New Energy Vehicle Pilots the Urban Strategy of Transcending Industry

If only the pilot cities that have become demonstration cities for national energy conservation and new energy vehicles are regarded as an entry point for Dalian's development of the automobile industry, it is obviously underestimating the city's determination and courage. After a reporter interviewed some economic and scientific and technological personnel, the development of energy-saving and new energy vehicles in Dalian has already surpassed the industry itself and has become a breakthrough point for Dalian to build an innovative city and explore how to establish a long-term mechanism for scientific development. The value of pilot demonstration and promotion of energy-saving and new energy vehicles is not only to nurture and create a new economic growth point in line with the adjustment of industrial structure, but also to make Dalian truly rely on the development of relying on scientific and technological innovation through the creation of this new industry. .

FAW Bus Dalian Bus Factory is the earliest company to provide new energy bus utility vehicles in China. The hybrid buses built here have served the Beijing Olympics and Davos in Dalian. Nowadays, the hybrid buses that are used extensively in the public transportation system of our city are also from here. "Compared with traditional buses, these vehicles save more than 30% of fuel and reduce emissions by 36%, and they have improved driving and ride comfort," said director Wang Jingxing. It is precisely because of this that Dalian Public Transport Group has again ordered 60 new energy buses. In Kunming, Yunnan, the FAW passenger bus plant in Dalian also received orders for 20 new energy buses.

Despite this, Wang Jingxing still saw the market problems facing new energy vehicles. “The prospects of this industry must be good. For example, the United States has decided to implement the transition of new energy for buses within three to five years, and the Chinese government is paying more and more attention. However, the cost of new energy buses is still high, and it is difficult to be marketed without government subsidies. Accepted.” According to Wang Jingxing, the current price of a hybrid bus is twice that of a traditional bus, and pure electric buses are almost four times as expensive as traditional passenger cars. Such prices make new energy vehicles almost impossible to compete in the market.

Another issue that affects the marketization of new energy vehicles comes from technology. "The key is the battery," said Ren Ruiming, deputy head of Dalian Jiaotong University. The team he is responsible for is conducting research on raw materials for battery materials, and is building a "City Key Laboratory for R&D and Testing of New Energy Cells". He told reporters that at present, new energy vehicles generally use lithium manganese batteries. This type of battery is difficult to manufacture and therefore costly. The lithium iron phosphate battery that is currently being developed at the frontier of science and technology is safe, reliable, low in weight and cheap in raw materials, and it may reduce the cost substantially. However, the stability of this battery also requires practical testing. "Batteries, motors, and electronic control are the three most critical parts of new energy vehicles, especially electric vehicles, especially batteries. Only when the battery capacity, power density, and other technologies are solved, new energy vehicles can really be brought to market."

From these perspectives, the road to commercialization and marketization of energy-saving and new energy vehicles is still quite long. At least for a certain period of time, this industry is not yet a "golden chicken that can lay eggs." Why should Dalian actively promote demonstrations and pilot projects? "The car is running out. How do you know what to do if you don't run? How do you know how to improve?" Wang Jingxing said. It is in the continuous operation and improvement of Beijing and Dalian that the 12-meter hybrid automatic transmission bus of the FAW passenger coach Dalian passenger car plant has reduced fuel consumption by 25% per 100 kilometers.

"Demonstration, promotion and piloting should be a kind of assessment and improvement, assessment of technology, and development of technology. This is even more valuable than building more vehicles and using more vehicles." Ren Ruiming said. It is in the process of building demonstration and promotion pilot cities that energy-saving and new energy automobile industry chains are formed in our city. The Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences led the domestic fuel cell and hydrogen source technology, and the construction of the Clean Energy National Laboratory; Dalian University of Technology “Key Laboratory of Power Control and Complete Vehicle Technology for Energy Saving and New Energy Vehicles” and “New Energy Battery R&D of Dalian Jiaotong University”. The construction of municipal key laboratories will be accelerated. The research and development of key equipment and components for a number of energy-saving and new-energy vehicles in the city are being stepped up. A number of drive motor projects have been implemented by companies such as Yiwei Electric Vehicles, Dadong Motor, Tianyuan Electric, Sengu Technology and Puzhuan Technology. The Lithium Battery Materials Project of Xinyang Hi-tech and Tianxi New Energy started well. Many companies are actively developing the drive motors and their control systems. The formation of a technological highland makes it possible for Dalian to seize the commanding heights of the energy-saving and new energy automotive industry.

According to Ming Pingwen, general manager of Dalian Xinyuan Power Co., Ltd., by building an energy-saving and new-energy automotive industry, Dalian should really establish a mechanism and environment that rely on technological innovation to promote economic development. He believes that in the global division of labor of the traditional auto industry, the Chinese are almost at the lowest value-added part, and the core technologies are controlled by the developed countries. In the field of new energy vehicles, we do not fall behind too much and it is entirely possible to achieve simultaneous development and even beyond. Of course, this requires a very good environment that encourages innovation and supports innovation. For example, fuel cell vehicles are the final form of new energy vehicles. At present, we have stocked more than 240 patents and possessed original and innovative technologies. What is needed now is the support from the government and industry to make these technologies eventually industrialized into products. "In this process, we can truly establish and improve the innovation environment so that the concept of innovation can be deeply rooted in people's minds."

It seems that the energy-saving and new energy automobile industry, for Dalian, focuses not on the present but on the future. This should be a greater value for Dalian to carry out pilot demonstrations of energy conservation and new energy vehicles.