What color best aligns with the popular aesthetic of the Chinese people during their period of rapid development?
If Tan Jincheng were to answer, he would definitely say gold.
When Apple's "Tuhao Gold" (gold-colored iPhone) first came out, it was mocked by countless people, but that couldn't stop its sales.
Although buying a phone meant needing a case for it, the "Tuhao Gold" color was still the most sought after.
This is probably similar to the "true fragrance" law (law of genuine satisfaction).
Products that sell well for large companies are not necessarily the best designs, but there must be a reason for it.
Gold has always represented nobility in our traditional culture.
Gold is one of the most beloved precious metals among the Chinese people.
Apple's launch of "Tuhao Gold" coincided with our nation's most prosperous period, when everyone's heart was filled with pride, so it was only natural for it to sell out.
The 2008 Olympic Games also brought immense pride to the Chinese people, and their self-confidence was boosted unprecedentedly.
The main color of the new vehicle model Tan Jincheng prepared for Fengchi is predominantly gold.
The all-gold body, paired with a black steering wheel, looks very cool.
For the components, Tan Jincheng plans to use the most advanced and mature cutting-edge technology available to give it a longer battery life.
There are two options for the battery: if the self-developed lithium battery can achieve small-scale mass production before the Olympics, then lithium batteries will be used; if it fails to meet technical requirements, then graphene battery technology will be used.
Those who have traded stocks should know that there was a period when the graphene concept was heavily hyped.
Some said it was cutting-edge technology, others called it a scam; there were various conflicting claims.
But whether it's lithium batteries or graphene batteries, in the era represented by lead-acid batteries, both seemed full of gimmicks.
Launching a new car just needs a gimmick; whether it can be mass-produced when it hits the market is not that important at all.
"Currently, this product is still in the concept stage. Even if you, boss, didn't come, I would have sought you out. See if this meets what you envisioned,"
Wang Chao asked Tan Jincheng, pointing at the computer screen.
Because it's geared towards the Olympic Games, this product is named the Fengchi "Guanneng" series, with gold as the main color.
Olympic champions will be sought for endorsements; if we can't remember who the champions are, we'll just go for the table tennis team.
Actually, Tan Jincheng's top choice was Kobe.
Kobe's popularity during the 2008 Olympics was simply explosive; the opening ceremony broadcast even gave him a 10-second close-up shot.
Unfortunately, it's too difficult.
First, it's uncertain if Kobe would accept such an endorsement, and second, Kobe's commercial endorsement fees start at least from 2 million US dollars, which is even more expensive than Zhou Dong.
But if there's an opportunity, Tan Jincheng still wants to give it a try.
James is American and a large clothing importer, so he should have a way to contact Kobe or his agent.
"Can the actual vehicle achieve 70% of the effect shown in the rendering?"
Tan Jincheng asked, sitting in front of the computer and moving the mouse.
Renderings usually have exaggerated elements.
If the actual vehicle can achieve 70% of the rendering's look, it's already very impressive.
"More or less. The color is a bit difficult to control, but it shouldn't be a big problem."
The gold color of the car body mainly depends on the effect achieved by the paint mixture.
As for other parts, once the renderings are designed, they can be modified later based on the dimensions of the internal components.
For Wang Chao, who is accustomed to this work, the difficulty is not very high.
"Okay, then proceed with this. Strive for perfection. Also, pay attention to confidentiality. Do not allow anyone into this office except for you all."
The Guanneng design team, including Wang Chao, consists of six members, all of whom are veteran employees from the first batch of the R&D department.
Their technical skills are naturally not an issue, and they have all signed non-disclosure agreements.
For this vehicle, Tan Jincheng even signed non-compete agreements with them.
Non-disclosure agreements and non-compete agreements are not effective just because you sign them; corresponding compensation must be provided, otherwise they are just waste paper.
However, these are essential for major project development.
In the future, for any employee involved in major projects at Shanchi Technology, Tan Jincheng will sign both agreements with them, thereby infinitely increasing the cost for competitors to poach talent.
If an employee dares to disregard these two agreements and is lured away by a high salary, Tan Jincheng wouldn't mind taking them to court.
"Understood, I will also apply for patents in a timely manner,"
Wang Chao nodded.
"That's good. You all should expedite R&D and try to get it done as soon as possible. It's March now, let's aim to see a prototype in the second half of the year, then launch it to the market to test the waters. Also, the development of the Shanchi brand needs to keep up."
The Shanchi brand is primarily characterized by "large" and exaggerated styling, leaning more towards "electric motorcycles."
In comparison, the Fengchi brand appears much more compact.
These will be the market impressions of the two major brands in the future.
With two major brands, the Shanchi series targets low-end consumers, the Fengchi Feiyi series aims at middle-income and female markets, and Guanneng focuses on high-end strategy.
A complete product system is thus formed.
"Okay, we'll speed things up on our end."
"You have heavy tasks this year. Our new industrial base will be completed in the second half of the year, and R&D progress must keep up. Additionally, there are plans for overseas expansion in the future. Foreign products are ultimately somewhat different from domestic ones, so you should also do some research when you have time, to see what products are suitable for which regions."
Although small electric scooters are not popular in European and American markets, Tan Jincheng remembers that a certain electric bicycle sold very well.
Developing such an electric bicycle seems feasible.
"Then we'll need to hire more people again,"
Wang Chao laughed.
"As for manpower, recruit when needed. Also, I plan to talk with Ningzhiyuan soon to see if we can establish a partnership with them. That would make recruitment much easier."
Ningzhiyuan is a university located in Beicang District.
The Golden Coast residential area where Tan Jincheng previously lived was opposite Ningzhiyuan.
The majors at this institution almost exclusively serve local industries.
If Beicang District's electric vehicle industry chain truly becomes as complete as envisioned, Ningzhiyuan could even open a new specialized major.
"That's wonderful. Nurturing employees from school would also lead to a different sense of belonging to the company."
"That's nonsense. A sense of belonging is built with money. Partnering with schools is just for convenience."
"Haha, boss, that's an interesting remark."
"Alright, I won't chat with you anymore. You all hurry with the progress. If you need anything, you can come directly to me. I plan to acquire a motor manufacturing plant soon, striving for our batteries, motors, and controllers to all be our own in the future. This will also make things easier for your R&D department."
Tan Jincheng communicates the general development guidelines for Shanchi Technology's products with Wang Chao.
The R&D department is a very important department; if R&D were conducted merely by Tan Jincheng assigning tasks, it would become chaotic.
Developing annual R&D tasks and progress plans based on the company's development strategy is the proper approach for a formal company's R&D department.
"That's great, using all our own components will make communication even more convenient,"
Wang Chao said happily.
The boss is preparing to transition from an assembly plant to self-R&D, which made Wang Chao feel much more secure.
He switched from the previous Xinri to Shanchi, moving from an industry leader to a previously unknown startup factory, primarily enticed by the high salary.
But like most job jumpers, moving from a large company to a smaller peer company, the biggest worry is how long this high salary can last.
The electric vehicle industry is currently a high-profit industry, and making money is relatively simple.
If the boss doesn't plan for long-term development, there's no need to invest heavily in R&D at all.
Frankly, a simple assembly plant with a few hundreds-of-meters-long production lines can start operating by buying parts from major suppliers.
As for exterior parts, that's even simpler.
Just find a few best-selling products in the market, buy them back, dismantle them, find a mold company to open a few sets of molds, and everything is ready.
When he first came to Shanchi Technology to develop the first product, the boss indeed did just that.
He bought a few products from the market, made a series of improvements, and sourced components from lesser-known manufacturers.
In less than two months, the first product could be launched.
However, the boss also had a knack for marketing, unexpectedly leveraging the popularity of Super Girl, which led to huge product sales.
But for Wang Chao, this was not necessarily good news.
The company's products became popular; just assembling them could bring in money.
What if the boss thought R&D was useless?
Then his good days would be over.
Although the boss later developed new brands, in terms of style, they could only be considered one model, without excessive investment in R&D.
The recruited personnel were mainly students fresh out of school.
After joining Shanchi Technology in mid-2005, Wang Chao's income soared, and he received a substantial year-end bonus.
But the more he earned, the more uneasy Wang Chao felt.
Precisely because he received so much, he feared losing it.
Wang Chao genuinely worried that one day the young boss might discard him after he had served his purpose.
Fortunately, all of this changed this year.
The boss first established a battery R&D company, then gathered the best technical staff from the R&D department, including himself, to develop new products, showing immense importance to this project.
Now, he is also talking about acquiring motor and controller manufacturers, which clearly indicates a path towards self-R&D.
Shanchi Technology is finally shedding its image as an assembly plant.
There's a huge difference between a self-R&D company and an assembly plant, especially for groups like Wang Chao who are engaged in technical R&D.
Self-R&D means their status will become increasingly important.
In this case, they won't have to worry about the boss getting upset one day and sweeping them and their brought-in personnel out the door.
The non-compete agreement is a constraint for them, but it is also a guarantee, as there is a compensation system.
Watching the boss forge ahead, what Wang Chao thought to himself was:
"This is a sure win!"
(End of Chapter)