"This research trip is full of innovation!" "This is a city with strong innovation momentum" "I deeply felt the high-quality development of the new energy industry here"...
From July 28 to July 30, the "Pursue the 'new' and 'quality', lead the future intelligently - the national integrated media editors' research trip to Changzhou, Jiangsu kicked off at BYD Changzhou Super Factory. 18 mainstream integrated media editors across the country gathered in Longcheng to feel the innovative leadership of the "new energy capital" to move towards the new and climb to the top, and they all exclaimed - "How can I not miss her!"
Smart manufacturing unleashes new momentum for the industry: BYD Changzhou Super Factory rolls off the production line every minute
How is a new energy vehicle born?
The first stop of the research trip was the BYD Changzhou Super Factory, which covers an area of 2,580 acres. It includes a stamping plant, welding plant, painting plant and assembly plant. The main production models are three trendy models: Yuan Plus, Seal and Sea Lion 07EV.
Visit the production line
Going deep into the factory, it feels like entering the future world of science and technology. In the welding workshop, intelligent robots are "waving their iron arms" to increase production, and the main line of automobiles has been fully automated. In the final assembly workshop, everyone witnessed the whole process of new energy vehicles from parts assembly to the end of the vehicle. In addition to automated production, the factory also has strict quality inspection links. This quality control system includes many key processes, such as vehicle durability testing, dynamic performance testing and safety performance evaluation.
It is reported that every car must undergo dozens of inspections before leaving the factory.
BYD Changzhou Welding Plant
"Last year, the Changzhou base produced 300,000 vehicles, with a new car rolling off the production line every minute." During the visit, staff introduced that the Changzhou factory is like a huge electric "incubator", producing a large number of brand-new electric vehicles every day.
Technological innovation strengthens corporate competitiveness: 100,000 engineers help BYD go further
In 2023, BYD's annual sales of new energy vehicles will exceed 3.02 million units; in the first half of 2024, BYD ranked first with sales of 1.607 million units, a year-on-year increase of 28.8%; on July 4, with the official completion of the Thailand factory, BYD became the world's first automaker to achieve 8 million new energy vehicles off the production line... How was the global "sales champion" made?
As one of the earliest participants and promoters in the new energy vehicle industry, BYD adheres to the development concept of "technology is king, innovation is the basis", with a total R&D investment of 140 billion yuan. For a long time, R&D investment has been higher than current profits. In 2023, the R&D investment was nearly 40 billion yuan, and the number of R&D personnel exceeded 102,800. It is the automaker with the most R&D personnel in the world. It has applied for more than 48,000 patents and authorized more than 30,000 patents worldwide. On average, 32 patents are applied for and 15 patents are authorized every working day, and 4 patent gold awards have been won. In May 2024, BYD launched the fifth-generation DM technology, which not only broke the industry record, but also directly hit the needs of consumers with its advantages of low fuel consumption and long battery life.
At the same time, BYD has continuously improved its competitiveness and influence in the international market by building its own seagoing fleet, setting up factories overseas, and laying out overseas sales networks. According to data from the China Passenger Car Association, BYD's sales in overseas markets exceeded 203,000 vehicles in the first half of 2024, a year-on-year increase of 173.8%. It has also set up factories in Brazil, Uzbekistan, and Hungary. It is expected that BYD's overseas expansion will usher in rapid development in Europe and Southeast Asia.
How can BYD continue to maintain its competitive advantage in the future? The editors-in-chief of the integrated media also made suggestions. "This time, we have experienced the charm of modern new energy vehicles in an immersive way. We are proud of this automotive industry." Zhao Chengjun, general manager of Jiangsu Yangzi Evening News Co., Ltd., said that Yangzi Evening News, as the largest urban newspaper in China, will use the camera, microphone and pen to expand its publicity advantages, tell the story of China's new energy vehicles more vividly, and help China's new energy vehicles represented by BYD to take the road of high-quality development.
Cutting-edge technology improves user experience: Yisifang makes travel smarter and safer
After visiting BYD Changzhou Super Factory, the editors went to Changzhou Wujin Yangwang Center, which is the largest in Jiangsu and the third largest in Jiangsu and Shanghai. This 6,000-square-meter center store displays BYD's latest smart technology innovations and achievements.
Looking up to U8
Among them, the Yangwang Automobile, which represents the highest level of BYD's "technical fish pond" and is known as the ceiling of domestic million-level luxury electric vehicles, has attracted much attention. The editors-in-chief personally felt BYD's cutting-edge achievements in the field of intelligent technology by observing the Yi Sifang parking technology, the Yangwang U8 on-the-spot U-turn function, and the Yangwang U8 off-road player version drone take-off and landing demonstration.
With the detailed explanation of professionals, BYD's latest intelligent driving technology and electric vehicle innovations were dazzling. "Yangwang U8 has two disruptive core technologies, Yi Sifang and Yunnian. These two technologies can not only achieve extreme functions such as turning on the spot and emergency floating, but also provide intelligence and convenience in daily scenes such as narrow road traffic and parking." Xiao Xuqin, public relations director of Yangwang Sales Division, introduced.
"I learned about BYD's latest developments at the Super Factory, and saw the top product of domestic new energy vehicle technology, the Yangwang U8, at the Yangwang Center. I just took a test drive and the driving experience was very good. I am also excited about the development of Chinese new energy vehicles represented by BYD." Xue Bing, deputy editor-in-chief of Yangtze Evening News, said that Changzhou has taken its own new path in industrial transformation and development, especially taking the new energy track as a key area of industrial structure development, and has achieved very good results in recent years. I believe that Changzhou will have greater development potential and faster development speed in the future.
Deepening reforms to stimulate new urban vitality: The "trillion-dollar city" takes advantage of new energy to write a Chinese-style modern Changzhou answer sheet
Industry and cities have always been moving in both directions.
This year is the first year of Changzhou's "Trillion-dollar City Restart". At present, Changzhou is focusing on the city positioning of "International Intelligent Manufacturing City, Central Axis Hub of the Yangtze River Delta", deeply implementing the "532" development strategy, and striving to write a good answer sheet for Chinese-style modernization of Changzhou. Among them, building a "new energy capital" is a vivid practice of Changzhou transforming the "potential energy" of innovation into the "kinetic energy" of development.
Changzhou Wujin Lookup Center
The establishment of BYD Changzhou Super Factory has greatly improved production efficiency and product quality, reduced production costs, and shortened the time from design to mass production of new models, allowing BYD to respond to market demand at lightning speed. As BYD's "C-position" production base in East China, the Changzhou factory not only balances the production layout across the country, but also optimizes resource allocation, and the overall operational efficiency has directly "taken off".
Changzhou Wujin Lookup Center
The in-depth cooperation between the Changzhou plant and the local industrial chain is a powerful combination. Relying on Changzhou's complete new energy industrial chain and strong supply chain support, BYD integrates upstream and downstream resources to form a synergistic effect of "1+1>2". This not only enhances the competitiveness in the field of new energy vehicles, but also brings "hard core" support to local economic development, creates a large number of employment opportunities, and promotes the transformation and upgrading of the local economy.
"Today at BYD's Changzhou Super Factory, I saw that BYD has more than 100,000 engineers, which shows that it has done very well in technological innovation. Through this research trip, I also deeply felt the efforts and innovative spirit of the city of Changzhou, which is low-key and pragmatic, good at seizing opportunities, and giving full play to the regional advantages of the Yangtze River Delta. I wish BYD a better tomorrow! Changzhou will have a better tomorrow!" said Chang Xinxi, editor of Qilu Evening News and Qilu One Point.
"I have been to Changzhou many times, but each time I come, there are great changes and the feelings are different. The rapid development of BYD Super Factory in Changzhou shows that Changzhou develops new quality productivity in accordance with local conditions and shapes new industrial advantages based on reality." Chang Xin, editor-in-chief of Suzhou Daily, said that Suzhou and Changzhou have a lot in common, whether it is the protection of historical and cultural heritage or the leading of scientific and technological innovation. He hopes that the two cities will strengthen exchanges and cooperation with each other and jointly contribute more to Jiangsu's "leading the way and setting an example."
In the future, BYD will continue to rely on the advantages of Changzhou Super Factory to promote technological innovation and product upgrades and accelerate global market layout. By continuously improving production efficiency and product quality, BYD will continue to lead the new energy vehicle industry and contribute more Chinese strength to global green travel.