過去一年中,隨著新冠疫情導(dǎo)致供應(yīng)鏈的中斷、半導(dǎo)體等關(guān)鍵汽車零部件的短缺,以及上市新車數(shù)量的大幅減少,汽車價格一直在飆升。
就在新車價格一路高歌的同時,二手車的價格更是有過之而無不及。可售新車的匱乏讓價格更為低廉的二手車市場火爆異常。美國勞工統(tǒng)計局的消費價格指數(shù)(U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index)顯示,自2020年3月以來,二手車價格的增幅達到了驚人的39.8%。同一時期,新車價格的美國勞工統(tǒng)計局通脹率達到了8.9%,而美國的整體通脹率為6.3%。
二手車零售商CarMax的執(zhí)行副總裁兼首席營銷官吉姆·利斯基向《財富》雜志透露:“經(jīng)銷商車場的車不多,如果你到一些車場里走走,就會發(fā)現(xiàn)沒有多少車。目前,消費者實際上沒有首選權(quán),因此只能將目光投向第二選擇,第三選擇。如果他們不愿意等待廠家生產(chǎn)新車的話,那么就只能上二手車市場。”
利斯基指出,汽車價格依然在上漲。他說,價格“在過去幾周”一直在固執(zhí)地攀升,并估計“汽車平均購買價格每周都會小幅上漲100/200美元”,他在2021年10月底根據(jù)CarMax掌握的數(shù)據(jù)說道。
然而,這對消費者來說意味著什么?他們是否應(yīng)該掏腰包購買,還是持幣觀望?為了讓這些準買家更好地了解相關(guān)信息,《財富》雜志分析了造成當前這一局勢的原因,以及2022年的汽車價格和庫存可能的走向。
為什么二手車價格如此之高?
在新冠疫情伊始,全球汽車制造戛然而止。這并非是夸張之言:美國經(jīng)濟分析局(U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis)的數(shù)據(jù)顯示,2020年4月,美國汽車產(chǎn)量較2020年2月下滑了99%。到2020年夏季,汽車行業(yè)確實開始反彈,但好景不長:由全球供應(yīng)鏈中斷導(dǎo)致的零部件短缺和延遲致使美國汽車月產(chǎn)量再次下滑??偟膩碚f,2020年美國汽車產(chǎn)量下滑了23%,而且按照當前的趨勢,2021年有可能進一步下滑8%。
汽車產(chǎn)量的下滑程度比它一開始看起來更糟糕。受生命周期和事故的影響,汽車市場的汽車保有量持續(xù)下滑。這在業(yè)界被稱為“汽車報廢”的現(xiàn)象,加上汽車減產(chǎn),讓美國汽車總數(shù)在2020第二季度至2021年第一季度期間出現(xiàn)了下降。
然而,不斷萎縮的供應(yīng)鏈并非是推高車價的唯一因素。需求側(cè)也一直都是一個重要推手。原因之一在于車貸利率在新冠疫情期間降到了谷底。此外,AlixPartners的汽車與工業(yè)實踐董事總經(jīng)理丹·赫奇稱,因為擔心新冠疫情而搬離大城市的人以及不愿意乘坐公共交通或拼車出行的人,“不得不去買車”。
怎樣才能讓價格正常化?
簡而言之,需要解決供應(yīng)鏈問題,讓生產(chǎn)回歸正常水平,從而實現(xiàn)供需平衡。
然而,緩解上述上游短缺和供應(yīng)鏈問題并非易事。顯而易見的供應(yīng)鏈扭曲問題所引發(fā)的萬物短缺現(xiàn)象并非是單方面原因造成的,何況還有這么廣泛的疫情。赫奇對《財富》雜志說:“這是個別部件的短缺,而其起因包括半導(dǎo)體的短缺、勞動力的短缺、鋼鐵和樹脂的分配……大量生產(chǎn)被中斷。”他說,何況,運輸和航運問題以及港口的延誤是目前最大的弱點。
在這一方面,人們在最近采取了一些行動,包括美國總統(tǒng)喬·拜登為了減輕港口積壓而要求洛杉磯港全天候運營的計劃。不過,這些舉措的作用是有限的。如果要提升美國本土的汽車產(chǎn)量,亞洲芯片和半導(dǎo)體產(chǎn)量則需要時間來滿足需求。然而壞消息是,芯片短缺問題可能會持續(xù)至2023年。
2022年二手車市場對消費者來說意味著什么?
行業(yè)專家告訴《財富》雜志,二手車市場要到2022年下半年(或之后)才會開始回歸常態(tài)。
Cox Automotive的首席經(jīng)濟師喬納森·斯莫克對《財富》雜志說:“隨著人們解決這些瓶頸以及產(chǎn)量不足的問題,人們最終會看到價格回歸正常模式。然而在我看來,這并不意味著我們將重蹈木材市場的覆轍,該行業(yè)經(jīng)歷了一次重大價格糾正?!彼慕?jīng)濟預(yù)測認為,二手車價格將繼續(xù)在2022年上半年上漲,然后在明年下半年小幅回撤。
AutoNation的首席執(zhí)行官邁克·杰克遜這類人認為,“受消費者對個人交通的需求以及持續(xù)的制造商供應(yīng)鏈中斷影響,消費者需求將繼續(xù)超越供應(yīng)”,他在公司于2021年10月的營收電話會議上說道,并表示他預(yù)計這一現(xiàn)象將持續(xù)至“2022年下半年”。這一評估得到了CarMax利斯基的首肯,后者預(yù)測價格在未來“9至12個月的時間內(nèi)”無法回撤至2019年的水平。
AlixPartners的赫奇建議關(guān)注新經(jīng)銷商車場庫存車停留的天數(shù)。他說,一旦這個數(shù)字增至“接近50或60天的庫存水平,那么價格的常態(tài)化將指日可待?!?/p>
赫奇預(yù)測:“價格正?;那疤峋褪切萝噹齑娴恼;?,但后者需要2022年一整年的時間?!保ㄘ敻恢形木W(wǎng))
譯者:馮豐
審校:夏林
過去一年中,隨著新冠疫情導(dǎo)致供應(yīng)鏈的中斷、半導(dǎo)體等關(guān)鍵汽車零部件的短缺,以及上市新車數(shù)量的大幅減少,汽車價格一直在飆升。
就在新車價格一路高歌的同時,二手車的價格更是有過之而無不及??墒坌萝嚨膮T乏讓價格更為低廉的二手車市場火爆異常。美國勞工統(tǒng)計局的消費價格指數(shù)(U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index)顯示,自2020年3月以來,二手車價格的增幅達到了驚人的39.8%。同一時期,新車價格的美國勞工統(tǒng)計局通脹率達到了8.9%,而美國的整體通脹率為6.3%。
二手車零售商CarMax的執(zhí)行副總裁兼首席營銷官吉姆·利斯基向《財富》雜志透露:“經(jīng)銷商車場的車不多,如果你到一些車場里走走,就會發(fā)現(xiàn)沒有多少車。目前,消費者實際上沒有首選權(quán),因此只能將目光投向第二選擇,第三選擇。如果他們不愿意等待廠家生產(chǎn)新車的話,那么就只能上二手車市場?!?/p>
利斯基指出,汽車價格依然在上漲。他說,價格“在過去幾周”一直在固執(zhí)地攀升,并估計“汽車平均購買價格每周都會小幅上漲100/200美元”,他在2021年10月底根據(jù)CarMax掌握的數(shù)據(jù)說道。
然而,這對消費者來說意味著什么?他們是否應(yīng)該掏腰包購買,還是持幣觀望?為了讓這些準買家更好地了解相關(guān)信息,《財富》雜志分析了造成當前這一局勢的原因,以及2022年的汽車價格和庫存可能的走向。
為什么二手車價格如此之高?
在新冠疫情伊始,全球汽車制造戛然而止。這并非是夸張之言:美國經(jīng)濟分析局(U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis)的數(shù)據(jù)顯示,2020年4月,美國汽車產(chǎn)量較2020年2月下滑了99%。到2020年夏季,汽車行業(yè)確實開始反彈,但好景不長:由全球供應(yīng)鏈中斷導(dǎo)致的零部件短缺和延遲致使美國汽車月產(chǎn)量再次下滑。總的來說,2020年美國汽車產(chǎn)量下滑了23%,而且按照當前的趨勢,2021年有可能進一步下滑8%。
汽車產(chǎn)量的下滑程度比它一開始看起來更糟糕。受生命周期和事故的影響,汽車市場的汽車保有量持續(xù)下滑。這在業(yè)界被稱為“汽車報廢”的現(xiàn)象,加上汽車減產(chǎn),讓美國汽車總數(shù)在2020第二季度至2021年第一季度期間出現(xiàn)了下降。
然而,不斷萎縮的供應(yīng)鏈并非是推高車價的唯一因素。需求側(cè)也一直都是一個重要推手。原因之一在于車貸利率在新冠疫情期間降到了谷底。此外,AlixPartners的汽車與工業(yè)實踐董事總經(jīng)理丹·赫奇稱,因為擔心新冠疫情而搬離大城市的人以及不愿意乘坐公共交通或拼車出行的人,“不得不去買車”。
怎樣才能讓價格正常化?
簡而言之,需要解決供應(yīng)鏈問題,讓生產(chǎn)回歸正常水平,從而實現(xiàn)供需平衡。
然而,緩解上述上游短缺和供應(yīng)鏈問題并非易事。顯而易見的供應(yīng)鏈扭曲問題所引發(fā)的萬物短缺現(xiàn)象并非是單方面原因造成的,何況還有這么廣泛的疫情。赫奇對《財富》雜志說:“這是個別部件的短缺,而其起因包括半導(dǎo)體的短缺、勞動力的短缺、鋼鐵和樹脂的分配……大量生產(chǎn)被中斷?!彼f,何況,運輸和航運問題以及港口的延誤是目前最大的弱點。
在這一方面,人們在最近采取了一些行動,包括美國總統(tǒng)喬·拜登為了減輕港口積壓而要求洛杉磯港全天候運營的計劃。不過,這些舉措的作用是有限的。如果要提升美國本土的汽車產(chǎn)量,亞洲芯片和半導(dǎo)體產(chǎn)量則需要時間來滿足需求。然而壞消息是,芯片短缺問題可能會持續(xù)至2023年。
2022年二手車市場對消費者來說意味著什么?
行業(yè)專家告訴《財富》雜志,二手車市場要到2022年下半年(或之后)才會開始回歸常態(tài)。
Cox Automotive的首席經(jīng)濟師喬納森·斯莫克對《財富》雜志說:“隨著人們解決這些瓶頸以及產(chǎn)量不足的問題,人們最終會看到價格回歸正常模式。然而在我看來,這并不意味著我們將重蹈木材市場的覆轍,該行業(yè)經(jīng)歷了一次重大價格糾正?!彼慕?jīng)濟預(yù)測認為,二手車價格將繼續(xù)在2022年上半年上漲,然后在明年下半年小幅回撤。
AutoNation的首席執(zhí)行官邁克·杰克遜這類人認為,“受消費者對個人交通的需求以及持續(xù)的制造商供應(yīng)鏈中斷影響,消費者需求將繼續(xù)超越供應(yīng)”,他在公司于2021年10月的營收電話會議上說道,并表示他預(yù)計這一現(xiàn)象將持續(xù)至“2022年下半年”。這一評估得到了CarMax利斯基的首肯,后者預(yù)測價格在未來“9至12個月的時間內(nèi)”無法回撤至2019年的水平。
AlixPartners的赫奇建議關(guān)注新經(jīng)銷商車場庫存車停留的天數(shù)。他說,一旦這個數(shù)字增至“接近50或60天的庫存水平,那么價格的常態(tài)化將指日可待。”
赫奇預(yù)測:“價格正?;那疤峋褪切萝噹齑娴恼;笳咝枰?022年一整年的時間。”(財富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:馮豐
審校:夏林
Car prices have been surging for over a year, as the pandemic disrupted supply chains and caused shortages in critical auto components like semiconductors, resulting in a lack of new vehicles hitting the lots.
as things are for new car prices, things are even worse for used vehicles. The lack of new cars available has created an absolute frenzy in the cheaper used car market. Since March of 2020, used car prices are up a staggering 39.8%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index. During that same period, the BLS inflation measurement for new car prices is up 8.9%, while overall, U.S. inflation is up 6.3%.
“There’s just not a lot of cars out there, and if you go in and walk some lots, you’ll notice that it’s not there,” Jim Lyski, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for CarMax, tells Fortune. “The consumer doesn’t really have their first pick right now, and so they’re going down to their second pick, third pick, or they don’t want to wait for production to release new vehicles, so they’re going into the used car market.”
And prices are still on the rise, observes Lyski. He says prices have persisted in moving up “over the last few weeks,” estimating “the average purchase price of cars are inching up $100, $200 a week,” he noted late last month based on CarMax’s vantage point.
But what does this mean for consumers? Should they pony up and pay these prices, or hold out for future deals? To better inform would-be buyers, Fortune explored how we got here, and where prices and inventory might be headed in 2022.
Why are used car prices so high?
At the onset of the pandemic, auto manufacturing across the globe came to a screeching halt. That’s not an exaggeration: In April 2020, the U.S. saw auto production drop 99% from February 2020 levels, according to U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data. By the summer of 2020, the automotive industry did begin to rebound, but that was short-lived: Component shortages and delays—caused by a disrupted global supply chain—caused monthly U.S. auto production to fall again. In total, U.S. car production fell 23% in 2020, and it’s currently on pace to fall another 8% in 2021.
The decrease in vehicle production is worse for the market than it might first appear. The car market is continuously losing vehicles to a combination of life cycles and accidents. That phenomenon, referred to in the industry as “car scrappage,” combined with decreased auto production, saw the total number of vehicles in the U.S. decline between the second quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021.
But shrinking supply isn’t the only factor driving prices higher. There has been a big uptick on the demand side, too. Some of that can be attributed to interest rates on auto loans hitting rock bottom levels during the pandemic. In addition, Dan Hearsch, a managing director in the automotive and industrial practice at AlixPartners, says people moving out of big cities and not wanting to take public transportation or ride sharing as a result of COVID-19 health concerns “has driven them to buy vehicles.”
What will it take for prices to normalize?
The simple answer is for supply chain issues to get worked out and production to return to normal levels so that supply and demand can balance out.
But easing those upstream shortages and supply chain issues won’t be easy. The well-documented supply chain kinks that are causing the so-called everything shortage don’t have one culprit, save for the pandemic broadly. “It’s a shortage of individual components, which is caused by a shortage of semiconductors, shortages of labor, allocation of steel and resin…There’s lots of disruption,” Hearsch tells Fortune. Not to mention, transportation and shipping issues and delays at ports, he suggests, “are the biggest weak spot at this point.”
On that front, some actions have been taken of late, including President Joe Biden’s deal to open the Port of Los Angeles 24/7 in an effort to alleviate backlogs. But that can only do so much. For auto production to ramp up domestically, chip and semiconductor production in Asia needs time to catch up with demand. The bad news? That chip shortage, in particular, could stretch into 2023.
What can consumers expect in the 2022 used car market?
Industry experts tell Fortune it will likely take well into 2022 (or beyond) for the used car market to start to return to normal.
“As you solve the bottlenecks, and you solve the lack of production, you’ll eventually start to see normal price patterns. But my view is that does not mean we will approach something like what you saw with lumber—which had a major price correction,” Jonathan Smoke, chief economist at Cox Automotive, tells Fortune. His economic forecast has used car prices continuing to rise through the first half of 2022 followed by a small price pullback in the second half of next year.
Others like Mike Jackson, the CEO of AutoNation, note that “consumer demand continues to outpace supply, driven by consumer desire for personal transportation and ongoing manufacturer supply chain disruption,” he said on the company’s most recent earnings call in October, adding that he expects that to continue “well into 2022.” That assessment is shared by CarMax’s Lyski, who doesn’t foresee prices heading back down to 2019 levels “anytime in the next nine, 12 months.”
Hearsch of AlixPartners suggests keeping an eye on the number of days inventory sits on new dealer lots. Once that ticks up “closer to 50 or 60 days of inventory, that’s when you would expect a normalization of pricing,” he says.
“Prices are going to normalize…when new car inventory normalizes, which is going to take all of 2022,” Hearsch predicts.