Chinese market Q4 2021 (2): Honda, BMW and Audi announce electrification strategy plans

Tesla opens Shanghai R&D Center; Xiaomi to produce first model in 2024

2022/02/03

Summary

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SAIC-GM Ultium Megafactory (Source: SAIC-GM)

  This report mainly introduces the activities among the emerging Chinese EV automakers and foreign-equity OEMs in China in the fourth quarter (October - December) (Q4) of 2021, and also briefly reports on the major policies of the Chinese automotive industry announced in Q4 of 2021. Emerging EV manufacturers have stepped up their development in the battery and swappable-battery fields. NIO has agreed to a strategic partnership with Royal Dutch Shell in the area of energy for electric vehicles. In 2022, the company will continue to promote the construction of swappable-battery infrastructure. XPeng launched a high-voltage SiC platform and high-voltage super charging pile. WM Motor has entered into a strategic partnership with EV Power, a Hong Kong-based charging solutions provider, in the area of charging. Hozon Auto and CATL have agreed to a strategic partnership on technology R&D and supply chain security. Leapmotor announced its smart drive technology including smart battery. Aiways has introduced a swappable-battery model for its online car dispatch/taxi service and announced plans to establish a battery-exchange operation company in the future. Li Auto will renovate the plant it acquired from Beijing Hyundai, aiming to start operations in 2023. Xiaomi Auto has set up its headquarters in the Beijing Economic Development Zone and established a new company for its New Energy Vehicle (NEV) business.

  Foreign-equity complete-vehicle manufacturers are announcing their strategic plans for NEV business one after another. The Audi brand will introduce 10 electric vehicle models in China by 2022. BMW will increase the proportion of its EV sales in the Chinese market to a quarter of the total sales by 2025. Honda has announced that all new models to be launched in the Chinese market from 2030 onwards will be electric vehicles such as EVs (electric vehicles) and HVs (hybrid vehicles). Tesla will expand its gigafactory in Shanghai. In addition, foreign-equity manufacturers of finished vehicles are establishing R&D centers in China one after another. VW and its joint venture partner, China FAW, will establish a digitalization R&D center in Chengdu and a new technology development center in Changchun. Daimler started operation of its Daimler R&D Tech Center China in Beijing. Tesla has opened the Shanghai R&D Center and the Shanghai Gigafactory Data Center. Hyundai Motor Group has opened its China Advanced Digital R&D Center in Shanghai.

  On the policy front, on December 27, 2021, China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the Ministry of Commerce promulgated the Special Administrative Measures (Negative List) for Foreign Investment Access (2021 Edition). As a result, from January 1, 2022, the restriction on the ratio of foreign investment in passenger car manufacturing will be abolished in the automobile manufacturing area, and the restriction on the same foreign investor establishing up to two joint ventures in China to produce the same type of finished vehicle products will be removed. In addition, on December 31, 2021, four Chinese government authorities including the Ministry of Finance jointly issued a notice on the financial subsidy policies for wide application of NEVs (New Energy Vehicles) in 2022. The level of NEV subsidies in 2022 will be reduced by 30% compared to 2021 (20% reduction for vehicles that meet certain requirements), and vehicles registered after December 31, 2022 will no longer be eligible for subsidies.

Related reports:
China market Q4 2021 (1): SAIC, FAW and GAC focus on Robotaxis (Feb. 2022)
China market Q3 2021 (2): VW to produce batteries in Hefei & Changsha (Nov. 2021)
2021 H1 China market: New vehicle sales up to 12.88 million units, NEVs reach 1.21 million units (Aug. 2021)
Chinese market Q2 2021 (2): NIO's EV industrial park, XPeng and Hozon's manufacturing sites and more (Aug. 2021)
Chinese market Q1 2021: NEV sales exceed 500,000 units, Chinese OEMs accelerate CASE (May 2021)
China Emerging EV Automakers (Part 2): NEV Alliance Matrix for 3 Mid-sized Automakers (Apr. 2021)
China Emerging EV Automakers (Part 1): Top 4 Partnering with Major Tech Companies (Mar. 2021)

 

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