2023-04-25 12:34:06
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In Shanghai, the motor show is in full swing, an extraordinary event with 1,000 exhibitors, a hundred new models presented and one million visitors expected. China, ahead in electric mobility, damns the pawn to foreign manufacturers lagging behind in this sector. And for good reason: Beijing has invested a lot.
From our correspondent in Beijing,
It is the largest automobile market in the world and electric vehicles – EV or VE in French – represent a quarter of sales. Dozens of new models, from foreign but above all local brands, were unveiled at this first post-Covid-19 health restrictions show.
A lot of people in the aisles of this unmissable meeting of world manufacturers, and in particular around the “Seagull”, the “Mouette” in French, canary yellow color. This is one of the novelties of BYD, the Chinese giant of new energy vehicles with an evocative name: Build your dream », for « Build your dreams ».
One of the stars of the show this year is the “Seagull”. A canary-yellow “seagull” at BYD, whose sale price has been set at 78,000 yuan (11,500 euros), is nearly half the price of an electric car. pic.twitter.com/dL7Ggtu7Hh
— Stephane Lagarde (@StephaneLagarde) April 23, 2023
This battery car does not look like much, but will probably be the best-selling vehicle in China in the next six months. « She’s the one « Seagull » ! She just went out. She’s cute, isn’t she? But don’t be fooled! She also has a piercing gaze and her bodywork is very robust. It is above all its price that makes the difference. The starting price is 78,800 yuan or 10,500 euros. And you can travel 370 km on a full charge. The most expensive model is 95,800 yuan -less than 13,000 euros-, with a range of 405 km. No need to advertise, its price is really attractive”, specify theone of the vendors at the stand. Ia “Seagull” will soon be released in two versions. The manufacturer promises a 30 to 80% recharge in 30 minutes and an unbeatable price, half the price of the electric vehicles we have known so far.
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Electric Offensive
Two-thirds of the vehicles presented at the Shanghai show are electric and in this area, China has taken a step ahead. The country is indeed one of the leading exporters of electric vehicles. The manufacturer BYD intends to export 300,000 units this year – against 50,000 last year – it is also and above all one of the first consumers: 25% of new cars here, i.e. 5.5 million units sold l last year, which is still 2/3 of the world total.
This is reflected in the proliferation of “green plates” – reserved for new energy vehicles – in Beijing and Shanghai. 10% to 15% of new public car parks have charging stations. It takes 1h30 to fill its battery, explains this VTC driver, recently switched to all-electric: “Right now it costs 1.1 yuan per kilowatt. And in the evening after 11 p.m., it’s even a little cheaper. The full range of my car is 400 kilowatts. For a full load, it takes about 40 yuan, so less than 5 euros 50. In fact, it’s a vehicle that I rent. I chose electric because even if I have to recharge twice a day, it’s still 1/3 cheaper than petrol. Last year, I rented both: electric and petrol. But this year, oil is too expensive. And then, in twenty years, we probably won’t find any more gasoline-powered cars. »
Towards the end of the internal combustion engine
The end of gasoline-powered cars is not for now. We met representatives on the stands of classic vehicles, a little upset by this rush towards all-electric: “At the moment, in terms of duration, nothing replaces petrol cars. Electric vehicle batteries do not last 20 years. It’s not just the defense of the environment in this case. It is also so that we change cars more often. This is why we have so many manufacturers who have embarked on the production of electric vehicles. Afterwards, once again, if we talk about durability, classic cars are more resistant. For electric vehicles, the batteries often have to be changed within three to five years and the batteries are expensive. »
Iron phosphate and lithium batteries that will one day be able to power convertibles, we dream of in the aisles of this Shanghai motor show.
An electric car enthusiast met on the MG stand, a British brand bought by the Chinese which offers and concept car futuristic looking: “It’s a velectric racing car. A convertible with two doors that lift like scissors. Her look is great! This is proof that today, electric cars also look good. And then when accelerating, there’s no comparison if you compare it with gasoline. Not to mention the price! With 300,000 yuan, a little over 40,000 euros you can afford an electric convertible. You will not have the equivalent in a classic model, of any brand. » A battery-powered sports car is still a prototype for the moment.
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Foreign manufacturers lagging behind
Tesla is not present at the show this year. The American, who has his giga factory in Shanghai, gave no reason for this absence. But Toyota is present with a 100% electric SUV. The Germans, who saw their sales fall by 20% last year, have decided to invest massively in China, like BMW, exhibited just opposite BYD in one of the exhibition halls, with electric models in particular at Volkswagen intended for a Chinese market eager for novelties, explains the representative of the Citroën stand. The brand company is present in Shanghai with its new petrol and hybrid sedan entirely made in China: “For electric cars, many local brands have a lead in this area. Each year, these manufacturers present new models. Two major reasons contribute to this rapid development of the sector: first government aid, but also a real enthusiasm among young Chinese who like the practical and cheaper side of electric cars and then who want to have choice above all. This pushes foreign manufacturers to adapt, on pain of disappearing. The Chinese market remains a very important market for all manufacturers. »
A very competitive market therefore where it is very difficult to find a place for foreign manufacturers, but also for local manufacturers. At least six Chinese electric car start-ups are absent from the Shanghai show this yearsays the South China Morning Post. These manufacturers have either closed their factories or stopped taking new orders, suffocated by overcapacity and a price war that is wreaking havoc on the world’s largest auto market.
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