Inovev forecasts 75,000 units per year of the new Citroën C3 Aircross SUV
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Inovev forecasts 75,000 units per year of the new Citroën C3 Aircross SUV
- The Stellantis group has released the new generation of the Citroën C3 Aircross SUV which is an extended version of the recent Citroën C3 showed at the end of last year. It is therefore based on the Smart Car platform, also technical basis of the Citroën C3 and future Fiat Panda and Opel Frontera. This platform is, a version of the STLA-Small platform which makes it possible to design low-price cars to compete with the Dacias of the Renault group.
- The new Citroën C3 Aircross is 23 centimetres longer than the previous model, going from 4.16 m to 4.39 m, thus making it possible to fit a seven-seater variant in addition to the five-seater version. By being at the top of the B-segment in terms of dimensions, at the limit of the C-segment, the new C3 Aircross directly compete the Dacia Jogger and Dacia Duster. The Opel Frontera will be positioned in exactly the same way.
- The new C3 Aircross will be powered by a 1.2 petrol engine of 100 hp (74 kW), a 1.2 mild-hybrid (MHEV) 48V petrol engine of 136 hp (100 kW) and a pure electric motor of 113 hp (83 kW) coupled to a 44 kWh battery similar to the e-C3 which allows a range of around 350 km.
- Inovev forecasts a volume of 75,000 units produced per year at the Slovak Trnava site alongside the Citroën C3 and Opel Frontera (while the previous generation of the C3 Aircross was assembled at the Spanish Zaragoza site). Remember that the C3 Picasso (ancestor of the C3 Aircross) was already produced in Trnava between 2008 and 2017.
Inovev forecasts 65,000 units a year for the new Opel Grandland SUV
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Inovev forecasts 65,000 units a year for the new Opel Grandland SUV
- The Stellantis group has released the second generation of its Opel Grandland SUV, which is 17 centimeters longer than the previous generation, going from 4.48 m to 4.65 m, making it a model between the C and D segments. This increase is explained by the fact that the Frontera, an SUV located just below in the Opel range, has increased in length by 18 centimeters (from 4.21 m to 4.39 m) compared to its previous generation named Crossland. The two Opel SUVs therefore grow in the same proportions, thereby leaving more room for the Opel Mokka, an 4.16 m long B-segment SUV. With its dimensions, the Grandland is positioned between the 3008 and 5008, in comparison with its Peugeot equivalent models
- The new Grandland is based on the STLA-Medium platform, shared with the Peugeot 3008 and 5008, and powered by a 1.2 mild-hybrid (MHEV) 48V petrol engine with 136 hp (100 kW), a 1.6 plug-in hybrid engine with 195 hp (143 kW), a pure electric motor of 210 hp (155 kW) coupled to a 73 kWh battery allowing a range of 500 km according to the WLTP cycle and a pure electric motor of 230 hp (170 kW) coupled to a battery of 98 kWh allowing a range of 660 km.
- The new Grandland competes with C/D segment SUVs such as the Peugeot 3008, Peugeot 5008, Citroën C5 Aircross, Renault Austral, Renault Espace, Nissan Qashqai, Nissan X-Trail, Ford Kuga, Ford Explorer EV, Volkswagen Tiguan, Volkswagen ID4, Skoda Kodiaq, Skoda Enyaq, Seat Tarraco, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Toyota Corolla Cross, Toyota RAV4 and Tesla Model Y. In a way, the new Grandland could also interest owners of the old Opel Insignia (D segment sedan).
- Inovev forecasts 65,000 units per year of the new Grandland, produced in Eisenach (Germany).
Volkswagen and X-Peng join forces in electric vehicles
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Volkswagen and X-Peng join forces in electric vehicles
- Volkswagen and the Chinese X-Peng are joining forces to develop battery electric vehicles. The German carmaker has decided to take a 5% stake in the Chinese carmaker which was founded in 2014 and which specializes in the design and production of battery electric vehicles. In China, the two carmakers will sell approximately the same number of electric vehicles in 2023, or around 150,000 units each. Volkswagen's association with X-Peng will expand the range of battery electric vehicles to B-segment models which will be marketed in China from 2026.
- Volkswagen's battery electric platform currently only covers cars in the C-D-E segments represented by the ID3, ID4, ID5, ID6 and ID7. For the B segment, a new platform is being born to give birth in Europe to the future ID1 and ID2, but the carmaker seems to be choosing another platform for China (which will not developed with Renault).
- This association aims above all to reduce the costs of battery electric vehicles in B-segment in order to obtain the lowest possible selling price.
- Remember that there are currently no battery electric B-segment models either in the Volkswagen range or in the X-Peng range. The targeted models are the BYD Seagull (280,000 sales in 2023) and Wuling Bingo (235,000 sales in 2023) which alone each represent almost twice the total sales of battery electrics Volkswagen or X-Peng . The two carmakers believe that the Chinese market for B-segment BEVs is expected to grow during this decade (vehicles for younger generations or second vehicles for relatively wealthy families).
Lessons to learn from the 2024 Beijing Motor Show
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Lessons to learn from the 2024 Beijing Motor Show
The Beijing Motor Show has become over the years the most important global motor show, far surpassing the influence of traditional shows such as Paris, Munich, Geneva, Tokyo or Detroit which have gradually become regional shows. While these traditional shows are increasingly neglected by carmakers, the Beijing show welcomes all Chinese carmakers (more than a hundred brands) as well as most foreign carmakers established on Chinese soil. However, we note the absence this year of the 14 brands of the Stellantis group which has certainly almost completely disappeared from the Chinese market. What is interesting about this Beijing 2024 show is not so much the profusion of new vehicles presented by a hundred different Chinese brands, but the trends that we can highlight.
1. First of all, Chinese carmakers, who now represent 60% of passenger car sales in China, and who do not intend to stop there, were a hit this year at the Beijing show. Foreign carmakers have shown their presence but are in the minority and appear less innovative, constrained in a certain way by their history and traditions.
2. Only Volkswagen seems to want to change the paradigm, by presenting the ID Code concept which announces a completely new design, far removed from the brand's models marketed in China whose sales are decreasing year after year. While Audi, BMW and Mercedes are still resisting, Volkswagen will only represent 8.5% of the Chinese market in 2023 compared to 10% in 2022, 13% in 2020 and 14.5% in 2019. To differentiate its electric models from its thermal models, Volkswagen creates the ID Unyx brand, thus imitating the strategy of Chinese carmakers who create new brands dedicated to electric vehicles to give birth to new and unique brand images not subject to the influence of the brand image of more traditional firms.
3. Other lessons can be learned from the 2024 Beijing Motor Show. Chinese carmakers are working more closely with foreign carmakers to design their models. Thus, Volkswagen collaborates with X-Peng for the design of its future BEVs, JLR (Jaguar Land-Rover) collaborates with Chery for the design of its future BEVs, Mazda collaborates with Changan for its new AZ-6 and Arata, etc… The balance of power has changed.
4. While in the past, it was foreign carmakers who imposed their view and the design of their models on Chinese carmakers, today it is exactly the opposite. This new situation was favored by the fact that Chinese technology is now superior to that of foreign carmakers, whether in terms of design, BEV technology, interior concepts and even PHEV technology, which was very present at the Beijing 2024 show, is increasingly appreciated by Chinese customers, unlike what is happening in Europe or the United States. Their market share in China continues to increase: by 3% in 2021, PHEVs increased to 7% in 2022, 11% in 2023 and 14% in the first quarter of 2024. At the same time, BEVs remained stable at 21% of market share in the first quarter of 2024. Indeed, many Chinese customers have switched from thermal cars to plug-in hybrid in addition to BEVs, as the market share of thermal cars decreased from 67% in Q1-2023 to 62% in Q1-2024.
5. On the other hand, we are also seeing a return of MPVs, numerous at this Beijing 2024 show, while this type of vehicle has practically disappeared from the European market and become marginal in the United States. This is another specificity of the Chinese market and the Beijing 2024 show.
6. Finally, we can note the attractiveness of models designed in cooperation with smartphone carmakers, such as Xiaomi or AITO (Huawei), since these models recorded a significant number of orders during the Show.
China and Europe: different number of models – different series levels
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China and Europe: different number of models – different series levels
China and Europe have a very different production structure in terms of passenger cars (PC) production:
- different production quantities
- number of different models
- different serial levels
a) Different production quantities
All motorisations included, in 2023, the volume of Chinese passenger car production is twice that of Europe (EEZ perimeter = Economic European Zone = 33 countries which are EU + United Kingdom + Norway + Switzerland + Turkey + Serbia + Morocco).
In total, within this scope, China produced 26 million PCs in 2023 and Europe 13.8 million.
In total, within this scope, China produced 26 million PCs in 2023 and Europe 13.8 million.
b) Number of different models
In 2023, the number of models in China is 631, or 3 times more than in Europe (212 models).
c) Different serial levels
§ Average serial level.
By dividing the total volume of vehicles produced in Europe by the number of models produced in Europe, we obtain the average production level in Europe. This average production level in Europe is 65,000 vehicles per year (production 13.8 million/212 models).
A similar calculation for China enables us to achieve a result of 41,000 vehicles per year (production 26 million/548 models). A first-level of analysis therefore suggests that the average serial level in China is lower than in Europe. But this is just an optical illusion, due to the fact that China has a large number of very small series models, which artificially lowers the average.
A similar calculation for China enables us to achieve a result of 41,000 vehicles per year (production 26 million/548 models). A first-level of analysis therefore suggests that the average serial level in China is lower than in Europe. But this is just an optical illusion, due to the fact that China has a large number of very small series models, which artificially lowers the average.
§ Serial level of the most produced models.
In fact, to the previous analysis must be added a more detailed analysis taking into account the distribution of models by series levels and in particular the most produced models: see the following chapter concerning the Top 10. On the China side, we observe, all motorisations included, one model produced between 600,000 and 700,000 (Tesla Y), 3 models produced between 400,000 and 500,000 (3 BYD models), 2 models produced between 300,000 and 400,000, 17 models produced between 200,000 and 300,000, 60 models produced between 100,000 and 200,000, or 83 models produced at more than 100,000 units and therefore 548 models produced between 0 and 100,000 units. On the European side, no models are produced above 300,000 units in 2023, but 9 models are produced between 200,000 and 300,000 units, 38 models produced between 100,000 and 200,000, or 47 produced at more than 100,000 units and therefore 165 models produced between 0 and 100,000 units. We then see that the models which are the most produced in China have much higher production levels than those produced in Europe. This difference is further greatly accentuated if we focus on Plug-In vehicles (PIV= BEV & PHEV).
§ The average level of series for the Top 10 China is as follows:
- All motorisations: China: 375,000 per year and Europe: 220,000 per year.
- BEV: China 300,000 per year and Europe: 80,000 per year
- PHEV: China: 200,000 per year and Europe: 40,000 per year
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