Author: Yi Zhang
According to the “The Great Learning” in the “Book of Rites”, “If one continues to learn, he will always keep pace with the times.” This sentence is also a fitting description of SAIC passenger vehicles’ sales in June.
On July 8th, SAIC passenger vehicles released its sales data, showing that the June sales exceeded 82,000 vehicles, an increase of 75.8% year-on-year, reaching a new high for the same period. From January to June, the cumulative sales exceeded 82,000 vehicles, with sales of new energy vehicles exceeding 19,000 vehicles, an increase of nearly 80% year-on-year.
Seeing such sales figures is surprising in the uncertain car market of 2022, combined with the merciless pressure of the Shanghai epidemic. However, SAIC passenger vehicles not only did not fall under this pressure, but also achieved record-breaking sales.
What are the reasons behind it? What measures has SAIC passenger vehicles taken? This is not only worth recording in the industry but also provides analysis data for future research. For SAIC passenger vehicles, such valuable experience also provides a reference for subsequent operations.
Seizing the dividend of exporting
In recent years, each domestic car brand has been working hard to “go abroad.” As an independent car brand from overseas, SAIC passenger vehicles’ two major brands, Roewe and MG, are no strangers to the international market. Therefore, in this wave of “going abroad,” SAIC passenger vehicles indeed seized the opportunity and even became a leader in independent car brands going abroad.
In June, SAIC passenger vehicles exported 45,000 vehicles, an increase of 135% year-on-year. From January to June, SAIC passenger vehicles have exported 167,000 vehicles, doubling year-on-year. Especially for the MG brand, which plays a leading role in SAIC passenger vehicles’ exports, it currently sits firmly atop the Chinese single-product overseas sales champion, achieving breakthroughs in sales and at the brand level in various overseas markets.
According to the latest European multi-national pure electric vehicle sales data released by EU-EVS, the MG brand sold 4,600 vehicles on the European continent in May. In the Australia-New Zealand market, the MG brand sold 4,513 vehicles per month, surpassing luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW, and ranking fifth in the Australian sales list. In the Mexican car market, the MG brand successfully ranked in the top six of the local car sales list with 4,000 vehicles sold in just one year, setting another sales record. In addition, the MG brand became the only Chinese car brand in the top ten pure electric vehicle sales rankings in countries such as the UK, Sweden, and Norway.Regarding specific models, MG eHS and MG ZS EV electric vehicles were selected by Sweden’s largest media as “2021 trial new cars”; in January of this year, the plug-in hybrid MG eHS achieved a top-five position in the Swedish market, and in May, it achieved an excellent result of 1,957 units on the European continent.
In terms of layout, based on SAIC’s “New Four Modernizations” strategic layout and rejecting highly homogeneous competition, expanding overseas markets is a key factor for SAIC passenger cars to achieve breakthrough sales.
From SAIC passenger cars’ 15-year history overseas, it is clear that they have been planning for this for a long time. In 2007, SAIC passenger cars successfully transported 60 new MG cars to Chile in South America, and they have since arrived in various countries and regions such as the UK, the Middle East, Australia, Southeast Asia, the European continent, and North America.
According to the data from the German Federal Motor Transport Authority, 1,065 new MG cars were successfully registered in April, with market shares of 2.4% in the BEV and PHEV markets, respectively; In May, the first batch of MG brand models made its official debut at the Belgrade International Auto Show, marking the first step for the MG brand to open up the Central and Eastern European market.
Recently, on the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, SAIC passenger cars also brought the pure electric MG EZS to the Hong Kong market, and the first batch of vehicles arrived in Hong Kong on June 28th, crossing the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.
At present, the MG brand can be seen on all six continents in the world, and overseas sales are about to exceed one million. This shows that the MG brand has found its “comfort zone” overseas.
Synergistic Development of Two Brands
In order to achieve long-term development in the automotive market, in addition to overseas layout, it is also essential to create a unique brand style for each brand’s product. SAIC passenger cars have the Roewe and MG brand, with different positioning and market performance that are developing in parallel.
The MG5 is the first production coupe created by the MG brand, belonging to the new category of “trend run,” which has become a weapon in redefining the A-class car market. Since its launch, it has become the choice of quality for 230,000 people worldwide and successfully entered the top ten Chinese automobile export models in 2021 with a score of 47,241.
Now, the all-new MG5 2022 model has been officially launched. With its million-level supercar design, it has once again gained popularity among young people and led the trend of Chinese coupe driving. Equipped with the leading SAIC Blue Core 2.0 MEGA Tech cutting-edge efficient power technology, it combines fashion, quality, intelligence, and safety all in one to become the “new trend-runner” for young people.# A Home-use Car Model Built by SAIC Motors for Domestic Users
As a home-use car model specifically designed for domestic users by SAIC Motors, Roewe has undergone three iterations since 2016, and still remains at the forefront of the times, with over one million owners’ trust and support. Since the opening of pre-orders for the new third-generation Roewe RX5/eRX5, more than 20,000 orders have been received within 10 days.
Behind the market boom is the sufficient improvement of the third-generation Roewe RX5’s product power, which has subverted the understanding of SUVs on intelligence. Based on SAIC Zhufeng’s superstructure, it presents “two innovations, three advancements,” and features the same level of pioneering emotion-interaction intelligent cockpit, visual Sensing-Driven-iPilot, continuous emotion-rhythm design improvement, super sense-driving performance, and five-star safety.
future determined by technology
Thanks to years of technical accumulation and pursuit of new technologies, SAIC Motors once again stands at the forefront and positively competes against foreign brands in the overseas market, especially deep cultivation of all-new intelligent electric vehicle technologies and forward-looking layouts of intelligent electric vehicles, which are critical to SAIC Motors’ future.
At present, SAIC Motors has completed the technical construction in the whole field, covering the entire vehicle architecture, three-electric technology, powertrain, intelligent driving, etc. especially in the field of intelligent electric vehicles. SAIC Group has released “seven technical bases” and the SIGMA five-star architecture from the perspective of user experience, bringing powerful technical support system for SAIC Motors.
It is reported that MG MULAN of SAIC Motors is also equipped with the SAIC Yunxing pure electric exclusive systematic platform and advanced technologies such as the ultra-thin flat SAIC Magic Battery and efficient and safe LBS reclining battery, providing users with a brand-new pure electric travel experience.
In addition, there is the super electric drive unit EDU G2 Plus, a unique secret weapon. With the goal of “Southern China, intellectualization, networking, and electrification,” SAIC Group utilizes the latest technology created by the “Zhufeng” super hybrid architecture, realizing zero to 100 km/h acceleration in 5.9 seconds, while also considering fuel consumption, with the lowest fuel consumption being only 1.4L.
The future of electric momentum
The diversified product layout covers the current popular young and family-oriented car-use scenes and export dividends. All the advantages combined have become the trust of consumers in SAIC Motors as well as the capital for SAIC Motors to go global. However, the high proportion of overseas sales also shows that SAIC Motors still has room for development in China.In the industry breakthrough of 2022, especially under the sudden attack of the Shanghai epidemic, SAIC Motor not only responded to the epidemic with remarkable achievements, which enhanced its overall strength, but also proved its leading position in the field of intelligent electric vehicles. With the accumulation of advanced technology, SAIC Motor has made active preparations for strengthening its products in overseas markets and advancing in the field of domestic intelligent electric vehicles.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.