AutoBeta(AutoBeta.net)03/09 Report--

Today, an entry about "Lantu was exposed that poor sales started layoffs" went on the top search site on Weibo. According to Sina Science and Technology, some employees told it that Lantu has started layoffs, involving outbound calls, sales support and other departments. As a whole, 30 people in the Lantu outbound department were laid off, and the staff of the sales support department said that after the morning notice, they were not satisfied with the compensation, the access card and flying book were closed, and the computer was taken away.

In response to the news of layoffs spread online, Lantu responded: "Lantu layoffs are false news, and this business adjustment is actually a transfer of business within Dongfeng Group, transferring the outbound business of the original Lantu independent operation to professional institutions within the group."

Although Lantu Automobile shows false news about the layoffs, in fact, its sales have been unsatisfactory since the establishment of the Lantu brand. Relevant data show that the sales volume of Lantu in 2021 is 6791; the cumulative sales of Lantu in 2022 is 19409, an increase of 185.80% compared with 2021, but the sales of Lantu in December 2022 is only 1729. It is understood that the initial sales target of Lantu in 2022 is 46000. Due to poor sales in the first half of the year, Lantu lowered its target to 31000. According to the latest sales target of 31000 vehicles, Lantu still missed its sales target in 2022, reaching only 62.6 per cent of the target for the whole year. In 2023, Lantu car sales are still in the doldrums and the decline in the market has not been reversed, with only 1548 vehicles sold in January and 28% to 1107 in February.

Sales are not good, and Lantu's net loss is also increasing. Relevant data show that in 2021, Lantu Motor had annual revenue of 1.767 billion yuan, net loss of 703 million yuan and total profit loss of 965 million yuan. In the first half of 2022, Lantu Automobile realized revenue of 1.887 billion yuan, net loss of 738 million yuan and total profit loss of 1.025 billion yuan. Based on the sales volume and net loss in the first half of 2022, it is not difficult to calculate that Lantu has an average net loss of 130000 yuan per car sold. In view of the decline in sales and the expansion of losses, Lantu Motor is also trying to save. It was listed for financing last year, and officials said that the funds raised were used for "technological research and development, digital system construction, production capacity construction, marketing investment and other issues related to the main business operation and development of the capital-increasing party." Recently, in the context of a price war among car companies, in order to reverse sales, Lantu Motors also had to launch a time-limited price reduction of 40,000 yuan to its Lantu dreamers.

Relevant information shows that: Lantu Automobile was established in June 2021, is Dongfeng Motor's high-end new energy brand. At present, Lantu Motors has three models: SUV FREE, MPV Dreamer and car Zuguang, of which Zuguang is the third mass production model under Lantu Motors, which will debut and open its reservation on December 15, 2022, with a pre-price range of 32.29-432900 yuan. Although with the release of Lantu Yuguang, Lantu Automobile's products cover SUV, MPV and car models, but Lantu Automobile has always lacked a popular style product. The emergence of Lantu Yuguang model is also naturally with high hopes. Lantu Automobile has put forward the slogan of "300000 + No competitor". According to official sources, Lantu received 10,000 + orders in less than a month of pre-sale.

It is worth noting that Lantu car sales are not good, and so are the parent company Dongfeng Motor Group. Relevant data show that Dongfeng Motor Group sold 154200 vehicles in February, down 24.96% from 205500 in the same period in 2022, of which 13200 were new energy vehicles, down from 17900 in the same period last year. From January to February this year, Dongfeng Automobile Group sold a total of 262000 vehicles, down 48.48% from the same period last year, of which the cumulative sales of energy vehicles from January to February were 37300, down 32.4% from the same period last year.

The automobile industry is concerned that Lantu's car sales are not good, which has something to do with its product positioning and low popularity. As a new high-end new energy brand, Lantu chose to price in the price range of 30-400000 yuan from the very beginning. However, it is not easy for this price range to stand out. After all, Lantu car brand awareness is not high, consumers who choose fuel cars in this price range will mostly choose traditional luxury brands such as BBA, while consumers who choose new energy vehicles may consider high-end new energy models such as Model Y, Xilai ES6, ideal ONE, and so on. In terms of popularity, Lantu Automobile also pointed out in this year's letter that there are still many people who do not know the popularity of the Lantu brand. This year, we will penetrate the key markets, key platforms and key groups, hoping to open brand awareness in a more focused form. At the same time, the official also said that it will upgrade the entire brand, strictly control the communication content, govern the image of the exhibition hall, and enhance the tonality of the whole brand.

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