"We are not dark horses, we are accumulating." When asked about the reasons why Ningde era can become a dark horse, Zeng Junqun, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and chairman of Ningde Times New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., responded.
Chairman of Ningde Times New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. Zeng Yiqun
In 2017, the Ningde era, which was established six years ago, surpassed BYD and took the top spot in the global new energy power battery. In June 2018, the Ningde era was listed on the GEM. As of March 10, 2019, the total market value of the Ningde era exceeded 180 billion yuan.
In 2011, Zeng Yiqun independently separated the automotive power battery business from the original New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. and established the Ningde Era (CATL). Due to the accumulation of technology in the consumer battery and other aspects, and the domestic gap in this area, the Ningde era has risen rapidly.
In 2018, the operating income of Ningde era was 29.611 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 48.08%, and the net profit after deduction was 3.11 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 30.95%. In 2018, Ningde era power battery shipments accounted for 21.9% of the global power battery market share. Behind the rise of the Ningde era, Zeng Yiqun called "having his own methodology."
Ningde Times New Energy Technology Co., Ltd.
Unlike BYD in the fields of batteries, new energy vehicles, traditional automobiles, and electronic products, the Ningde era is more specific. "We have a little ability to focus on one thing."
The more focused, the stronger. In July 2018, Ningde Times announced that it had invested 240 million euros in Germany to establish a battery factory. It is expected to start production in 2021 and reach a capacity of 1.4 billion watt-hours in 2022. According to foreign media reports, in February 2019, the president of Ningde Times Europe announced that it would expand its production capacity by seven times. This means that the German factory in Ningde era will exceed the Tesla super factory and become the world's largest battery factory.
"Enterprise development is like a marathon race, you can't rest, you have to have a goal." Zeng Yiqun said. Just as he changed his industry rankings as a rising star, he has a sense of crisis in the future competition. “There must be a slightly longer-term plan. What will happen in 2025? What should our automotive industry look like in 2035? What kind of preparation and planning do we need to work with? Who should we work with? People have no worries about it.†He says.
In the 2019 two sessions, his proposal is also related to new energy, including how energy storage is integrated with electric vehicles; "I think the energy storage is very interesting," he said. If a new energy vehicle has a cruising range of 500 kilometers, it may actually be 50 kilometers per day, and the remaining 450 kilometers of battery life is wasted. If you use the electricity used for the 450 kilometers and sell it to the grid, you can make up the difference, and you can make money by stopping there. In his view, the realization of this idea also requires institutional reforms to become a smart grid.
Ningde era new energy battery production line
The following is an interview with Zeng Yiqun on March 9, 2019 by the media:
Reporter: The gross profit margin of Ningde era has dropped from 40% in 2017 to about 30% in 2018. What is the main reason?
Zeng Yiqun: As the manufacturing industry is getting bigger and bigger, the gross profit margin will decline, but the overall scale or income will increase.
Reporter: Now that subsidies for new energy vehicles are falling, is there any pressure on enterprises?
Zeng Yiqun: Yes, but there will be no progress without pressure. In the end, we must move forward in the pressure and create in the pressure. English is called no pay no gain.
Reporter: Ningde era has been doing lithium batteries, how do you think about the technical route of hydrogen fuel cells?
Zeng Yiqun: We have been paying attention to hydrogen energy. At present, there is not much power to invest in hydrogen fuel cells. Current lithium-ion batteries are suitable for electric vehicles, especially for passenger cars, and this direction may be more suitable for the market and applications. We have not studied hydrogen fuel cells, but we have research on solid lithium air batteries and solid lithium sulfur batteries. In my opinion, it is not the time when we put a lot of hydrogen fuel cells into the market.
Reporter: You will regard Tesla as a competitor, how to evaluate their power battery?
Zeng Yiqun: I am very respectful of these competitors. Tesla's power battery has its characteristics. It uses so many cylinders. If a battery fails, the whole battery may have little problem. This is some of its advantages. Of course it has its drawbacks, that is, it has too many connections. In terms of reliability, the more complicated things, the harder it is to be reliable. I usually like simplification. Some people like to do additions, and we like to do subtraction.
Reporter: Ningde era is currently the leader of the global new energy power battery market. At present, it is also building a factory in foreign countries. How does the company maintain its leading position?
Zeng Yiqun: This is not a problem of staking, because people are joint venture with you because you are leading now, their products may need your battery, you have to work hard to adapt to the needs of the market.
The market demand consists of two parts, one is the mainframe manufacturer, which is the demand of the car manufacturer. In addition, we hope that through our technology and products, the car of the car manufacturer that cooperates with us will sell well in the market. Only by creating value for our customers can we finally develop. The same is true in foreign countries, we are constantly working through individual projects. Just like a marathon, you can't rest, you have to always have a goal.
Reporter: After the establishment of the factory in Germany in the Ningde era, the local government is also promoting the creation of an independent new energy battery alliance. Is the company now facing competitive pressure from foreign companies?
Zeng Yiqun: Foreign companies have comprehensively planned new energy sources. For example, Volkswagen announced that it will not produce new fuel vehicles after 2026, and all its power will be transferred to new energy sources. So why do I call for planning for 2035 to be more important, because China has taken a step forward and not want to get up early in the morning. You see people wake up, and all R&D forces have shifted to new energy and intelligence. The direction we used to go is very correct. Now, after halfway through, everyone started to hesitate. I thought that others didn't keep up. In fact, others are doing it.
Reporter: Are you worried about this?
Zeng Yiqun: We have been growing up in full competition.
I used to do it from consumer battery. I have never had any national policy protection. But in the early days, the national policy is very important. In the end, when we grow to a certain degree, we must compete comprehensively. Comprehensive competition is very good and can promote progress. Without competition, it is closed-door construction. Therefore, I think it is right for the country to talk about comprehensive openness and comprehensive competition. But why is the previous policy good? Because in some respects we have a weak foundation, just like a child, you have to raise him to 18 and let him go out. this is correct.
Reporter: Dong Mingzhu, Chairman of Gree Electric Appliances recently commented that China's auto industry is a bit shoddy. What do you think of this?
Zeng Yiqun: You can't put apples and oranges together. Everyone always thinks that it is possible to automate the German BMW production line. Our production line does not seem to be a good BMW. But some of them are in China.
First, cost is the most important. China’s labor costs are slightly lower, and the Prime Minister’s government work report mentions solving employment problems. It’s not that they don’t do anything about it, but it’s done, and employment is still a big problem.
Second, it has something to do with the brand. Our domestic brands have not yet reached that level. Selling 500,000 and 1 million brands is not the same as selling 100,000 and 150,000 brands. Therefore, market positioning and demand determine the different forms of the production line.
In fact, technically, I don’t think it’s that difficult. If everyone is manufacturing a 100,000-class car, our current manufacturing level will not be lost to anyone, but because people are doing a car of 1 million yuan. So it can be sculpted and the manufacturing level will be higher. We do not currently have 1 million yuan of this domestic car.
Interview with Zeng Yiqun, Chairman of Ningde Times
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