Behind the harmonious development of the automotive industry

Harmony can be developed, and it is not uncommon. For the Chinese automobile market, which is about to step into the “10 million cars” era, it is necessary to balance both internal and external harmony. In the "2008 Beijing International Automotive Summit Forum" with the theme of "cooperation and win-win development, harmonious development", powerful multinational companies and Chinese auto companies that are growing rapidly are talking about the development of China's auto industry.

The temptation of wealth in the Chinese automobile market has enabled the multinational auto groups to lay down their attitudes and calm and to have equal dialogue with the fledgling Chinese auto companies. As Li Shufu, chairman of Geely Holding Group, puts it, this is also the result of the pursuit of “win-win cooperation and harmonious development” by the Chinese automotive industry.

Internal balance

Zhang Xiaojun, vice president of the China Federation of Machinery Industry and president of the China Association of Automotive Engineers, provided a series of figures: In 1978, the country produced 140,000 cars and produced 2,650 cars. The total automobile production value was approximately 6 billion yuan; in 2007, The country produced 8.88 million vehicles, of which about 4.9 million were cars. The output value of automobiles exceeded 2 trillion yuan.

A comparison of the two sets of data reveals a dramatic change in the automotive industry. To maintain this momentum, we need a win-win situation and development, but the prerequisite is harmony. The development of any thing has internal and external harmony, such as independent innovation, price and profit, industry norms and standards, and external factors such as environment, energy, transportation and land resources.

Starting from imitation and innovation, it is a stage experienced by many automobile powers including China. The key is to learn, to break through, and ultimately to develop your own characteristics. "He combined their production methods with Toyota's production methods. With very low-cost home-made equipment, the quality of the cars produced is also quite good. I was surprised and admired." Toyota Motor Corporation China Representative Office Yue Xiong's mouth was him and they were Li Shufu and his Geely car led by him.

When Li Shufu switched his company's business to motorcycles 14 years ago, Toyota Motor has built plants in important overseas markets such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and China, reaching more than 4 million vehicles. Geely Automobile has always used Toyota as a mirror, based on its similar cultural background, mode of thinking, and its original intention at the start.

Chinese national car brands have faced various difficulties from the very beginning, and have struggled to explore the modes of operation and survival methods that are applicable to them. Today, their cost-effective advantages are also challenged. In 2008, it was a special year. After several rounds of price cuts, under the premise that the price of steel and other raw materials increased and automobile manufacturers' production costs increased, Fan Ande, Executive Vice President of the Volkswagen Group and President of China bluntly stated that the trend of automobile price reduction was in 2008. Years and 2009 will gradually slow down.

“The price of domestic cars has fallen by about 3% in a year, while the prices of raw materials, energy, and electricity have risen by about 36% during the same period, which has brought tremendous pressure on the survival of companies.” Van Andre explains that the price of cars will tend to The reason for the gentleness. In fact, the relative stability of the car price is also one of the manifestations of the automobile industry becoming mature.

"We must build the safest, most environmentally friendly, and most energy-efficient cars." The change in Geely's slogan is precisely the embodiment of its strategic transformation. Li Shufu bluntly stated that it is impossible to rely on the price advantage for a long time to live in the forest of strong cars. Only by truly achieving quality in terms of quality innovation, internal management innovation, and technological innovation can we gain a position in the competition.

In an open car market, regulations and standards are also an important force for protecting and guiding automobile consumption and guiding the internal harmony of the automobile industry. However, for a long time, in the areas of tail gas emissions, fuel consumption standards, collision safety standards, and active safety standards, the laws and standards of the Chinese automotive market have long been lagging behind the growth in productivity and consumption, which to a certain extent have produced even a series of intensifications. Internal conflicts.

External disputes

Outside the auto industry, dissonant voices are also coming and going. Energy and the environment are one of them.

Zhang Xiaokai frankly stated that the automotive industry began to face the problems of the environment, energy, and safety from the day when Germany had its first car in 1886. “Over the past 100 years, these three problems have not become obstacles that hinder the development of the auto industry. Instead, they have become the impetus for the continuous technological progress of the automotive industry.”

He said that since the 1990s, car emissions have been reduced by 10% compared to the past, energy use has been reduced by 50%, and its concerns have also been reduced by 50%, and worldwide ownership has increased by a factor of 2. . "All problems are gradually resolved under technological innovation and technical cooperation."

So how can we get the most effective solution? Fan Zhong, deputy general manager of Dongfeng Motor Co., put forward three technical routes: The first is to improve the efficiency of traditional engines and reduce emissions; the second is to find a clean energy alternative to gasoline and diesel; the third is electric vehicles, including Pure electric vehicles and hybrids, fuel cells.

According to Fan Zhong, these kinds of routes are being carried out by Dongfeng Motor at the same time. “We are the only company that has won two '863' plans in the national '863' plan. One is a hybrid passenger car, and the other is hybrid. car."

In the hybrid field, Toyota is a pioneer, but because the Chinese government has no subsidy policy on hybrid vehicles, high prices have been deterred by Chinese consumers. It is reported that the sales of the FAW Toyota Prius in 2007 were only more than 1,000 units. "We try to challenge the limits of cost reduction."

He also added that "not only hybrid power, Toyota is conducting all-round research and development in fuel cells, biological raw materials, electric vehicles, and clean diesel vehicles, but hybrid power is a core technology because it can be applied to all Power, including gasoline, diesel, and biofuels."

Volkswagen is an advocate of diesel cars. Van Andel said that with advanced diesel engine technology, Volkswagen's diesel models have already had a vast market space in Europe. However, it seems that the advantages of Volkswagen’s diesel engine in China are not obvious due to the uncertain Chinese policy on diesel vehicles and the unsatisfactory quality of diesel in the Chinese market.

According to Gan Wenwei, president and general manager of General Motors China, “it is not a company or an organization can solve the problem on its own, so we are constantly balancing our strategy and optimizing our solutions. We hope relevant departments and organizations in China Can focus their attention more on the cars used in the clean environment."

This is an open era. In the global automobile circle, it is supposed to have cooperation in the game and a unified principle in disagreement to handle various competitions and cooperation. As part of the world’s auto industry, Chinese auto companies need to strengthen internal strength and strive to create a harmonious and balanced environment.