"It's a relentless roller coaster ride, with no flat spots to rest. Oh well, might as well roll with it!" Just two weeks into the new year and the automotive market is already in a frenzy, with no signs of slowing down. But when the dust settles, it seems there's only one outcome: Qin leads the pack with its six 'unions', Han and Tang prosper in the 'market', while BYD pushes joint venture gasoline cars to the edge of a cliff. Frankly speaking, this statement couldn't be more accurate.
In the 2024 auto market, everyone seems to be singing the same tune: it's all about "rolling in" or "rolling out." Just two days into the new year, BYD Qin PLUS and Destroyer 05 Honor Edition hit the scene, starting at 79,800 CNY. With their electric power beating gas, competitors are breaking out in a cold sweat. BYD was expected to dominate sales with these two models, but then along came the Dolphin Honor Edition.
However, what really caught competitors off guard was the heavyweight BYD dropped on February 28th: the Han Tang Honor Edition. With a starting price of 169,800 CNY, this hexagonal champion is making petrol cars rethink their strategy. Apple has halted its car plans, and Xiaomi Motors is likely recalculating costs and rushing to update their presentations.
Since the unification of China by the Qin dynasty, through the golden ages of the Han and Tang dynasties, BYD has truly propelled the Chinese automotive industry into a "golden age of prosperity" with its utmost sincerity, relentless efforts, and astute strategies. Nowadays, when people buy cars, they must first consider BYD. Many wonder, what is BYD's ultimate goal?
It must be said that for a considerable period in the future, price wars and value wars will be the norm in the domestic car market. Behind this lies the test of the overall strength of enterprises. In other words, technological innovation and cost control are the keys to market pricing power. With control over market pricing power, there's no worry about sales volume.
BYD boasts a highly self-developed, vertically integrated system across the entire industry chain, with strong control over its supply chain. Coupled with its leading new energy technologies and economies of scale, BYD enjoys exceptional cost control advantages, allowing ample room to pass on benefits to customers.
What's more critical is that BYD crossed the 3 million vehicle mark last year. In 2024, BYD is fully prepared in terms of cost, technology, and products. Starting the year with a decisive stance, the aim is to seize the market and consumer awareness with lightning speed, boosting sales while fully gearing up for a new round of product launches.
In recent years, the domestic automobile market in China has been dominated by joint venture brands, with domestic brands passively competing. Consumers often ended up paying high prices just for a logo. However, now Chinese automakers, led by BYD, are taking control and leading the way. With "electric beats fuel" and "electric beats fuel hands down," consumers are truly benefiting.
Thanks to BYD's influence, Chinese car brands are taking action, pushing joint venture fuel cars, especially joint venture A-class cars, to the brink. With models like the Volkswagen Bora priced at 68,000 CNY, the Nissan Sylphy at 69,800 CNY, and the Hyundai Elantra at 75,800 CNY, joint venture brands really can't sit still anymore. If they don't lower prices soon, they might not even get a taste of the soup. For this reason alone, BYD deserves a thumbs up.
To be honest, when BYD took the initiative in this price war, whether the joint venture brands follow or not, it signifies that joint venture traditional fuel vehicles have already lost comprehensively. After more than a decade of development, Chinese new energy vehicles have finally reached the tipping point of "overtaking on the curve", ordinary joint ventures no longer have upward possibilities, and Chinese automotive brands have truly ushered in their spring.
Postscript:
Behind the "electric is cheaper than oil" slogan lies the essence of "electric revolutionizing the fate of oil". It's foreseeable that through this wave of battles, some slow-paced automakers will inevitably be eliminated this year, and some joint venture brands may indeed have to exit. As for who will be the first to give in, let's wait and see!
