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

Chapter 313 Orthodoxy
Mr. Xu has been through this before, so we should listen to his advice.

With this in mind.

He Xiaopeng decided to conduct a thorough investigation of the company after returning.

First, there are several partners, as well as colleagues who usually treat each other like brothers.

Must be scrutinized!

They're investigating our brother!
This belief doesn't suddenly emerge just from a few words of guidance from others.

He Xiaopeng hadn't thought about it in detail before.

But after careful consideration, I suddenly realized that I had very little control over the supply chain.

Even the few questions Xu Yi asked casually.

How many types of bolts were used in the vehicle chassis? Which ones were national standard or non-standard? How many times stronger and more precise were they compared to the national standard tolerance?
...

He couldn't answer at all.

The purchase price of screws of different precision can vary by up to ten times.

At the end of the year, he reviewed the company's procurement accounts and reports, and found that the data for the procurement of some steel plates and screw connectors were unusually consistent.

Upon careful reflection, there are too many inappropriate details.

……

"Mr. Xu, was what you told Li Bin last time true or a joke..." He Xiaopeng had already laid the groundwork in his mind, and then started chatting casually with a touch of amusement.

Li Bin's dream is to create a high-end car brand in China.

If NIO really collapses midway through its journey.

The "Brilliant" series from Starry Sky looks even brighter in the future!
Don't worry about which company is high-end, just ask if it went through or not!
"Hey, we're all friends. Whether it's a joke or not, Li Bin is a genius in this field in my opinion, and so are you, Mr. He..."

Xu Yi smiled.

In the early days, people online said that Wei Xiaoli was bad at cooking, but that was in the context of early-starting domestic brands like Geely and BYD.

In recent years, under such high pressure and with such low tolerance for error, the environment has been one of intense competition.

Those who have achieved success in internet-based car manufacturing are all incredibly resilient and versatile; they would excel at anything they do.

Compared to the likes of Jia Yueting, the difference between the two is like heaven and earth!

This isn't the first time He Xiaopeng has received such straightforward praise since starting his business.

However, because the subject of the speech is different, this is more flattering than ordinary media or social evaluations.

"Thank you for your high regard, Mr. Xu, but if I fail to build cars, I'll probably have to retire on the spot."

He Xiaopeng said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

He left Alibaba wanting to make something of himself.

Even if XPeng Motors goes out of business, it's unlikely that it will join another group.

"We don't need to be so absolute. I think automobiles and autonomous driving are just the first stage of the current new energy industry."

Just like a car manufacturing license, it's a ticket to the future.

Xu Yi took a sip of coffee, looking quite interested.

"Once further breakthroughs are made in motor and battery technology, we can also expand into the fields of low-altitude flying cars and robots..."

If the energy density of power batteries doubles and key technologies such as ultra-high density motors are mastered, anything is possible.

In fields like robotics, technologies such as motors, batteries, and AI algorithms are highly reusable. They also rely on cameras and LiDAR for perception, and semi-solid-state LiDAR can be used in these fields in the future.

Compared to new energy vehicles, these are trillion-dollar markets yet to be explored.

"Will Mr. He be able to say he has absolutely no interest in these projects then?"

……

He Xiaopeng was slightly startled!
He has no interest in simply recruiting people.

But what Mr. Xu suddenly brought up...

Don't say it, don't say it!
The points Xu Yi described perfectly resonated with his own aspirations.

Robots, flying cars... they sound so exciting!

"President Xu... Is Starry Sky already engaged in research and development in this area?" He Xiaopeng was greatly shocked.

Where is this?
If we follow Xu Yi's "ticket theory," then XPeng and NIO haven't even crossed the threshold yet.

"Not yet. Our current plan is to focus on building the car first, but we will build up our experience in related industries. We build cars to make more money, and then we can continue to increase our investment in research and development."

Xu Yi shook his head.

This was mentioned by people abroad years ago.

But at that time, the general public considered these things to be relatively distant.

But the new energy vehicle market is developing so rapidly.

Once the entire industry chain matures, then whether it's robots or flying cars...

They are just different forms of "battery, motor, and AI algorithm".

The core principles will not change.

"Okay, if that day ever comes, Mr. Xu, please invite me to be a witness!"

He Xiaopeng was indeed tempted.

I feel increasingly that I have benefited greatly from this conversation.

Mr. Xu is different from those who simply manufacture cars; he is a truly profound person with lofty aspirations.

Being around people like this makes it impossible to feel lonely, whether you're starting a business or making friends.

Xu Yi nodded.

The two chatted happily.

Talking about dreams with someone who has a dream is much easier than simply poaching someone by discussing compensation.

If XPeng and NIO succeed, we'll treat them as competitors and friends.

Anyway, we need to purchase Xingchen's batteries and semiconductor modules.

If things don't work out, Xingchen Group is happy to take in heartbroken individuals. Wherever they are, they can contribute to the domestic new energy industry!
...

the other side.

Zhang Yong, the newly appointed CEO of Hozon Auto, accompanied Zhou Hongyi to the Capital Auto Show today.

Zhang Yong is a veteran in the car manufacturing industry.

After joining Chery 10 years ago and later serving as the deputy general manager of BAIC New Energy, he was invited to join Hozon Auto last year as the CEO of "Neta Auto," showing his ambition to make a name for himself.

For this "Nezha" still in its infancy, Zhang Yong contacted hundreds of investment institutions. Unfortunately, after several months, he didn't get many interested investors.

Accompanying the person in charge of 360 became his main task this time.

If the other party is optimistic about Nezha Auto and 360 invests heavily, their future is promising!
"Let's go check out Xingchen Automotive first. They're pioneers in new energy vehicle manufacturing, and they have a concept car that's supposed to be very popular today..." Zhou Hongyi said casually while browsing the auto show.

Lei Jun's investments in the automotive industry chain over the past two years have successfully caught his attention.

He wasn't sure whether Xiaomi would actually enter the car manufacturing industry.

But since Lei Jun has already invested, he wants to participate too!

With the new energy vehicle market developing so rapidly, 360 is jumping on the bandwagon and investing in car manufacturing. What if it succeeds?

"Mr. Zhou is right. Xingchen Motors is someone we should learn from. Their product positioning is very clever, and they have a first-mover advantage..."

Zhang Yong said with a smile, "If Hozon Auto and BAIC had invested heavily in resources earlier, Xingchen might not be the leading company in the new energy vehicle industry now."

After all.

He still believes that other companies are lagging behind and their product positioning is inadequate.

If we had invested heavily in R&D like Xingchen did earlier, we could be in a leading position by now!
As soon as this statement came out.

Zhou Hongyi rolled her eyes: "I don't think so. Xingchen's early cars may not have been very technologically advanced, but now they focus on the technology field and are much better than ordinary new energy vehicle companies. If you want to learn, learn from multiple perspectives, find your own position, and don't be too ambitious."

Even someone like him who doesn't understand technology can see that Xingchen Motors has grown into a company with extremely high technological barriers, and a mere first-mover advantage can wipe it all out.

There are others who started making cars even earlier than Xingchen Group, so how come they succeeded?
"Yes, Xingchen's focus on technological research and development is also a strength, and we should definitely learn from them in many ways."

Zhang Yong felt embarrassed after being rebuked, but he could only obediently respond.

As Zhou Hongyi said, he was a little confused about his own position.

...

Zhou Hongyi's appearance attracted the attention of the scattered media present.

The two men's main purpose was to gain the reputation of this "domestic supercar," and they declined interviews and filming along the way.

however.

Before even reaching the Xingchen Automotive showroom, Zhou Hongyi spotted a familiar face.

Upon closer inspection, it was Robin Li, CEO of Baidu.

Accompanying him were Li Zhenyu and other executives from the autonomous driving department, who had all arrived at the auto show and were being interviewed by the media.

Baidu's main purpose this time was to showcase the results of Apollo's cooperation with vehicle brands.

They reached preliminary cooperation agreements with FAW and Chery, and also developed two concept cars to showcase the integrated demonstration of intelligent driving and human-vehicle interaction technologies.

but.

Judging from his expression, Li Yanhong's mood was not very cheerful.

These media outlets at the scene liked to compare Baidu's intelligent product features with those of Xingchen Automotive's in-car infotainment system.

Some even brought up trending topics from a few days ago to ask questions.

"Mr. Li, what is Baidu's view on the recent online discussions? Some people are saying that your car's intelligent functions are updated along with the Starry Sky system. Is that true?"

The reporter's questions were very pointed.

On the public day, many celebrities attended the booth, but he specifically targeted the head of Baidu.

"This is a huge misunderstanding. Just like mobile phones have call and camera functions, intelligent technology cannot be strictly distinguished by first come, first served, and it is not a matter of who copied whom... If we have to make a calculation, Baidu was the first in China to carry out large-scale research and development on autonomous driving. We established a deep learning laboratory in 13. Does that mean that the autonomous driving functions of other car companies in China are all copied from Baidu?"

Li Yanhong felt extremely depressed as soon as he heard the word "stars".

But I can't show this frustration.

So he changed his approach to prove Baidu's "legitimacy" and "foundation".

"So Baidu started developing autonomous driving technology so early?"

The reporter was also surprised!
In reality, Baidu's vision is ahead of its time, and few in the country can match it.

Seeing the reporter's shocked expression, Li Yanhong felt a little better: "Of course, there are very few people in China who were there earlier or have more experience than us in this field."

however.

The reporter's subsequent murmurs, however, completely broke him down:

"In other words, Baidu has actually been conducting in-depth research and development for five or six years, so how come it is lagging behind Xingchen Motors, which has only been making cars for three years, in terms of intelligent technology?"

Li Yanhong's eyes widened instantly, and he was speechless!

As soon as these words came out.

Like Watson discovering the blind spot.

"The two companies only have functional differences. It's not accurate to say that one is more advanced than the other. Have you actually tested it? It's not good to draw such a conclusion without testing."

Li Yanhong almost vomited blood.

OK OK.

Is everyone so fond of reading comprehension these days?

He finally lost patience with media interviews, feeling that he might be clashing with ordinary social media recently, and that he should arrange for a more sensible media outlet to conduct the interview next time.

Li Yanhong looked displeased and quickly avoided the reporters' encirclement, instructing his senior executives and secretary to handle the media appearance.

Turning his head, he saw Zhou Hongyi over there.

……

"Mr. Zhou, you have so much free time to come to the auto show?"

Squeezing out from the media throng, Li Yanhong greeted them proactively, seemingly forgetting the awkwardness of just moments before.

"Hmm, I've come to check out new energy vehicles. They're really popular lately." Zhou Hongyi laughed heartily, feeling pleased to see Li Yanhong get the short end of the stick.

Upon hearing this, Li Yanhong enthusiastically introduced the two concept cars that his company had collaborated on with the OEM.

"There aren't many good-looking domestic new energy vehicles, except for the one from Xingchen Motors, which I really like. I'm going to go check it out now."

Zhou Hongyi wasn't interested in Baidu's tricks. These two flashy-looking apps in front of her—who knew if they were just a hobby, or if they were halfway through but then failed?
Baidu has far too many cases like this.

Watching it is a waste of time and a waste of life.

Since Li Yanhong's invitation was rejected and he had nothing else to do, he nodded and said, "Okay, I haven't been to Xingchen Motors yet, let's go and take a look together."

He was often annoyed by Star Auto, but he was also eager to see what made this concept car so special.

He had previously underestimated Xingchen Motors, but now that he was here in person, he was determined to thoroughly "investigate and learn" from them!
I'll do a summary when I get back.

With the two of them in agreement, they headed straight for the "domestic supercar" display area.

(End of this chapter)