MG ZS becomes the best-selling Chinese model in Europe

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MG ZS becomes the best-selling Chinese model in Europe
- The B segment MG ZS SUV becomes the best-selling Chinese model in Europe, with 9,811 sales in 2019 and 4,295 sales in the first 5 months of 2020. Among these sales, the 100% electric version (BEV) represents 1 675 units in 2019 and 2,286 units in the first 5 months of 2020. Taking advantage of the increasing BEV market in Europe, the Chinese carmaker (using the famous English brand of the same name) is therefore pushing the offer of BEV in Europe, while it is trying to do the same in China.

- The MG ZS SUV is produced in China and exported to Europe. Priced at 30,000 euros, it is cheaper than a Renault Zoé (32,000 euros) or a Peugeot e-208 (32,000 euros), and a direct competitor, the Peugeot e-2008 (37,000 euros).

- Note however that the future Dacia Spring will be proposed at a price much lower than that of the MG ZS, but with a much lower habitability and less performance.

- The MG ZS electric allows an autonomy of 263 km according to the WLTP cycle, on par with the 300 km of its French competitors. The MG ZS has dimensions comparable to those of a Peugeot 2008 with 4.31 m length, 1.81 m wide and 1.64 m high. With its battery, the model weighs 1,490 kilos, as a Renault Zoé.

- The carmaker didn’t communicate sales targets in Europe, but based on the first results posted in the first 5 months of 2020, MG could sell between 7,000 to 10,000 ZS BEV each year.


    
 

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Inovev forecasts 15,000 units per year of the new Mitsubishi Express

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Inovev forecasts 15,000 units per year of the new Mitsubishi Express
- The Renault-Nissan group has unveiled the fourth derivate of the Renault Trafic light utility vehicle (LUV), the Mitsubishi Express (which takes the name of the Renault utility of the 90s based on the Supercinq) which differs from Renault Trafic, Nissan NV300 and Fiat Talento only by the grille and the brand logo. This is one consequence of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance reinforcement, as Mitsubishi is under the control of Nissan. It is to remind that these vehicles belong to the N1-2 category, or commonly named medium light utility vehicles.

- The Mitsubishi Express will not be marketed in Europe, as the carmaker has announced that it will be only sold in the Oceania region, mainly in Australia where several generations of Mitsubishi Express utilities have been sold for twenty years between the beginning of 80s and early 2000s.

- The Mitsubishi LUV will be produced at the Sandouvilleplant (France), which consequently will increase its production volume by several thousand vehicles per year, 15,000 units, according to Inovev. Given the low volumes expected, it is therefore logical that this model is produced in the same plant as the other models of the group.

- The engines equipped on the Mitsubishi Express are the same as for the Renault Trafic, namely the 1.6 DCI of 145 hp and the 2.0 DCI of 170 hp.


    
 

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The hydrogen vehicle: paradise or utopia? (2/2)

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The hydrogen vehicle: paradise or utopia? (2/2)
- Inovev does not see future in the next decade for hydrogen-powered light vehicles (passenger cars and light utility vehicles).

- However, this technology could be applied to heavier modes of transport (trucks, trains, buses). Putting heavy development investments for this technology is a risky bet. This strategy can however be profitable (with however a low probability of success), in particular for non-automotive applications.

- In Europe, this technology is particularly driven by the major players in the industry:

• Air Liquide, which has the production of hydrogen as one of its primary activity.
• Plastic Omnium, a very strong player in petrol tanks for private vehicles. The gasoline tanks disappearing on the BEV, Plastic Omnium sees a possible replacement with the hydrogen tanks.
• Faurecia, one of the world leaders in vehicle exhaust, a function not present on BEVs…. could also produce hydrogen tanks ... as well as intake/outtake lines for hydrogen.
• And Michelin, which is also working on this subject.

- Regarding the carmakers in Europe, only the Germans have carried out research programs on light vehicles, a program which they recently announced the end.


    
 

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The hydrogen vehicle: paradise or utopia? (1/2)

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The hydrogen vehicle: paradise or utopia? (1/2)
- On the paper, Hydrogen is a dream option for the carmakers. We make green electricity from natural resources (wind, solar), we take water which is available in almost unlimited quantity and we obtain, by hydrolysis from this water and green electricity, hydrogen therefore completely de-carbonated. The hydrogen is then put in a vehicle equipped with a fuel cell. Then hydrogen is transformed into electricity, and then that electricity turns an electric motor that turns the wheels. The autonomy of the vehicle (number of kilometres travelled with a full tank) is very important and there is no emission brought by the vehicle. So that’s the dream! But is it really the case?

- Use of hydrogen: today hydrogen is produced almost exclusively from fossil resources (notably gas) because it is the only manufacturing way that is economically sustainable. In this case we take carbon sources, we get hydrogen, we make electricity, and we transform part of this electrical energy into mechanical energy. Note that we lose efficiency at each stage. We could then say that it is the same problem for the battery vehicle (BEV, Battery Electric Vehicle, 100% electric). But in the BEV there are two steps less than in the FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle).

- The vehicle: one would think that this barrier of high energy consumption and very high usage price could be removed in the case of a much more efficient vehicle, society accepting these sacrifices to drive with a much better vehicle. What about it? The FCEV is extremely heavy and very expensive to produce. It has 2 hydrogen tanks, each with a 60 litres capacity, a battery, a fuel cell and a converter. This package is very massive, limiting cabin space for passengers and their luggage.

- The main advantage put claimed is the autonomy, announced at around 500 km in WLTP mode and 650 km for the next generation (figures not verified by Inovev, but these are good orders of magnitude). However, these figures are not much higher than those of BEV, the Tesla Model 3 being announced at 530 km of autonomy in WLTP mode.


    
 

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Nissan to cut global production capacity by 20% by 2023

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Nissan to cut global production capacity by 20% by 2023

- Nissan announced the closure of its Spanish factory in Barcelona which operates only at 37% of its capacity in 2019 (against 55% in 2018), due to the shutdown of the Nissan Pulsar, Renault Trafic and Nissan NV200 with combustion engine, and to the failure of the Renault Alaskan and Mercedes X-Class pickups derived from the Nissan Navara. Pick-ups are not in high demand in Europe, so production of the Nissan Navaracould be transferred to Thailand, where Nissan is already producing it for the Asia-Pacific region.


- But the Barcelona site is only one part of Nissan’s objective to reduce its global capacity by around 20%, or about 1.2 million vehicles per year.


- Nissan has also announced that its global range will decrease from 69 models today to 55 models in 2023. Nissan is likely to focus on its major markets, such as North America and China, and to leave the European market to Renault, where it is in a better position.


- In this context, the Nissan Micra (54,000 sales in 2019 against an annual target of 130,000 units) is seriously threatened, Nissan could then focuses in Europe on the C and D segment models (sedans and SUVs).



    
 

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