The Tesla Model Y is the most produced car in China in 2023
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The Tesla Model Y is the most produced car in China in 2023
- China, the world's leading producer of automobiles (30 million passenger cars and light utility vehicles produced in 2023), is a very special case in terms of automobile production. Production volumes are very high here, compared to what we observe in Europe (see analysis 2024-12 article 8).
- The Tesla Model Y thus approached the 650,000 units produced last year, ahead of four BYD models with a production volume between 350,000 and 450,000 units in 2023 for each of them. We observe that BYD places five of its models in the Chinese Top 10 in 2023.
- Another particularity is that the most produced models in China in 2023 are very recent and their rise has been rapid. At the same time, the former stars of the Top 10 have collapsed, such as the Volkswagen Lavida (third in 2014 and sixth in 2023) and Sagitar (seventh in 2014 and ninth in 2023) or the Great Wall Haval H6 (fifth in 2014 and tenth in 2023 ). Other models are no longer even part of the Top 10, such as the Ford Focus, Nissan Bluebird Sylphy, Volkswagen Jetta or Buick Excelle.
- But the most typical case is the Wuling Hongguang minivan with sales gradually fell from 750,000 units per year in 2014 to less than 100,000 in 2023. The Wuling brand has never been able to return to its former level even after having expanded its range towards small electric vehicles. Wuling produced only 790,000 vehicles in China in 2023 compared to 1,400,000 in 2014 and none of its models are any longer in the top 10. This collapse contributes to the decline in China of GM which integrates Wuling into its global range even if it only owning 34% of its shares.
The Ford F Series pickup was the most produced car in the USA in 2023
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The Ford F Series pickup was the most produced car in the USA in 2023
- The USA (10.8 million passenger cars and light utility vehicles produced in 2023), the third largest producer in the world behind China and the EU, is a special case. The Ford F Series pick-up has been at the top of the light vehicle production (PC+LUV) carried out on United States soil for several decades and this model remains unattainable by any other. Remember that the F Series is available in several configurations and several sizes, but all versions are grouped together under the F Series name.
- The Ram pick-up (the Ram brand was created in 2009 succeeding the Dodge Trucks brand belonging to Chrysler – 90% of vehicles produced are pick-ups) which is a competitor to the Ford F Series, in the same way as the Chevrolet Silverado or the GMC Sierra, is always in the top five places and even in the top three places since 2019. It reaches second place in 2023.
- The Jeep Grand Cherokee is the third most produced model in 2023 in the United States. It is the first SUV in the ranking, behind two pick-ups, while in terms of sales the Toyota RAV4 is ahead of it. This is explained by the fact that the RAV4 is produced in Canada.
- The Toyota Camry sedan is in fourth place. It is ahead of all its competitors, as it is the only sedan in the American Top 10, with the Tesla Model 3. It is ahead of the Toyota Model Y which is in fifth position and which overtakes the Model 3 for the first time and being now at the seventh position.
- In sixth position, the Chevrolet Silverado pickup is far behind the Ford F Series and Ram pickup. The eighth, ninth and tenth places are occupied by SUVs: the Honda CRV, Jeep Wrangler and Ford Explorer. US production is therefore largely dominated by pick-ups and SUVs. The battery electric market is still in its early stages (7.7% of BEVs on the US market in 2023).
Nissan Europe product plan 2025-2028: the Sunderland plant concentrates the production of the best-selling Nissan models in Europe
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Nissan Europe product plan 2025-2028: the Sunderland plant concentrates the production of the best-selling Nissan models in Europe
- The Japanese carmaker Nissan has only one remaining assembly plant in Europe, in Sunderland (England), since the Spanish plants in Barcelona and Avila, as well as the Russian one Saint Petersburg, were closed a few years ago. It is therefore on the Sunderland site that the best-selling Nissan models in Europe are produced, namely the Juke (B-segment SUV) and Qashqai (C-segment SUV) which last year achieved 75,000 sales and 140,000 sales respectively. These two models total 300,000 units produced in a factory which has a production capacity of 450,000 vehicles per year, thus representing two thirds of the factory's capacity in 2023. Nissan therefore intends to increase the production volume of this factory by focusing on electric technologies which will be mounted on the future Juke and Qashqai, in addition to the Leaf which was discontinued in March 2024 and will be renewed next year.
- The Juke and Qashqai are currently only available in thermal, mild-hybrid (MHEV) or full-hybrid (HEV) versions, which means that there is no longer a battery electric version produced in Sunderland today.
- AESC is increasing the capacity of its Sunderland factory to delivery battery cells for 250,000 BEVs per year, but the launch of battery electric vehicles in Nissan Sunderland plant will start from 2025 with the arrival of the future Leaf (2025), the future Juke (2026) then the future Qashqai (2027). However, the electric offensive of Nissan will begin next year with the launch of the future battery electric Micra based on the Renault 5 E-Tech and produced at the French Maubeuge site. Nissan therefore wants to sell 40% of battery electric vehicles in Europe in 2026 (compared to less than 10% in 2023). This is a very ambitious objective, practically unachievable. And Europe would thus be very far ahead of the rest of the world, since Nissan plans to sell only 20% of battery electric vehicles in regions outside Europe, including China.
Germany produced 900,000 BEVs (passenger cars and light utility vehicles) in 2023
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Germany produced 900,000 BEVs (passenger cars and light utility vehicles) in 2023
- Germany quickly became the leading European producer of battery electric vehicles (BEV). This country produced 900,000 BEVs in 2023 compared to 600,000 in 2022. The most important contribution was the arrival of Tesla in 2022 which produced nearly 200,000 Model Y in 2023 compared to 50,000 in 2022. The 700,000 remaining electric vehicles are represented by models from the Volkswagen group (450,000 units) and far behind from BMW group (150,000 units) and Mercedes group (100,000 units).
- Germany is well ahead of all other European countries when it comes to BEV production, as France and Spain only produced 165,000 and 155,000 units last year respectively. Note Inovev forecasts for France 500,000 vehicles in 2027 and 700,000 vehicles in 2030, meaning that French production in 2030 will be lower than Germany production in 2023.
- Spain, which was supposed to become the leading European country producing BEVs in 2030, will probably not be, due to the probable increase in production capacities at the German Tesla factory in Gruenheide. Spain will be able to count on its Martorell plant planned for 500,000 BEVs per year (of the B-segment) and on its Zaragoza plant planned for 300,000 BEVs per year (also of the B-segment), but despite the contribution of these entry-level vehicles and the possibility of one day seeing the Chery group producing BEVs at the Barcelona site, it is unlikely to see Spain overtaking Germany as a BEV producer by 2030.
- Behind Germany, France and Spain, the other countries remain modest (less than 100,000 BEVs per year except the Czech Republic which produced 120,000 last year). With the future establishment of BYD, Hungary will certainly increase its position in Europe.
Chinese carmakers sales in China over 12 months 2023 and 4 months 2024
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Chinese carmakers sales in China over 12 months 2023 and 4 months 2024
Sales of passenger cars from Chinese carmakers by groups (20) and by brands (65) over 12 months 2023 and 4 months 2024
(JV and imports not included)
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