I can become stronger by paying salaries. I have one billion employees!

Chapter 475 1243 kilometers, a revolutionary change! A Zhe: I want ten chicken butts!

In late August in Silicon Valley, the morning mist had not yet completely dissipated, and the sunlight had already pierced through the thin clouds, casting pale golden spots of light on the streets of Palo Alto.

Tesla headquarters, No. 3500, Luxi Road.

Musk, dressed in a sharp suit and shiny leather shoes, solemnly handed the Model S LR car keys to the owner.

With a bright smile, he politely said, "Thank you for your support of Tesla!"

After speaking, he took a photo with the car owner and personally opened the car door for him.

The delivery ceremony attracted the attention of several local media outlets in California, including The Information, Metro Silicon Valley, TechCrunch, and The Verge, who were invited to attend and promote the Model S LR.

In the audience, representatives from North American automakers such as GM, Ford, and Fiat watched the scene with cold, hard expressions.

Representatives from overseas automotive giants such as Toyota, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, and Hyundai also had rather complex expressions.

The Model S LR's 1200-kilometer range has completely disrupted the competitive landscape of the electric vehicle industry, while also causing panic among traditional gasoline vehicle manufacturers.

This driving range is designed in an extremely clever way: it not only surpasses other electric vehicle competitors, but also exceeds 99.9% of gasoline vehicles.

Of all those present, only the BMW representative appeared calm and composed.

As early as the beginning of the month, BMW signed a $5 million procurement order with DeepBlue Technology. Once the second factory in Shenzhen goes into production, the BMW i3 will be equipped with the world's most advanced 4890 lithium-sulfur battery.

At that time, it will join forces with Tesla to compete for market share in the new energy vehicle industry.

He glanced discreetly at his colleagues around him, thinking to himself: "If you're slow on one step, you'll be slow on every step."

Although BMW did not become one of the first buyers like Tesla, it has already gained an advantage over lagging brands such as GM, Ford, and Fiat.

"Click—!" The short sound of the shutter and the flash mingled together.

Musk looked smug in front of the camera!
Despite battery costs accounting for 40% of the cost of every Model S LR sold, Tesla has achieved revenue growth and its stock price has soared.

To expand the influence of the Model S LR, Musk also partnered with Mimo, spending $1000 million to purchase traffic on the platform.

At this moment, millions of car enthusiasts from all over the world have gathered in the live broadcast room.

"The Tesla Model S LR has a great design and is very high-tech. The 17-inch central control screen looks really cool. I wish the price could be reduced to $5.9."

"$5.9? That's not even enough to cover the battery cost!"

"What is the battery degradation rate? What if the battery fails after two years? Wouldn't I have to spend $7.4 to replace the battery pack?"

"The official website promises an 8-year or 30-kilometer warranty period, and the battery can be replaced for free as long as the battery capacity degrades by more than 30%."

"Based on a cycle life of 1200 cycles, even if there is a 30% exaggeration, considering the performance of the 4890 battery pack, 1 million kilometers is not difficult to achieve, and it is even more durable than a gasoline car."

The battery pack for the Model S LR costs $6.4. Including labor costs, Musk's price is $7.4, which is almost half of the total price of the car.

For the vast majority of users, the biggest obstacle preventing them from placing an order is the price.

With a price tag of $15.9, they could freely choose between Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, and Bentley.

However, Musk's initial target users were not ordinary consumers; to put it bluntly, he was exploiting the wealthy.

After all, DeepBlue Technology's batteries are too expensive!

Where can poor people afford to buy them?
at the same time.

Many domestic entrepreneurs also stayed in front of their screens to watch this live broadcast.

A Model S LR costs $15.9, with a total of 11000 units sold, generating a total sales value of $17.1 billion.

Who can not be moved?
He Xiaopeng, the founder of UC Browser, was immediately intrigued. Compared with the Internet, the potential of new energy vehicles seemed considerable, especially since they could meet the needs of the times.

He knew perfectly well that the reason the higher authorities were so keen to promote the development of electric vehicles was simply because oil prices were high, electricity costs were low, and developing pure electric vehicles was more in line with the actual situation of the energy structure.

Li Xiang, chairman of Autohome, leaned back in his chair, staring at the live stream on the projected screen, lost in thought.

At Xiaomi's headquarters in Yanjing, Lei Yijun seemed lost in thought. After pondering for a long time, he finally sighed softly and thought to himself: Xiaomi hasn't even figured out how to make phones, let alone cars! It's not that easy!
On the other hand, automakers such as BYD, JAC, SAIC, and BAIC are itching to try their luck.

The high-end version with a range of 1200 kilometers is indeed expensive, but the cost of models with a range of 300 kilometers or 500 kilometers can be reduced by more than half.

With the addition of various subsidies, it's not impossible to manufacture pure electric vehicles with a price range of 15 to 20 yuan.

The advent of the DeepBlue 4890 power battery has advanced the development of the new energy vehicle industry by two to three years.

the other side.

After dealing with competitors and the media, Musk officially announced the live stream event for the Model S LR range test.

He will be accompanied by a Tesla executive, driving a Model S LR from Silicon Valley to Seattle.

A 1240-kilometer journey across states!
Four local media reporters will provide full coverage to ensure the accuracy of the test and prevent Tesla from cheating.

Musk's idea is simple: he wants to shatter consumers' "range anxiety" about electric vehicles in one fell swoop.

At 3 p.m., Musk set off on time.

Driving north along US 101, you soon come to see endless vineyards.

This is Napa, a famous wine region.

The distance to Palo Alto was 120 kilometers, and the battery level displayed on the central control screen was 91%.

Musk did not stop to rest, but continued driving north for 250 kilometers to reach Redding, California.

Perhaps he had drunk too much champagne, because he couldn't hold it in any longer and ran to the restroom as soon as he got out of the car.

Reporters stood guard beside the car to prevent Tesla staff from secretly charging it during the test, thus ensuring the impartiality of the test.

The camera in the live stream was focused on the large screen of the Model S LR, which still had 72% battery remaining.

It covered a range of 370 kilometers and didn't even use up a third of the battery.

Netizens from all over the world were stunned!
Chinese netizens are proud, knowing that the success of the Model S LR is inseparable from the Deep Blue Battery.

This live broadcast was a great success, and its significance is particularly profound; it is no exaggeration to call it a milestone in the development of new energy vehicles.

In the past, users' impression of electric vehicles was always that they had short range and could not go far, but now this stereotype has been completely overturned.

Electric vehicles have a longer driving range than gasoline-powered cars!
Ten minutes later, Musk departed from Reading and drove approximately 200 kilometers north to Medford, Oregon.

The night outside the window was thick and pitch black.

After a short rest and dinner, the group started the vehicle again and headed towards Eugene.

Next is Portland, and the last stop is Seattle.

When Musk drove into downtown Seattle, it was already 4:30 a.m. The sky in the distance was just beginning to lighten, and there were only a few hundred thousand viewers left in the live stream; the rest of the users were mostly asleep.

In the video, the battery capacity is 4% remaining, and the vehicle's system keeps popping up charging reminders.

Meanwhile, Tesla Supercharger staff were already waiting ten kilometers away.

The bright red battery warning light is glaring and makes one's heart skip a beat, fearing that Musk might not make it to the Supercharger station.

And the final driving range figure on the dashboard is still increasing rapidly!
1231 km!

1234 km!

1239 km!

……

The audience finally breathed a sigh of relief when the charging station came into view.

After a total distance of 1243 kilometers, the battery level finally stopped at 2%! Everyone was stunned!

They never expected that the Model S LR's actual range could really reach 1200 kilometers!

The Model S LR is equipped with a battery pack of only 160 kWh. If it were replaced with a 200 kWh battery, the range would be up to 1500 kilometers; if it were replaced with a 240 kWh battery, the range would be up to 1800 kilometers!

It's hard to imagine the impact a pure electric vehicle with a range of nearly 2000 kilometers would have on the automotive industry around the world.

Furthermore, thanks to the high energy density of the 4890 lithium-sulfur battery, even if the battery pack capacity is increased to 200 kWh, it will not have a significant impact on the vehicle's load capacity and handling.

Before the live stream ended, Musk specifically reminded Tesla users: "When the battery level drops to 20%, it is best to charge it as soon as possible, as this can extend the battery's cycle life."

Sales of the Model S LR surged rapidly in an instant.

In just one morning, orders increased by 800 in North America, 70 in the Netherlands, and 54 in Norway.

That afternoon, Musk announced on Twitter that he would enter the Asian market in the fourth quarter, with China as the first stop.

In the eyes of the higher-ups, Tesla is like a catfish, which may revitalize the domestic new energy vehicle market.

Otherwise, they will all be unambitious and only focus on subsidy policies all day long.

With total annual sales of less than 50,000 vehicles nationwide, at this rate, when will new energy vehicles truly become widespread?
……

……

Xucheng, Zhuxianzhuang Science and Technology Park.

Chen Yansen sat in his office, reviewing and replying to contracts for each project one by one, and then opened his email to check Tesla's purchase orders.

At the current sales rate of the Model S LR, the $15 billion Deep Blue Battery budget will likely be exhausted before November.

"The leeks in North America are so plentiful and plump!"

Chen Yansen couldn't help but sigh.

The battery cost for a Model S LR is $6.4. After deducting material, after-sales and sales costs, he can make a net profit of $4 per car.

It's more profitable than reselling arms!

As for Musk, he's just an employee of Deep Blue Technology.

Purchase orders from BAIC, Shanghai Automotive, and Great Wall Motors have already been sent to his email address.

The biggest obstacle currently restricting the sales of DeepBlue batteries is production capacity!

Yuan Ruili of the Shenzhen Central Bureau was busy running around, using his connections to help DeepBlue Technology purchase equipment, set up production lines, and acquire raw mineral resources so that the DeepBlue No. 2 factory could start production as soon as possible.

There's no way around it; Deep Blue batteries are just too important for Shenzhen.

Leaving aside the jobs it creates, the industrial output alone, amounting to hundreds of billions of yuan a year, is enough to motivate Yuan Ruili to go all out for Chen Yansen.

In the future, DeepBlue Technology's industrial output value may exceed one trillion yuan.

Therefore, Yuan Ruili knew in his heart that being able to keep DeepBlue Technology in Shenzhen was already half the battle won.

"Ding-dong! Hello, Master. This is Moss. It's 5 PM now. You've had a long day of work. Please take a break."

The Moss M7 smart speaker on the table suddenly started playing.

Chen Yansen abruptly stopped what he was doing, then turned off the computer, got up, and walked towards the door.

There are many employees like him who don't like working overtime. People are leaving each office building one after another, some driving home, and some taking the company shuttle bus.

Of course, the majority, about 60%, stayed to work overtime; after 8 o'clock, only 20% remained, and these people were the "kings of the roll" at Senlian Capital.

Chen Yansen did not go to the underground parking lot, but took the elevator to the first floor and sat in the Aston Martin Rapide, which had not been driven for a long time.

A few minutes later, Tang Zhenzhe climbed into the passenger seat with a big smile and said to Chen Yansen, "Brother Sen, Bobo is driving Xiaopeng, we can go straight to the restaurant."

Chen Yansen responded and drove out of the science park, heading towards the east gate of the Virtual Academy.

Every year before the start of the new semester, dormitory 8302 would always choose a time to get together.

"Zhe, what are your plans after graduation?"

Chen Yansen asked casually.

Under his influence, the life trajectories of the other five people in 8302 underwent tremendous changes.

Song Yang, an introverted homebody, has become a well-known college student entrepreneur in the School of Virtual Education, earning over 100,000 yuan a year through his campus courier business.

Wang Zhengqiang should be busy preparing for the civil service exam, but instead he's helping Song Yang manage the courier station.

Meng Xibo started as a part-time customer service representative and worked her way up to customer service supervisor.

Although Zhu Xiaopeng's abilities are not as good as Meng Xibo's, he has worked at FoxTao and Pinbei for three years and has become a customer service team leader.

Tang Zhenzhe had been an intern in the brand department of Orange Technology for two years, and Wang Shixiang was planning to promote him to team leader.

"Brother Sen, to be honest, I don't have any particular plans. I used to want to take the postgraduate entrance exam, but now I just want to make money and travel. You know, my house was demolished and we were given four 107-square-meter apartments."

Tang Zhenzhe shrugged.

You bastard, why are you going into so much detail? Do you want me to know how big your house is?
Chen Yansen chuckled to himself.

However, he could understand Tang Zhenzhe. His parents both had pensions, he had an older sister, and A Zhe owned two apartments in Luzhou. Before even graduating, he had lost his direction in life.

The experts are right; low housing prices discourage young people from striving for success, as evidenced by Tang Zhenzhe's bewildered expression.

"Zhou Shouzhi intends to expand Orange Technology's business footprint in Southeast Asia. Would you be interested in becoming a channel specialist?"

Chen Yansen thought for a moment and said.

"Southeast Asia? Brother Sen, where exactly?" Tang Zhenzhe pressed.

"Of course, the whole of Southeast Asia, but I suggest you go to Annam. The girls there have fair skin, great figures, and are skilled," Chen Yansen said with a wicked grin.

He was very familiar with Tang Zhenzhe's abilities; in his previous life, Tang had been the channel director of a listed company, mainly responsible for business development in the Southeast Asian market.

"I don't want the skilled ones, I prefer the raw, unpolished ones," Tang Zhenzhe chuckled.

“Okay, I’ll let Lao Zhou know later.” Chen Yansen nodded.

Ten minutes later, the car stopped in front of Shuangqing Restaurant.

Chen Yansen got out of the car, walked inside, and greeted the owner: "Old Zhao, eat less, your belly has gotten much bigger."

"Oh, Mr. Chen is here! As soon as I saw that Mr. Song had booked a private room, I knew you were having a get-together. Same as always, bring out two cases of beer first."

As soon as Old Zhao saw Chen Yansen, he grinned and said...

"Add extra chili to the stewed chicken, and make sure to bring a few extra chicken butts," Tang Zhenzhe instructed Lao Zhao.

Chen Yansen looked disgusted, but didn't say anything more.

Ah Zhe has a particular fondness for this. Ever since we first met, he's always been talking about how fragrant roasted chicken butts are and how tender they are when stewed. He always makes a point of ordering it at every gathering, and we can't stop him from doing so.

"I'll put ten for you," Old Zhao gestured with his hand.

"Great!" Tang Zhenzhe said with satisfaction, giving a thumbs-up in praise.

Chen Yansen ignored them and went straight upstairs to the second floor, pushing open the door to the private room.

(End of this chapter)