Ten Satisfied People in the New Energy Vehicle Industry in 2021
Yesterday, we listed the top 10 “disappointed” figures in the new energy vehicle industry in 2021. If some people are disappointed, then there must be some people who are satisfied. Today, we will list the top 10 “satisfied” figures.
Like the “disappointed” figures, the “satisfied” figures were also proposed by “Electric Vehicle Observer”, and then voted on by 7 reader groups. The top 10 figures by telephone polls are:
We will review the year of these figures in 2021 in descending order of votes.
- Elon Musk, Tesla CEO – I’ve Made a Fortune Again
The keyword for Elon Musk in 2021 is “making money”. This year, Tesla’s major factories have worked at full capacity, continuously supplying to the world, and won the annual sales champion with 936,000 electric vehicles sold. This year, Twitter enthusiast Musk mobilized netizens to vote, and sold huge stocks to net 14 billion USD (about RMB 88.9 billion) effortlessly. This year, Tesla received CNY 2.1 billion in new energy vehicle subsidies in China, and is expected to receive EUR 1.14 billion (about RMB 8.46 billion) in subsidies at its Berlin plant in Europe. In addition, Tesla also profited from selling carbon credits to other car companies worldwide.
- Zeng Yuqun, Chairman of CATL – I’m the New Richest Person
Ranked as the third richest person in China’s rich list of 2021, Zeng brought explosive growth to Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL), which he co-founded, this year. At home and abroad, both upstream and downstream, both in charging and swapping, both in passenger cars and commercial vehicles, wherever something is related to power batteries, you will find CATL’s shadow and the strategy made by Robin Zeng.
- Wang Chuanfu, Chairman of BYD Auto – Today, Let Me Show off Versailles-style!
# Translation result
On May 19, the ceremony for the production of the one millionth new energy vehicle from BYD was held in Shenzhen. Wang Chuanfu stood behind the number “1” with a Versailles-like aura – because without this “1”, there wouldn’t be a long string of zeroes behind it. From the outset of promoting new energy vehicles in China to today’s influx of new forces and foreign joint ventures, BYD remains among the few traditional self-owned brands that have always maintained a leading position in the automotive industry. The popularity of Han DM-i also makes BYD a cornerstone of China’s local new energy vehicle brands. As the founder of BYD, Wang Chuanfu has every reason to be proud.
Li Bin, Chairman of NIO – I don’t understand why consumers still buy gasoline cars.
In 2021, Li Bin is no longer the “unluckiest person,” but the most high-profile person – excluding the somewhat controversial “I don’t understand why consumers still buy gasoline cars.” Wherever he goes, he is either surrounded by the media or users who want to take photos with him. Of course, it is NIO that gives him this prominence. In April, NIO became the first Chinese-made new force in the auto industry to produce over 100,000 vehicles. The release of ET7 and ET5 also garnered the car industry’s most widespread attention and a wave of positive reviews. The fact that NIO’s losses continued to shrink also prevented voices of those who initially criticized Li Bin from being too strong. However, behind the celebrity halo, Li Bin has concerns – although NIO is still the best-selling new force in China, the total sales gap between XPeng and Li Xiang is narrowing, and monthly sales have surpassed NIO. Next year, Li Bin won’t be unlucky, but how glamorous he can be is uncertain.
He XPeng, Chairman of XPeng Motors – At first, I also thought “XPeng” was an outdated name for a brand.
This year, many have suggested that XPeng Motors change its name. He XPeng himself mentioned that he initially thought “XPeng Motors” was an outdated name for a brand. However, after careful consideration, they decided to do extraordinary things with an ordinary name. Many automotive brands’ names come from their founders’ names, such as Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Toyota, and Honda… This calmness, in fact, conceals ambition.
In 2021, XPeng Motors also doesn’t need a name change to boost sales. This year, XPeng’s sales have repeatedly set new records, winning monthly new energy sales champion several times and nearly equaling the sales of NIO, the best-selling new force in China for the whole year. In the capital markets, XPeng Motors was the first Chinese new car-making company to be listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. In terms of expansion, the factory in Zhaoqing, Guangdong, where production is about to begin, has been approved. Looking back over 2021, He XPeng is estimated to be grinning from ear to ear.
Lei Jun, Chairman of Xiaomi Group – I feel super proud.
7 Li Xiang, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ideal Motors, “I am straightforward, confident, and love to argue, but my car sells well.”
Confidence and straightforwardness are the first impressions Li Xiang gives to the public. The ideal performance in 2021 is one of the sources of his confidence: with only one ideal ONE car, Ideal Motors ranks third among new car manufacturers in China; it is the top-selling single car, and it has successfully listed on the New York and Hong Kong stock exchanges. It is already profitable. Each of these achievements is enough to make its peers envy. Straightforwardness is even more evident in dealing with conflicts between employees and female journalists. Li Xiang dealt with it confidently, but neither side got what they wanted; and when range extenders were questioned, he publicly retorted with three “TMDs.” Perhaps it is only with enough confidence that one can be so straightforward.
8 Yu Kai, CEO of Horizon Robotics – “Is there any car manufacturer who hasn’t cooperated with Horizon Robotics these days?”
In 2021, Yu Kai was so busy that he was either signing contracts or on the road to sign contracts. The manufacturers who are serious about intelligent automobiles can hardly say they are working on smart technology without cooperating with Horizon Robotics. Of course, Horizon Robotics did not only gain orders, but also investment from industry giants such as CATL, SAIC, Intel, etc. The golden age of electrification and intelligence has arrived, and Horizon Robotics is already clear proof of this phenomenon.
9 Li Yinan, founder of NIO New Energy – “I just want to give it a try.”
# Li Yinan: A Legendary Figure in the Electric Vehicle Industry
Li Yinan’s experience is full of drama, as he has been considered a genius, Huawei’s successor, a “defector,” a criminal, and the founder of Xiaoniu Electric. Despite this, Li Yinan is extremely low-key and straightforward, often responding to questions from reporters about Niu Innovation Energy and ZYoou Home with “not clear,” “can’t say,” and “no experience to share.” However, Li Yinan’s lack of grand goals and slogans, saying “just trying,” has aroused even more interest in Niu among outside parties and saved the company a lot of advertising expenses. Can this legendary figure in the electric vehicle industry continue to write his myth?
Yu Chengdong: CEO of Huawei Intelligent Automotive Solution Business Unit – This is a million-dollar luxury car
Besides Ren Zhengfei, Yu Chengdong is probably the most famous executive at Huawei, and his nickname “Yu Big Mouth” is well-known. However, in the past, he held a smartphone on stage, and most recently, he shared the stage with automobiles. The AITO Wanjie M5, which sells for a minimum of RMB 250,000, is considered a “million-dollar luxury car” – if someone else said it, it might be considered bragging, but when Yu Chengdong says it, the degree of exaggeration might be relatively moderate. Of course, we may have to get used to this kind of boasting in the future. After all, Huawei’s involvement in the intelligent automobile industry is increasing and deepening. The era of intelligent automobiles has arrived, and as the head of Huawei’s intelligent solutions department, Yu Chengdong’s appearances will become more and more frequent.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.