成本“风暴”来袭，价格竞争“退潮”

Market Overview - The retail market for passenger cars is projected to reach approximately 1.8 million units in January 2026, reflecting a month-on-month decline of 20.4% and a year-on-year increase of 0.3% [1] - In December 2025, domestic passenger car sales were only 2.206 million units, down 8.6% month-on-month and 18.1% year-on-year, indicating a cooling trend in terminal sales during a traditionally strong sales season [1][3] - The combination of rising raw material prices and a cooling market is putting significant pressure on the profitability of car manufacturers [1][6] Policy Impact - The "two new" policies promoting vehicle trade-ins and tax exemptions for new energy vehicles have driven sales growth in 2025, with total trade-ins reaching 18.3 million units, nearly 60% of which were new energy vehicles [3] - However, the effectiveness of these policies is expected to diminish in 2026, as most consumers who needed to replace their vehicles have already done so, leading to potential sales pressure [3][4] Cost Pressures - The automotive industry is facing significant cost pressures, particularly from rising prices of memory chips, which have surged by 180% in the past three months, increasing the cost of a mid-level smart electric vehicle by approximately 1,300 yuan per unit [6][7] - The overall manufacturing cost of a typical mid-sized smart electric vehicle is expected to increase by 4,000 to 7,000 yuan due to rising metal raw material prices and chip shortages, leading to a potential compression of profit margins by 5% to 8% [7][8] Profitability Trends - The automotive industry achieved a profit of 461 billion yuan in 2025, a slight increase of 0.6% year-on-year, but the sales profit margin fell to 4.1%, the lowest in five years [8] - By December 2025, the profit margin had plummeted to 1.8%, a year-on-year decline of 57.4%, indicating severe profitability challenges compared to international peers [8] Shift in Competition Dynamics - The ongoing price competition in the automotive sector is seen as detrimental to the industry's health, with calls for a shift from price-based competition to value-based competition [9][10] - Companies are beginning to focus on technological advancements and enhancing user experience rather than solely competing on price, as evidenced by new product launches and upgrades [10][12] International Market Expansion - In 2025, China's automotive exports reached 7.098 million units, a year-on-year increase of 21.1%, indicating a growing international competitiveness [11] - The industry is transitioning from a phase of quantity expansion to one of quality enhancement, emphasizing value creation in global markets [11]