Technology "independently" can make Chinese car companies overtake the curve

Due to the earthquake that caused the suspension of Japanese automobile factories, it affected some of China's auto factories. Because some high-performance engine, transmission, precision electronic components and other auto parts import channels are interrupted, the pressure on the automakers, especially the joint-venture vehicle manufacturers, is inevitable in the short term.

This reminds us once again: First, the crisis that occurs in other economies under the conditions of globalization is also a great threat to us. Second, the core technology still restricts our development bottlenecks, so we have to be subject to the system.

As far as the international division of labor in the industry is concerned, the division of labor among the workers in the industry instead of the industry has become the dominant factor in the international division of labor. Take the automobile industry as an example, the production process is probably like this: Japan, Europe, and the United States have mastered core technologies and produce 10%-20% of their core components, and then outsource more than 80% of non-core components to the world. The comparative advantage manufacturers finally assembled in places where the labor force is cheap.

Specifically, under the current pattern of division of labor, the most competitive Japan, Europe, and the United States occupy a strategic position with monopoly status and provide the most value-added value in the value chain—the engine that produces the highest cost-effectiveness, The core components such as gearboxes and precision electronic components, as well as the leading automotive design, are used by Japanese car makers to make good use of the world's low-cost production factors and to be good at grafting and exploring other countries' markets, so that cars with Japanese brands become global sales. most. This is also the reason for the decline in global automobile profits in the latter decade of the last century and the first decade of this century, and the reason why Japanese car companies can still make money madly.

However, countries with weak international competitiveness in the value chain, such as developing countries, can only occupy complete competition in the value chain and provide a small increase in value in the production of the value chain. At present, most of the world's well-known brand cars have “joint venture” factories in China, and they are responsible for the production of non-core parts and the assembly of complete vehicles, even though the “localization rate” of cars produced by some factories can be as high as 80% to 90%. However, the profits China has obtained are extremely low. And as other developing countries with more competitive labor prices continue to join, the profitability of Chinese car companies is in danger of falling.

The public statistics available from the National Bureau of Statistics testify to this point. In 2005, the profits of China's automobile industry fell by 38.4% year-on-year to around RMB 21.2 billion, and the profit rate dropped sharply from 9.11% in 2003 to 6.85% in 2004. In 2005, 4% was lower than the average of 4.46% in the entire manufacturing industry.

Poor thinking changes, change it. The status quo of the international division of labor that has become a reality cannot be changed immediately. However, the new opportunities given by history must be grasped. The traditional automobile industry is basically coming to an end. Whether it is the developed countries such as the United States, Japan, and Europe, or the developing countries such as the BRIC countries, almost all of them have seen or are about to have excess capacity. The research and development of new energy vehicles is in the ascendant, and its market will be larger than the traditional car market.

As the core technology of new energy vehicles, mainly battery and motor systems. In terms of batteries, China already has pioneers such as BYD, and its R&D and application has basically been synchronized with the world. However, in terms of motor systems, not only China, Europe and the United States’ car dealers do not seem to have a mature and sustainable development plan. Japan uses its existing R&D advantages to launch concept cars.

China's auto production in 2010 was 18,264,700 units, and both production and sales volume hit a record high for a single country in the world. China has become the world's largest traditional car consumer market. Under the trend that new energy vehicles will eventually replace traditional fuel vehicles, China will be the largest energy-saving new energy vehicle consumer market in the future.

The ones who are not allowed to go can never come back. In the context of energy saving and emission reduction becoming a global trend, under the background of the “12th Five-Year Plan” requiring strong energy conservation and emission reduction, how to make full use of the precious curve passing period after the world economic crisis, master more core technologies, and truly “realize economic development” "Independence" is a serious issue that is facing all Chinese, including car practitioners.