Policies support the pickup truck industry and 2019 is expected to be a year of market explosion

The past 2018 was a memorable year for everyone who pays attention to the automotive industry. The Chinese auto market experienced its first negative growth in 28 years, with passenger car sales in my country falling 4.08% year-on-year, which was hailed as the "cold winter" of the auto market. However, in the context of the overall decline in the auto market, "dark horses" are often likely to emerge, and pickup trucks, which have received much attention in recent years, are one of them. In 2018, with the support of policies such as "cars going to the countryside", pickup truck sales increased by 13% year-on-year, maintaining a double-digit growth trend.

The Chinese pickup truck market has experienced ups and downs in recent years. In 2010, driven by stimulus policies such as the "going to the countryside" policy, sales increased by nearly 50%, breaking through the 300,000-unit annual sales mark. After 2010, the pickup truck market entered a short dormant period, but with the country's pilot relaxation of restrictions on pickup trucks entering cities in some areas in 2016 and related favorable policies, the pickup truck market began to show a strong rebound trend. In 2018, the domestic pickup truck market opened high and continued to operate at a high level, eventually creating a historical high of 440,000 units sold annually.

After the pickup trucks were expanded in 2018 and the requirements for reflective strips and spraying were cancelled, and the road transport licenses and driver qualification certificates for ordinary freight vehicles of 4.5 tons and below were cancelled nationwide on January 1, 2019, the domestic pickup truck market once again received a major boost on January 29, 2019. The National Development and Reform Commission and 10 other ministries and commissions issued the Implementation Plan for Further Optimizing Supply, Promoting Stable Consumption Growth and Forming a Strong Domestic Market (2019), which proposed six major measures to promote automobile consumption and meet the travel needs of residents. This is the second time that the country has steadily and orderly expanded the scope of restrictions on pickup trucks entering cities and encouraged "pickup trucks to go to the countryside" after the pickup truck ban was lifted in 2016.

Article 4 of the plan clearly proposes to steadily promote the relaxation of restrictions on pickup trucks entering cities. Based on the evaluation of the pilot policy effects of the six provinces and regions of Hebei, Liaoning, Henan, Yunnan, Hubei and Xinjiang, the restrictions on pickup trucks entering cities will be expanded in a safe and orderly manner. This means that more cities will gradually open up to pickup trucks in the future, and the demand in third- and fourth-tier cities will be effectively amplified. With the relaxation of policies, the domestic pickup truck market will usher in an explosive year in 2019, and pickup trucks will become the "retrograde" in the cold wave of the auto market.

Of course, the pickup truck market can achieve such results, in addition to policy support, it is also inseparable from the efforts of pickup truck manufacturers. As a leader in the domestic commercial vehicle market, Foton Motor has been selling 500,000 vehicles at home and abroad for 20 years since the first Foton pickup truck rolled off the assembly line in 1999, and has accumulated a good reputation among users. At present, Foton Tunland already has many star products such as Tunland E3, Tunland E5, Tunland E7, Tunland S, etc. Facing 2019, Foton Tunland will live up to expectations and continue to implement the customer-centric value concept. While providing customers with perfect after-sales service, it will pay more attention to product optimization and upgrading, aiming to create excellent products for customers and become a reliable partner for customers.

It is reported that in order to meet the increasingly upgraded needs of consumers, Foton Tunland will build a new Tunland large pickup truck model that meets European standards. While reaching the highest level of models in the same class, this pickup truck has made new breakthroughs in passengerization, intelligence, and networking, fully meeting users' higher demands for pickup truck products.

Product strength is the cornerstone for an enterprise to build an upward brand. In 2019, Foton Tunlander fully introduced the European standard R&D system in product research and development, iteratively upgraded its products, and based on Foton Motor Group's R&D teams at home and abroad, it cooperated with ZF, Bosch, Continental, Dana and other global leading suppliers to empower the creation of excellent products.

In terms of manufacturing and quality management system, the Foton Tunlander smart factory based on German Industry 4.0 adopts German KUKA robot intelligent operation, and the main line automation rate of the workshop reaches 100%; the production line is flexibly arranged, and the overall assembly adopts Open Gate technology, which can realize the batch production of four platforms and eight models, and realize large-scale mixed-flow manufacturing of personalized car bodies. The intelligent factory not only improves the welding stability, but also comprehensively reduces the labor intensity of workers, providing a strong guarantee for creating high-quality products.

In addition to high-quality products, meticulous care and service are also the key to many consumers choosing the Trailblazer. As the channel sinks, relying on the perfect sales service system of Foton Trailblazer, the convenience of integrated services such as buying, using, and repairing cars for users is greatly improved. In 2019, Foton Trailblazer adheres to the service concept of "full-time care and worry-free all the way" of Foton Motor Group, and formulates more complete and thoughtful service measures based on actual user needs. The projects cover extra-long warranty for the whole vehicle, zero waiting for service, and unconditional outbound rescue. In addition, Foton Trailblazer has also created caring customer activities such as "Four Seasons Courtesy, Careful Care" and "Trail Friend Station", and will carry out customer care activities throughout the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter, striving to make every user feel the practical service guarantee and let the car owner enjoy a safe and comfortable driving service experience.

2019 is destined to be an extraordinary year for the domestic pickup truck market and Foton Tunland. With the deepening influence of consumption upgrades, demand upgrades, and policy relaxation, the domestic pickup truck market will explode with huge potential. Foton Tunland pickup truck has made comprehensive breakthroughs in seven aspects: high-end, intelligent, passenger, electrified, specialized, diversified, and customized. It has created a multi-functional mid-to-high-end pickup truck in all aspects to meet the ever-increasing demand for automobile consumption, and it will surely have a broader future.

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As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.