From knock-off old-man's electric vehicles to industrial giant

Chapter 247 A mere few batteries and a motor, and you think you can replace a century-old internal combustion engine?
The data obtained by Xingchen Automotive is based on meticulous reverse engineering of the engines of popular models from competitors, but it is not the kind of emissions fraud problem that is commonly exposed in international news.

It is a more surprising security flaw.

Initially, Wang Jingming received a message from a colleague that a Camry had its malfunction indicator light come on during a high-speed test at the test track. Upon inspection, the fuel pressure dropped from 4.0 bar to below 1.0 bar, causing the car to stall.

At first, we mistakenly thought it was an isolated incident, since the test vehicle was driven at high speeds quite frequently to collect data, and the working conditions were quite harsh.

However, just a few days later, another Highlander experienced the same malfunction.

The fact that these different models experienced the same fault code simultaneously aroused the team's curiosity and led them to disassemble and bench test the engine system of the faulty model separately.

Ultimately, the team conducted repeated tests and reproduced the same engine stalling fault when the engine speed instantly increased to 3000-4000 rpm.

After several days of meticulous disassembly, the problem was found to be with the fuel pump. Under high-speed conditions, the fuel pump failed to pump fuel, the engine lost fuel, and the engine stalled, disconnecting power.

After further investigation, the team identified the culprit for the malfunction as a small impeller.

Disassembly of the fuel pumps inside the 6AR-FSE and 8AR-FTS Toyota engines revealed slight impeller deformation. If the deformation exceeds 0.5mm, it is highly likely that the engine speed will be limited, the fuel pressure will drop, and the ECU will forcibly cut off the power.

The design of the oil pump impeller itself and the resin molding process make this physical damage almost irreversible.

In other words, it may initially be just an occasional malfunction that consumers find difficult to detect, and may even assume that they have used inferior oil.

However, after years of wear and tear, the impeller becomes completely deformed, causing the fuel pump to fail. The entire vehicle will then be rendered unusable and unable to be driven or restarted. It will have to be sent back to the factory to replace the entire fuel pump power system.

To get to the bottom of things, Wang Jingming also found out the batch numbers of the fuel pumps for these engines, which turned out to come from Denso Corporation, the largest auto parts manufacturer in Xiao Rizi.

……

A week has passed.

In response to the controversy surrounding "new energy vehicle fires," Xingchen Automotive issued a more detailed official report and on-site monitoring data, further dispelling online doubts about "fires caused by high-power charging."

The report demonstrated the compliance of the Starry Sky official charging station site with various fire safety qualifications, and the video fully proved that the vehicle caught fire after a brief stop and was not charging at all.

The fire-fighting equipment and emergency fire extinguishers provided by the Xingchen Supercharging Station played a crucial role in the first five minutes after the fire broke out, thanks to the cooperation of passersby and car owners. They slightly hindered the further spread of the initial fire and bought valuable time for the fire truck to arrive.

Such comprehensive and compelling evidence has gradually silenced the related claims about "charging causing fires".

Wang Jiahua scrolled through the official statement online and let out a deep breath!

As a result, one's entire nervous system relaxes.

"Fortunately, it wasn't a fire caused by charging; the car itself had a problem."

As a locked-in Starry Sky L7 owner, he pays particular attention to this information.

The message the Ford salesperson sent him last time, while failing to shake his determination to buy the car, inadvertently opened a crack in his heart.

I couldn't help but think about the two choices: "new energy vehicles vs. gasoline vehicles".

He wasn't a conservative, but the timing of this incident was too coincidental, and the clamor online made him feel vaguely irritable.

I feel like Xingchen Motors has been hacked.

There has been no official statement regarding this matter.

Also.

These people attacked refrigerators, color TVs, large sofas, and the unverified battery life and durability issues of new energy vehicles, without specifically naming Xingchen Motors or saying anything bad about it.

However, these remarks received a great deal of support online.

Because there are so many owners of gasoline-powered cars, many of their opinions are conservative and biased.

In particular, new energy vehicles are exempt from taxes and fuel and road maintenance fees.

Let alone the current fires and explosions of new energy vehicles, even without explosions... many owners of gasoline vehicles are naturally aggressive towards owners of new energy vehicles!
Just when he was feeling down.

A screenshot was forwarded in the car enthusiast group.

Car reviewer Yang Li posted a Weibo post:
"Yes, that's absolutely right. A few broken batteries and an electric motor, and they think they can replace the century-old internal combustion engine? When you step on the gas, the engine roars fiercely, bringing a thrill to your soul, the impact of electric speed—that's something no broken electric motor can compare to!!"

This left Wang Jiahua completely stunned!

? ?
Yang Li, this car reviewer, has been a pioneer in the evaluation of new energy vehicles in the past two years. He only placed an order after watching the review video of the Starry Sky L7 and the outdoor hot pot video.

No.

This, this, this...

What’s going on?
They've been turned?

Just when he was completely bewildered.

Yang Li's second Weibo post has arrived.

"A mere internal combustion engine dares to try and replace the century-old steam engine? I will always love the steam engine. Every action of adding coal is so elegant, and every puff of smoke from the steam engine is always so captivating!"

……

Wang Jiahua and the crowd of onlookers gaped in astonishment.

By the time he realized the implications of those two paragraphs, he had already missed the chance to be the first to like and the first to share.

But it's not over yet!

Yang Li posted a third text-based Weibo post:
"A mere steam engine will never be worthy of replacing a horse-drawn carriage! When you whip it to the end, billions of cells in a horse come alive for you... They are like a harmonious symphony orchestra, playing a beautiful symphony under the direction of brain cells. The neighing of the spirited horse is the loudest note in this concert, something that a steam engine burning coal can never match!!"

...

"666!"

"You're so eloquent, bro!!"

"Sorry, I thought you had betrayed us. It turns out you're the real pioneer of new energy, Fatty!"

"A mere horse-drawn carriage can replace the walking that upright apes have relied on for tens of thousands of years? That running under the setting sun, the pulsating of muscles, the thrill of hunting and surviving solely through physical exertion—the carriage will never..."

Soon enough, the comment section was filled with fan-made content.

But not long after that...

They discovered that three consecutive tweets by Yang Li had been deleted.

"Sorry, guys, the comments just now were posted by an intern. I was unaware of them and have deleted these provocative and malicious comments."

"Regarding the recent hot topics of refrigerators, color TVs, and large sofas, I feel very gratified to see so many people online prefer cars with simple configurations."

For those seeking stability, the following two cars are highly recommended:
17 Corolla 1.6L:

The entry-level model has its screen reduced from a 7-inch touchscreen to a 6.1-inch non-touchscreen, and the CD player has been removed.
17 Civic models:

The entry-level model has a smaller screen, reduced from 7 inches to a 5-inch non-touchscreen, and thoughtfully omits Bluetooth functionality to avoid driver distraction.

……

Regarding emergency evacuation...
If you don't look closely, you might really think it's a pushcart.

The humor lies in the fact that Yang Li thoughtfully listed the differences between the 16 and 17 facelifts of the two Japanese cars.

This is proper configuration information and does not contain any biased or suggestive statements.

But placed amidst a chorus of disparaging comments about refrigerators, color TVs, and large sofas, it is quite ironic.

Wang Jiahua was stunned for a moment when he saw it.

He hadn't really paid attention to entry-level Japanese cars.

I also thought back on it.

—Hiss. How big is that rear screen on the Xingchen Automotive?

I think it's 21 inches?

The front row is 17.3 inches...

This Japanese car is even downgrading its seven-inch screen... to five inches??
Is this going to sell for over ten thousand?
Am I a poet?
This caused a stir on Weibo and the internet, making the already chaotic situation even more confusing.

……

12 month 7 day.

Xu Yi and his team were invited to fly to Kyoto to attend the China Electric Vehicle 100 Forum.

This conference can be considered an annual industry event in the field of new energy vehicles. It was established in 14 by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission and is held at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.

The domestic new energy vehicle industry plan was a key focus of the meeting.

For example, the dual-credit policy, autonomous driving standards, charging standards, etc. ... The conference served as a bridge for companies to actively communicate and discuss with the government.

In layman's terms, being able to get a ticket to attend this conference means you're at least influential in the industry.

Core players can even offer professional opinions on industry development regulations with the government and relevant experts, and "discuss and decide" together.

When Xu Yi arrived, many brands and leading suppliers had already gathered to register. They were all familiar faces in the car manufacturing industry. Some leaders also noticed his arrival and greeted him with smiles and nods.

Xingchen Automotive's current industry standing needs no deliberate promotion; the recent popularity of the Xingchen L7 alone is enough to prove that everyone in the industry knows it.

Someone is approaching.

"Mr. Xu, I'm really sorry for the trouble caused by what happened in Shenzhen." Zheng Gang, Chairman of BAIC New Energy, leaned closer, his voice filled with apology.

Recently, a BAIC New Energy EC180 spontaneously combusted online, causing quite a stir. BAIC New Energy should have been the one to suffer, but with spontaneous combustion incidents, whether the company handles it quietly or responds directly, it inevitably suffers damage to its brand and authority.

Unexpectedly, attention shifted to the Xingchen L7. Perhaps it's because Xingchen Automotive's electrification process is more ambitious than other brands, and naturally generates more buzz.

“So it’s Mr. Zheng.” Xu Yi looked at him and shook hands politely. “There’s no need to worry about this. After all, the fire department has issued a report confirming that the charging station is fine. Nobody wanted the car to catch fire unexpectedly.”

He seemed relaxed, but couldn't help asking, "What are the specific details about the EC180 model...?"

"Ah... there is a batch issue. Actually, we've already started a recall, but there's still a small batch that hasn't been processed in time. I didn't expect this unexpected situation to happen." Zheng Gang unconsciously avoided looking up for a moment, then sighed.

BAIC New Energy is still taking a low-key approach, quietly recalling vehicles and reducing their trending status... This is the way to minimize losses.

Since it has already happened, there is no way to deny it, and we can only admit that it is a batch problem.

What specific batch issue is it...?

Xu Yi didn't ask any further questions, but he basically knew the answer: it all boiled down to "cost".

The first round of speeches in the morning was given by the Vice Minister of Industry, who mainly read out the "Implementation Path of the Dual Credit Policy". It was clarified that by 18, the standard for the proportion of new energy vehicle credits of passenger car companies should reach 8%, while the average fuel consumption credits should be reduced year by year.

Furthermore, carbon credits can be officially transferred between enterprises, and global transfer channels have been opened up, eliminating the need to list and trade them on exchanges according to quotas.

This is undoubtedly good news for Star Auto, which holds 500,000 carbon credits.

Currently, the average price of carbon credits is 1500 yuan. After the market is opened up, the market price will rise again, with an increase of 20%-30% not being a problem. By packaging and selling these credits to fuel vehicle manufacturers, Xingchen Automotive can obtain at least one billion yuan in net profit.

In the subsequent technical presentations, CATL President Zeng Yuqun touted the technological breakthrough of the "NCM811 battery," which boasts the highest density battery technology in China, while BYD delivered a speech on its innovations in electric vehicle platform development.

Meanwhile, Wu Xinzhou, the technical head of Xingchen Automotive, took the stage to share his insights on the technical roadmap for autonomous driving and the development of domestic road regulations.

Most of the car companies present listened with great interest to Xingchen Automotive's sharing of its autonomous driving technology research and development, and some even sat up straight, taking it as a reference and learning opportunity.

The Xingchen L7 is currently the first automaker to integrate high-speed navigation and assisted driving.

Their cars are truly running on highways using autonomous driving. Although they haven't fully opened up the national road network, their efficiency is still astonishing.

You have to admit it.

Aside from Tesla's FSD, there really isn't a competitor among car manufacturers.

The key issue is that FSD (Full Self-Driving) technology is not yet feasible to implement in the domestic environment.

Of course.

Is there anyone here who disagrees?
Li Yanhong stared at the stage with a gloomy expression!

His eyes were filled with deep resentment.

Baidu meticulously prepared its Apollo 1.0 technical solution and regulatory opinion filing for autonomous driving, but it all fell apart when it ran into Xingchen Automotive!

All the focus has been on Xingchen Motors.

When the people from Baidu first took the stage, nobody paid any attention to them.

Everyone seemed indifferent.

Look at now.

Why are you all standing so straight? And taking notes right here??

Damn! ! !
He saw several important leaders presiding over the meeting, with their assistants diligently taking notes on the views expressed by Xingchen Automotive.

I thought to myself, "That's it."

Xingchen Automotive has compiled a lot of regulatory suggestions.

For example, it is recommended that vehicles equipped with advanced intelligent driving assistance use capacitive steering wheels instead of torque steering wheels, because torque steering wheels have the risk of torque sensors suddenly malfunctioning when detecting the driver.

This is a very reasonable and compliant requirement. Xingchen Automotive has also provided a complete technical analysis document, confirming the advantages and disadvantages of capacitive sensing steering wheels and torque steering wheels.

As a pioneer, Xingchen Automotive has also accumulated industrial chain experience in the production and R&D of capacitive steering wheels.

Besides.

Suggestions include clearly defining "automotive data," delineating the scope of "sensitive data," and using data after "anonymization and desensitization" to meet R&D needs.

National standard recommendations regarding higher voltage and higher power 800V charging piles, and national standard recommendations regarding multi-gun charging...

Recommendations for a standard system for intelligent connected vehicles…

These are all highly professional and scientific opinions that can better maintain charging safety standards and connected car standards, which are exactly the same as the R&D standards that Xingchen Motors is currently implementing.

Listen, listen.

Li Yanhong noticed that he wasn't the only one with a resentful look in his eyes; many other car companies were also starting to look at him with the same expression.

Wang Chuanfu is a bit of a whetstone.

I felt terrible.

I felt that Xingchen Automotive's presentation on technology sharing was a bit too long.
He thought it was his imagination.

I looked up at my watch.

It turned out to be no illusion.

How many suggestions have been made so far?

How much longer is the speech?

Dude, leave some room for growth?

Can you give us more air?

(End of this chapter)