Understanding China: Belgian vlogger uncovers development of China's EV industry

A Belgian vlogger's exploration into Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing in east China's economic powerhouse the Yanatze River Delta has unveiled the key factors driving the rise of the country's automotive sector around the world.

Upon arriving in the city of Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, Lucas Deckers visited the factory of Jianhu Yaoning New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., a battery cell manufacturing company of Chinese automaker Geely's Aegis Dagger battery.

Su Zhijie, director of the production operations department for the battery maker, introduced major processes of the battery production, including coating and electrode making, to Deckers. He also told Deckers that the factory was strategically positioned in close proximity to automobile assembly plants to enhance the competitiveness of their products.

Meanwhile, Deckers discovered a test track known as the "Belgian Road" - a rough surface mimicing the cobbles sometimes used in his homeland - primarily used for testing vehicle fatigue and durability. 

Leaving that factory and heading south, Deckers then reached China's business hub Shanghai, with the intention of exploring the realm of electric vehicle design.

While exploring Geely's design studio, the vlogger learned that the design team there develops and executes new ideas, solutions and world-class designs with carving out full-scale design models in malleable clay.

Chen Zheng, Vice President of Geely Auto Group, said that these clay models are created to facilitate the design of their cars in their earliest stages. This is literally the first time a designer's idea appears as a physical object. These sculptures of ideas, will be continuously modified by hand until the design team is satisfied, creating a tangible three-dimensional vision of how the production of cars will eventually look.

On top of battery quality and design, performance is another important factor influencing car purchase. Therefore, Deckers continued southward to Zhejiang Province and arrived in Ningbo City, the home of research and development centers and supporting factories of many electric and hybrid brands.

During his tour of Geely Power Research institute, an electric car was undergoing low-temperature testing

"We will test the performance of the battery at low temperatures to see how its reliability and battery life are. We can also do high temperature testing. For example, this device can simulate sunlight. We can raise the overall temperature of the environment to 60 degrees Celsius and simulate strong winds as well," explained Xue Penglou, a test engineer at the research institute.

Meanwhile, advanced technologies like 5G and artificial intelligence (Al), have been applied by the smart factory of Zeekr, a new electric mobility technology and solutions brand owned by Geely Automobile Holdings, in order to enhance capacity.

Zhang Yu, senior manager of its assembly workshop, said that 60 vehicles can be assembled in an hour

"We use 5G and Al imaging technology to compare the orders we produce with the physical objects we load onto vehicles to ensure that 1.5 milion combinations can be assembled into the correct parts and delivered to our customers. Currently, this is absolutely leading in the world," said Zhang.

The trip showcased the division of labor that exists within the industrial chain of China's vehicle manufacturing. Jiangsu focuses on supplying batteries and conducting road tests, while Shanghai is dedicated to providing design services. Concurrently, Zhejiang specializes in component making and performance tests.