When I was browsing the news yesterday, I saw a very eye-catching piece of news. It said that Chery held a large innovation conference in Wuhu with the theme of “Innovation·Leading the World with Intelligence”.
The name sounds a bit fictitious, but upon closer inspection, the content is actually quite solid. It even made me want to ask, is this rapid development of Chinese automobiles building cars or “creating dreams”?
Why has Chery, a brand that once hovered on the fringes of the Chinese automobile market, suddenly “counterattacked” and become a global player in recent years?
The logic behind this and what exactly does the rise of Made in China rely on?
Do we only see the excitement on the surface and ignore the cold thinking behind it?
Let’s not talk about anything else. First, why can Chinese cars make such a big splash in the global market?
In the past, we often felt that our own cars were not good enough, and things like engines and chassis had to be judged by foreign countries.
But what about now?
Chery said that it had developed the “Kunpeng Tianqing 48% thermal efficiency engine” and also threw out a bunch of explosive-sounding technical terms, such as Feiyu chassis EMB, Ark amphibious system, Falcon smart driving large model, and so on and so forth.
What’s so great about these things?
Can it really overturn the global pattern?
To be honest, the figure of 48% thermal efficiency is indeed a bit scary.
As we all know, the development of internal combustion engines is actually approaching its limit, and the mainstream engines in the market only account for 40% at most.
If you go up further, every 1% improvement will either burn money or shorten your life.
But Chery actually achieved a figure of 48%. This is not only a technological breakthrough, but more importantly, if this “black technology” can be produced, it means that Chinese cars will have the confidence to compete with the world’s giants.
But the question also arises, are these high technologies really “innovations”?
Or is it just a gimmick?
Can China’s technological accumulation sustain this tough battle of “globalization”?
Think about it, everyone, new energy and smart cars have been very popular in the past two years. Behind them is actually the pressure of industrial transformation.
Intelligentization and networking are called “automotive revolution” in a somewhat mysterious way, but in essence, they are self-upgrading forced by the market.
While talking about “innovation”, Chery also put “integration of industry, academia and research” on the table, and also launched the so-called Kaiyang Laboratory, using the buzzword “two-way rush”, which means that technology is not just an academic discussion, but must be directly turned into products.
But can this set of things be played well?
Can Chinese automobiles really transform from technology followers to technology leaders?
Having said this, a question comes to mind: Is the way out for China’s manufacturing industry relying on “hard innovation”?
In the past, we relied on quantity and price to win, exporting a lot of cheap goods.
But now there is no way to continue rolling.
Chery has sold more than 17 million vehicles globally in recent years, with more than 5 million overseas users alone. Obviously, it is not just based on “cheapness”.
What does that rely on?
It actually depends on the upgrading of the industry, technology, system, and the word “innovation” behind it.
You see, at this conference, Chery not only showcased its products, but also emphasized its global collaborative innovation network, including eight major R&D centers, more than 30,000 R&D personnel, more than 20 overseas R&D centers, and even localized development to adapt to different markets around the world.
It sounds huge, but isn’t this system the standard configuration for global companies?
If you want to become a leading player in the world, just relying on the Chinese market is definitely not enough.
Then the question comes again, is the “globalization” of Chinese automobiles reliable?
We used to always talk about “going out”, but when we really went out, we discovered how deep the foreign market is.
It doesn’t mean that if you have a product, people will buy it. Policies, culture, consumption habits, and brand trust are all indispensable.
Chery has said that it will build 26 overseas R&D centers in the future. It is determined and has probably prepared a lot of money.
But you have to know that overseas markets are completely different from domestic markets. The test is whether your products can adapt to other people’s road conditions, oil products, climate, supervision, and even local people’s driving habits.
Let’s talk about the Zongheng G700 off-road vehicle crossing the Yangtze River.
Logically speaking, crossing the Yangtze River is a very exciting gimmick. The technical parameters such as road test limit, wading depth, IP68 waterproofing, and dual-power propulsion are indeed eye-catching.
But the question is, what are the real user needs of off-road vehicles?
Is it for crossing rivers, or for day-to-day reliability and safety?
Sometimes, technology showcases at innovation conferences are more like stage plays, and the real implementation depends on whether the market recognizes them or not.
If the innovation of Chinese automobiles just stays at “stacking technologies on top of each other”, it may not necessarily become a reason for users to pay in the end.
Real innovation is the ability to solve users’ pain points and bring new experiences.
Another point is that China’s auto market has changed too fast in the past two years, and everyone is talking about new energy and smart driving.
But if you think about it carefully, smart driving technology is actually an “arms race”. Not only China is playing it, but Tesla, Google, and European giants are also playing it.
This time Chery called out the “Falcon Intelligent Driving Large Model” and also launched the “Lingxiao Flying Platform”. These names are cool, but what is the technology behind it?
Can Chinese companies compete head-to-head with global giants in terms of algorithms, hardware, and data?
To put it bluntly, this is not a “sprint” but an ultramarathon.
Whoever can exert lasting force, continue to innovate, and continue to adapt is the king.
Then let me ask again, has the brand power of Chinese automobiles also caught up?
In the past, when people bought cars, they often still recognized “foreign brands” and thought that foreign products were high-end.
But in the past two years, when you walk on the street, you find more and more domestic brand cars around you.
Chery’s Hong Kong stock market has been listed, and the capital market has also recognized its success.
Behind this is the confidence of Chinese consumers and the recognition of Chinese brands by global users.
In the past, we joked that “Made in China” means “cheap but not good”, but now the whole world is looking at “Intelligent Made in China”. How big a change is this?
In fact, the most noteworthy thing about this innovation conference is not the high-tech terms, but the mentality changes of Chinese enterprises.
I used to do OEM work, and then I learned technology. Now we need to take the lead in innovation.
Do you think this is a “curved overtaking”?
Of course, if you go too fast on a curve, it is easy to overturn, so you need to be more rational.
Don’t just look at the excitement on the surface. Those words of “global leadership” and “industry first” are certainly encouraging, but the real battlefield lies in the details, in the system, in the continuous R&D investment, and in the long industrial chain collaboration.
Some people are worried that Chinese cars will fall into a “high driving and low driving” situation?
After all, just because the front is fast, it doesn’t mean that the back can be defended.
For example, in the field of new energy, subsidies are currently declining, raw material prices are rising, and market competition is intensifying. Can this “innovation drive” be maintained?
Chery said it would build a global collaborative innovation network, but this set of things could not be built in a day.
If you want to really take root in the global market, you have to fight not only for technology, but also for service, brand, culture, regulatory compliance, quality management… These soft powers are the real hard nut to crack.
Finally, I would like to ask, what are the goals of Chinese car companies?
Is it just a “technical grand view park”, or is it allowed to be paid by users all over the world?
Chery’s innovation conference is actually not that mysterious. Behind it is the self-breakthrough of the Chinese automobile industry’s collective anxiety.
Independent innovation may not be an overnight success story, but as long as we have the right direction, continue to invest, and are not afraid of failure, we will always have the opportunity to gain a foothold on the global automotive stage.
Chery’s new conference this time may be a node and an epitome of the transformation from Made in China to Created in China.
Do you think Chinese cars will subvert the global market next?
Will there be a day when foreigners will see Chinese brand cars as naturally as they see Toyota and Volkswagen?
No one dares to guarantee it.
But one thing is certain: Only by constantly innovating, going global, improving technology, and improving services can Chinese cars truly be pushed to the center of the world stage.
Chery’s conference is more about showing an attitude: we are no longer just followers, but want to be leaders.
The road is long, but all great changes begin with “self-righteous” innovations again and again.
So, what else can innovation bring?
What it brings is confidence in Made in China, confidence in industrial upgrading, and courage in global competition.
Next time you see young people driving new cars of domestic brands on the street, don’t laugh at them for being “rustic.” Maybe they are driving the next global hot model.
And those who once ridiculed Chinese cars as having “no technology and no future” should now reflect on this: the world has changed, and Chinese cars are really different.
