Original by New Energy Perspective (ID: xinnengyuanqianzhan)

3245 words in full text, 9 minutes reading time

When is the best time to buy a car in a year? It must be December, as car companies are all rushing to meet their annual KPIs.

After Tesla officially announced a price reduction of RMB 10,000 for the Model Y at the end of November, multiple new energy vehicle brands followed suit in early December, pushing their vehicle prices to new lows.

On December 1, Lynk & Co officially announced a limited-time discount policy for the Lynk & Co Z10, with prices ranging from RMB 186,800 to RMB 262,800 across the entire lineup.

On the same day, Zeekr announced limited-time purchase benefits worth up to RMB 63,200; ARCFOX announced a gratitude campaign offering RMB 999 off a RMB 5,999 purchase; and Leap Motor announced that customers could save up to RMB 43,630 on purchases of the C16, C10, new C11, new C01, and new T03 models between November 30 and December 31.

Influenced by the inertia of year-end car market prices generally reaching historic lows in recent years, most consumers who have been holding onto their money and waiting for the right time to buy a car for nearly a year will choose to make a purchase at this time.

However, faced with the variety of year-end discount promotions, how can consumers make the most of these opportunities to truly "take advantage"?

Through interactions with many consumers, New Energy Perspective has found effective solutions to this question.

1. The joy of "taking advantage" is worth experiencing

"The end of the year is the golden period for car purchases. If you want to take full advantage of car companies and dealers, now is the time to do it."

Speaking of year-end "limited-time great deals" from car companies, Li Wei (pseudonym) from Beijing got excited.

Li Wei drives a Tesla Model Y Long Range, which he bought at the end of last year.

Image/Tesla Model Y Long Range

Source/Screenshot from New Energy Perspective on the Internet

He recalled that he first visited the Tesla experience store in Beijing's Huamao Center, but after several inquiries, the sales staff there consistently stated that they were a direct sales store with uniform pricing. Besides the limited-time purchase incentives offered by Tesla, there were no additional store discounts or gifts.

Later, Li Wei visited several other Tesla stores in Beijing, but the responses were consistent with those from Huamao.

Just as Li Wei was about to place an order, an idea flashed through his mind: If the discounts are the same across all stores in Beijing, would they be the same in other regions?

Li Wei quickly searched online for the contact information of Tesla stores in his hometown of Jinan and learned that there was a local subsidy policy for new energy vehicles. His Tesla Model Y was eligible for a RMB 5,000 discount. Additionally, a Tesla store in Jinan offered an extra sunshade worth RMB 490 if Li Wei could make a decision soon.

Image/2023 Jinan New Energy Vehicle Local Subsidy Policy

Source/Screenshot from the official website of the Jinan Municipal People's Government on New Energy Perspective

When it comes to taking advantage, Aotao (pseudonym), the owner of a Leap Motor C11 Pure Electric, has a different perspective. "It's too troublesome to call each store to inquire about discounts and gifts. I directly posted a request for help on my social media account."

In Aotao's view, with the internet being so advanced nowadays, it is essential to fully utilize its rapid information flow. Her car was indeed a result of taking advantage after posting on a social media platform, with the help of enthusiastic car owners.

"Including the local trade-in and subsidy in Zhejiang, the final price of my car was around RMB 130,000, with additional gifts such as window film, car mats, cups, umbrellas, and two maintenance services."

However, regarding this time- and effort-saving online method of taking advantage, Aotao also cautioned, "Be cautious, as there are always unscrupulous people looking to take advantage."

Unlike the previous two car owners, Su Yuan (pseudonym), the owner of a NIO ET5, focused on display and test drive cars in supermarkets and malls. As it turned out, these cars could indeed be purchased. "Although the final product may not be as flawless as a brand-new car, with minor bumps and scratches, and unable to modify configurations, the price is truly unbeatable, saving up to RMB 10,000 to RMB 20,000 compared to discounted new cars."

Image/NIO ET5

Source/Screenshot from New Energy Perspective on the Internet

Su Yuan's friends also quickly added the store sales contacts to their phones, waiting to take advantage of a test drive or display car.

Through interactions with many consumers who have "taken advantage of car companies," New Energy Perspective summarized the skills for "taking advantage of car companies" into the following points: First, inquire about local subsidies and store gifts by phone; second, post a request for help on personal social media accounts to reach out to netizens who have purchased the same car model in various regions.

Of course, if you're not an extreme perfectionist, adding the sales contact and waiting for a test drive or display car can also be a good choice.

2. Consumers: The earlier you buy, the earlier you enjoy

Have you noticed that those who want to buy a car at a low price are usually "waiters"? "Should I wait a bit longer? Might the price be lower next year?" In this year's new energy vehicle market, few consumers have expressed such sentiments anymore.

Overall, it is not difficult to see that in recent years, as some players have intensified and others have continued the price war in the automotive market, consumers have gradually become accustomed to "price reductions." Their mindset has shifted from feeling "ripped off" after a price reduction to "the earlier you buy, the earlier you enjoy."

Recently, after seeing news that the price of the Tesla Model Y Long Range had dropped to RMB 290,900, Li Wei said that he did feel a bit sorry, as it was now RMB 10,000 cheaper. But thinking from another perspective, he had owned the car almost a year earlier than current buyers, and he had also taken full advantage of the deals at that time, making it quite worth it.

Image/Tesla Model Y Long Range Price Dropped to RMB 290,900

Source/Screenshot from New Energy Perspective on the Internet

"You wouldn't believe it, but shortly after I picked up my car, Beijing also introduced a local subsidy policy, but it was only RMB 4,000. At the time, I felt it was worth it to travel over 450 kilometers to my hometown to buy and pick up the car."

Han Yiming (pseudonym), from Chengdu, Sichuan, bought a 2024 ZEEKR 001 ME display car in mid-August. The actual price he paid was nearly RMB 30,000 cheaper than the original price, and it came with a charging pile and official window film. "When I bought it, the 2025 ZEEKR 001 ME model had already been released, but the older model was significantly cheaper. After careful consideration, I chose the display car. Compared to the latest ZEEKR promotions, the final price of my car is a perfect win."

Song Ke (pseudonym), who just picked up his car in mid-November, saw the year-end discount policy announced by Lynk & Co for the Z10 at the beginning of December and admitted to feeling a bit regretful for buying too early. "I bought the Lynk & Co Z10 Rear-Wheel Drive Smart Drive Max version, with a pure electric range of 806 kilometers and a final price of RMB 249,800, which is nearly RMB 20,000 more than the current price."

Image/Lynk & Co Z10 Rear-Wheel Drive Smart Drive Max Version

Source/Screenshot from New Energy Perspective on the Internet

According to the logic of most consumers, it is frustrating to experience a price reduction just half a month after purchasing a car. However, as Song Ke pointed out, price reductions in the automotive market are common, and one just needs to get used to it. Thinking differently, the multiple reductions in incentive policies also mean that one no longer needs to keep a car for several years like previous generations. When a smarter new car is released, they can immediately experience it.

In New Energy Perspective's interactions, most consumers believe that the era when the entire family would participate in choosing a car, only to keep it for six or seven years, is over. Nowadays, buying a car is like buying a smartphone; replacing it every one or two years significantly enhances the driving experience.

In fact, with the intensive release of purchase incentives by multiple car companies and the successive introduction of national and local subsidies and trade-in subsidies, consumers' objective impressions of cars have changed – from a major household item to a "fast-moving consumer good." They are gradually realizing that new energy is the general trend of social development.

Therefore, in the minds of current consumers, as long as the price and gifts of the car they purchase at the moment are appropriate compared to other cars available during the same period, it is the best choice. After all, frequent new model launches and continuously declining prices are the norm.

3. Less trickery, more sincerity

Indeed, with the intensive launch of multiple brands and models and the frequent upgrades of "great deals" activities, the "value" of cars is no longer what it used to be. The concept that consumers once had to save money for years before daring to buy a car has gradually become a thing of the past.

However, it is important to note that changing attitudes do not mean that consumers are willing to be taken advantage of by car companies' frequent price reductions.

It is understood that most new energy vehicle brands currently on the market adopt a dual-track model of "direct sales + dealers." In this model, some dealer stores under certain brands have resorted to "internal competition"-style price reductions to boost sales and performance, competing for customer traffic among stores of the same brand.

For brands, this approach has never been a weapon to stabilize market share but rather an "internal consumption" that gradually lowers the brand's image and influence among consumers.

"I ultimately made my purchase at a dealer store for a more favorable price, but to be honest, I'm not a fan of the phenomenon of different prices at different stores. It feels chaotic and gives me the illusion that the quality of the brand's products does not match its pricing," said Aotao, the owner of a Leap Motor C11 Pure Electric.

Image/Leap Motor C11 Pure Electric

Source/Screenshot from New Energy Perspective on the Internet

In contrast to Aotao, Song Ke, the owner of a Lynk & Co Z10, made his purchase at a direct sales store. In her view, everyone wants to get the best possible deal when buying a car, and price reductions are not inherently problematic. However, some dealer stores' practice of offering a RMB 10,000 discount today and then another RMB 10,000 discount tomorrow after seeing a competitor's offer is truly outrageous.

Li Wei spoke frankly about his reason for choosing Tesla, "Compared to other brands with dealer stores, Tesla's uniform pricing may not allow as much taking advantage as some other brands, but the uniform pricing system at their stores gives me more peace of mind. I don't have to compare prices at multiple dealer stores and haggle over discounts."

Regarding this market chaos, most consumers hope that in the future, car companies and brands can establish a complete and transparent pricing system as soon as possible, ensuring that prices are uniform and transparent at both dealer and direct sales stores.

It is worth noting that as car companies continue to intensify their price competition, the pressure on them to avoid losses will inevitably increase. Therefore, some car companies have begun to focus on reducing costs to ensure that price reductions do not compromise profits, with some even secretly changing parts suppliers without informing consumers.

In New Energy Perspective's interactions, most consumers did not agree with this approach by car companies.

"This kind of behavior is blatantly taking advantage of consumers!"

"The price may be lower, but the quality has declined, which really leaves a bad taste in one's mouth and makes one feel completely insecure."

"Some brands prioritize price reductions at the expense of consumer driving experience and safety, directly eroding the goodwill of existing car owners. Who will buy their cars in the future?"

Given the current trend, the price war in the automotive market is expected to escalate again in 2025. In this increasingly fierce "internal competition," there is no doubt that car companies that can first balance and unify the pricing systems of their direct sales and dealer stores, without compromising profits by reducing costs, will take the lead in qualifying for the next round of the new energy elimination race.