Since the beginning of the year, several auto manufacturers have announced price adjustments for their products. The average price of FAW Volkswagen’s two new energy vehicles will rise by 5200 yuan, and Xiaopeng automobile will rise by more than 4000 yuan. The latest selling price of Weilai automobile has also increased compared with last year. The shortage of auto chips is the reason mentioned by these auto companies. How has the price of car chips changed? What impact has it had on the industry?
serious shortage of automotive chips
stir fry 20 yuan chips to thousands of yuan
SEG electronics market in Huangpu District of Shanghai is the largest semiconductor trading market in Shanghai. It has attracted much attention in the industry since the shortage of automobile chips. many auto parts manufacturers choose to take a chance here when they can’t order enough chips.
St l9369 chip is the core chip of body electronic stability system produced by Italian French semiconductor. Because the chips used in cars are more strict than ordinary chips in applicable temperature and other indicators, is called vehicle specification level, and there are basically no alternative products. in the previous year, due to the impact of the epidemic in Southeast Asia and other places, the output of chip factories decreased significantly, and the price of this chip, whose original price was only about 20 yuan, rose sharply.
merchants in Saige electronic market, Huangpu District, Shanghai: if it is a little difficult to spot, it was originally tens of yuan, but now it is fried to 2800 yuan, excluding tax.
In fact, l9369 is not the only car chip with a sharp rise in price. the reporter learned that at present, the price of most automobile chips is rising, and the increase is several times smaller.
the more serious situation than the rising price is the lack of chips. the reporter found in the market that there was no spot in many shops. Many shopkeepers admitted that there are less than 100 chips in stock now, it is basically impossible for downstream enterprises to purchase a large amount of spot, so they have to take a chance.
Industry insiders told reporters that the chips produced a few years ago can also be used now because the vehicle specification chips generally adopt a more mature process. Auto parts manufacturers looking for chips will also buy chips produced three or four years ago. Some merchants began to sell refurbished chips.
Even so, uncertainty has become the most common word in the whole market. The price of the chip is uncertain, the supply of the chip is uncertain, and the delivery time after ordering is uncertain.
merchants of Saige electronic market in Huangpu District, Shanghai: last year, we ordered for 60 weeks, more than a year. Now we have some goods that can’t be delivered until December 2023.
dealers hoard seriously limited capacity expansion
the car “lack of core” will continue
Car chips worth tens of yuan have risen to hundreds or even thousands of yuan. Such an increase is no wonder that auto manufacturers can’t support it and began to want to raise vehicle prices. Will the lack of core continue?
Insiders told reporters that since last year, affected by the epidemic, the production capacity of chip factories in Southeast Asia and other places has fallen sharply. the growth of global demand for electronic products has also led to the occupation of the production capacity of automobile chips, and the supply of automobile chips is in short supply.
In addition, chip dealers’ hoarding is also an important reason for the soaring price of auto chips. at present, the price of chips is mainly divided into two types. One is the licensed price booked from chip manufacturers, and the other is the spot price provided by dealers. There is a huge gap between the two prices.
Gong Benxin, deputy general manager of Wuhan Lincontrol Automotive Electronics Co.Ltd(688667) : the licensed market is the original formal market, which has increased by 20 or 30% from 2020 to now. The increase in the secondary market is very high, and some chips may have been fried to 100 times.
The reporter learned that dozens of chips with different specifications and functions are usually used for auto parts such as body stability system and engine management system. In the context of the current shortage of a variety of automotive chips, parts manufacturers need to prepare multiple solutions, and many chips need to be purchased from chip traders.
Insiders told reporters that facing the current situation of chip shortage, chip manufacturers have begun to add capacity. Domestic automobile chips have also entered the vision of automobile manufacturers. On the other hand, car companies also began to reduce the use of chips. GM said it would temporarily give up the seat heating function. Toyota announced that it would cut its production target for March, while Mercedes Benz suspended orders for German E-class cars. However, industry insiders believe that the tight supply of will continue in the short term.
