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

Chapter 92 If you can't even mine the ore yourself, what are you going to use to fight me?

The industry is in turmoil, and all eyes are on it.

Xu Yi didn't understand yet.

but.

Even if he knew, there was nothing he could do.

That's how the market works; once big companies and capital see an opportunity, they'll rush in like crazy.

what?
You've discovered a lucrative and promising industry.

Great—this track is mine tomorrow!!

Small factories of average size, without extremely high resource integration efficiency and strong independent research and development capabilities, will struggle.

So no matter how many amazing and groundbreaking things you do, you are destined to become someone else's stepping stone.

but.

Xu Yi is not worried about market competition.

He is very confident in his product.

Xu Yi's main focus at present is on promoting the "large single-cell Polar Star Battery" research and development project.

Once they master the large single-cell battery technology and achieve industry-leading technical standards, along with low self-production costs, what does it matter to Xingchen Motors how much other car assembly plants try to compete?
Again.

You can't even produce your own batteries, what are you going to use to compete with me?!
"hiss--"

"But then again, battery technology is only the first step... If there is the opportunity and the funds, we should still invest in upstream battery raw materials and minerals."

A thought popped into Xu Yi's mind.

Mastering core battery technology will give us absolute control in the future new energy vehicle manufacturing industry, and becoming a leader will only be a matter of time.

but--

He's not the only one at the top.

Other leading manufacturers, including many car giants with vast technological and capital accumulation, have long been investing in overseas lithium resources.

By then.

Leading automakers in the industry will evolve into a completely different, extremely abstract style.

Those responsible for manufacturing new energy vehicles end up working for those who manufacture battery packs.

Those who manufacture battery packs end up working for those who control mineral resources.

Whoever simultaneously masters "vehicle manufacturing technology", "core battery pack technology", and "upstream mineral resources" will directly win the entire market.

to sum up--

If you can't even mine your own ore, what are you going to use to fight me?
...

"Goodness, it feels like there's always something better out there..."

Xu Yi rubbed his temples in exasperation, his head suddenly spinning.

For Xingchen Motors, thinking about these things now is too far off.

Moreover, the time frame is still quite long. There are still several years before international lithium prices surge, giving him ample time to gradually develop and establish his business.

...

"Mr. Xu, you seem a little unhappy?"

Just then, Dong Yuhui walked over, looking quite surprised.

Today is the day that the A2 battery cell officially rolls off the trial production line, and the head of the battery R&D department and key technical personnel are all present.

The test results can be described as absolutely perfect.

But something's off about Mr. Xu's expression.

In recent days, Xingchen's original battery team and Weineng's battery R&D team have completed a deep integration after multiple rounds of communication and meetings, becoming a brand new independent department. Furthermore, it has become the largest core R&D team within Xingchen Automotive.

Following the integration, all senior executives and core technical staff in the Vaillant Battery R&D team were reassigned at the same level and received a 20% salary increase.

This was something that the original head of Vaillant's R&D was already beaming with joy.

Previously, Vaillant had focused on cost reduction and efficiency improvement due to insufficient orders.

Since costs have been reduced, it's naturally difficult to raise salaries and benefits, so core technical positions have been experiencing a slow turnover.

Even the core R&D personnel who are still on the job have had thoughts of running away.

Now that he has joined the Starry Sky R&D Department, his salary and benefits have been improved again. Xu Yi has also made stock option promises to core technical positions and senior management. The promises are so big and appealing that they are hard to refuse!
...

"It's nothing... I thought of some happy things."

Xu Yi came to his senses and sighed.

Upon hearing this, Dong Yuhui's expression became even more peculiar.

Hmm... Something happy?

Then why sigh and frown?

outside.

A Star Mini equipped with "A2 battery cells" is parked in the testing workshop, having already completed more than a dozen types of tests, including insulation resistance testing, BMS function testing, voltage and current testing, high and low temperature capacity testing, etc.

"Mr. Xu, please take a look at the vehicle test report for the A2 battery cells."

The former head of the Weineng Battery R&D team was Cao Yang, who had twelve years of R&D experience in the battery industry and was considered an expert in battery chemistry formulation and materials. He is now the battery technology director of Xingchen Battery R&D Center.

A detailed test report was handed over.

These days, there aren't many bosses who care so much about and closely monitor the progress of research and development.

But for startup car companies, this is actually the norm.

Many CEOs of emerging car companies are even technically trained with an internet background. They are responsible for R&D, financing, and supply chain resource integration, making them all-rounders and hands-on.

The path of new energy vehicle manufacturing is inherently extremely competitive, with countless individuals struggling to navigate even the most challenging aspects. There are numerous examples of companies failing to grasp the core principles and making even the slightest mistake, resulting in their complete demise.

"Our current tests show that all indicators are excellent, and the properties are even more stable under conditions of reduced charge/discharge and heat generation control, as well as low-temperature performance," Cao Yang added.

Xu Yi glanced at the test report and couldn't help but nod.

The development of the "A2 battery cell" has taken them a lot of effort. It's not just about reducing costs by 20%. Due to the improved formula, the overall performance has also improved significantly.

to be honest.

This is because current new energy battery technology is in a period of rapid development, with breakthroughs happening too quickly, leaving much room for further progress.

Better heat control can reduce power consumption and improve charging and discharging performance, which means that the owners of this batch of Star Mini cars that have been retrofitted will have an improved overall experience.

This is another form of "buy early and enjoy early, buy late and enjoy optimization".

However, if manufacturers don't proactively disclose these underlying details, few consumers can perceive them. At most, they might feel that later batches of vehicles have improved craftsmanship and stability.

"The production of the A2 battery cell marks a significant breakthrough in the short term, and in principle, everyone should be given a few more days off and a celebration should be held..."

However, the battery R&D department currently bears the responsibility for the core competitiveness of Xingchen Motors' future, so the only way to console everyone is to give them more bonuses. Thank you all for your hard work!!

Addressing the core R&D personnel present, Xu Yi expressed his views in a very simple manner.

Although the A2 battery cell has been rolled off the production line, Polestar's battery R&D tasks are still very heavy, with considerable preliminary preparations and workload.

There's no other way but to endure the hardship of research and development for now!
The expressions of everyone in the battery R&D department present were immediately taken aback.

Joy and pain coexist within me!
The bad news is that after being transferred to a new R&D department and project team, the overtime situation has become even more serious.

Good news—a steady stream of performance incentives and departmental bonuses perfectly compensate for this!

……

(End of this chapter)