Honda finally couldn't help it. From May, 20 18, after two years of technical cooperation with Contemporary Amp Technology Co., Ltd., we took the trend of "capital binding technology" and "capital to ensure production capacity". After Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen, the third foreign brand invested in China power battery supplier.
Previously, Mercedes-Benz invested in Funeng Technology, focusing on Funeng Technology's world-leading ternary soft battery technology. Soft battery has the characteristics of high energy density, good safety performance and flexible design, which is just to Mercedes-Benz's taste. Its shortcomings of complex technology and high cost are not a big deal in front of the price height that Mercedes-Benz pure trams can reach.
Volkswagen shares in Guo Xuan Hi-Tech because it values its position as the first installed lithium iron phosphate battery in China. Jianghuai Volkswagen and Guo Xuan Hi-Tech are separated by a wall. Guo Xuan Hi-Tech's lithium iron phosphate battery can be transported to Volkswagen's assembly workshop conveniently and quickly. Jianghuai Volkswagen is the main base of small pure trams for Volkswagen in the future, and lithium iron phosphate batteries will be widely used.
Obviously, Honda's shareholding in Contemporary Ampere Technology Co., Ltd. is not so "careful". The purpose of Honda is very simple, that is, to ensure the installed capacity of power batteries of Honda's new energy vehicles in the future, mainly in the China market.
However, it is this original intention of "simplicity and simplicity" that will become Honda's lingering nightmare when 2020 comes. The pressure naturally comes from competition, the competition among the three major car-making traditions in Japan.
In order to let the boots fall to the ground and the nightmare disperse, Honda made up its mind to go to Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. with the "warlords" of 1% equity. Although the two sides did not disclose the transaction price, roughly calculated by the market value of Contemporary Ampere Technology Co., Ltd., it should be around 4.5 billion yuan, which is the price of Honda.
What is the story behind Honda's "warlord"?
Look at Toyota first.
In the field of new energy vehicles, Toyota's hydrogen fuel cell is unique. It can be said that there are two kinds of fuel cell vehicles in the world, one is Toyota fuel cell vehicle, and the other is other fuel cell vehicles. However, in the field of pure electric vehicles, Toyota is slightly behind.
Before 20 19, Toyota's power battery basically came from Panasonic. But Toyota is not Panasonic's only customer. Tesla has cooperated with Panasonic for 10 years.
The two sides even run a battery factory in Nevada. With the increase of Tesla's production capacity, the two sides began to have contradictions. Tesla accused Panasonic of insufficient production capacity, which limited the production of Model3, while Panasonic was dissatisfied with Tesla's continuous price reduction, resulting in annual losses of the joint venture factory. Panasonic obviously underestimated the risk of cooperation with Tesla, and Tesla began to keep a distance from Panasonic. LG Chem and Contemporary Ampere Technology Co., Ltd. entered Tesla's sight.
Due to the excessive dependence on Tesla, Panasonic does not have many partners. Panasonic, which is in the "empty window period", can't let go of the olive branch thrown by Toyota at the right time.
Based on the new company of square battery business for vehicles established by Panasonic and Toyota in June, 20 19, the two parties decided to strengthen cooperation and set up a joint venture company "Taixing Energy Solutions Co., Ltd." in April, 2020, with Toyota holding 5 1%, Panasonic holding 49% and establishing a subsidiary in China.
At this point, Toyota's demand for power batteries is the bottom.
However, Toyota has adjusted its production capacity according to the development trend of new energy vehicles. By 20 17, Toyota's global sales of electric vehicles will reach 5.5 million by 2030, and it must be half of the target by 2025.
The production capacity of Taixing Company obviously cannot fully meet the demand of Toyota. 2065438+July 2009, Toyota joined two cities and signed cooperation agreements with Contemporary Ampere Technology Co., Ltd. and BYD almost at the same time.
The matter of Toyota power battery has been completely solved, and the next step is to build a car in a down-to-earth manner.
Look at Nissan again.
The story of Nissan's power battery is similar to that of Toyota in the first half. But in the second half of the year, Nissan was obviously more "chicken thief".
As early as July 2009, Nissan and NEC established AESC, a power battery company. Similarly, Nissan holds 5 1% and NEC holds 49%. Moreover, an agreement was attached: Nissan must buy all power batteries produced by AESC.
AESC provided power batteries for Nissan's first pure electric vehicle, leaf, which became the world's single new energy vehicle sales champion.
With the increase of leaf production capacity, Renault in Nissan Renault Alliance began to be reluctant: the battery of AESC is expensive and its endurance advantage is not obvious (AESC mainly produces lithium manganate batteries). Why do we have to buy it?
Ghosn, then chairman of Nissan, also publicly stated that the batteries purchased from suppliers are more cost-effective than the batteries produced by himself. This logic is actually based on the premise of rapid iteration of power batteries.
In 20 15, Nissan began to purchase ternary lithium batteries from LG Chem. AESC has been hit hard and will almost certainly be sold by Nissan.
20/kloc-in may, 2008, Nissan became the first Japanese automobile brand equipped with batteries of contemporary ampere technology co., ltd. At that time, the buyer of AESC had confirmed that there was only one paper agreement;
2065438+In August 2008, Nissan reached an agreement with China Yuan Jing Energy Company, and AESC was sold to Yuan Jing Energy. Nissan's fox tail was exposed at this moment.
Nissan not only wants to get rid of the burden as quickly as AESC, but also doesn't want to lose power in the field of power batteries. Therefore, Nissan did not quit, but left 20% of its shares in the new company controlled by Yuan Jing Energy Company. In order to gain the initiative of battery use.
Without the shackles of AESC, Nissan is more "indulgent".
On April 20 19, Xinwangda, the ninth power battery supplier in China, received the supplier designation notice from Nissan Renault. In the next seven years (2020-2026), there will be 1 157000 related vehicles, and Xinwangda needs to provide power batteries and power battery system solutions. It opened the curtain of cooperation between Nissan and Xinwangda for more than ten years.
Nissan, finally not in vain, got the most wanted result about the power battery.
Back to Honda.
Honda pays no less attention to power batteries than Toyota and Nissan.
From June 5438 to February 2008, Honda reached an agreement with GS Tangqian, an old Japanese battery supplier, to establish a lithium-ion rechargeable battery joint venture company.
At that time, GS Tang Qian's technical expertise was ordinary batteries. Although its later development involved the field of power batteries, it once became the fourth largest power battery supplier in the world before 20 18.
However, GS Tang Qian is obviously closer to Mitsubishi, and has also participated in the technical cooperation of hybrid lithium battery with Toyota. After 20 18, with the rise of domestic power battery suppliers, GS Tang Qian gradually declined.
It seems that Honda has some meaning of "meeting people badly".
Fortunately, Honda itself is not in a hurry. It was not until 20 16 that Honda announced the launch of CLARITY electric vehicle with a battery life of 150KM, marking its participation in electrification. Since then, it has been unhurried.
20 18 in may, Honda's vehicle sales in China exceeded100000, which belongs to Honda's glory in the era of fuel vehicles. Honda is slightly intoxicated with its proud achievements in the past.
It is the double-point policy in China market that wakes Honda, an underachiever, from his dream. In order to continue this glory, Honda has taken action.
I got up late and wanted to watch an earlier episode. This is Honda's mentality at that time.
Honda soon found GM, and they wanted to develop electric cars together. Honda found that GM was better than itself, and LG Chem, a power battery supplier, developed a power system for it.
This makes Honda's eyes greedy.
Soon, Honda signed cooperation agreements with two top power battery suppliers-Contemporary Ampere Technology Co., Ltd. and Panasonic.
At the beginning of 20 19, Honda announced the development plan of new energy vehicles at the Honda New Year media conference, and no less than 25 electric vehicles will be launched in China before 2025. By 2030, 65% of Honda's sales share will be new energy vehicles.
However, the current situation is that Honda does not have a reliable power battery manufacturer to support the completion of this plan.
Honda is one percent of Contemporary Ampere Technology Co., Ltd.. There are too many OEMs cooperating with Contemporary Ampere Technology Co., Ltd., and Honda feels weak.
Honda plans to cooperate well with Panasonic, but in June of 20 18, 23 automobile, battery and material enterprises such as Panasonic, Toyota and Nissan and 15 academic institutions such as Kyoto University announced their participation in the research of solid-state battery technology. Panasonic has almost strung up the entire new energy industry chain in Japan with solid-state battery technology.
There are many people, all related households, but it is not easy to do things. Honda naturally understands this truth.
20 19 years is not over half. In this regard, the process of establishing a joint venture between Toyota and Panasonic is proceeding in an orderly manner, which makes Honda feel uneasy.
On the other hand, Nissan not only retained a 20% stake in Prospect Energy, but also successfully married Xinwangda, which can be described as "both sides have their own resources". This news made Honda feel very gratified.
Honda has been competing with Toyota since the first car was built. Although Honda is not as good as Toyota in the world, Honda and Toyota are evenly matched in the China market. In the China market, Honda did not want to lose to Toyota in the past, present and future.
In terms of Nissan, Leaf has rolled off nearly 400,000 vehicles, and the world is about to see the shadow of Nissan Leaf. Compared with Nissan, Honda is obviously half a beat slower. Needless to say, Nissan also has the technical advantages formed by Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi Alliance.
Honda began to focus on two important power battery suppliers around it: Panasonic has been tied tightly to Toyota, which is obviously not suitable for deep cooperation; Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. has provided power solutions for many OEMs, but only three independent car companies in China, Chang 'an, Dongfeng and SAIC, have truly achieved "capital binding", and there is no foreign car company.
Maybe this is an opportunity.
It's time to return to the negotiating table with Contemporary Ampere Technology Co., Ltd.
Finally Honda gritted his teeth and stamped his feet, and accepted this "warlord"!
Despite spending money, Honda, which lost at the starting line, finally succeeded in catching up with Toyota and Nissan in the "marathon" competition of new energy vehicle manufacturing.
This article comes from car home, the author of the car manufacturer, and does not represent car home's position.