汽车视点丨技术突围易，生态融入难？汽车隐形独角兽面临“成长的烦恼”

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the emergence of "invisible unicorns" in the Chinese automotive industry, highlighting their role in driving innovation and addressing structural growth challenges in a competitive market environment [1][2]. Industry Overview - The Chinese automotive industry is transitioning from an incremental market to a stock competition phase, with production expected to reach over 34 million vehicles by 2025, maintaining a range of 35 to 37 million in the following five years [2]. - Structural growth indicates a shift in focus from scale expansion to value creation and technological breakthroughs, providing a fertile ground for invisible unicorns to develop [2]. Technological Advancements - The penetration rate of new energy vehicles is projected to rise from 60% to 80% by 2030, with continuous iterations in key technologies like intelligent driving and smart cockpits injecting strong momentum into the industry [3]. - Despite a slight decrease in the number of automotive tech unicorns globally, their total valuation is expected to grow by 5.89% to 1.48 trillion yuan by 2025, indicating that technological value is becoming a key support for enterprise valuation [3]. Consumer Demand - Younger consumers prioritize new energy and smart features when purchasing vehicles, while older demographics may become significant users of intelligent vehicles due to advancements in smart driving technology [3]. Globalization Impact - China's automotive exports are anticipated to reach 8 to 9 million vehicles in the next five years, accounting for 30% of total production, thus providing new growth opportunities [3]. Unicorn Enterprises' Performance - Since 2018, 120 companies have been recognized as automotive invisible unicorns, with 40 establishing partnerships with major manufacturers, 3 becoming unicorns, and 4 going public [4]. - The total valuation of China's invisible unicorns is projected to exceed 2.2 trillion yuan by 2025, with an average valuation of 440 million yuan, and 34 companies in the automotive sector [4]. Challenges Faced - Nearly 40% of invisible unicorns are currently operating at a loss, with over 35% having profits of only 10 million yuan or less, indicating weak overall profitability [5]. - The automotive industry faces systemic challenges from macroeconomic conditions, industry ecology, and globalization, with over 50% of upstream companies expected to incur losses by mid-2025 [5][6]. Recommendations for Overcoming Challenges - Policy recommendations include enhancing innovation procurement and financial support, establishing a credit risk compensation mechanism, and creating a comprehensive financial support system for unicorns [10]. - The industry ecosystem needs to be restructured to foster open collaboration and innovation networks, with leading companies taking the initiative to build open innovation platforms [11]. - Unicorn enterprises should enhance their strategic resilience, focusing on sustainable profit models and adapting organizational structures and market strategies to navigate global expansion effectively [12].