Part of being an auto writer is predicting trends, thinking about the paths the auto market might take in the near term.
Some trends like electrification are as clear as day, while others are based on a looser hypothesis.
Here we record an expectation for 2023 from different team members. Add your two cents in the comments!
Mike Costello
China will become Australia’s third largest car supplier
Sales of cars made in China were up 55% through the end of November this year, making the country the fourth-largest source of autos after Japan, Thailand and South Korea.
More than 10 percent of new cars sold this year at the time of writing are made in China – or by fast-growing Chinese brands MG, LDV, GWM, haval and BYDor the brands that take the car from such as Tesla, Volvo and The North Star.
All (or most) of those brands will continue to grow at a rapid pace into 2023 with more models coming out and being joined by other Chinese brands like Chery, GWM Ora, GWM . tank, JAC engine.
Thus, by the end of next year, Chinese-made cars will account for at least 15% of the market share. That will inevitably lead to geopolitical dialogues…
Paul Maris
We won’t be in a hurry to buy an electric car anytime soon
How much I love electric cars, we showed them throughout our recent Adelaide to Sydney trip that variation in range when it comes to weather, detours and loads can be very challenging.
Shift that to the ute segment, where vehicles need to be able to carry, tow, and do all the things EVs hate, and suddenly they tend to make a lot less sense.
While the power u may be around in the future, I don’t think we’ll see widespread adoption until we see the battery technology and capabilities expand.
Currently, an electric version of an internal combustion ute is a major compromise in terms of payload capacity. In the interim, I think we’ll see hybrids and potentially plug-in hybrids until we close that technology gap.
Another inherent risk is a severe lack of infrastructure to support the massive transition to Australia’s most popular vehicle type.
If we are currently struggling with public charging infrastructure, we will need to see large-scale improvements if we are to support the sales volume that the dual-cab segment is currently experiencing.
Happy to be proven wrong, but that’s how I see it at the moment.
Scott Collie
End of the bull run…hopefully
Supply is eventually improving for automakers, which means power will begin to shift from used car dealers and retailers to customers.
Given the scarcity of new cars since the start of COVID-19, dealers have been able to charge list prices (or higher) for their new cars if they knew that if someone didn’t want to pay money, then there might be a money consumer behind them. line of people will.
When those lines start to thin (as in the case of Toyota, for example, it takes a while), and dealers have a steady stream of new cars pouring into the country and landing in their front yards. them, the door will open for bargain hunters to start negotiating again.
We may even see a return of factory-assisted discounts on over-stocked models.
As for used car prices? Well, with more deals hitting the market (and more car fleets turning around, having scaled back during the pandemic), the downtrend can only continue.
Of course there will be some exceptions. I can’t imagine the LandCruiser 300 will drop in price any time soon, but the broader market may be on its way back to normal.
James Vuong
Year PHEV
Australians are increasingly demanding electric and hybrid vehicles. Some brands don’t offer conventional Toyota-style hybrids in their global portfolios – so a PHEV is the right choice if you’re not going to use EVs at all.
I firmly believe that PHEVs are a great mid-range electrification solution in the Australian market due to concerns about the wide range as well as our vast lack of EV charging infrastructure, people are still not know that.
I believe the biggest opportunities to use PHEVs come from mainstream manufacturers; Mitsubishi has been leading for many years with PHEV . extrovertMG has HS Plus EV and Mazda will bring CX-60PHEV in June on all trim levels.
Volkswagen has indicated its plans to bring Golf and Tiguan PHEV in 2023-24 too, and it’s no secret that Ford is working on it Ranger plug-in hybrid too. It’s time we take action to reduce emissions as much as possible in as many ways as possible.
It is hoped that with new Federal emissions targets and fuel quality standards, as well as a better product offering, consumers will have more choices than ever for electric vehicles.
William Stopford
We will see more large trams and smaller trams
It’s pretty safe to say we’ll be seeing more American pickup trucks on local roads, whether you like it or not.
Ram sales continue to increaseas well as the sales of Chevy Silveradothe Ford F-150 will launch in 2023 and Toyota has confirmed it all tundra has the power to really shake things up.
But at the other end of the spectrum we will see a small EV line in the shape of GWM Ora Good Cat, Dolphin BYD and MG 4 electric.
Given their high prices – almost certainly because they come from Chinese brands – these have the potential to boost EV sales in Australia and attract more electric vehicle consumers for the first time, while the time to suck sales away from well-known models like Leaf Nissan.
Imagine it: a year in which the two fastest-growing segments were full-size pickups and small electric vehicles. Talk about a dichotomy.
Anthony Crawford
If you want an affordable EV, it’s made in China
If you were looking for the cheapest EV in Australia right now, it would be MG ZS EV Prices from $44,990 drive away. The next affordable EV on the market is BYD Atto 3 priced from $48,011 excluding on-road.
They’re also not really cheap and interesting, as both are packed with technology and range to match. Not surprisingly, China is the largest electric vehicle market in the world.
The pair are just the tip of the iceberg of China’s electric vehicle onslaught that will unfold in 2023 and beyond. MG and BYD will expand their offerings next year and are joined by the likes of GWM Ora, and in addition, others are planning their arrivals including Chery, JAC Motor and AION BANK.
The good news is that while Chinese carmakers can hold the premium brand position in their home market, they have to make their mark here from the ground up with a cheaper establishment price compared to other brands. famous brand name.
Quick Jack
Limited features offer will return
I am deeply disappointed that some automakers are willing to compromise on safety and offer new vehicles that lack key features, such as blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. , due to the ongoing semiconductor shortage.
I predict (or better hope) these features will be live again in 2023.
From what I’ve seen from reports overseas, expect the global semiconductor shortage to ease next year. This will likely give automakers the opportunity to reintroduce missing features.
My worst nightmare is that customers are used to not having these features, and the offending automakers lock them up behind an option pack.
Let’s all pray for my sanity that this won’t happen (it probably will.)
