After years of continuous efforts and exploration in the research and development of new energy vehicle vehicle technology and key components, China has achieved significant results. Some products have already begun to demonstrate on the market. At the same time, the state’s support for new energy vehicles has been continuously expanded and the enthusiasm of enterprises has been continuously improved, but the marketization process still faces many obstacles.
In order to accelerate the process of marketization of the new energy automobile industry, the Ministry of Science and Technology recently initiated the formulation of the “13th Five-Year†electric vehicle technology plan. Minister of Science and Technology Wan Gang also expressed at the 2014 China Automotive Industry Development (Telda) International Forum that at the key node of new energy vehicle marketization, many ministries and commissions will adopt multiple forms to jointly promote the marketization process of the new energy automotive industry. It can be seen that the state's emphasis on the marketization of new energy vehicles is not ordinary.
Since the marketization of new energy vehicles has risen to the national level, I also want to talk about personal opinions.
The author believes there are several types of business models that can affect the development of the new energy automobile market: First, government procurement at all levels, second, ordinary people's purchases, and third, public service needs, ie, taxis and car rentals.
Let me talk about the first type of government procurement. Right now, the number of official vehicles in various departments has exceeded regulations and the number of purchases will be small. In addition to government vehicles, public transport is currently the most used new energy vehicle. Although public transportation can be counted as part of the policy procurement, the bus companies actually operating are enterprises and need to calculate the input-output ratio. However, the profitability of bus lines using pure electric buses is still difficult. What's more, government procurement cannot replace the real marketization, and it is difficult to directly influence the prosperity of the market except for the demonstration role.
Look at the second ordinary people to buy. At present, the country mainly pushes electric vehicles. However, due to issues such as driving range, charging time, and inadequate infrastructure, consumers are deterred from using electric vehicles. Some consumers, even though they are worried about electric vehicles, suffer from a lack of solutions for degradation of battery performance after a period of use, and electric cars are currently not used in the used car market, and they are still waiting to see. The issue of consumer concerns is not resolved and this model will not promote market prosperity in the short term.
Third, is the widespread use of new energy taxis conducive to promoting market prosperity? According to statistics, a taxi can run at least 300 kilometers a day and drivers can make money. At present, the driving range of electric vehicles is mostly about 150 kilometers, plus the charging time limit, in cities where charging infrastructure outlets are not popular, electric taxis have been greatly restricted. Therefore, at present, only suburban counties in Beijing have electric taxis in operation and cannot meet the operational requirements in the urban areas.
The above roads may not work in the short term, but car leasing alone may bring prosperity to the market for new energy vehicles. After Yikar Car Rental Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China Automotive News Co., Ltd., started a new energy car rental business, the society began to pay attention to this new model. Through leasing, consumers can have intuitive use of new energy vehicles, enhance their awareness of new energy vehicles, and lay the foundation for private purchases. Of course, this is based on the good experience that electric vehicles bring to consumers, otherwise it will only backfire.
However, the author must also point out that it is impracticable to operate the lease of an electric car with traditional rental methods and operating modes. The first thing to face when renting an electric car is how to reduce the impact of mileage restrictions on users. This requires a reasonable deployment of charging facilities. On the other hand, it needs to develop more rental models, such as time-sharing. If time-sharing is promoted, it is necessary to strengthen the ease and quickness of various links such as making an appointment, mentioning a car, returning a car, and paying a fee.
Although car rental is currently an effective way to market the “Huashan†market for new energy vehicles, how can we stand safely and quickly at the top of the mountain? It requires deep thinking and pragmatic innovation.