There are many hidden worries in ＂Old Man Music＂

Because it is very popular among elderly users, three-wheeled or four-wheeled low-speed electric vehicles are often called "old people’s music". In response to the chaos in the low-speed electric vehicle industry, in November 2018, many departments of the state jointly issued a notice requesting to gradually phase out the transformation stock capacity and guide the transformation of enterprises. Half-monthly interviews with reporters in Lu Yu, Hebei, Tianjin and other four provinces and cities found that despite the tightening of management policies, the sales of low-speed electric vehicles are still booming. OEM is common in the industry, the quality of vehicles is mixed, and the safety situation is worrying.

"Upgrade a batch, standardize a batch, and eliminate a batch"

In 2017, the national output of low-speed electric vehicles reached 1.3 million, but its safety was poor and road traffic accidents were high. In this regard, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other six departments issued the Notice on Strengthening the Management of Low-speed Electric Vehicles (hereinafter referred to as the Notice) on November 2, 2018, requiring all localities to strictly prohibit the addition of low-speed electric vehicle production capacity, gradually transform or eliminate the existing production capacity, and strengthen the standardized management of low-speed electric vehicles. All localities have carried out rectification according to the working idea of "upgrading a batch, standardizing a batch and eliminating a batch" and achieved certain results.

The Henan Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology said that after the issuance of the Notice, relevant departments organized seminars for low-speed electric vehicle-related enterprises several times to encourage the transformation of low-speed electric vehicle manufacturers and help high-quality transformed enterprises to apply for road motor vehicle manufacturers and product access permits.

Shandong Dezhou Fulu Vehicle Industry has an annual output of 100,000 low-speed electric vehicles at the peak of 2016 and 2017. After the issuance of the Notice, Fulu Group obtained the qualification of new energy passenger cars in 2019 and acquired Beijing Automobile Factory in 2020 according to the policy guidance. Shandong Qifeng New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd. is a subsidiary of Fulu Group. During the half-month talk, the reporter saw in the company’s assembly workshop that more than 100 skilled workers were assembling a new energy passenger car named "Yuanbao", which can produce 160 new energy passenger cars every day.

On Caishikou Street in Beijing, the old scooter passes between the motor vehicle lane and the non-motor vehicle lane (Source: vision china).

The stock capacity is difficult to digest, and the actual output is a mystery

Although the disorderly development of low-speed electric vehicles has been curbed to some extent, the stock capacity is still hovering at a high level. At the same time, the output of three-wheeled low-speed electric vehicles that have been included in the list of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is still high. According to the data provided by Henan Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, in the first half of 2021, the output of low-speed electric vehicles in Henan Province was 499,000, of which three-wheeled low-speed electric vehicles accounted for 429,000.

Wang Tieduo, chairman of Hebei Everest Dajiang Three-wheeled Motorcycle Co., Ltd., said that the company has accumulated more than 80 models into the catalogue of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. At present, there are more than 20 models in production, and 100,000 vehicles were sold at the peak in 2015. In 2021, 40,000 of the 50,000 motor tricycles sold by the company were electric motor tricycles.

In addition, the semi-monthly reporter saw in Dongwei Electric Vehicle Technology Co., Ltd. in runan county, Henan Province that in addition to the conventional two-wheeled and three-wheeled electric vehicles, enterprises are following the national management policy, "upgrading a batch, standardizing a batch and eliminating a batch", hoping that the country will introduce the standard for low-speed four-wheeled electric vehicles as soon as possible. According to the person in charge of the company, the production and sales of Dongwei four-wheel low-speed electric vehicles have gradually increased since 2019, and the sales volume of 30,000 units was achieved in that year. From 2019 to 2021, the output basically maintained an annual growth rate of 20%. Except for some routine inspections by the environmental protection, fire protection and development zone management committees, no relevant departments have asked enterprises to rectify and transform.

Sales are still hot, and the quality is mixed.

Located in Shandong Motorcycle Electric Vehicle World near the Second Ring Road in Jinan City, there are more than a dozen stores selling three-wheeled low-speed electric vehicles, mainly selling compliance brands such as Tianjin Baodao, Henan Emma and Hebei Dajiang, with prices ranging from 11,000 yuan to 14,000 yuan. Fang Juan, sales manager of Fubing Electric Vehicle Business Department, told reporters that the three-wheeled low-speed electric vehicles sold in the store are all regular products listed in the list of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The top speed is less than 50 kilometers per hour, and the cruising range is generally 80 to 100 kilometers. Most of them are purchased by the elderly.

In a low-speed electric vehicle store in Jining City, Shandong Province, the reporter saw that customers came to ask about the price and performance from time to time. The company’s sales manager said that low-speed electric vehicles can shelter from the wind and rain, and it is very convenient for the elderly to send their children to school and buy food. It is very popular in the market and can sell more than 7,000 vehicles a year.

The survey found that the industry chaos is still not to be underestimated. Three-wheeled low-speed cars produced by some small enterprises are often sold by brands of large enterprises. The actual frame number is inconsistent with the frame number on the certificate, and the market is mixed. Hebei Baiyangdian brand low-speed electric vehicle is one of the best-selling brands in the market at present, but according to Zhang Shidong, chief of the industrial comprehensive department of Renqiu Science and Technology Ministry of Commerce, Hebei Province, the earliest local enterprise producing Baiyangdian brand motorcycles was cancelled as early as 2005. At present, the "Baiyangdian" brand tricycles and four-wheeled electric vehicles on the market are not produced locally in Renqiu.

Old scooter driving in Beijing Hutong (Source: vision china)

The reporter visited more than 70 four-wheel low-speed electric vehicle shops on an e-commerce platform and found that there are hundreds of products on sale, and OEM production is more common.

With the country’s strict supervision of low-speed electric vehicles, many large-scale enterprises with production qualifications have been transformed and withdrawn, but some unqualified small workshop enterprises have taken the opportunity to expand their living space. Zhang Huajun, general manager of Shandong Qifeng New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd., revealed that many small enterprises fail to meet the standards in environmental protection and fire protection, and their products are shoddy, so they are propped up with a piece of iron sheet, which will be scrapped in about three years and become the "zombie car" that pollutes the environment.

Cao Xingguo, deputy head of the tianqiao district Brigade of the Traffic Police Detachment of Jinan Public Security Bureau, said that some small workshop enterprises cut corners to reduce costs, and the technical standards failed to meet the relevant safety standards, such as the firmness of solder joints; Some enterprises also provide various modification services, such as replacing lithium batteries, which are prone to spontaneous combustion of vehicles and threaten personal and road traffic safety.

Half-monthly talk reporter: Wang Zhi, Wang Min, Zhai Zhuo, Huang Jianglin/Editor: You Li

Original title: "Observation of low-speed electric vehicle industry (Part I)

There are many hidden worries in "Old Man’s Music"