Hyundai CEO says only a ‘level playing field’ can minimize damage from China
Hyundai CEO says only a ‘level playing field’ can minimize damage from China
现代汽车首席执行官：只有“公平竞争环境”才能将来自中国的冲击降至最低
Hyundai CEO José Muñoz says the US could be overrun like Europe without protections in place. 现代汽车首席执行官何塞·穆尼奥斯（José Muñoz）表示，如果缺乏相应的保护措施，美国市场可能会像欧洲一样被中国汽车“淹没”。
There’s been a lot of doom and gloom from the auto industry lately when the subject of China comes up. Automaker CEOs, in particular, warn that allowing low-cost, high-tech Chinese electric vehicles to be sold in the US would effectively spell the end of their businesses. 近来，每当提及中国，汽车行业总是弥漫着悲观情绪。汽车制造商的首席执行官们尤其警告称，允许低成本、高科技的中国电动汽车在美国销售，实际上将意味着他们业务的终结。
Hyundai CEO José Muñoz is not as pessimistic as some of his counterparts. He says he’s confident the right mix of protectionist policies and improvements on the product side can keep China at bay. Even though his company is feeling the squeeze from China, Muñoz isn’t ready to throw in the towel. But he also acknowledges that China could flood the US with affordable imports without established protections in place. 现代汽车首席执行官何塞·穆尼奥斯并不像他的某些同行那样悲观。他表示，他有信心通过保护主义政策与产品端改进的适当结合，将中国竞争对手挡在门外。尽管他的公司正感受到来自中国的压力，但穆尼奥斯并不打算认输。不过他也承认，如果没有既定的保护措施，中国可能会以廉价进口产品冲击美国市场。
“As long as there is a level playing field for everybody,” Muñoz said at the reveal of the new 2027 Hyundai Tucson in New York City last week. “That’s all we ask, right? We compete everywhere in the world, and then we have seen that in the markets where that position is respected, so it’s really good for us.” “只要大家处于公平的竞争环境，”穆尼奥斯上周在纽约市发布新款2027款现代途胜（Tucson）时说道，“这就是我们所要求的，对吧？我们在世界各地参与竞争，我们已经看到，在那些尊重这一原则的市场中，我们的表现非常好。”
Chinese automakers have expanded rapidly in Europe, gobbling up market share and damaging domestic brands like Volkswagen, Volvo, and Mercedes by offering vehicles at much lower prices. US automakers warn the same could be true for them if China were allowed to import its vehicles here. 中国汽车制造商在欧洲迅速扩张，通过提供价格低得多的车型，蚕食了市场份额，并对大众、沃尔沃和梅赛德斯等本土品牌造成了冲击。美国汽车制造商警告称，如果允许中国汽车进口到美国，同样的情况也可能发生在美国。
Steep tariffs and laws that prohibit the sale of cars with software from China have basically made it impossible to sell Chinese vehicles in the US. But in recent months, the dam appears to be weakening. President Donald Trump has said several times that he would be open to Chinese automakers building manufacturing plants in the US if they hire American workers. And experts across the board believe it’s only a matter of time before China finds a way to sell its cars in the US. 高额关税以及禁止销售搭载中国软件汽车的法律，基本上使得中国汽车无法在美国销售。但近几个月来，这道防线似乎正在松动。唐纳德·特朗普总统曾多次表示，如果中国汽车制造商雇佣美国工人，他愿意开放中国车企在美国建立制造工厂。各界专家也都认为，中国找到在美国销售汽车的方法只是时间问题。
But if Chinese brands eventually set up manufacturing inside North America or enter via partner channels, it’s not clear whether Hyundai has a defensive strategy ready. I asked Muñoz whether his company had begun to plan for the eventuality of Chinese imports available in the US market. He said it had not. 但如果中国品牌最终在北美建立制造基地或通过合作伙伴渠道进入市场，目前尚不清楚现代汽车是否准备好了防御策略。我询问穆尼奥斯，他的公司是否已经开始为中国进口汽车进入美国市场的可能性做规划。他表示并没有。
“We don’t develop strategies specifically because of the Chinese or because of other types of consumers, or other types of competitors,” he said. “We are always trying to do better.” “我们不会专门针对中国或其他类型的消费者或竞争对手来制定策略，”他说，“我们始终致力于做得更好。”
If Hyundai has any strategy, Muñoz added, it’s vertical integration: bringing down costs by making its tech and components. “This allows us to be more competitive,” he said. “Better quality over cost.” 穆尼奥斯补充说，如果现代汽车有什么策略的话，那就是垂直整合：通过自主制造技术和零部件来降低成本。“这使我们更具竞争力，”他说，“以更优的质量控制成本。”
Muñoz cited Hyundai’s $5.8 billion investment in Louisiana to produce green steel as an example of the company’s efforts to vertically integrate in the US. Hyundai expects the investment to provide better, more competitive, and more environmentally friendly steel. He says the same philosophy applies to software and other technologies that Hyundai wants to develop internally. 穆尼奥斯以现代汽车在路易斯安那州投资58亿美元生产绿色钢铁为例，说明了该公司在美国进行垂直整合的努力。现代汽车预计这项投资将提供更好、更具竞争力且更环保的钢材。他表示，同样的理念也适用于现代汽车希望内部开发软件和其他技术。
“So there is always room to do better,” he continued. “So if the Chinese competitor were to enter in the market, we would see what would happen, but I don’t know, I don’t have a crystal ball. I just look around, for example, Europe, and see what has happened, and then you may expect similar type of behaviors.” “所以总有改进的空间，”他继续说道，“如果中国竞争对手进入市场，我们会看看会发生什么，但我不知道，我没有水晶球。我只是环顾四周，比如看看欧洲发生的事情，然后你可能会预见到类似的行为。”
Chinese vehicles sold in Europe are on average about 30 percent cheaper than comparable European-made rival models, even when factoring in EU import tariffs. The US has already fallen behind the rest of the world when it comes to EV adoption, after Trump and Republicans in Congress eliminated federal subsidies. In Europe, EVs account for over 20 percent of sales; in China, it’s over 60 percent. In the US, it’s less than 6 percent. 即便计入欧盟进口关税，在中国销售的汽车在欧洲的平均价格仍比同类欧洲制造的竞争车型便宜约30%。在特朗普和国会共和党人取消联邦补贴后，美国在电动汽车普及率方面已经落后于世界其他地区。在欧洲，电动汽车占销售额的20%以上；在中国，这一比例超过60%；而在美国，这一比例不到6%。
Political polarization certainly plays a role in depressing sales, as does inadequate charging infrastructure. But the lack of affordable electric models is regularly cited as the biggest barrier to adoption in the US. On that front, Muñoz thinks the US can still catch up. 政治极化无疑在抑制销量方面起了一定作用，充电基础设施不足也是如此。但缺乏经济实惠的电动车型经常被认为是美国电动汽车普及的最大障碍。在这方面，穆尼奥斯认为美国仍有追赶的机会。
“I think the American market is the most competitive in the world,” he said, noting that Hyundai still records robust EV sales here. That may be true, but the company’s hybrids are what’s keeping its EV business afloat. Hyundai has added hybrids to a wide range of vehicles, including its top-selling Tucson. “我认为美国市场是世界上竞争最激烈的市场，”他说，并指出现代汽车在这里的电动汽车销量依然强劲。这或许是真的，但正是该公司的混合动力车型支撑着其电动汽车业务。现代汽车已在其广泛的车型中增加了混合动力版本，包括其最畅销的途胜。
Unlike other automakers, Hyundai hasn’t retreated from EVs. It continues to sell its Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9 here in the US, as well as a growing number of hybrids. In fact, the Hyundai Group recently surpassed Honda to claim second place in US hybrid sales behind Toyota. 与其他汽车制造商不同，现代汽车并没有从电动汽车领域撤退。它继续在美国销售Ioniq 5和Ioniq 9，以及越来越多的混合动力车型。事实上，现代集团最近已超越本田，位居美国混合动力汽车销量第二，仅次于丰田。
Muñoz acknowledged that the US was still catching up to China’s dominance in EV batteries. Hyundai operates a battery manufacturing joint venture with SK On in Georgia near its massive Metaplant, where it builds all of its EVs and hybrids. 穆尼奥斯承认，美国在电动汽车电池领域仍处于追赶中国主导地位的过程中。现代汽车在佐治亚州其大型Metaplant工厂附近与SK On运营着一家电池制造合资企业，该工厂负责生产其所有的电动汽车和混合动力汽车。
“Obviously if you don’t have the critical mass, the volume, it’s very difficult to be competitive,” he said. “One of the biggest pieces of cost is the battery. That is the key element, right? But there is a lot of production of batteries in the United States with some of the best global manufacturers. So I’m not concerned.” “显然，如果你没有达到临界规模和产量，就很难具备竞争力，”他说，“成本中最大的一部分就是电池。这是关键要素，对吧？但美国已经有了很多由全球顶级制造商生产的电池。所以我并不担心。”