2003: Starting with Foreign Trade

Chapter 683 "I want them all!"

Is the first new energy vehicle a sedan or an SUV?

This matter is still under discussion. To be honest, Tan Jincheng wants to get into the car business because cars are relatively common.

However, in terms of actual results, SUV models are still more likely to boost market sales.

Specializing in SUV design makes it much easier to avoid many pitfalls. The core selling points of SUVs are much more precise compared to sedans. In the domestic market where everyone likes big cars, SUVs are a really good start.

"Actually, we can develop both models. Our company has the capability to do so, and developing two models at the same time is not a problem."

Zhang Yong noticed his boss's hesitation and spoke up to remind him.

After the press conference, the group from Weilai Auto returned to their hotel, while Zhang Yong stayed in the boss's suite, chatting with the boss about some of the things that had just happened at the press conference.

Zhang Yong supports the plan to build a new factory.

In 2009, although Weilai Automobile did not achieve profitability, even without considering the sales of Yangzi pickup trucks, the sales of Yuechi A1 alone exceeded 20 billion yuan. Including Yangzi pickup trucks, as well as Pajero and Huanghai buses, the overall sales were quite considerable.

Whether a company has a future or is profitable is only one aspect. Amazon has been around for many years, but that doesn't mean it isn't one of the best companies in the internet industry.

Many technology-oriented companies often experience years of losses before their R&D technologies are officially mass-produced.

"We've registered so many car brands, we can easily use two of them at the same time."

The company's plan is to develop Weilai, a brand focused on new energy, into a high-end brand of new energy vehicles. Therefore, in Zhang Yong's view, the first Weilai car must be of high quality.

And it probably won't sell many.

However, if the goal is to increase sales volume, it is entirely possible to develop a model that is different from the low-end sedans currently on the market.

With sales in the billions, this investment plan can be supported.

Tan Jincheng was taken aback: "Hmm? That makes some sense. I was being a bit conservative."

What kinds of new energy vehicles were on the streets in 2009? There were hybrids, pure electric vehicles, and even fuel cell vehicles. In fact, the new energy vehicles of the future can be more often called electric vehicles.

These days, there's a hint of new energy vehicles in the market. In the early stages, the research and development directions of various manufacturers are all different.

For example, Foton has prepared fuel cell buses, hybrid buses, and pure electric buses for next year's Asian Games, bringing together the three types of new energy vehicles currently on the market.

BYD launched its all-electric e6 model this year, and 50 units have already been ordered in Shenzhen for use as taxis.

“That’s right, we can do what BYD did and produce a batch of cars to be used as taxis. That way we can better open up the market.” Tan Jincheng slapped his forehead.

"Right, taxis are a good starting point. We are fully capable of launching two basic projects. We can slowly study the high-end taxis, but we can speed things up and launch sedans within two years."

Speaking of taxis, Tan Jincheng thought of the future GAC Aion. As the king of the taxi market, the sales volume of Aion is not inferior to those low-priced models of BYD.

In my past life, the most common taxis I saw on the streets of Beicang included the Aion series.

The design of the Aion is also an original creation, but the design concept was likely influenced by the E'Z and Model 3, especially the interior of the first generation, which was significantly influenced by it.

If we're going to focus on taxis, it shouldn't be a problem to develop a model similar to the Aion; after all, no matter how ugly it is, it can't be uglier than the models currently on the market.

In terms of car aesthetics, compared to the perspective of a decade or so ago, it was definitely better than most cars today.

However, the design department that Wei came to is going to be tormented by the boss again.

"Then let's study both models and use two brand names. However, for the passenger car, let's not use the Chi series anymore. This one is for us to boost sales, so we still need to differentiate it from the current models."

Zhang Yong also agreed with this principle; the signboard is something that can't be ruined.

Low-end and high-end products must be distinguished; otherwise, they will always be considered low-end products.

"Then which brand should we use?"

After thinking for a moment, Tan Jincheng smiled with a mischievous grin and said, "How about Ai An? Her English name is Aion, which means intelligence and trust."

Currently, Weilai Auto owns four trademarks under the "Chi" series, including Yuechi. In addition, it has full ownership of the Weilai and Yangzi brands, as well as joint ownership of the Cheetah and Huanghai brands.

Aside from the Chi series, the only brand originally intended for new energy vehicles was Weilai, and it's hard to think of any other good brands for the time being.

Hehe, is this considered a perverse sense of humor?
In other words, Weilai Auto doesn't have a comprehensive car plan; otherwise, they would have registered all those ancient names for it.

GAC has had a rather unlucky year. While other major joint venture brands have performed exceptionally well in terms of both sales and acquisitions, GAC has lagged behind. Even with the automotive industry booming in the second half of the year, Japanese brands haven't shown the same strength.

It actually sells worse than German or American brands.

"Aion? Aion? Okay, I'll get started on registering right away."

"That's a nice name," Zhang Yong thought, momentarily puzzled as to why his boss had a strange smile on his face when he said the name.

"Okay, go and do your work."

After dismissing Zhang Yong, Tan Jincheng stood there for a while.

Hehe, he stole another brand. Tan Jincheng always had a strange feeling whenever he faced Li Bing.

Haha, you know what, this feeling always has a special quality to it. It's not exactly a pleasant feeling, but it's just really strange.

Including Aian, Weilai Auto currently has three brands in the pipeline. Following the success of the Yuechi A1, the second-generation and upgraded A3 models are already under development.

Simply put, it's nothing more than a facelift of the existing model, making it longer and bigger, and refining the interior so that it can be sold at a higher price.

"What are you thinking about? You've been spacing out for a while."

Zhang Yongdu had been gone for quite a while, but Tan Jincheng was still sitting in the living room. After a while, Gu Qingqing came out and nudged him.

"Oh, I was thinking about company matters; let's pack up and go to Chuzhou."

The strategic cooperation agreement has been signed, and the preferential treatment that needed to be discussed privately has been settled. There is no need to stay in Luzhou for the time being. However, I need to go to Chuzhou before returning to Ningbo.

In the pickup truck segment, Great Wall Motors is already far ahead. Its Wingle 5 passed the EU WVTA certification this year, becoming the first domestic brand to pass the certification and gain the qualification to export to Europe.

I must say, it really is beautiful.

As a "utility vehicle", the Fengjun 5 does not use too many curves. The straight lines outline a sense of uprightness, making it look particularly handsome, and the front face also looks quite domineering.

In addition, the interior of the car is not too flashy, and the overall look is quite comfortable. More importantly, the Fengjun 5 also has a great advantage in terms of configuration, with features such as Bluetooth, car phone, speakers, USB connectors, manual air conditioning, and parking radar.

These features are all very practical. In addition, the multi-function steering wheel and other controls make the Fengjun 5 quite maneuverable.

Most importantly, it has a lot of space. Excluding the cargo space, the passenger space is also quite large. People sitting inside, especially in the back, will not feel crowded.

Take the Yangzi pickup truck as an example. Tan Jincheng has ridden in it before. It's okay in the front driver and passenger seats, but the back seats are quite cramped and the ride is not comfortable.

In Tan Jincheng's view, although the Fengjun 5 pickup truck is still based on the standard of a practical work vehicle, it has come very close to taking the passenger experience into consideration, and has provided a lot of inspiration for pickup trucks to focus on the passenger experience.

When the Fengjun 5 was first launched, Tan Jincheng had Yangzi Pickup's purchasing department buy several of them, including high-end, mid-range, and low-end models, and still disassembled them for analysis.

Since the first pickup truck rolled off the production line in 1996, Great Wall pickups have maintained a significant advantage. While it's impossible to beat Great Wall in a direct confrontation, Yangzi pickups, as an established brand, have accumulated considerable experience.

With its understanding of future vehicle models and its experience in reverse engineering using Great Wall pickup trucks, Yangzi still has a chance to compete with other brands like Isuzu and Jiangling.

It's a bit of a pity that for more than two years after being acquired by Changfeng, the promotion of the Yangzi brand stagnated. If it weren't for Tan Jincheng taking over, the brand might have disappeared from the pickup truck market in no time.

Two years without promotion would be fatal for a car brand. It was only because of the good timing of 2009 that it was able to survive. Don't be fooled by the fact that Yangzi pickup trucks are selling very well this year; that's all thanks to the huge discounts offered to dealers.

In fact, Yangzi Pickup did not make any money this year. The only gain was that it increased sales volume, which will be much better for future promotion.

If you don't see your car on the street, who would buy it?

If we were to say what Changfeng Motors left for Yangzi Pickup, it would probably be that factory with a production line that still looks quite advanced today, capable of producing 5 vehicles per year. To a certain extent, this was the factory that Tan Jincheng valued.

Luzhou and Chuzhou are very close, only about two or three hours apart. When Tan Jincheng arrived at the Yangzi Automobile factory, he could clearly feel that the attitude of the grassroots employees towards him had improved a lot.

You should know that when this group of people first came, although they stayed, they didn't have a good attitude. They were only forced to accept Tan Jincheng's domineering attitude because they had to make a living.

In just over a year, Yangzi Automobile resumed normal production. With the increase in sales, their income was much higher than before. Although they had worked much harder when they were in state-owned enterprises, they were certainly happy with the higher income.

Whether the company is profitable or not is one thing, but with increased sales and workload, Tan Jincheng is naturally not stingy in giving employees raises.

Although frontline employees often complain about how hard their work is and may even criticize their bosses behind their backs, they are happy as long as their income increases.

"Give a call to General Manager Zhu Pei and Director Yang Zhijie, and ask them to come to my office for a meeting."

(End of this chapter)