Chapter 476: 1243 kilometers, subversive change! Azhe: I want ten chicken butts!
In Silicon Valley at the end of August, the morning mist had not yet completely dissipated, but the sun had already penetrated the thin clouds, casting pale golden spots on the streets of Palo Alto.
3500 Luxi Road, Tesla headquarters.
Musk, wearing a well-tailored suit and a pair of shiny leather shoes, solemnly handed the car keys of the Model S LR to the owner.
With a big smile on his face, he politely said, “Thank you for your support of Tesla!”
After saying that, he took a photo with the car owner and personally opened the car door for him.
The delivery ceremony attracted the attention of many local media in California. The Information, Metro Silicon Valley, TechCrunch and The Verge were all invited to attend to promote the Model S LR.
In the audience, representatives from North American automakers such as General Motors, Ford, and Fiat were watching this scene with grim expressions.
Representatives from overseas auto giants such as Toyota, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, and Hyundai also had complicated expressions.
The Model S LR's ultra-long range of 1,200 kilometers has completely overturned the competitive landscape of the electric vehicle industry and caused panic among traditional fuel vehicle manufacturers.
This range is designed extremely cleverly: it not only crushes other electric vehicles, but also surpasses 99.9% of gasoline vehicles.
Among all the people present, only the BMW representative appeared calm and composed.
Because as early as the beginning of the month, BMW signed a large purchase order of 500 million US dollars with DeepBlue Technology. After the Shenzhen No. 2 factory goes into production, the BMW i3 will be equipped with the world's advanced 4890 lithium-sulfur battery.
At that time, it will join hands with Tesla to compete for market share in the new energy vehicle industry.
He glanced at his colleagues around him calmly, thinking to himself: One step slow, every step slow.
Although BMW failed to become one of the first buyers like Tesla, it has already taken the lead over lagging brands such as General Motors, Ford and Fiat.
"Click!" The short shutter sounds and flash lights were intertwined.
Musk looks very proud in front of the camera!
Even though batteries account for 40% of the cost of each Model S LR sold, Tesla has seen revenue growth and a surge in its stock price.
In order to expand the influence of Model S LR, Musk also reached an official cooperation with Mimo and spent 10 million US dollars to purchase traffic on the platform.
At this moment, the live broadcast room has gathered millions of car enthusiasts from all over the world.
"The Tesla Model S LR has a nice exterior design and a high-tech feel. The 17-inch central control screen looks really cool. I wish the price could drop to $59,000."
"59,000 US dollars? That's not even enough to cover the cost of the batteries!"
"What's the battery degradation rate? What if the battery fails after two years? Wouldn't that mean I'd have to spend $74,000 to replace the battery pack?"
"The official website promises an 8-year or 300,000-kilometer warranty, and as long as the battery capacity decays by more than 30%, it can be replaced free of charge."
"Based on a 1,200-cycle lifespan, even if there's 30% water, given the performance of the 4890 battery pack, a 1 million-kilometer lifespan is easily possible, and it's even more durable than a fuel-powered vehicle."
The battery pack cost of the Model S LR is US$64,000. Including labor, Musk's price is US$74,000, which is almost half of the total price of the vehicle.
For the vast majority of users, the biggest obstacle preventing them from placing an order is the price.
With a price of US$159,000, they can choose between Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche and Bentley.
However, Musk's first target users were not ordinary consumers. To put it bluntly, he was exploiting the rich.
After all, DeepBlue Technology’s battery costs are too high!
How can poor people afford it?
at the same time.
Many domestic entrepreneurs also watched this live show in front of the screen.
A Model S LR costs US$159,000, with a total sales volume of 11,000 units and a transaction volume of US$1.71 billion.
Who can not be moved?
He Xiaopeng, the founder of UC Browser, was immediately interested. Compared with the Internet, new energy vehicles seemed to have great potential, especially since they could meet the needs of the times.
He knew clearly that the reason why the authorities were vigorously promoting the development of electric vehicles was simply because oil prices were high and electricity costs were low, and the development of pure electric vehicles was more in line with the actual energy structure.
Li Xiang, chairman of Autohome, leaned back in his boss chair, staring at the live broadcast on the projection screen, and couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
At Xiaomi's headquarters in Yanjing, Lei Yijun was lost in thought. After a long pause, he finally sighed softly, thinking to himself, "Xiaomi hasn't even figured out how to make a phone, so how can we make a car? How can that be that easy!"
However, automobile manufacturers such as BYD, JAC, SAIC and BAIC are itching to try it out.
The high-end version with a range of 1,200 kilometers is indeed expensive, but the cost of models with a range of 300 kilometers or 500 kilometers can be reduced by half.
Combined with various subsidies, it may not be impossible to produce pure electric vehicles with a landing price within 150,000 to 200,000 yuan.
The advent of DeepBlue 4890 power battery has advanced the development of the new energy vehicle industry by two to three years.
The other side.
After dealing with competitors and the news media, Musk officially announced the live broadcast of the Model S LR endurance test.
He will lead a Tesla executive in a Model S LR from Silicon Valley to Seattle.
A total of 1240 kilometers, a challenging interstate journey!
Reporters from four local media outlets will follow the entire process to ensure the accuracy of the test and prevent Tesla from cheating.
Musk’s idea is simple: he wants to crush consumers’ “range anxiety” about electric vehicles in one fell swoop.
At three o'clock in the afternoon, Musk set off on time.
Driving north along US 101, you will soon see endless vineyards.
This is Napa, the famous wine producing region.
The distance to Palo Alto is 120 kilometers, and the battery level shown on the central control screen is still 91%.
Instead of stopping to rest, Musk continued driving north, driving 250 kilometers in one breath and arriving in Redding, California.
Perhaps he had drunk too much champagne and could no longer hold it in, so he ran to the bathroom as soon as he got off the car.
Reporters stood by the car to prevent Tesla staff from secretly charging the car during the test, so as to ensure the fairness of the test.
The camera in the live broadcast room was aimed at the large screen of the Model S LR, and the battery power was still 72%.
After a total of 370 kilometers, not even one-third of the battery was used up.
Netizens from all over the world were shocked!
Chinese netizens are proud of this, as they know that the success of Model S LR is inseparable from the Deep Blue battery.
This live broadcast event was very successful and the significance behind it is particularly significant. It is no exaggeration to call it a milestone in the development of new energy vehicles.
In the past, users’ impression of electric vehicles was that they had short battery life and could not travel far. Now this stereotype has been completely overturned.
The battery life of electric vehicles is even better than that of fuel vehicles!
Ten minutes later, Musk set off from Redding and drove about 200 kilometers north to Medford, Oregon.
The night outside the window was thick and pitch black.
After a short rest and dinner, the group started the car again and headed towards Eugene.
Next is Portland, and the last stop is Seattle.
When Musk drove into downtown Seattle, it was already 4:30 in the morning. The sky in the distance was slightly bright. There were only a few hundred thousand viewers left in the live broadcast room, and the rest of the users were basically asleep.
In the picture, the battery capacity is only 4% left, and the car system is constantly popping up charging reminders.
At the same time, staff at the Tesla Supercharging Station were waiting ten kilometers away.
The bright red battery warning is so eye-catching that it makes people feel nervous, fearing that Musk will not be able to reach the supercharging station.
And the final mileage number on the dashboard is still growing rapidly!
1231 kilometers!
1234 kilometers!
1239 kilometers!
…
The audience finally breathed a sigh of relief when the charging station came into view.
A total of 1,243 kilometers, and the battery balance finally settled at 2%!
Everyone was shocked!
They never expected that the actual range of Model S LR could actually reach 1,200 kilometers!
The battery pack of Model S LR is only 160 kWh. If it is replaced with 200 kWh, the range can reach 1,500 kilometers; if it is replaced with 240 kWh, the range can reach 1,800 kilometers!
It is hard to imagine the impact that a pure electric vehicle with an ultra-long range of nearly 2,000 kilometers will have on the automotive industry in countries around the world.
Moreover, thanks to the high energy density of the 4890 lithium-sulfur battery, even if the capacity of the battery pack is increased to 200 kWh, it will not have a significant impact on the vehicle's load capacity and handling.
Before the end of the live broadcast, Musk specifically reminded Tesla users: "When the power drops to 20%, it is best to charge as soon as possible, which can extend the cycle life of the battery."
For a time, sales of Model S LR rose rapidly.
In just one morning, orders for North America increased by 800 vehicles, the Netherlands by 70 vehicles, and Norway by 54 vehicles.
That afternoon, Musk announced on Twitter that Tesla would enter the Asian market in the fourth quarter, with China being the first stop.
In the eyes of the upper class, Tesla is like a catfish, which may be able to activate the market activity of domestic new energy vehicles.
Otherwise, they will not make progress and will just focus on subsidy policies all day long.
The total annual sales volume in the country is less than 50,000 vehicles. At this rate, when will new energy vehicles be truly popularized?
…
…
Xucheng, Zhuxianzhuang Science and Technology Park.
Sitting in his office, Chen Yansen reviewed and approved the contracts for each project one by one, then opened his email to check Tesla's purchase order.
At the sales rate of Model S LR, the US$1.5 billion Deep Blue battery quota will probably be used up before November.
“North American leeks are so abundant and plump!”
Chen Yansen couldn't help but sigh.
The battery purchase cost of a Model S LR is US$64,000. After deducting material, after-sales and sales costs, he can make a net profit of US$40,000 per car.
It makes more money than reselling arms!
As for Musk, he is just an employee of Deep Blue Technology.
The purchase orders from BAIC, Shanghai Auto and Great Wall have already been sent to his email.
The biggest obstacle currently restricting Deep Blue Battery sales is production capacity!
Yuan Ruili from the Shenzhen City Central Office was busy running around. In order to get the Shenlan No. 2 factory into production as soon as possible, he used his connections privately to help Shenlan Technology purchase equipment, set up production lines, and acquire raw materials and minerals.
There is no way, Deep Blue Battery is too important to Shenzhen City.
Not to mention the jobs it creates, the industrial output value of over 100 billion yuan a year alone is enough to make Yuan Ruili go all out for Chen Yansen.
In the future, DeepBlue Technology’s industrial output value may exceed one trillion yuan.
Therefore, Yuan Ruili knew that if he could keep DeepBlue Technology in Shenzhen, he would already have won half the battle.
"Ding Dong! Hello, Master. I'm Moss. It's five o'clock in the afternoon. I've been working all day. Please take a rest."
The Moss M7 smart speaker on the table suddenly rang.
Chen Yansen suddenly stopped what he was doing, turned off the computer, stood up and walked out the door.
There are many employees who don't like to work overtime like him. People are walking out of every office building, some driving home, and some taking the company bus.
Of course, the majority of people still stay to work overtime, accounting for about 60%; after 8 o'clock, only 20% are left, and these people are the "roll kings" of Senlian Capital.
Chen Yansen did not go to the underground parking lot. Instead, he took the elevator to the first floor and got into the Aston Martin Rapide, which he had not driven for a long time.
A few minutes later, Tang Zhenzhe got into the passenger seat with a big smile on his face and said to Chen Yansen, "Brother Sen, Bobo will drive Xiaopeng, and we can just go straight to the restaurant."
Chen Yansen responded, drove out of the science and technology park, and headed towards the east gate of Xuyuan.
Before the start of school every year, Dormitory 8302 always chooses a time to get together.
"Azhe, what are your plans after graduation?"
Chen Yansen asked casually.
Under his influence, the life trajectories of the other five people in 8302 have undergone tremendous changes.
Song Yang, an introverted otaku, has become a well-known college student entrepreneur in Xuyuan. With his campus express delivery business, he can earn tens of thousands of yuan a year.
Wang Zhengqiang should have been busy preparing for the civil service exam, but now he is helping Song Yang manage the express delivery station.
Meng Xibo started as a part-time customer service representative and worked his way up to customer service supervisor.
Although Zhu Xiaopeng's ability is not as good as Meng Xibo's, he worked at FoxTao and Pinbei for three years and became the customer service team leader.
Tang Zhenzhe has been an intern in the brand department of Orange Technology for two years, and Wang Shixiang is planning to promote him to team leader soon.
"Brother Sen, to be honest, I don't have any ideas. I used to want to take the postgraduate entrance exam, but now I just want to make money and go out and have fun. You know, my house was demolished and I was given four 107-square-meter houses."
Tang Zhenzhe shrugged.
You bastard, why are you asking so much questions? Are you afraid that I don’t know how big your house is?
Chen Yansen burst out laughing.
However, he could also understand Tang Zhenzhe. His parents both had pensions, he had an older sister, and Azhe himself owned two houses in Luzhou. He had lost his direction in his struggle before he even graduated.
What the experts said is not wrong. Too low housing prices are not conducive to young people's struggle. Just look at the confused look of Tang Zhenzhe.
"Zhou Shouzhi is interested in expanding Orange Technology's business in Southeast Asia. Are you interested in becoming a channel specialist?"
Chen Yansen thought for a moment and said.
"Southeast Asia? Brother Sen, where exactly?" Tang Zhenzhe asked.
"Of course it's the entire Southeast Asia, but I suggest you go to Annan. The girls there have fair skin, good figures and good skills." Chen Yansen said with a wicked smile.
He knew Tang Zhenzhe's abilities very well. In his previous life, he was the channel director of a listed company, mainly responsible for business development in the Southeast Asian market.
"I don't want someone with good skills. I like those who are not very skilled." Tang Zhenzhe said with a chuckle.
"Okay, I'll say hello to Lao Zhou later." Chen Yansen nodded.
Ten minutes later, the car stopped in front of Shuangqing Restaurant.
Chen Yansen got out of the car, walked in, and said hello to the boss: "Lao Zhao, eat less, your belly has grown several times bigger."
"Hey, Mr. Chen is here! As soon as I saw Boss Song booked a private room, I knew you were having a dinner together. As usual, two cases of beer."
As soon as Old Zhao saw Chen Yansen, he grinned and said.
"Add more chili to the clay pot chicken and more chicken butts." Tang Zhenzhe reminded Lao Zhao.
Chen Yansen looked disgusted, but didn't say much.
Azhe really likes this. Ever since we met, he always kept talking about how roasted chicken butts are delicious and stewed chicken butts are tender. He always has to order it every time we have a meal together, and no one can stop him.
"I'll give you ten." Old Zhao gestured with his hand.
"So grand." Tang Zhenzhe was very satisfied and gave a thumbs up in praise.
Chen Yansen ignored them and went straight up to the second floor and pushed open the door of the box.
(End of this chapter)
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