中国新車銷售:「１０秒售出１台」

Last month the Mainichi News on-line reported the following:

中国新車販売:「１０秒に１台」　企業、中国戦略がカギ

毎日新聞　2014年01月09日　21時02分（最終更新　01月10日　09時13分）

　【北京・井出晋平】新車販売台数が２０００万台の大台を突破した中国の自動車市場。３年ぶりに２ケタの伸びを回復するなど、市場拡大に弾みがついている。２０００万台超の販売台数は、米国（１５６０万台）、欧州全体（１０００万台超）、日本（５３７万台）を大きく上回る規模。世界の自動車メーカーにとって、巨大市場・中国での戦略が経営のカギを握る時代になっている。

　「１０秒に１台売れている計算」。中国市場で過去最高の販売を記録した米ゼネラル・モーターズ（ＧＭ）は、中国市場の勢いをそう表現する。日系メーカーでも毎月１万台以上売れる車種もあり、「日本では考えられない規模だ」（日産自動車）。各社とも、今年は２０１３年を上回る販売を目指しており、市場のさらなる拡大に期待する。

　中国の自動車市場では、売れ筋は１１万〜１８万元（約１８０万〜３００万円）台の中級セダン。独フォルクスワーゲン（ＶＷ）や韓国・現代自動車など各国のメーカーが主力車種を投入しており、激戦区となっている。また、最近は２０万元以上の大型のＳＵＶ（スポーツタイプ多目的車）も人気。ＳＵＶの販売台数は５割近く増加しており、トヨタ自動車などもモデルチェンジで攻勢をかけている。一方、ＧＭなどは１０万元を切る小型車を投入。マイカー購入を検討し始めた層の開拓も進めている。

　だが、懸念材料もある。中国の大都市では、大気汚染の深刻化で地方政府による自動車の購入規制強化の動きが広がっている。天津市が購入規制を導入したほか、すでに抽選による購入規制を導入している北京市は、今年から当選枠を９万台削減し、１４〜１７年の４年間で新規増加を６０万台に抑制する方針。政府はエコカーの普及を促す方針で補助金の導入などを決めているが、「燃費が悪くても大きくて豪華な車が欲しいというニーズが強い」（日系自動車部品メーカー幹部）中国市場で、どこまでエコカーの購入意欲が高まるかは未知数。メーカー各社は消費者ニーズに応えるだけでなく環境への配慮も求められており、今後の販売はさらに難しくなりそうだ。

(試譯文)

In China’s car market the number of new car registration broke through the 20 million mark milestone. It was a return to the 2-figure growth and was the first time in three years; the market expansion was gaining momentum. This scale of sales increase of more than 20 million cars had far exceeded the whole Europe (more than 10 million cars), U.S. (15,600,000 cars), and Japan (5,370,000 cars). For the automaker in the world, it was the time to grasp the key of management strategy in this mega-market of China

"The calculation is that one car is sold in 10 seconds" - the U.S. General Motors (GM) which recorded the highest ever sale in the Chinese market expressed the vigor of the Chinese market in these words. Japanese maker also had a vehicle type which sold 10,000 or more cars every month, and it "is a scale which could not be thought of in Japan" (Nissan Motor). All companies were aiming at this year’s sale to exceed that of 2013 and were expecting a further expansion of the market.

In the car market in China, the popular model was the middle-class sedan with the price range of 110,000 to 180,000 yuan (about 1,800,000 to 3 million yen). The makers of some countries, such as German Volkswagen (VW) and South Korea Hyundai, were supplying their prime vehicle models, thus turning the market into a site for hard-fought battles. Moreover, large-sized 200,000 yuan or more SUV (sport type multipurpose vehicle) was also popular in these days. The sales number of SUV was increasing by about 50 percent, and Toyota Motor etc. had taken the offensive by effecting model changes. On the other hand GM threw in their small-size car which was below 100,000 yuan. The step to open up the groups who were starting to consider purchasing their own private cars was also in progress.

But there was also a cause for concern. In the big cities in China, the movement towards toughening regulations on car purchase by the local government had spread in view of the aggravation of air pollution. Tianjin had introduced purchase regulations. Beijing, which had already introduced a purchase regulation by lottery system, had a plan to reduce the number cars allotted to winners which stood at  90,000 this year. The plan was to reduce new increases to 600,000 cars in the four years from 2014 to 2017 years. Although the government was planning to encourage the popularity of environment-friendly cars and had opted for the introduction of subsidy etc., "there is a strong need of wanting a large and gorgeous car even if it is fuel-inefficient" (Japanese automotive parts supplying staff). In the Chinese market, how far the volition to purchase environment-friendly cars would go was unknown. Consideration for the environment was called for: individual manufacturing companies should not merely meeting consumer needs. It was likely that the future sales would become even more difficult.

Obviously, as a newly rich country, China has transformed from the biggest country in using bicycles to using motor cars.