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| Roewe i6 PHEV: Handsome thing, isn't it? |
The Chinese PEV market lifted off the accelerator, with
some 78,000 units registered in June, up only
77%, this slowdown from the three-digit growth rates of previous months is
explained by the fact that in June, New
Energy subsidies were slashed to vehicles with range lower to 150 kms,
so most small City EVs stopped being sold, draining a significant percentage of
sales.
Consequently, the PEV share dropped from the record 5%
in May, to 3.1% PEV in June, pulling the 2018 share to 3%, well above the 2.1%
of 2017, and with sales expected to pick up as the year advances, the 2018 PEV
share should end North of the 3% 4% threshold (5%?), with December
possibly reaching 7%.
Last month, the Chinese OEMs represented over 50% of
all PEVs registered globally, an impressive number, that is sure to increase
during 2018.
With symbolic export numbers, the domestic market is
more than enough to absorb the current Chinese production, helped by the fact
that it is still a protected market and foreign OEMs hadn’t yet looked
seriously at this niche, but with PEV quotas to be fulfilled in the near
future, foreign brands are putting an effort, reaching 7% share. Of this
(small) cake, 3% belong to Tesla, 2% to BMW, with the remaining manufacturers
sharing the final 2%.
In June, besides the disappearance of most small EVs, several
larger models hit record numbers, while the Roewe brand had a coming of age,
hitting for the first time a five-digit performance, and even managing to snoop
around the leadership race between BAIC and the leader BYD.
Here’s June
Top 5 Best Selling models individual performance:
#1 – BAIC EX-Series: BAIC’s electric compact Crossover
landed two years ago, but somehow, it has been overshadowed by the remaining
lineup, a strange event, considering that it sits on one of the hottest
segments around. Nevertheless, with the EC-Series offline, waiting for the new,
longer ranger version, the EX-Series time has come and thanks to a facelift and
revised specs (415 kms/260 mi NEDC range) and pricing ($28,500, before
subsidies) in 2018, Beijing Auto’s Ugly
Duckling is finally spreading its wings, having registered a record 5,708 units and becoming June’s Best
Seller, a first for the Crossover. With BAIC’s little genius (EC-Series) injured, it’s time for other team members
to shine, like the EX-Series.
#2 – Roewe Ei5 EV: In only its fourth month on the market, the Roewe compact wagon is already showing up on the Podium, thanks to a record 4,661 deliveries. It seems the Shanghai automaker struck gold with this original offer, not only the wagon body is unusual in China but, for the time being at least, it’s a unique design, with no ICE counterpart and, in true Roewe fashion, it is one of the most solid designs, inside and out, coming from a Chinese OEM. If only the specs (35kWh battery, 301 kms/188 mi range NEDC, 116 hp motor), were a tad better…Especially considering the price ($33,200 before subsidies).
#3 – BYD Qin PHEV: With the second-generation Qin
just a couple months from landing, the first generation had another
surprisingly good performance in June, with 4,606 units (new record), being BYD’s “Model 3” 10th consecutive “3-4 thousand units/month” result (Talk
about consistency!). Sales are still going strong for BYD’s sports-sedan, and
should continue in the 4,000-something level, at least until the new one
arrives. As for the new generation, sales above 5,000/month should be the norm,
becoming the Best Selling BYD.
#4 – Chery
eQ: Chery was
one of the Chinese brands to bet early in plug-ins, having won the models title
three times in a row (2011, ’12, ’13), with its tiny QQ3 EV, now the automaker
is trying to regain relevance with the eQ, the spiritual (and material)
successor to the QQ3, having registered 4,434 units in June (year best), allowing it to collect a Top
5 position last month. A vehicle marketed to city dwellers, for USD 24,000
before incentives, you get a funky city EV, with the 22kWh battery providing
just enough range (200 kms / 125 miles NEDC), to cover the needs of
the urban jungle.
#5 – BYD e5: The automaker Plain Jane sedan, and a favorite among taxi-drivers, the
no-frills sedan registered 4,047 units
in June, up 26% YoY. This second youth is due to a facelift this year and, most
importantly, a larger battery, allowing it to improve specs (61 kWh, 400 kms
range NEDC, 218 hp), for a competitive price (CNY 220,650 / USD 34,600), the
model is a bit of an unsung hero in the BYD stable, as the 81,000 units sold so
far mean that it is the brand third bestselling PEV, behind the Qin and Tang
models.
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| BYD Yuan EV: A future Best Seller? |
2018 ranking
There
weren’t many changes on the top positions, in fact we have to go down to #6, to
see a position change, with the Roewe i6 PHEV sedan (4,028 units, new personal record)
climbing one position, while the JMC E200, one of the few small EVs to escape
the subsidies cut, was up to #7, thanks to a record 3,638 units.
But the
Climbers of the Month were the BAIC EX-Series jumping to #10, up from #15,
thanks to a record 5,708 deliveries, a new second consecutive record for the
Crossover nameplate, while the Roewe Ei5 EV wagon was up 4 positions, to #14,
thanks to a record 4,661 units, expect both models to continue climbing
positions in the next couple of months, with the Beijing Crossover possibly
reaching #7, while the Shanghai Wagon might reach the Top 10 soon.
Speaking of
records, it is expected that the Tesla Model X had reached a new all-time
record for an imported vehicle in June, with some 2,350 deliveries, allowing it
to keep a Top 20 position.
Finally, the
BAIC EU-Series rejoined the Top 20, in #16, and thanks to a recent facelift and
improved specs, the sedan should climb a few more positions in the coming
months.
Looking at
the manufacturers ranking, BYD (19%, up 1%) recovered ground, thanks to the
Yuan BEV landing, while the runner-up BAIC (16%, down 1%), lost share due to
the EC-Series sales dip, with the EX & EU-Series unable to fully compensate
this sales drop.
In Third
Place, the Shanghai-based Roewe (12%, up 1%) holds the last place of the
podium, with a significant advantage over the new #4, Chery (6% share), and
with BAIC now only 4% above it, the SAIC brand is now going after the Silver medal.
Looking at
the SAIC Group (Roewe + MG + Maxus + Baojun) as one entity, it already has 16%
of the Chinese plug-in market, so it won’t be surprising to see it as the #1
OEM in this market soon.
