Tesla's best financial report in history; Weilai plans to develop its own chips; Chinese cars go to Europe

 

Tesla delivers the best financial report in history

On October 21, local time, Tesla released a performance report for the third quarter of fiscal 2020. The report shows that Tesla's revenue during the reporting period increased by 39% year-on-year to US$8.771 billion, achieving the highest quarterly revenue level in history, with a net profit of US$331 million, a year-on-year increase of 131%.

Whether it is future development or Tesla's operating performance, Musk is very satisfied, "I have never been so optimistic about Tesla as I am today." According to Musk, Tesla's sales doubled every year, "We will definitely reach 20 million vehicles, and more importantly, we will replace 1% of fuel vehicles every year."

Extended reading: Tesla's third quarterly report: Catch the best performance and cut the greenest leeks

Weilai plans to develop its own chips, Li Bin is actively promoting

36氪 learned from many industry insiders that Weilai is planning to independently research and develop autonomous driving computing chips. The plan is still in its early stages and is mainly promoted by Li Bin, chairman and CEO of Weilai Automobile. According to a chip practitioner, the capital investment required for self-developed chips can range from 1 billion yuan to 1 billion US dollars, "depending on the degree of self-research." At the same time, "With Li Bin's current reputation, this project (self-developed chip) will not be too difficult to finalize."

In response to the self-developed chip plan, NIO has also established an independent hardware team called "Smart HW (Hardware)" internally. According to sources, Li Bin has been looking for technical leaders with silicon-based backgrounds a few months ago. Entering the next stage of competition with intelligence as the core, NIO is bound to bet more chips.

Extended reading: 36Kr exclusive | Weilai plans to develop its own chips, and Li Bin is actively promoting

Thousand-character self-description of 4S shop after-sales manager: the tricks and routines I experienced

Zhang Chen (pseudonym), after-sales service manager of a 4S shop in Beijing, entered the 4S shop after-sales maintenance industry at the age of 25. “At that time, I had no money and no technology. Today's after-sales service manager has been doing this for seven years." 

In the past seven years, Zhang Chen has served many joint venture brands and independent brands, and his salary and position have risen. At the same time, he has personally experienced the gray side of the industry-stealing oil, cheating insurance, fake parts, etc., and growing brutally in this industry driven by interests and favors. 

Extended reading: 4S shop after-sales manager: the tricks and routines I experienced

Geely PK Weilai, who is stronger for battery replacement?

After the first swap station was settled in Chongqing on September 16 this year, on October 18, the second swap station of Geely Technology Group was officially put into operation in Jinan, Shandong. 

And the battery swap mode really entered the public eye, but it relied on NIO, which had bet on this mode since its birth. Once in order to popularize, Li Bin, the founder and chairman of Weilai Automobile, personally demonstrated on the spot. As early as May 20, 2018, Weilai Automobile's first replacement station was officially put into operation, and the landing time was nearly two years ahead of Geely. Nowadays, when the "old and new forces" stand together on the outlet of power exchange, what are the differences between Geely and Weilai's power exchange modes?

Extended reading: Car companies who change the battery "true fragrance"

Will Tesla, which canceled its confidence guarantee plan, lose its hearts?

Recently, the official website of Tesla China showed that the Tesla Confidence Guarantee Plan was terminated and offline on October 16, 2020, which means that in the future, consumers will no longer be able to return the vehicle without reason within 7 days after picking up the vehicle. 

After successive price adjustments, Tesla's new move was regarded by many netizens as "welding the fences in the fields and cutting (leeks)." According to the Tesla Confidence Guarantee Program, if consumers are not satisfied with a new car, under certain conditions, the vehicle can be returned to Tesla within 7 calendar days after the vehicle is delivered. Sudden cancellation of this right has once again blown up public opinion. "This brand feels emotionally unstable." For companies such as Tesla, how to continue the story of user operations seems to be a new issue.

Extended reading: Tesla is no longer confident

To become the "Android of the automotive industry", can Foxconn achieve its goal?

"Compared with mobile phones or smart watches, cars are very complicated. You can't go to a supplier like Foxconn and say,'build me a car'." This is 5 years ago, Tesla CEO Elon Musk Make fun of what Foxconn said.

But now, this 3C foundry giant, which was founded in 1974 and has passed through the years, has leaned forward into the automotive industry. On October 16, at the "Hon Hai Technology Day" event, Foxconn released the electric vehicle chassis and software platform "MIH EV Open Platform", and announced that it will launch solid-state batteries in 2024. The world's largest foundry company also emphasized that Tesla is the iPhone of electric vehicles, and Foxconn hopes to become the Android of electric vehicles.

Extended reading: Foxconn: I don't build cars, but I want to eat car dividends

Why are Chinese cars going to sea in Europe?

On October 20th, SAIC Group announced the launch of its own routes in Europe. The Anji Phoenix, the largest ro-ro car under SAIC, will carry nearly 1,800 MG new energy vehicles to Europe. At the same time, the SAIC Group officially announced the 2025 European market target. By 2025, in Europe, where the global car giants are heavily deployed, SAIC's own brand market will strive to exceed the "100,000 vehicle level."

People familiar with the matter revealed to Future Auto Daily (ID: auto-time) that Geely and Chery will also take the route of SAIC Anji to deliver their products to European users. Earlier, there was a wave of news about new car forces such as AIWAYS and Xiaopeng entering the European market. Why are Chinese cars going to sea in Europe? Why is it now?

Further reading: Starting in Europe, gaining both fame and fortune?

Is India a car "gold mine"?

Standing on the streets of India, motorcycles, rickshaws and two-wheeled battery cars can be seen everywhere. You may even see the "tutu car" known as the "San Bengzi" in Beijing speeding past a two-person bus with seven big men crowded in the car.

Compared with these vigorous vehicles, cars have become "rare species" on the road. The most common is the dilapidated but durable cars of various colors. Wuling Hongguang, which has been selling crazy in China, has been changed, affixed to the Chevrolet logo, and rushed all the way on the asphalt road with stagnant water. It is such a magical and mysterious country that has become a high-gloss market where global car giants compete.

Further reading: India is not a car "gold mine"

Bosch turns to "survival"

In the face of the raging wave of the new four modernizations, in the great changes of the auto industry, in addition to the traditional car companies that have turned around, how to reposition them has also become a new test for traditional parts manufacturers.

“What Bosch has been doing in recent years is to develop towards intelligence, from a traditional auto parts manufacturer to an IOT company.” At the Bosch Automotive and Intelligent Transportation Technology Innovation Experience Day on October 19, Bosch (China ) Said Xu Daquan, Executive Vice President of Investment Co., Ltd. As an important role in the global automotive supply chain, while the global automotive industry is advancing towards smart electrification, Bosch has also continued to increase investment and innovation in key areas such as electrification, autonomous driving, and smart interconnection to win new bargaining chips in the future. 

Extended reading: Bosch turns to "survival"

SAIC, Dongfeng and BAIC, are they doing high-end new energy well?

Another independent car company "targets" high-end electric car brands. Recently, Jiemian News reported that SAIC Group plans to build a high-end smart electric car project code-named "L". The project is personally under the command of SAIC Chairman Chen Hong, and President Wang Xiaoqiu is the commander in chief. The goal is to build "China’s Tesla ". 

New power brands such as Weilai and Ideal have taken the lead in testing the waters, and traditional car companies such as BAIC and Dongfeng have also followed suit. Now SAIC has launched an offensive. The high-end new energy vehicle market is becoming more and more exciting, but who can become the last The winner?