NEV Sales Revel In Revved-up Beginning To Year

郑珊珊

Leading Chinese electric vehicle startups have seenstrong car deliveries in March despite challenges such asthe COVID-19 pandemic， showcasing the consumption momentumin new energy vehicles （NEVs）-including EVsandlocal consumers’ enthusiasm for environmentallyfriendly vehicles.

The rising car deliveries came as the Ministry of Industryand Information Technology， China’s top industry regulator，said recently that more efforts will be made to encouragethe use of NEVs and the nation will accelerate the developmentof domestic resources to cope with price increasesin raw materials for batteries.

Electric vehicle pioneer Li Auto said it delivered 11，034 of its Li One sport utility vehicles， or SUVs， in March，up 125.2 percent year-on-year. For the first quarter， Li Autosaid it had delivered 31，716 vehicles， an increase of 152.1percent year-on-year.

Another EV startup Xpeng said it delivered 15，414 vehiclesin March， up 148 percent from February. For the firstquarter， Xpeng delivered 34，561 cars， an increase of 159percent year-on-year.

Industry peer Nio delivered 9，985 vehicles in March，up 62.8 percent from February. The company delivered 25，768 vehicles in the first quarter， an increase of 28.5 percentyear-on-year.

Experts said the data showed relatively strong consumptionmomentum in NEVs， but they also warned thatrising local cases of COVID-19 may affect factory productionof NEVs to some extent.

Price hikes in raw materials for batteries will also posesome challenges， said Jia Xinguang， an independent auto analyst.

Xin Guobin， vice-minister of industry and informationtechnology， said at a forum in late March that the ministrywill make more efforts to cope with costlier raw materials.

Xin said the ministry will accelerate the developmentof domestic resources， crackdown on unfair competition activities-such as hoarding and speculation—and guide upstreamand downstream enterprises in the industrial chain tostrengthen cooperation and help ease prices of key raw materials.

More measures will also be taken to improve the supplycapacity of key raw materials and parts， and guaranteethe capacity of vehicle-charging services， Xin added.

Despite short-term challenges， experts have been cautiouslyoptimistic about this year’s NEV sales performance.

Fu Bingfeng， executive vice-president of the China Associationof Automobile Manufacturers， said earlier that productionand sales of NEVs are expected to maintain growththis year.

China’s low- carbon strategy， advancements in intelligentconnectivity technologies and innovation in businessmodels will help further popularize NEVs， Fu said.

面对新冠疫情等多重挑战，国内领先的几家电动汽车初创企业在3月份都迎来了交付量的强势增长，展示出包括电动汽车在内的新能源汽车的消费动能和本土消费者对环保汽车的热情。

不久前，工业和信息化部表示，将采取更多措施鼓励新能源汽车的使用，并加快国内资源开发进度，解决动力电池原材料价格上涨问题。

电动汽车领头羊理想汽车公布，2022年3月，理想汽车交付11034辆理想ONE越野车，同比增长125.2%。2022 年第一季度，理想汽车累计交付31716輛，同比增长152.1%。

另外一家电动汽车初创企业小鹏汽车公布，3月新能源汽车交付量达15414 辆，环比增长148%。2022年第一季度，小鹏汽车累计交付量达34561辆，同比增长159%。

业界同行蔚来汽车官方公布，3 月交付新车9985 辆，环比增长62.8%。2021 年一季度交付25768辆，同比增长28.5%。

专家表示，这些数据显示出新能源汽车相对强劲的消费动能，但是专家也警告称，本土新冠病例的增多可能会在某种程度上影响新能源汽车的产量。

独立汽车行业分析师贾新光表示，电池原材料的涨价也将带来一定挑战。

工信部副部长辛国斌3月底在一个论坛上表示，工信部会努力解决当前动力电池原材料大幅涨价问题。

辛国斌提到，将适度加快国内资源开发进度，坚决打击囤积居奇、投机炒作等不正当竞争行为，引导产业链上下游企业强化协作、共赢发展，推动关键原材料价格回归理性。

辛国斌还表示，将采取更多措施来增强关键原材料和零部件供应能力，提升充换电服务保障能力。

尽管面临短期挑战，专家们对于今年新能源汽车的销售业绩还是持有审慎的乐观态度。

中国汽车工业协会常务副会长付炳锋早前曾预测，今年新能源汽车的产量和销量将保持增长。

付炳锋指出，中国的低碳战略、智能网联汽车技术的加持、商业模式的创新，将促进新能源汽车的普及。