GAC Mitsubishi enters a new stage of "technology + brand" cooperation

　　The former Japanese brand Mitsubishi Motors has been on the verge of life and death in recent years. In the Mitsubishi chaebol system, although the life and death of Mitsubishi Motors is irrelevant, it has suffered from GAC Group, which has just straightened out Mitsubishi's relations in China. To this end, GAC Group's plan to introduce GAC passenger cars to GAC Mitsubishi was on the agenda. Until Mitsubishi was acquired by the Renault-Nissan Alliance, with the talent of CEO Ghosn, the prospect of Mitsubishi Motors was gradually favored by investors.

　　When the industry rumored that GAC Mitsubishi was about to introduce Nissan or Renault products to supplement the product line, GAC Mitsubishi chose the original strategy to directly import electric vehicle products of GAC passenger cars into the GAC Mitsubishi camp and is expected to be sold in the GAC Mitsubishi channel. .

　　Which way of thinking for the development of joint ventures, Wu Song, vice president of GAC Group, told the Times reporter that it is not possible to rely solely on inherent joint venture ideas for development. The use of GAC Mitsubishi's channels by GAC Passenger Cars this time is a complementary strategy for both parties, which will help GAC Mitsubishi to seize the current market opportunities.

　　Pioneering

　　At the just-concluded 17th Shanghai International Auto Show, GAC Mitsubishi debuted the product researched and introduced by GAC Group: plug-in hybrid SUV Qizhi.

　　导入 The introduction of products from independent enterprises into joint ventures is the first case in the history of China's automobile industry. Wu Song told Time Weekly reporter: "China's auto joint venture has gone through more than 30 years. From capital cooperation to technical cooperation, it has now entered the in-depth stage of 'brand + technology' cooperation."

　　In fact, as early as 2016 when GAC Mitsubishi released the new logo, Vice President Du Zhijian of GAC Mitsubishi Co., Ltd. told the Times reporter that it is possible to introduce GAC passenger car products into the GAC Mitsubishi product sequence in the future to supplement and resolve The shortage of GAC Mitsubishi's product line.

　　Although known as the "SUV" family, from 2012 when the first domestically produced car Zhixuan ASX was launched, to Pajero Jinchang in 2013, and to Euro Blue German in 2016, the speed of GAC Mitsubishi's promotion of new cars can be described in the Chinese market today. It is snail-like, which also makes Guangzhou Automobile Mitsubishi miss the best opportunity of blowout in the SUV market in previous years.

　　The objective reality is that Mitsubishi Motors' own development has encountered great difficulties, which has led to the development of GAC Mitsubishi without subsequent product introductions, while old and new competitors have continued to increase investment in the SUV market. Today's SUVs The annual sales volume of the market is almost close to half of the passenger car market.

　　Mitsubishi, which has the title of "SUV Family" in the sky, can only watch as the rising stars surpass one by one. The so-called "poor change, change is common". Under such a situation, GAC Group has the courage to innovate and introduce its own products into GAC Mitsubishi, which has actually been recognized by Mitsubishi Motors.

　　Yang Long, executive deputy general manager of Mitsubishi Motors, said in an interview with the media that the introduction of this model will allow GAC Mitsubishi's originally defined SUV + new energy strategic plan to be truly implemented, and this vehicle will be imported on the GAC Mitsubishi production line, and in GAC Mitsubishi's channel sales are the first of its kind in the industry.

　　Betting plug-in hybrid technology

　　According to insiders of GAC Mitsubishi, since GAC Mitsubishi released a new corporate logo in 2016, GAC Group, Mitsubishi Motors and Mitsubishi Corporation have unified new development ideas and consensus. Especially this year, GAC Group and Mitsubishi Motors carried out closer and deeper cooperation and deepened a good communication and cooperation mechanism. Within a month, the two sides' senior management held many exchanges and meetings to discuss matters in the deepening phase of cooperation.

　　According to official data from GAC Mitsubishi Motors, GAC Mitsubishi Motors sold 26,000 vehicles in the first quarter of this year, a year-on-year increase of 400%. Chen Rui, sales director of GAC Mitsubishi Motors Sales Co., Ltd. stated that the target sales volume in 2017 is more than 100,000 units, and it will gradually be implemented in the "five new models in five years" product introduction plan.

　　According to the information, the Qizhi PHEV to be introduced by GAC Mitsubishi is equipped with a 1.5L Atkinson cycle engine and GMC stepless variable speed electromechanical coupling system. It adopts a self-developed liquid-cooled power battery system, and the fuel consumption is only 1.8L per 100 kilometers. .

　　According to the March new energy passenger car sales data released by the Federation of Passenger Vehicles, plug-in hybrid passenger car sales were 4,615 units, accounting for 16.74%, a year-on-year decrease of 9%, and a quarter-on-quarter increase of 44%. Although not mainstream, the growth trend is still there.

　　Some analysts pointed out that the new energy SUV products that GAC Mitsubishi is currently betting on are plug-in hybrid technologies. Although plug-in hybrid products are not currently the mainstream of the new energy market, it does not rule out its future trends. Power has not been favored by the industry before, but its product strength has finally proven itself, and is currently being accepted by more and more consumers, and the spring of plug-in hybrids with better fuel-saving performance does not seem to be too far away.