When it comes to national vehicles, what do you think of? German Sagitar, Lavida, Golf, Tiguan; Japanese Corolla, Civic, Sylphy, Camry, Highlander, CR-V; national brands Haval H6, Geely Boyue, Geely Emgrand, Wuling Hongguang, Trumpchi GS4, Baojun 510 . The above list is less than one hundred, and the Chinese auto market is full of flowers, too numerous to enumerate. So what do these national vehicles have in common? Reflected in the RV industry, what should a national towed RV look like?
Stone from Other Hills
A national towed RV must first meet the basic expectations of Chinese people: bring your family, live in the present, and share the beautiful scenery. When talking about national RVs for Chinese people, you can first take a look at the world’s mainstream national RVs.
Euro National RV
There are many famous European RV brands, such as Hobby, Fendt, Hymer, Burstner, Knaus, etc., with bright stars. Let me take my favorite Fendt brand as an example. Fendt 465TG trailer can accommodate 4 people, and the standard price is 20,650 euros, which is equivalent to RMB 165,200.
Please consider two factors here: 1. The average salary of German nationals in 2018 is 3,700 euros per month. 2. These relatively affordable models under Fendt have unambiguous workmanship, exquisite interiors, and are safe and reliable. In summary, these models are highly cost-effective, industrialized mass-produced trailers. The same issues considered in Europe, the average salary in the United States is 3,000 US dollars (2017), and a trailer of 20,000 US dollars only needs 7 months’ wages of ordinary employees. Although the price of European and American RVs is relatively low relative to income, the quality of RVs is very reliable.
North American National RV
The Rockwood brand under Forest River (Forest River) has a top-lifting tent trailer with a standard configuration of $20,000. Forest River is the second largest RV manufacturing group in the United States. Forest River was acquired by Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and acquired 100 shares, thus becoming the only RV manufacturer under Buffett. RV products are sophisticated in design, high in quality and low in price, and are known for their high cost performance.
Jayco (Jack) RV: 2019 JAY FLIGHT SLX 7, standard equipment $17,171, big and affordable. Jayco Motorhomes is headquartered in Middlebury, Indiana, USA. The company was founded in 1968 by Lloyd Jay Bontrager. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Jayco motorhomes. In 1994, as one of the most influential figures in the century-old RVing history, founder Bontrager was inducted into the “RV Industry Hall of Fame”.
The toy mover 2019OCTANE SUPER LITE retails at US$30,000-38,000. This toy refers to big toys such as dirt bike (off-road motorcycle) and ATV (all-terrain vehicle), which can be regarded as a characteristic RV in North America.
All trailer accessories in the United States must be certified by the US Department of Transportation DOT, and the entire vehicle must be certified by the RVIA American Recreational Vehicle Industry Association. From these national models of automobiles to the national models of European and American RVs, the requirements of Chinese people for towed RVs have gradually surfaced: 1. Affordable prices. 2. Safe and reliable. 3. It can accommodate 4 people (satisfies the needs of two-child families traveling as a whole family). 4. Not too big (the current domestic road conditions, it is not convenient to park and drive an oversized RV).
Domestic experiment
In the past few years when the domestic RV market has been booming, the RV industry has also made many attempts to create a national RV with high quality, low price, safety and reliability, so Waterdrop RV came into being.
The water drop RV is a model that is inexpensive, convenient and easy to use, and meets the basic needs of entry-level RV consumers. Take the Feishen water drop launched by Feishen RV as an example. Feishen Waterdrop has a small space and does not occupy a lot of space for parking. One parking space is enough; the vehicle is light in weight (about 700kg), and the increase in traction fuel consumption is small, and the Mercedes-Benz smart can be towed. The overall shape is also very cute and smart. Open the back door to the kitchen, avoiding cooking fumes in the car (of course, the car with too small space cannot be used for cooking). In terms of safety, the German AL-KO torsion shaft and crash brake connector system are used. As a result, as soon as it was launched, it was sought after by consumers, especially under the rendering of advertisements such as “46,800, Feishen water drops home”, it is even more popular. As a result, the production department also worked overtime to keep up with the production plan.
For manufacturers and dealers, Waterdrop RV is a product that opens up the market and attracts attention. Its own profit margin is low, and the user group is not wide enough. Entry-level consumers like it very much, but it cannot meet the needs of professional RV players. . For example, there are two main problems: First, the overall space is small, and the size of the bed can only accommodate two adults or two adults and one child, which cannot meet the needs of large families.
Secondly, there are relatively few camps in China without toilets. In unmanaged scenic spots, going to the toilet is a hassle. With the market feedback from Feishen Waterdrop, the factory decided to develop a new mini trailer that can be used by ordinary players and professional players. The body is a little bigger, but not too big, which solves the problem of the bathroom. Two layouts for 3 people and 4 people are designed, and the internal code is 9011.
The domestic retail price of the mini trailer 9011 is 79,800 yuan. For a trailer with complete equipment and E0-level environmental protection furniture materials, the price is more pertinent and sincere. The 9011 adopts a center-mounted single-axle design, with a uniform weight ratio and low power requirements for the front vehicle. It can be towed with a displacement of more than 1.6 liters, and the market has responded well.
suitable is the best
Go back to the questions we started discussing one by one:
1. Affordable price. With the current level of our RV industry and supporting equipment, it is naturally impossible to achieve the level of 20,000 local currency in Europe and the United States. However, if the configuration is equivalent, the craftsmanship is close, and the price is similar to the equivalent price of RMB in Europe and America, Chinese people can still accept it. After all, imported vehicles add tariffs, transportation, dealer profits and other costs, and the cost performance is not high. (If the RV wasn’t too big, the shopping agents would have already moved it back to China.)
2. Safe and reliable. The German AL-KO torsion axle and crash brake connector are reliable guarantees. It is recommended that users with economic capabilities choose a ball cover with an anti-sway stabilizer. In Europe, unless there are very small water drop RVs, it is already a standard configuration. 3. Can accommodate 4 people. Choose the upper and lower bunk version to solve the problem. 4. Not too big. The compartment is 3160mm×1960mm, and the whole vehicle is 4600mm×2000mm. It is a compact type, so novices don’t have to worry about operating and driving. It is still necessary to practice reversing.
epilogue
Due to work reasons, I attend the RV Show in Dusseldorf, Germany every year, and I have a different experience every time. The overall strength of European RV is strong, the market performance is strong, the RV industry and RV consumption complement each other, large-scale mold investment, use of plastic parts, lightweight body and furniture design, and new technologies emerge in endlessly. In particular, at the RV Show in Dusseldorf, Germany at the end of August 2018, there was a RV driving experience and learning area specially set up for the audience, with professional guidance. This is real dry goods, and it is worth learning for domestic exhibitors.
The domestic RV market has also begun to differentiate into levels. Pioneers have gone further in terms of industrialization and technological content, and the gap between new RV products and Europe and the United States is gradually narrowing. Some of the latecomers are entering the public’s field of vision by relying on simple imitation, low-cost manufacturing and price advantages. However, RV veterans and people in the industry can tell whether a car is a qualified RV and the level of the manufacturer just from a bathroom photo without a non-slip design.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the RV Association play an active role, and basic safety regulations and workmanship standards must be improved and implemented as soon as possible. It doesn’t matter whether the cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice, it is a good cat. At present, the domestic RV market is developing rapidly, and pearls and jade will eventually emerge and shine on the riverbed of the Chinese market after the sediment has settled.
