When I am reborn, I just want to be a top student

The boatman's visit this time was obviously for a reason.

I originally just wanted to chat with Wang Donglai, but I didn't expect him to say such a thing.

Fearing that Wang Donglai might think of him and ask BYD to raise employee benefits again, Brother Boatman immediately stated his purpose.

"Mr. Wang, based on the performance of the Xuanwu battery, combined with our 'Yunlian' and 'Yi Sifang' technologies, and with your company's assistance in artificial intelligence algorithms, we have developed the 'Eye of the Gods' intelligent driving system. It can be said that this model is absolutely the top new energy vehicle in China and abroad."

"The motor of this model has a maximum speed of 20000 rpm and more than 1000 horsepower, making it the industry leader."

"The torque reaches 320-420 Newtons, the peak power of a single motor is between 220-240 Nm, and the acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes only three seconds."

"The biggest change is in the range. According to our prediction, if the Xuanwu battery is used to its fullest extent, the range can reach 2,000 kilometers."

"This is a technological breakthrough that is unprecedented in the world."

“We are preparing to officially launch this model soon, but before the launch, I would like to consult with Mr. Wang.”

"In terms of academic ability, you led the research and development of the Xuanwu Battery; in terms of business achievements, you founded Galaxy Technology."

The boatman adopted a very humble attitude, and his words were very sincere.

Wang Dong glanced at the boatman and immediately understood that the boatman was either trying to befriend him or testing him.

"It seems that Brother Boatman already knows about Lei Jun's plan to enter the new energy vehicle field."

As a veteran in the automotive industry for so many years, it's absolutely impossible that I, the boatman, am unaware of Lei Jun's activities of visiting various places and poaching talent.

At normal times, the boatman might not have thought much of it and wouldn't have paid any attention.

But it just so happens to be at this time.

Galaxy Technology has developed the Xuanwu Battery, a high-performance product that has directly reshaped the new energy vehicle industry.

Currently, countless car manufacturers worldwide are eager to partner with Galaxy Technology to secure a supply of Xuanwu batteries.

It can be said that as long as there is a supply of Xuanwu batteries, even a brand that previously only produced electric vehicles for the elderly can capture a considerable market share.

In the business world, everyone knows that Lei Jun and Wang Donglai of Galaxy Technology have a good relationship.

He's at least much better than other business owners in China.

That's exactly what the boatman was worried about.

Although Galaxy Technology has shares in BYD, Xiaomi also has shares in Galaxy Technology.

It was with this idea in mind that Brother Boatman approached them when the model was successfully developed.

Wang Donglai understood the boatman's thoughts perfectly, but he was also prepared to speak up and explain.

Has this car model been named yet?

Wang Donglai's first words were unexpected by the boatman. Instead of saying anything else, Wang Donglai directly asked about the name of the car model.

"Nothing has been decided yet."

"Does Mr. Wang have any ideas? You can share them. I'm also very curious. If it's appropriate, using the name Mr. Wang suggested would be fine."

The boatman said with a smile, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant.

Wang Donglai chuckled softly and said, "I don't really have any particular thoughts; I was just asking out of curiosity."

"This model should be a high-end model made by your company, and the technology used is also the most advanced in your company. In addition, the cost of Xuanwu battery is added, so I'm afraid the price of this car will not be too low, and its acceptance in China may not be very high."

"No matter how the price is positioned, it will start at more than two million. I think I'm right about that."

The boatman nodded, agreeing.

"Such expensive cars are targeted at social elites who value the brand and the story behind it."

"This is precisely your company's weakness."

“If a brand tells a good story, it can easily raise prices and attract consumers.”

"The most obvious example is the three major German luxury brands, BBA. Their products are indeed good, but compared to their prices, the brand premium is very significant."

"But because the story was told well, an image has been established in the minds of consumers, and consumers are willing to pay for the brand story."

"Based on the data I just heard, your company's model is a good car, but it may not be recognized as a good car in the market, and its sales may not be as good as expected."

"Of course, if you only see this model as a vanguard in the high-end car market and don't care about profits but only about reputation, then it's fine."

The boatman felt as if a ray of sunshine had torn through the dark clouds when Wang Donglai shared his insightful views, and he suddenly understood.

As a pure science major, he is more concerned with technical matters.

Under his influence, this applies to everyone at BYD.

Engineers focus solely on developing technology, frantically piling up technologies to produce better and more products.

As for sales, they are entirely dependent on research and development and production.

Just like this model, its internal positioning is only in the high-end car market, and there are no other ideas.

Now, after hearing what Wang Donglai said, the boatman naturally had other ideas in mind, and said, "Mr. Wang, this model should be the first new energy vehicle in China and abroad to be equipped with Xuanwu batteries. This not only relates to the reputation of BYD products, but also affects the reputation of Xuanwu batteries. I'm afraid we'll have to ask Mr. Wang for help with this matter!"

"Luxury goods advertisements in this world are never for their target audience, but for ordinary people."

"Only when ordinary people know what luxury goods are, know what is good, and know the value of luxury goods will those target customers willingly open their wallets."

"Because that's human nature—comparison, vanity, it's something ingrained in our bones."

"If your company wants to break into the high-end market, you can make full use of this."

"Advertising and marketing are not crooked ways. Relying solely on technology and products may attract customers, but the process is slow."

"Moreover, your company has always followed a strategy of low profit margins and high sales volume, focusing on cost-effectiveness."

"As a result, it has long established a low-end image among consumers."

"To be fair, your company's technology is indeed excellent and its development is rapid, but changing consumers' perceptions is not so simple."

"Just like Xiaomi, which initially gained a foothold in the smartphone market by offering extremely high cost-performance."

"However, after they developed to a certain extent, they found that the biggest challenge in their attempt to break into the high-end market was their previous cost-performance strategy."

"Even if we choose to split the brands, allowing Xiaomi phones to target the high-end market while Redmi phones continue to maintain the mid-to-low-end market."

"The results of doing this can only be described as mediocre, far from meeting X-meter's expectations."

Wang Donglai spoke eloquently, his words brimming with confidence. The boatman, lost in thought and inspired, tentatively asked, "So, Mr. Wang means to advertise, promote the Yangwang model, tell its backstory, and attract high-end users?"

Wang Donglai nodded, then shook his head before saying, "No, the automotive marketing industry is too murky."

"I think you know better than I do the annual marketing expenses of domestic car brands."

"If your company wants to spend money on marketing, I can only say that the results will be mediocre or unsatisfactory."

"Even with top advertising companies, massive marketing budgets, and extensive online advertising channels, this doesn't actually offer much benefit for the positioning of a high-end product."

"I do have a suggestion, but I don't know if Mr. Wang would be willing to accept it."

The boatman's eyes lit up, and he continued, "What's your opinion?"

"If possible, Mr. Wang could personally drive this car and broadcast it live across all online platforms. During the live broadcast, he could also communicate and interact with consumers online."

"I believe in live streaming; Mr. Wang should be familiar with it, right?"

Upon hearing Wang Donglai's suggestion, the boatman's eyes widened slightly.

He never expected that Wang Donglai would propose this idea.

To ask him, the founder of BYD and a super-rich man with a net worth of over 100 billion, to do live streaming.

They also had to livestream driving the car in front of viewers across the entire platform to test its range.

After only a brief thought, the boatman realized he couldn't accept it.

On the one hand, it was because they couldn't let go of their pride, and on the other hand, they felt that this method might not be effective.

Thinking this, the boatman's expression betrayed a hint of this.

Wang Donglai naturally noticed this and chuckled inwardly.

Now, once the new energy vehicle boom takes off, let alone live streaming, it will be impossible to make a living.

Given Wang Donglai's understanding of Lei Jun, he will likely pull some stunts, such as personally opening car doors for the first batch of owners, taking photos and signing autographs, in order to cultivate a friendly image and promote Xiaomi Motors.

Although such a thing has not yet happened, Wang Donglai believes that Lei Jun is absolutely capable of doing it.

Lei Jun's marketing skills are absolutely top-notch in the Chinese business world.

This applies not only to product marketing, but also to building and maintaining one's personal image.

Wang Donglai didn't tell the boatman about this idea because he knew the boatman wouldn't agree.

After all, in the eyes of a tech-savvy person like Brother Boatman, technology comes first, and in the market, letting the product speak for itself is the most powerful approach.

Fancy marketing tactics should only be supplementary and should not overshadow the main focus.

However, at this moment, when faced with the suggestion made by Wang Donglai...

Although the boatman didn't think much of it, he still took it to heart.

After all, he had witnessed Wang Donglai's business achievements firsthand.

Maybe this method will actually work.

"This is indeed a good method. Live streaming across all online platforms can quickly build brand awareness and gain consumer trust."

"Live the whole thing live. With a range of nearly 2,000 kilometers, it would take 20 to 30 hours just to drive. That's too much. I'm afraid I can't keep it up."

"In addition, when facing live streaming across the entire network and the questions from netizens, it is also necessary to keep the live stream lively. This requires extremely high control of the situation and a wealth of knowledge to persevere."

"Considering all factors, finding the right person for this live stream is quite challenging."

The boatman is, after all, the boss, so he's quite capable.

Regarding Wang Donglai's proposal for a live stream, the key points were quickly identified.

Wang Donglai was naturally aware of these things, so he wasn't too surprised to hear the boatman decline.

"President Wang, the construction of the Xuanwu Battery Factory has already started. It will be able to supply initially by the end of the year. By next year, the factory will be completed and the production line will ramp up. At that time, the competition in the new energy vehicle market will be the most intense."

"If your company cannot gain a foothold in the high-end market, obtain a certain market share, and establish a high-end image in the minds of consumers before this, then it will be difficult."

"There are nearly a hundred new energy vehicle brands in China, large and small, not including those that are preparing to enter this field."

"Given the intensity of competition in China, I'm afraid that in the end, the entire new energy vehicle industry will be like the gasoline vehicle industry, with only a few brands remaining and most brands going bankrupt and shutting down."

"Among the brands that remain, there will be first-tier brands and second-tier brands."

"Cars are industrial products, unlike consumer electronics such as mobile phones, and their updates and replacements are very slow."

"Most people may only own one car in their lifetime, and it's considered good for an average family to have one car."

Even with a large population and a vast market, there is still an upper limit.

"The key is that this piece of the pie is still being eaten by gasoline-powered vehicles."

"To be honest, there isn't much room left for new energy vehicle brands."

"The profit margin, brand-driving ability, and premium pricing power of high-end products are several times higher than those of mid-to-low-end products."

“I know that Mr. Wang wants to take over the entire automotive industry chain, produce everything he can himself, overcome technical difficulties, reduce costs, and use cost-effectiveness to defeat other manufacturers.”

"From a technical point of view and from a business perspective, this is entirely feasible."

"However, Mr. Wang should understand that constantly offering low prices will also put pressure on your company's finances."

"And the high-end market is destined to be a tough nut to crack."

"Whether to start with the easy parts and then move to the difficult parts, or to start with the difficult parts and then move to the easy parts, is something that Mr. Wang needs to think about and choose for himself."

“From my perspective, I naturally hope that the world’s first Yangwang model equipped with Xuanwu batteries can be successful in the market.”

"As Mr. Wang said before, this is not only the first shot of your company's products, but it also affects the reputation and image of Xuanwu Battery."

If it weren't for the boatman, Wang Donglai would never have said so much.

Among all the domestic car brands, only BYD (owned by Boatman Brother) and Wuling are doing relatively well.

That's why Wang Donglai gave the boatman such earnest advice.

Originally, the boatman had completely given up on Wang Donglai's suggestion, but after hearing these words and feeling Wang Donglai's sincerity, he still had a slight wavering in his heart.

"How about... we give it a try?" (End of Chapter)