Chapter 374: Talking about Cars

Chapter 374: Talking about Cars

Chapter 374: Talking about Cars
Yu Xing gave his opinion on the new energy vehicle ActiveE at the BMW Auto Show.

Doomed to fail!

There is no need to talk about its two-door four-seater, its conversion from oil to electricity, or the space occupied by its battery pack. Just talking about the battery life issue that severely limits user usage scenarios, it is doomed to fail.

Yu Xing's previous answer to the reporter was all about hello, me, and everyone, and BBA's success in gasoline vehicles is unquestionable. However, it is wishful thinking to think that they can achieve replicable success in the new energy field based solely on the brand.

In particular, the BMW employee next to him had a very arrogant attitude.

Since it is an auto show, it is a place for everyone to exchange views. Since the topic is about new energy, Yu Xing doesn't mind talking frankly.

However, this firm attitude made Lu Yi, the vice president of BMW China, dissatisfied.

Of course he knows that battery life will be a more important issue, but ActiveE is an attempt at new energy. Even if ActiveE fails, what does it matter?
Even if ActiveE fails, will it affect BMW's success?
Besides, it hasn't failed yet.

As a BMW employee, Lu Yi feels that such comments made in public and in the context of media interviews are more like an insult. As a junior in the industry who doesn't even know how to get started, who do you think you are?
"Mr. Yu, market competition still depends on cars." Lu Yi gave his own response to protect the brand. After saying this, he seemed to suddenly realize something and continued, "Oh, Carbon Silicon Group's car hasn't been built yet, right?"

"Yes, Mr. Lu is right. Market competition still depends on cars. So, I am confused about how BMW can compete in the market?" Yu Xing asked. "If Mr. Lu minds that I am an entrepreneur who has not yet built a car, I can also communicate with you as a consumer now."

"In today's weather, when I turn on the air conditioner, the actual range of ActiveE is only a little over 100. I have to worry about running out of power after driving for two days. How do you think we can solve this problem?"

There were already media interviews, and now there was a less polite atmosphere of communication, and people around gradually gathered around.

Lu Yi frowned slightly, regretting his interruption, but unwilling to lose the demeanor of a BMW executive. After a few seconds of silence, he reiterated, "Mr. Yu, different brands have different brand cultures. BMW launched this ActiveE to attract pioneering customers who care about environmental protection."

Yu Xing laughed and said proudly: "Mr. Lu, I have proposed the 'protect the environment' initiative on many occasions in the past two years. I am exactly the pioneer customer among the pioneer customers who pay attention to environmental protection!"

There were laughters all around, and many people had recognized who the parties involved in the friendly exchange were. The protective environment that Mr. Yu created in the competition on WeChat was quite contagious.

Hearing the laughter, Lu Yi pursed his lips and said, "I don't think it makes much sense to talk about the range of this model in an occasion like this..."

Yu Xing interrupted directly: "Can we talk about it in another occasion? It's because in this occasion, even if the issue I'm talking about is more critical, we can't talk about it directly, right?"

Lu Yi noticed that more and more people were watching the fun, and he became more nervous. He thought quickly about his wording.

Yu Xing was not uncomfortable with being watched. Seeing that Mr. Lu did not answer, he continued to talk about specific cars: "Based on my investigation and analysis of the new energy field, battery life is the first issue related to the success of a car model. BMW does have the brand power to make users pay, but it will be difficult to sell the car well if you ignore the user experience."

"Including next year's i3, I think i3's exploration of materials, modular design and wire control technology is great. I also have a high opinion of Bosch's iBooster system. However, if its battery life is the same as this ActiveE, I can also give my own subjective prediction that it will also be doomed to fail."

Lu Yi frowned, but was a little confused in his heart, what is Bosch's iBooster system?
He only knew that the group was working on the i3, but had no idea what it was like. Although there were new energy vehicles at this auto show, everyone's focus was still on gasoline vehicles and competing for the gasoline vehicle market. They were not concerned with the so-called new energy exploration. The question was... why was the person in front of him talking so eloquently?
Lu Yi glanced at the cameras of several reporters and exhaled softly. Now that things had come to this, he would not be polite.

He had a smile on his face that was as natural as possible: "Mr. Yu, I know why you emphasize battery life so much. Battery life is of course important, but it is not the only factor that determines the success of a car. You emphasize battery life so much just to promote that Carbon Silicon Group has solved the battery life problem with the backward technology of range extension..."

Lu Yi deliberately added two words three beats slower: "That's all."

He offered two counterattacks.

First, extended-range technology is a backward technology. Second, Yu Xing emphasizes endurance only out of his own position on car manufacturing.

In addition to some employees from car companies who were attracted here, the majority of people who came to the auto show were interested in cars. When they heard what the BMW executives said, many of them thought it made sense.

Reporters were filming, colleagues were watching, and onlookers were enjoying the show.

Yu Xing took a look at the current scene and became even calmer.

He did not respond to Lu Yi immediately, but smiled and reminded the people around him: "Come on, everyone, turn on the screen recording, today's auto show is not in vain."

With that said, the atmosphere became even more heated, and many mobile phones were taken out.

Lu Yi watched the scene coldly, not knowing what this young man could do.

Regarding the stance, Silicon Carbon Group originally wanted to use extended-range technology to make cars. Can this conflict of interest be cleared up?

Regarding technology, its advancement or backwardness cannot be explained in two sentences. How can we make a long speech on this occasion?

It’s bad enough that you’re arrogant on the Internet, but can you still be bullied in the car circle?

Lu Yi felt a little proud in his heart. Yu Xing in front of him was a man who could fight against giants like Penguin head-on, but he was "doomed to fail" when facing his counterattack.

"Mr. Lu, do you think that the range extension option used by new energy vehicles to solve the endurance problem is an outdated technology?" Yu Xing asked his question in a loud voice after waiting for a while.

Lu Yi answered very firmly: "Yes, extended-range is undoubtedly a backward technology."

Yu Xing did not argue, but confirmed the other party's identity: "Mr. Lu, what is your position at BMW?"

Lu Yi felt that the other party might be threatening him with his identity, but whether it was Bai Xiaosheng or Carbon Silicon Group, they were not worthy of his fear, not to mention that this was a debate in public. He replied calmly: "I am the vice president of BMW China, Mr. Yu, do you have any other advice?"

Yu Xing nodded and repeated, "The vice president of BMW China believes that range extension is an outdated technology. Mr. Lu, what do you think of the new energy vehicle i3 that BMW will launch next year?"

Lu Yi didn't understand why Yu Xing asked this question, and gave an absolutely correct answer with some impatience: "The i3 is BMW's active exploration of new energy vehicles. It will reflect our latest achievements in the field of new energy, and will also show BMW's deep understanding of future travel methods."

Yu Xing smiled and showed his expression to the camera from different angles. Finally, he pointed his right index finger at the vice president of BMW China in front of him and asked loudly: "Do you know that the i3, which reflects BMW's latest achievements in the field of new energy and its deep understanding of future travel, also has an extended-range version?"

Is there an extended range version of i3?

Lu Yi stood there in a daze, having never heard of this news before.

——"The latest achievements", "A deep understanding of future travel modes", "Range-extended driving is an outdated technology"...

In public, the left and right brains suddenly started fighting each other.

Lu Yi's face turned visibly red.

The onlookers laughed. We don’t know how good the extended-range technology is, but this BMW guy is indeed being inconsistent.

Lu Yi listened to the noise around him and saw the phone still holding up to take pictures. He felt ashamed and annoyed: "You, you, who said i3 is still, still..."

"Mr. Lu, the more you talk, the more mistakes you make." Yu Xing interrupted and reminded him, smiling, "But I'm also curious, so I just confirmed your identity. Since you are indeed a BMW employee and want to talk to me about new energy, then you should pay more attention to the forefront of the industry, okay?"

Lu Yi looked at the smiling Yu Xing and didn't expect that his "no solution" would become embarrassing in this way.

At this moment, he somewhat suspected that the other party was deceiving him, but the other party was so confident and did not seem to be faking it, so continuing the conversation would only make things more awkward.

Lu Yi mumbled something incoherently, and squeezed out of the crowd with his head half lowered in a rather embarrassed manner.

Seeing that Lu Xianfeng was defeated and that Mr. Yu seemed to want to withdraw, the reporter quickly asked a question to keep him there: "Mr. Yu, Mr. Yu, you said that the i3 also has an extended-range version. Wouldn't that compete with the extended-range car of Carbon Silicon Group? Are you confident in this kind of competition?"

Yu Xing paused for a moment before saying, "If BMW does not adjust its strategy for new energy vehicles, it will be difficult for the i3 to succeed, whether it is pure electric or range-extended."

The reporter wondered: "Mr. Yu, since you think that range extension can effectively solve users' range anxiety, and the BMW i3 uses range extension, why do you think it is difficult for it to succeed?"

"This should be considered a revelation, um..." Yu Xing said, "The i3 does use an extended range, but it uses a motorcycle engine with only 38 horsepower and significantly lower thermal efficiency than mainstream gasoline engines. I can only say that BMW is definitely capable of making it well, but now the route is right, but the attitude is problematic."

The reporter was shocked and asked, "Is the engine from the motorcycle transplanted to the i3?"

Yu Xing smiled and said, “I won’t go into details. I believe BMW will have more news soon, and you will be able to verify it then.”

He certainly wouldn't lie about such things. The extended-range i3 is equipped with a 650cc two-cylinder engine with a theoretical thermal efficiency of only 28%, and the actual thermal efficiency is estimated to be less than 25%. It seems that BMW is still pursuing the idea of ​​weight reduction.

Seeing this, the reporter asked, "Mr. Yu, if that's the case, then aren't you worried that BMW will change its plan and become a stronger competitor to Carbon Silicon Group?"

Yu Xingle said: "If BMW's strategy can be changed because of my few words, it will be a great merit. I will speak more in the future. It would be best if they don't launch the extended-range version of i3. This will make Mr. Lu feel better."

Another reporter immediately asked: "Mr. Yu, Mr. Yu, what do you think of Mercedes-Benz and Audi's attempts in new energy?"

Yu Xing pondered.

"We have something to say. Anyone who points out my faults to my face will be rewarded." The reporter persuaded with a smile, "Mr. Yu, this is a great merit, a great merit."

"I am talking about the car," Yu Xing stressed. "Based on the attempts of Audi and Mercedes-Benz that I have seen so far, Audi's four circles cannot improve the cramped interior space, and Mercedes-Benz's three-pointed star emblem is too conservative. The current attempts are just like compliance tools to cater to green energy."

The reporters felt that the trip to the auto show was worthwhile, as President Yu had already evaluated all BBA.

A reporter who is a veteran in the automotive industry saw executives from Mitsubishi and Toyota in the crowd and asked, "Mr. Yu, what do you think of Mitsubishi and Toyota's attempts at new energy?"

When Yu Xing heard the name of Mitsubishi, the research report on Shanfeng flashed through his mind, and he kept repeating the name: "Mitsubishi, Mitsubishi... um..."

He shook his head without commenting. Guo Shanfeng was about to take action, so he didn't want to stab him in the face.

The Mitsubishi executives in the crowd frowned. BBA had said it and dared to say it, so why did they remain silent and shake their heads when it came to Mitsubishi?

He said aloud: "Mr. Yu, please tell us about Mitsubishi."

Yu Xing just regarded them as onlookers, smiled and shook his head: "No more talking, no more talking, look at the car, look at the car."

Mitsubishi executives were unhappy. This was so unfair!
(End of this chapter)