Tech startup: I really do make mobile phones!

Chapter 193 North America's Sooner or Later Pill
A124 Research and Development Base, Waltham, Massachusetts, North America.

The glass curtain wall reflected the cool light of early autumn, and the air was filled with a peculiar smell that was a mixture of coolant from precision instruments and metal.

Today is the day that will determine the fate of A124, the final report on the progress of mass production of hydrogen-based gaseous lithium.

The main financial backers, Tesla's tech visionary CEO Masque and Apple's acting CEO Kook, have all arrived.

Fun fact: Maestro rocket recovery has not yet been successful, and Tesla has not yet entered mass production; only concept cars have attracted a group of pre-order customers.

The pre-sale of new energy vehicles started with Maersk.

He's just a nouveau riche who sold Play Pel (the North American version of Alipay) and has been making outrageous statements in the North American media, claiming he wants to land on Mars!
In addition to A124's own R&D capabilities, Professor Zhixing Lu, representing Princeton University and NVSA (North American Space Agency), has also led his team to work here for more than half a year and finally successfully developed a second-generation hydrogen-based gaseous lithium that barely has commercial potential.

The first-generation hydrogen-based gaseous lithium was publicly showcased by A124 at the Shenzhen Industrial Expo in April this year, in an attempt to profit from the stock market.

However, the energy density of the first-generation hydrogen-based gaseous lithium was too mediocre at 58Wh/kg, and it couldn't even reach the threshold of commercialization. In the end, it could only be used as a tool in the stock market to hype up concepts and harvest retail investors!
A124's president, Muji Ijaz, an Indian executive with an exceptionally warm smile and infectious manner, personally greeted the two tech giants at the door.

It is well known that when a North American company has an Indian executive, it tends to develop a group of Indian employees.
"Mr. Marks! Mr. Cook! Welcome to A124! Your presence makes the Waltham sunshine seem even brighter today!"

Muji Ijaz opened his arms wide, speaking in a loud voice, as if the visitor was not an investor, but a long-lost friend.

He appeared very enthusiastic, cleverly ignoring the handsome, muscular young male assistant behind Cook.

Masque glanced at Cook's retreating figure, a barely perceptible hint of disgust flashing in his eyes, but he maintained his outward politeness.

Muggie knew this was A124's do-or-die battle.

If this hydrogen-based gaseous lithium project fails to produce competitive results, A124 will have no choice but to file for bankruptcy protection and be put on the market.

The reason is simple: there are too many Indians, and there are no workers left. As a result, the number one battery company in North America has fallen to the point of near bankruptcy.

Fortunately, A124 is not without buyers. Wanxiang Group, a Chinese auto parts giant that can be roughly compared to "China's Boshi", has its head, Lu Guanqiu (No. 5 Director of the China Entrepreneurs Club), eyeing the new energy battery field and showing strong interest in acquiring A124.

Here's a little-known fact: after A124 became a shell company for Wanxiang, it even built a factory in China, setting a record that Ningde and BTD, among the world's top ten battery companies, had not achieved.

In addition to receiving domestic new energy vehicle subsidies, it has also received new energy vehicle subsidies in North America.
That's right! It's the healthcare, insurance, and renewable energy subsidy bill promised by President Black, who is currently in the election. It's essentially the North American version of the national subsidy.

Wanxiang Group is using the A124 guise to obtain subsidies from two state-owned enterprises. Well, that's hard to judge, you know?
"We must admit that Yuancheng, the company behind the flower-growing industry, has made an amazing breakthrough in the field of gaseous lithium!"

As Muji Ijaz led the way, he talked at length, his words filled with "optimism," or rather, the blind self-confidence typical of Indians.

"But this just proves that we are on the right track! The hydrogen-based route is a purer and more promising future!"

They are only temporarily ahead, while we have Princeton's wisdom, NVSA's vision, Tesla's disruptive spirit, and Apple's ultimate pursuit of perfection!

By pooling our best resources, a breakthrough is only a matter of time!

A124 is honored to be a cornerstone of this great alliance.

His words were highly inflammatory, attempting to package an uncertain technical report as the starting point of a great journey.

Masque listened noncommittally, while Cook maintained a polite but distant smile.

The group finally arrived at the core laboratory.

Professor Lu Zhixing, a scholar who looked slightly tired but had a focused gaze, was waiting there.

Without much small talk, he went straight to the point, introducing and demonstrating their hydrogen-based gaseous lithium battery sample based on the Far Orange "MOF-honeycomb" structure concept.

"We have adopted the world's most advanced silicon-carbon electrode technology!" Professor Lu's voice was steady and clear: "This ensures that the battery has excellent cycle stability and adaptability to fast charging."

Cook nodded slightly.

Maesque, however, was more concerned with actual performance, asking directly: "How is the fast charging performance? Can it surpass that of the other brand, which supposedly charges 80% of the battery in 3 minutes?"

Professor Lu adjusted his glasses: "Mr. Ma Shike, fast charging speed depends not only on the electrodes, but also on the chemical system of the battery itself."

"Songxia's silicon carbon electrode technology can theoretically support 10C or even higher fast charging rates, but unfortunately, our current hydrogen-based gaseous lithium system can only stably support 2C fast charging."

Maske, with his technical background, immediately grasped the key point: "I remember the data shows that Chen's gaseous lithium supports 8C fast charging? Wouldn't that be four times that of ours?"

“No!” Lu Zhixing shook his head, his tone tinged with complexity: “I have studied the parameters of the honeycomb battery published by Yuancheng in detail.”

"Their Chen-type gaseous lithium material itself has a theoretical fast charging limit of 8C."

The reason it can achieve such amazing charging speed is mainly due to its unique MOF-honeycomb structure design and... well, probably a special catalyst formulation.

But in reality, their honeycomb battery fast charging limit is only 4C.

According to our analysis, their electrodes are graphene-based composite metal-organic materials, which are only compatible with 4C at most.

However, if they switch to Songxia's silicon carbide electrodes…

Professor Lu paused, not continuing, but his meaning was self-evident.

The limitation on the fast charging rate of Svolt's power batteries lies in the electrode technology, not the battery materials.

As for external charging and power transmission technology, neither Professor Lu nor Maesker mentioned it. China is already at the top level in terms of ultra-high rate charging and power transmission technology.

The reason is obvious: the world's number one power company is China State Grid, and the number two is China Southern Power Grid. They both have the same surname!
Masque stroked his chin, his eyes gleaming, clearly already envisioning a scenario where, once the electrode technology bottleneck is broken, Tesla equipped with Far Orange honeycomb batteries will enter the "second-counting era" of charging speed.

By then, Tesla's charging time will no longer be a problem; charging will even be faster than refueling!
Yes! Tesla's Nevada Gigafactory is still just on Maersk's PowerPoint presentation!

Far Orange: Is someone calling me? I think I heard someone talking about a super battery factory?
The charging rate of hydrogen-based gaseous lithium is limited by the battery materials, and can only reach 2C. Even with advanced electrodes, this is of no use.

Muji Ijaz, standing to the side, inwardly felt a sense of foreboding and quickly interjected, trying to shift the focus.

"Mr. Ma Shike, didn't we obtain battery samples of Far Orange's third-generation turbocharging solution through some channels before? Professor Lu, can those technologies be applied to our hydrogen-based gaseous lithium?"

Lu Zhixing gave a wry smile. If only transplanting technology were that easy.

"Mr. Muji Ijaz, Far Orange's third-generation technology may seem to be just adding multiple honeycomb units inside the second-generation MOF-honeycomb structure, but the real core difficulty lies in the precision process and control model of electrified vaporization and pressurized injection."

Without specific process parameters and control models, simply imitating the structure is not very meaningful.

To fully understand and reproduce it, even with sample references, it would likely require 3 to 5 years of continuous research and development and trial and error.

"3 to 5 years?"

Cook's brow furrowed immediately; his business acumen told him this was absolutely unacceptable: "This is taking too long!"

"With the support of almost the entire nation, Yuancheng is frantically expanding its production capacity and seizing the market in China, and has even planned a super battery factory that can produce tens of millions of battery cells per day!"

When Masike heard that Far Orange had a super battery factory that coincided with his own plans, his eyes lit up.

Cook made a direct commercialization judgment: "In 3 to 5 years, our hydrogen-based gaseous lithium will have no advantage in terms of either cost or market!"

Masque stroked his chin silently, clearly extremely dissatisfied with the timeline and harboring other thoughts. Meanwhile, alarm bells were ringing in Muji Ijaz's mind; she was already frantically trying to figure out how to explain the situation to the Wall Street shareholders and cleverly shift the blame for the failure onto Professor Lu Zhixing's team for "slow research progress."

Ultimately, Mashke made the decision.

"Professor Lu, show us the best results you've achieved so far. We need to make a realistic judgment about whether to continue investing funds."

Lu Zhixing knew that the moment of destiny had arrived. He took a deep breath and solemnly led the three presidents to the final testing platform.

"This is our latest generation, the second generation of hydrogen-based gaseous lithium batteries."

By drawing inspiration from Far Orange's MOF-honeycomb structure concept, we have successfully increased the energy density of our first-generation product by 15% from 58Wh/kg!

Professor Lu's voice carried a barely perceptible hint of difficulty: "Currently, the energy density of the second-generation product has reached... 66.7Wh/kg."

Upon hearing this number, Cook and Masque shook their heads almost simultaneously.

66.7Wh / kg
This figure is far below even the level of Yuancheng's first-generation Chen's gaseous lithium of 86Wh/kg, not to mention the third-generation technology that the other party is now mass-producing on a small scale.

Cook still held onto a sliver of hope, a request from the ailing Laubus: he didn't want to work with that tech barbarian who had desecrated his art unless absolutely necessary!

"What about the cost? Professor Lu, how does the cost of the second-generation battery compare to that of the first-generation Far Orange battery?"

The laboratory fell into a deathly silence.

Lu Zhixing remained silent for a moment before uttering a despairing number.

"Our current total cost is approximately $2320 per kilogram, while the cost of the other party's first-generation product, according to market estimates, is approximately $320 per kilogram!"

Finished!

The commercialization of hydrogen-based gaseous lithium is completely over.

Far Orange Generation 1: Energy density 86Wh/kg, cost $320/kg.

Their second generation: energy density 66.7Wh/kg, cost $2320/kg.

Its performance is only 77.5% of others, but its cost is 7.25 times that of others!
This is a desperate gap.

In the highly market-driven North America, such high-priced, low-efficiency products have no place to survive.

Capital is profit-driven and will not pay for so-called "domestic sentiment".

Cook made the first business decision, speaking expressionlessly: "Pingguo can no longer support this project, I'm sorry!" He needed to be responsible to the shareholders.

Although Masker was still interested in the technology itself and wanted to use it as a technological reserve for Tesla's future, he could only shake his head helplessly when he thought about how his Nevada Gigafactory was still only on PowerPoint and the huge investment required to open a new production line.

Tesla has also withdrawn from further investments!

Right now, Maestro's more pressing issue is where to get the batteries for its upcoming first batch of Edamame S batteries.

After all, his planned Nevada super battery factory is still just on PowerPoint!

Muji Ijaz's face turned deathly pale instantly, but his Indian "talent" immediately showed. He turned to Lu Zhixing and his tone became stern and disappointed.

"Professor Lu! This is extremely disappointing! We invested such enormous resources, and the result... Alas, you must take responsibility for this outcome!"

It's clear he's started skillfully shifting blame.

Professor Lu Zhixing opened his mouth, but ultimately did not offer any explanation.

He did indeed come up with a mature technical solution, but the reason for the failure had nothing to do with the technology itself, but simply because there was a competitor on the other side of the ocean who had an unfair advantage: Chen's polymer gaseous lithium.

This is practically a modern, technological version of the proverb "Why did Heaven create both Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang?"

A124's last-ditch effort has ended in utter failure.

The shareholders of Wall Street were furious and realized that Muji Ijaz and his Indian management team had emptied the company. They immediately initiated large-scale layoffs and bankruptcy protection procedures, and began to actively contact the China Vanke Group to discuss acquisition.

Unwilling to give up, Professor Lu Zhixing returned to Princeton University in New Jersey.

He submitted a report to NVSA, strongly recommending that the hydrogen-based gaseous lithium project be converted into a pre-research project of the NVSA-Princeton joint space battery project, and applied for funding.

As is well known, after the NVSA disbanded from the alliance, its funding decreased by 87.5% and its staff decreased by 98.5%. It was so poor that it was practically selling its pants. It would either collaborate with watch and clothing brands, auction off rocket naming rights, or sell off its inventory of damaged spacesuits to make money.

The launch, originally scheduled for 2010, has been delayed until now, reportedly because the rocket parts have not yet been collected.
The NVSA director, armed with Professor Lu's space battery budget request, went to the Capitol and passionately recounted how he was working for North America's vast cosmos, for the livelihoods of 1.8 employees, and for the glory of the beacon of science.
The gentlemen on Capitol Hill silently opened their pockets, indicating: We'll talk about the budget later, let's donate first! Let's donate first!
The giants in the medical, insurance, and new energy sectors who had just donated money smoked cigars and sneered at NVSA, calling it a "stinking beggar" and mocking it for not earning its share and instead coming back to beg.

The NVSA director reminisced about the NVSA's heyday, with its Apollo program, 5% of North America's GDP funding, and 40 employees. How did it end up in such a sorry state?
North American spaceflight...it's doomed sooner or later!

Leaving aside the NVSA director's sentiments, on the other hand, Cook returned to Silicon Valley and came to Laubus's bedside.

With a thin face and prominent cheekbones, Laubus struggled to sit up and slowly chewed on a specially made cow dung cake, the "miracle medicine" his wife had painstakingly obtained from an Indian temple.

After each meal, he did feel somewhat better, perhaps due to a strong psychological effect.

After taking the "medicine," a glimmer of obsessive light rekindled in Laubus's cloudy eyes.

"How about it? The Apple is the most perfect technological work of art in the world. We absolutely cannot fall behind in batteries! That blasphemous guy!"

Cooke had to regretfully inform him of the harsh reality: the joint research and development project on hydrogen-based gaseous lithium had completely failed; their costs were almost ten times that of their competitors, while their performance was only two-thirds that of the competition.

Upon hearing this, Laubs' face flashed with extreme resentment and a bitter smile of helplessness.

He finally said dejectedly, "It seems we have no choice but to cooperate with that guy who has absolutely no sense of aesthetics!"

Laubus despised Chen Mo's product design, but could not ignore the power of his technology.

I hate that dopamine-colored orange; it's not nearly as sophisticated as a solid color like an apple!
Cook nodded: "Yes, his aesthetic sense isn't as good as ours, but this is the best option right now, and they haven't officially announced a partner for the North American region yet, so this is our opportunity to negotiate!"

Laubs nodded slightly in vanity, signaling Cook to hurry up and get it done. He felt his time was running out, and the Apple 5 might be his last work of art.

At almost the same time, Maaske was making the same plan.

His Nevada Gigafactory PowerPoint presentation hasn't become a reality yet, and the first batch of mass-produced models, the Model S, urgently needs a batch of high-performance batteries for trial production and delivery.

For Tesla, Songxia is a foreign company, and Yuancheng is also a foreign company, so there's no difference. They'll use whichever technology is better and can solve their immediate problems.

Thus, without each other's knowledge, Markus and Cook, two giants of the North American tech industry, boarded a flight to the other side of the ocean almost simultaneously, each with their own purpose.

The target is Orange, and as for why not Far Orange, well... at least Cook and Masque understand who can make the final decision on this matter!

A collaboration and competition among North American tech giants over Chen's gaseous lithium technology is about to quietly unfold in China.

(End of this chapter)