/PRCWT/January 9, 2024, Beijing - When passenger cars are in full swing in the field of new energy, technology is "rolled in", ecological is "rolled in", and sales are "rolled in". Consumers have also gone from waiting and seeing to testing, accepting, and pursuing, and new energy has become the real trend of the automotive industry.
In the field of commercial vehicles, although the scene is complex and cost-sensitive, the choice of new energy technology routes and the promotion of new energy strategies of various enterprises are not as aggressive as passenger vehicles. But in 2023, it has also entered a crucial year for the new energy of the industry, and the leading companies have reaped a lot in the new energy layout.
According to the latest data released by China Automotive Research Institute, from January to November 2023, the sales volume of commercial vehicles 3.666 million, an increase of 21.8% year-on-year, of which new energy 384,000 vehicles, an increase of 36.4% year-on-year, the growth rate is faster than the total, becoming the main driving force for the growth of commercial vehicle sales. The new energy process of leading enterprises is faster. Taking Foton Automobile as an example, the sales volume of new energy 36,000 vehicles from January to November 2023, an increase of 90.8% year-on-year, far outperforming the industry. Looking back at the achievements of Foton Automobile in the field of new energy, it is not difficult to see the reason why it stands out.
The new energy route is clear, strategic, and the pace is firm
Under the impetus of the national "double carbon" goal, a series of policies were issued, in particular, it was clear that "15 cities will start the pilot area of full electrification of public sector vehicles", which includes commercial scenarios such as city buses, sanitation vehicles, and postal express vehicles. This will inject a boost into the new energy of commercial vehicles, which will not only promote the comprehensive promotion of the new energy industry chain, drive the rapid layout and improvement of infrastructure, but also demonstrate the popularization and application of new energy in commercial scenarios.
"Foton Automobile will be fully invested in the main track of new energy", Chang Rui, chairperson of Foton Automobile, has previously said. Foton Automobile has a firm strategy in new energy, with an early layout and large investment. This year, a series of new energy products such as single-pack battery light trucks, bottom-for-power heavy trucks, and pure electric micro-cards Xiangling Q have been released one after another. At the Foton Automobile Ecological Innovation Conference on December 20, Foton released the hybrid technology brand FHS. Relying on Foton's self-developed hybrid special engine DHE, special transmission DHT, hybrid system DHP and other technical platforms, supplemented by the design of vehicle hybrid structure, parts, software and data and other dimensions of technical reserve coverage, the product layout of the whole system has been completed. At the same time, the conference also released the world's first "global expansion platform architecture" light passenger, which can be oil, electricity, and hybrid. It can be said to be fast and accurate in the new energy field.
In terms of hydrogen energy, Foton Motor has been developing hydrogen fuel product technology since 2006, completed the first fuel cell bus and truck announcement in China, won a number of domestic and even global firsts, and launched a new platform development in 2023. BAIC Foton's hydrogen energy products have been well proven in major events, public transportation, cold chain transportation, and medium and long-distance transportation scenarios. Foton Motor's strategic determination in the field of new energy has promoted its firm investment in technological breakthroughs, which has also laid the foundation for the explosive growth of the market.
New energy, drive, export quantity and quality are flying together
From the export point of view, the export of commercial vehicles has gradually broken through Europe, America and other countries, undertaking public sector electrification demonstration projects, leading the electrification of local commercial vehicles, and becoming a sharp edge for China's commercial vehicles to go abroad. Taking Foton Motor as an example, Foton Motor exported 116,000 vehicles from January to November, an increase of 39.1% year-on-year. Foton's breakthrough in the global market is precisely the dividend of its rapid deployment of new energy. The growth in sales is the result, and the improvement in quality is the breakthrough in 2023: the delivery of the first electric truck with ESC license plates in the Australian market, the release of the first true pure electric light truck in Argentina, the delivery of the first 20 pure electric light trucks in southern Europe, the market leader of pure electric buses in Chile, the delivery of 130 pure electric light trucks in the joint venture with Foton Chia Da, the delivery of 25 pure electric light trucks with the Australian international supermarket giant, and the signing of a new electric vehicle project development agreement with Piaggio Group. The two sides jointly develop new energy products and enter the high-standard European Union market
Scenario, deep fit, providing users with the best solution
"In the future wave and transformation of new energy for commercial vehicles in China, Foton Motor must continue to maintain a leading position and be able to make our own characteristics," said Liu Xuguang, vice president of marketing and spokesperson for Foton Motor. This confidence comes from Foton's deep understanding of the commercial vehicle scene, market and users.
In the context of companies looking for the best technology route for new energy, Foton is the first company in the industry to propose to adhere to the "three lines" of pure electric, plug-in hybrid power, and fuel cells, and to propose "hydrogen, electricity, and oil". From the hybrid products it has just released, we can see that Foton Automobile's choice of new energy routes is based on the core needs of users, that is, cost reduction. "The scenarios we have found now must be due to the physical principles of the traditional oil car itself, which determines that the operating efficiency is not particularly high. In this context, the hybrid is chosen to solve the problem." Dr. Zhou Xingli, vice president of Foton Automotive Engineering Research Institute, said when explaining the hybrid products.
In addition, the process of users using new energy in the future is very different from that of traditional oil vehicles. From the user's purchase of a car to the maintenance and use of a car, the change of the full touchpoint also poses new propositions for the new energy of commercial vehicle enterprises. As early as April this year, Foton Automobile held the Foton Automobile New Energy Conference in Beijing, not only released the "New Energy 30 • 50 Strategy", but also proposed a plan to build a new energy business ecosystem, including the battery asset management business through vehicle-electricity separation and information exchange, the vehicle leasing platform business of new energy vehicle leasing and sales solutions and full life cycle management, the latest technological innovation, digital financial insurance and blockchain technology business of algorithm innovation, as well as battery recycling and dimension reduction cycle business, and the energy service business of providing customers with charging and power replacement solutions. Foton Automobile's full value chain layout in the field of new energy has reached the forefront of the industry.
The new energy process in the commercial vehicle industry has quietly accelerated. Technology accumulation, industrial layout, ecological chain integration, and user insights have all laid a solid foundation for Foton Automobile's leadership in the new energy field. 2023 has come to an end. What new breakthroughs will there be in 2024? Let's wait and see.
