GM/Toyota Beats New Energy in China

After a short period of silence, the new energy vehicle once again embarked on stage, and this time the protagonist has finally replaced the two car giants GM and Toyota, and this time in the R & D field, we finally see Multinational giants have come up with real money. It is understood that the near-hardware investment of GM's forward-looking technology research center will reach 250 million U.S. dollars, while Toyota Motor Corp. has used 689 million U.S. dollars to build Toyota's largest research and development center, TMEC, in China.

Toyota's Beacon Hybrid announced the Lexus CT200h hybrid (HV) hybrid model on October 26th after the groundbreaking of Toyota's world's largest technology research and development center (TMEC) in Changshu, Jiangsu Province. The move was considered by the industry to be a Toyota car. There will be significant evidence of hybrid power. "China is the most important." This is the tone set by Toyota Akio to Toyota Motor's future development strategy in China.

It is reported that the Toyota Technology Research and Development Center (TMEC) has invested a total of 689 million U.S. dollars and will be completed in 2013. Hybrid power and plug-in hybrid power will be the top priority of the R&D center. At the same time, the technology center will also be responsible for localization matching. Research and development work. Around 2015, products bearing domestic hybrid powertrains will be produced and sold by FAW Toyota and GAC Toyota.

Four days later, Lexus CT200h hit the Chinese hybrid market at a price of 279,000 yuan. The price of the current Prius market is about 250,000 yuan. As Toyota's high-end brand, the Lexus CT200h enters the market with a price of only 30,000 yuan higher. We have seen Toyota's determined determination in the new energy vehicle market.

General Motors is optimistic about pure electric and General Motors is optimistic about pure electric vehicles. On September 20 this year, General Motors and SAIC Motor signed a cooperation agreement to jointly develop a new generation of electric vehicle platforms. On September 21, the completion of the first phase of the General China Forward-looking Technology Research Center will focus on general global battery technology and new aluminum in the future. Research and development of magnesium alloy materials; On October 2, the Universal Global Research and Development Forum was first held in China. From the above actions, it is not difficult for us to see that General Motors has to "kill" electric vehicles.

According to Alan Taub, vice president of global R&D at General Motors, the main research and development work of the General Research Technology Center in the future will focus on batteries and lightweight materials. “The research and development of magnesium alloys will be unique to China. China is the country with the most abundant magnesium resources in the world.” The purpose of GM is very clear: it is directed at the rare earth and magnesium resources in China.

Of course, in addition to R&D, cooperation with local technology developers is also very important. The high price of pure electric vehicles has made many Chinese consumers only far-sighted. “High price, low value” is the problem of the first generation of pure electric products. Therefore, reducing the cost is an urgent need for GM to complete.

In addition to the advantages of raw materials and the development of local suppliers, GM even considers the use of Chinese researchers in the forward-looking research and technology center to achieve overall reduction of R&D costs. “We are very confident that these local college students, graduate students and doctoral students can help us solve some of the global challenges facing GM,” said Tao Weilun.

Real gold and silver technology is still blocked in the current 250 million US dollars! $689 million! These figures are very embarrassing. After the giants of the multinational giants who have earned in China for 20 years have finally begun to come up with real money, the cost of research and development has fallen. However, do not think that because they think that they have really taken China as their second hometown.

Whether it is a general-purpose forward-looking research and technology center or a Toyota Technology and Development Center (TMEC), it is a wholly-owned company and does not participate in a joint venture in China. Multinational auto giants are still technically closely guarding China. In other words, technology and intellectual property remain irrelevant to China.