replaced by a whole new generation which adopts the full-hybrid engine, thus placing itself as a rival to the Renault Clio hybrid and Toyota Yaris hybrid. The new full-hybrid MG 3, however, is revising its ambitions upwards since this model will be marketed throughout Europe and not just in the United Kingdom. Its price will be lower than its two competitors, around 20,000 euros.
- Based on a completely new platform (the old MG 3 took over the platform of the latest Rover 25), the full-hybrid MG 3 measures 4.12 m long (compared to 4.06 m for the old one), 1.80 m wide and 1.51 m high. A Renault Clio is 4.05 m long, a Toyota Yaris 3.95 m. Larger but also more powerful, because the new MG 3 full-hybrid combines a 102 hp (75 kW) four-cylinder gasoline engine with a 136 hp (100 kW) electric motor powered by a 1.83 kWh battery. Remember that the full-hybrid Renault Clio receives a 1.2 kWh battery and the full-hybrid Toyota Yaris a 0.76 kWh battery.
- MG is not betting everything on hybrid because its future MG 2 which will complete its range of small vehicles will be battery electric.
With the new Yangwang U8, the BYD group is the targeting the luxury market
- 说明
With the new Yangwang U8, the BYD group is the targeting the luxury market
- BYD, which follows the strategy of other Chinese carmakers by increasing the number of brands in its catalog, created in 2023 a new Premium brand called Yangwang. This new brand presented in China last year a huge F-segment SUV measuring 5.32 m long, 2.05 m wide and 1.93 m high, called U8. This 3.5 ton vehicle has just been presented for the first time in Europe at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2024.
- The Yangwang U8 is not a battery electric vehicle like many BYD brand models, but a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) which nevertheless has four electric motors (one in each wheel) and a 49 kWh battery, which allows it a range of 200 km without using the thermal engine, a 2-liter turbo gasoline engine. The overall power reaches the phenomenal figure of 1,197 hp.
- The Yangwang U8 is equipped with state-of-the-art technology that allows it to move in water for 30 minutes like an amphibious vehicle or turn around on the spot like an assault tank …
- Obviously, the price of the Yangwang U8 is related to the size and performance of the machine, i.e. approximately 150,000 euros.
- However, this vehicle seems poorly suited to the European market, but rather intended for the North American market. The Yangwang U8, however, demonstrates the progress made by Chinese carmakers in the premium and luxury markets, which allows them to compete without complexes with brands like Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Porsche and even Bentley and Rolls-Royce. The F-segment market fluctuates between 400,000 and 500,000 units each year.
The Fiat 2024-2027 product plan will turn around only two segments
- 说明
The Fiat 2024-2027 product plan will turn around only two segments
- The Fiat brand has communicated its 2024-2027 product plan (new vehicles not yet launched and which will be between 2024 and 2027) started with the future Fiat Panda presented in July 2024. This B-segment model will be located above the current A-Segment Panda (renamed Pandina) due to its dimensions and price. It will in fact be the successor to the Fiat Punto and will be produced on the Serbian site of Kragujevac while the Fiat Pandina will be produced on the Italian site of Pomigliano.
- The new Panda, which therefore does not replace the Pandina with thermal engine, but adds to it in the higher segment, will be available with thermal and electric engines. This new Panda will allow the Fiat firm not only to reoccupy the B segment but also to design new variants on the same platform:
1. a 4.35 m long SUV launched in 2025 which could use again the model name Multiplaand equipped with thermal and electric engines, competing with the future Citroën C3 Aircross (or C3 X) and Opel Frontera (replacing the Opel Crossland).
2. a second model launched in 2026, would be a pick-up which could take up the Stradaname known in South America, a variant also equipped with thermal and electric engines.
3. finally, a third model would be launched in 2027, an SUV coupe which could use the Fastback name known in South America, also equipped with thermal and electric engines.
- The Fiat range therefore seems set to be based over the next three years on two segments: the A-segment (500 and Pandina) and the B-segment (600, Panda, Multipla, Strada and Fastback).