core reading

In 2023, my country exported 4.91 million vehicles, becoming the world's largest automobile exporter; in the first three quarters of this year, my country's automobile exports were 4.7 million vehicles, an increase of nearly 1 million vehicles compared with the same period last year, continuing to maintain rapid growth. Why have China's automobile exports made a leap forward and how can we gain a foothold overseas? "Chongqing cars going out to sea" is a vivid epitome.

The picture shows the export vehicle loading site of Chongqing Waterless Port on the New Land-Sea Corridor. Photo by Xinhua Agency reporter Wang Quanchao

Data source: General Administration of Customs, Chongqing Customs

Cartography: Wang Zheping

Chongqing is an important automobile industry base in my country. According to customs statistics, in 2023, Chongqing exported 368,000 automobiles, a year-on-year increase of 29.8%; the value of goods was 33.17 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 51.9%. In the first three quarters of this year, Chongqing's export value of automobiles was 31.7 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 34%, of which the export value of new energy vehicles increased by 131.9%.

How can "Chongqing Automobile" gain the opportunity in the global market competition and achieve the sea?

Seize technology and cost advantages and focus on new energy

"Chongqing cars going to sea" are booming, and the performance of new energy vehicles is particularly eye-catching. Taking Changan and Celis, the two leading local brands in Chongqing, as examples, in 2023, Changan Automobile's sales of new energy products will increase by 69.2% year-on-year. After its first overseas production base in Thailand is put into operation, its first annual output will reach 100,000 vehicles; Celis new energy vehicle products have gradually gained a foothold in the European market, with orders for new energy models SERES 5 exceeding 20,000 vehicles.

"Nowadays, more and more countries are pursuing green and low-carbon and vigorously promoting new energy vehicles, bringing opportunities to China car companies. Of course, it is also inseparable from the years of technological accumulation of China car companies and the cost advantages brought by mature supply chains." said Wan Zhijun, vice president of Celis Automobile's overseas business department.

Leading technology is the basis for going out to sea. Chongqing Qingshan Industrial Co., Ltd., located in Bishan District, Chongqing City, was once a traditional industrial enterprise. After many transformations and upgrades, its core business has been transformed into the production of core components such as new energy vehicle electric drive products. Today, the core components produced by Qingshan Industrial not only go abroad with local automobile brands such as Chang 'an and Celis, but also become important suppliers to many well-known overseas automobile brands.

"Chongqing's automobile industry chain has a complete supply system and industrial cluster development provides the possibility for automobile companies to reduce costs and increase efficiency." Wan Zhijun said,"The industrial chain has been continuously improved and product quality has continued to improve, which has become an important factor supporting 'Chongqing vehicles going out to sea.'"

In the factory of Meida Electric (Chongqing) Co., Ltd., multiple production lines work overtime to make orders for printed circuit boards from a well-known European car company, which are core components in the field of automotive electronic control. "90% of our orders come from Europe. Orders are scheduled from the beginning of the year to the end of the year, and all production lines are full." Zhang Ying, the relevant person in charge of the company, introduced.

The steady stream of orders represents the recognition of overseas users, and also benefits from the company's continuous R & D investment and accumulation.

Changan Automobile adheres to the red line principle that annual R & D investment accounts for no less than 5% of sales revenue; in the first half of 2024, Celis Automobile's R & D investment was 2.827 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 320.61%; Xiaopeng Automobile has invested more than 19 billion yuan in research and development in history, with R & D personnel accounting for more than 40%. In 2024, it is expected to invest 3.5 billion yuan in intelligent research and development, and recruit 4000 new professionals. In the future, more than 700 million yuan will be invested every year. For computing power training... It is the continuous R & D investment of Chinese car companies that has gradually broken down technical barriers and made China's new energy vehicle products globally competitive.

Find the right market positioning and focus on long-term cultivation

Many years ago, it began to deploy overseas business. Today, Celis 'various brands of cars have been sold to more than 70 countries and has more than 100 trading partners around the world. "We tailor different sailing strategies for different markets." Wan Zhijun said,"For example, consumers in North African and American countries prefer SUVs and micro commercial vehicles, while consumers in the Middle East and European countries are more keen on smart connected new energy vehicles that combine a sense of fashion and technology."

"In 2021, DFSK, a brand owned by Celis, will become a sponsor of the Lima League of Peruvian Football League A. Nowadays, DFSK's micro commercial vehicles are very common on the streets of Lima, the capital of Peru." Wan Zhijun said.

In March 2023, Celis established its European headquarters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and has formed a team of about 30 people. "The team is mainly responsible for after-sales service guarantee for users in Europe, and provides parts warehousing and technical training services." Wan Zhijun introduced that in the past, some automobile companies did offshore business without long-term business plans and did not establish a complete after-sales service guarantee system for their products. In recent years, most automobile companies have dug deep into various markets and paid more attention to the long-term operation of their brands.

"Countries in the Middle East need vehicle thermal management systems that are different from those of China because of the hot weather; countries along the Andes Mountains in South America are located on plateaus, and vehicles need strong plateau climbing capabilities; countries located in the cold zone need seat heating, steering wheel heating and other functions..." Cai Jianjun, vice president of Ruilan Automobile, said that it is necessary to meet the specific needs of different countries in overseas markets as much as possible.

How to continue to improve enterprises 'export capabilities? In December 2023, Chongqing City issued the "Chongqing City Action Plan for" Chongqing Vehicles Going to Sea ", focusing on developing marketable traditional vehicles and new energy vehicle products in segmented export markets, and supporting enterprises in pioneering and innovative with policies.

Smooth logistics hubs to reduce costs and increase efficiency for enterprises

At the Guoyuan Port terminal in Liangjiang New District, Chongqing, ships travel and whistle on the river, and cargo loading and unloading are orderly. This is a national logistics hub with multimodal transport functions of railway, public and water, and one of the departure points for "Chongqing Vehicles Going to Sea".

Through the Yangtze River Golden Waterway, Guoyuan Port connects various port city agglomerations in the Yangtze River Economic Belt eastward, realizing river-sea combined transportation; through China-Europe freight trains, it connects Central Asia and Europe westward; and through the New Western Land-Sea Corridor, it connects ASEAN and South Asia southward...

Next to the Guoyuan Port full-vehicle export railway line, thousands of "Chongqing-made" Chang 'an automobiles are lined up neatly in the yard, waiting for drivers to drive the vehicles into special transshipment trains. Liu Guangyu, deputy section chief of the Logistics Management Section of Chongqing Port Customs, said: "We have cooperated with the Chongqing Railway Department and will start using special transshipment trains to serve the export of entire vehicles in December 2022. The export vehicle capacity can be increased by about 1.5 times, which can be calculated to reduce the cost of enterprises. About 15%."

In order to further improve the level of customs clearance facilitation, Chongqing Customs has also established a green channel for the export of commercial vehicles, guiding enterprises to fully enjoy measures such as "scheduled inspection" to benefit enterprises, strengthening contact and cooperation with port customs, and minimizing the customs clearance time of trains at border ports. "At present, the full-vehicle China-Europe freight train departing from Chongqing to Central Asia will arrive in basically 3 to 5 days; if the full-vehicle train takes the New Western Land-Sea Corridor to sea from Qinzhou Port in Guangxi, it will take 18 to 20 days to reach Europe." Liu Guangyu said.

The Chongqing railway department is also constantly exploring and innovating logistics organization models. In October last year, after the first "Chongqing-Ningbo Boutique Express Line" new energy vehicle sea-rail intermodal train was launched from Chongqing Tuanjie Village Station, with the support of the competent authorities of the two places, railways, ports, shipping companies and other entities were linked to provide one-stop online services from booking to port shipment ensure efficient and smooth port customs clearance.

On June 15 this year, the Chongqing-Shenzhen rail-sea intermodal train ushered in its first launch, building a new fast, efficient, green and environmentally friendly railway logistics channel between Chongqing and Shenzhen, providing more diversified options for "Made in Chongqing" products to go to sea. Choice, reduce logistics costs and improve transportation efficiency.

"The cost of going to sea has been reduced, and car companies will have more confidence on the road to sea." Wan Zhijun said. (Reporter Shen Jingran)