Butterfly Effect: Oil prices drop, overseas factories shut down, and Tesla is "forced" to operate online

When a butterfly flaps its wings, it may cause changes in the air system around it, causing other changes, and finally triggering a chain reaction. What you think is an inconspicuous thing may bring about huge changes. The famous butterfly effect has been verified again in the automotive industry recently.

An epidemic sweeping the world broke out before the Spring Festival. From the number of confirmed cases to the confirmation of human-to-human transmission, to the frantic rush for masks and protective clothing, all walks of life delayed the resumption of work... The automobile industry was not immune. In addition to the obvious decrease in the number of car buyers that can be seen with the naked eye and the large-scale shutdown of automobile factories, there are also some things that you may not have thought of but are also affected by.

01

I never hoped that a drop in oil prices would be because of it

Since 24:00 on February 4, gasoline has been reduced by 420 yuan per ton, of which No. 92 The price of gasoline will be reduced by 0.33 yuan per liter, and the price of 95-proof gasoline will be reduced by 0.35 yuan per liter. If calculated based on the 50-liter fuel tank capacity, filling up a tank of fuel can save 16.5 yuan. Don't underestimate the ten yuan. As the saying goes, a little adds up to a lot, and the little you can save is worth it.

The reduction in oil prices is a good thing for the majority of car owners, as it can reduce the cost of using cars. But you may not have thought that this oil price reduction was actually due to market concerns about the negative impact of the new coronavirus pneumonia on global economic growth, which in turn weakened the demand for crude oil, leading to a continued decline in international oil prices.

Affected by the epidemic, people adhere to the "stay still" principle, stay at home and contribute to the country, and avoid going out. During this period, most people's cars have been parked and not driven, which has saved a lot of money on gas. However, we sincerely hope that this epidemic will pass as soon as possible. We really want to see the outside world!

02

China’s supply chain is disrupted and Hyundai South Korea’s factories are shut down

Since the new coronavirus can be transmitted from person to person, in order to avoid a large-scale outbreak of the epidemic, most parts of the country have All stipulate that enterprises must resume work no earlier than February 9, and in Wuhan, no earlier than February 14. The forced extension of the Spring Festival holiday may lead to a reduction in domestic automobile production by about 1.7 million units, which will have a huge impact on automobile production and sales in the first quarter.

However, the impact does not end there. The automobile industry chain can be said to have an impact on the entire industry. If the automobile manufacturing link is suspended, upstream parts suppliers will also be affected. There are currently many domestic auto parts suppliers, and many multinational companies are building factories in China, including Hyundai Motor. Since Hyundai and Kia import far more parts from China than other large automakers, they are more dependent on China and will be more affected.

According to Brother Xunlun’s understanding, Hyundai has gradually suspended production at its Korean factories starting from February 4. This also makes Hyundai the first vehicle manufacturer to suspend production outside China. As for other car brands with factories in China, they need to postpone workers' working hours in accordance with unified work resumption arrangements.

Economic globalization and trade globalization. As the world's largest automobile market, China's influence on the global automobile industry has already broken through geographical boundaries and profoundly affected other countries or regions.

03

Tesla is forced to operate online? It is expected to open up a new marketing field

Affected by the new coronavirus, Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory has been temporarily closed, and the production of domestic Model 3 will be delayed by a week and a half. However, Tesla, which is planning to make great progress in the Chinese market, has not stopped its expansion ambitions. It has gained widespread attention through large-scale promotion on a short video platform.

In Brother Xianglun’s view, Tesla may have seized the best marketing opportunity. Although the shutdown of the factory has affected its output, most consumers across the country are shutting down, and the daily activity of the short video platform has skyrocketed. Tesla is conducting online marketing at this time, which is expected to maximize the effect of communication.

According to Brother Xianlun’s understanding, every Tesla store in China has registered an independent account on a short video platform, and introduced Tesla and its models through various interesting videos, as well as sales The staff answers netizens’ questions online, which is highly interactive. For example, the automatic driving assistance function that consumers are most concerned about has become a popular content and attracted many users to learn about it.

In fact, there are many car brands that have turned to online "self-help". Some take potential users to see cars through online showrooms, and some use online car purchases and agency services to "bind" users. , and interacting with netizens through active social platforms can greatly enhance user stickiness and expand the communication effect. Since everyone is so bored that they can only play with their mobile phones, why not make good use of the Internet to create a wave of marketing that is deeply rooted in people's hearts?

Under the butterfly effect, people across the country and all walks of life have been severely affected by the epidemic. In addition to the above examples, there are also the catering industry that is suffering, small and medium-sized business owners who have difficulty in cash flow, and even roadside car repair shops have to close their doors. We are all people who need to make ends meet. Work has stopped, and the mortgage loan, car loan, and daily food, rice, oil and salt are all struggling. I hope this "disaster" will pass soon and spring will come!

This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahao and does not represent the views and positions of Autohome.