VW 🇨🇳China Sales in May of two ID.4 electric models launched only 2 months earlier, came to a mere 1,213 combined
And that was about 200 fewer than in April, according to auto consultancy LMC
Those are devastating results!
VW's venture with SAIC Motor, which makes the slightly bigger ID.4 X model had been targeting sales of 50-60,000 vehicles this year
They achieved so far 2.2% of it
Another VW venture FAW with similar bad results
VW's ID.4 is a huge miss in their most important market 🇨🇳 China
A not authorized Chinese VW source said,
"Sales so far are behind our earlier expectations. We've had to dial down production plans for the ID.4 again and again"
"This is not healthy, but at the moment customers are not coming to buy them"
VW trying the same tactic they used successfully in 🇪🇺 Europe to cover up bad sales numbers by pushing them as company cars to their own organization & forcing dealers to buy them
SAIC-Volkswagen has suggested staff members buy ID.4s according to an internal memo seen by Reuters
The bad China sales from VW ID.4 with 1,213 units makes clear that VW can't compete against the Model Y and other BEVs made in China
A potential buyer "The car (ID.4) looks okay but I know it is not smart enough"
VW Brand with 6 - 800,000 fewer vehicles in 🇨🇳 China in 2021 according to BI claiming internal sources
The issue: Semiconductor shortages
CEO Brandstätter under increasing internal pressure
A VW Manager "Brandstätter can't bang on the table and it rains semiconductors"
The VW speaker claims they could compensate with other vehicles sold in Q1
"Fortunately, so far we have been able to noticeably limit the negative impact for our customers and thus on delivery figures, for example by selling off stock vehicles and other measures"
The VW brand stimulated discussions includes discontinuing the Seat production altogether so that the core VW brand would have more semiconductors at its disposal
A Manager cited an internal VW joke, "There still has to be someone standing between you and responsibility"
"Of course the performance of the engine & the range of the 🔋 are still important for EV. But software will become a decisive competitive factor in the future. For customers it will be the most important element in the future in how they experience our cars"
CEO Brandstätter
"The digital experience in our vehicles, the software, will become decisive for the purchase decision, from the quality of the driving assistance functions to connectivity and infotainment. We are seeing the same trend everywhere - in Europe, Asia and America."
Head of VW SW Organisation Cariad, Hilgenberg about the speed or ramping SW competence
"The dimension of time is not our friend here. We have to act quickly because we are in a race to catch up and close the gap to our competitors."
"I'm in direct talks with manufacturers like Tesla to get existing infrastructure for example Tesla Superchargers opened up to other manufacturers as well. There are some technical issues to work out but I expect we will come to a solution"
While Tesla for many years offered to share Superchargers with other manufacturers either pride stood in the way or for technical or financial reasons they didn't want to
With many BEVs on Germanys roads open them up to everybody would be a competitive disadvantage
Scheuer wants to have easy customer access over a smartphone like Tesla has and makes pressure on existing charging providers
"Then you can relax and get a real or vegan currywurst while you're charging, and you're on your way"
"The new BMW i4 is currently competing in retail primarily against the Tesla Model 3 as its most important competitor, while the Polestar 2 from the Chinese Geely Group is a competitor in only a few markets"
BMW continued to with their competitive anaysis
"Audi and Mercedes currently have no offerings in this class of vehicle"
"The Tesla Model 3's driving performance has been praised by the media, as has its handling"
"The cumbersome operation & build quality earn clear criticism"
BMW informs in the internal document that the consumption of the Top Model i4 M50 is 19-24 KWh/100km while the Model 3 Performance has 14kwh/100km
An up to 70% consumption difference, that's huge🙄
The i4 is heavier, slower, less acceleration, and has less range & higher price