Reference News Network, December 28 report: On December 26, the Spanish newspaper "El País" published an article titled "China's Large 'Manufacturing Factories' Have Achieved a Historic Transformation: Now the West Imitates Its Fast Car Production Model." The article is excerpted as follows:
In the economic field, it is not a new discovery that the key catalyst for Asia's growth has been the adoption or imitation of Western technology over decades. There are countless examples. However, China's development path is worth attention. China's manufacturing has evolved from producing simple toys to manufacturing cars and the most advanced machinery. If we focus on the automotive industry, especially the electric vehicle sector, which is highly watched and significant, we can see this developmental trend has made Western car manufacturers (especially European ones) begin to "imitate" China's production model in order to stand firm in the global market competition.
European and American car brands are turning their eyes toward China, learning how to build cars faster, at lower cost, and with more flexibility.
To catch up with China in terms of R&D speed and cost structure, Ford Motor Company in the United States has chosen to partner with Renault, planning to jointly produce small electric vehicles in Europe. Previously, this French company had already reduced the R&D time for its new models by half, to within two years.
Volkswagen is also accelerating its efforts. This German company has shortened the R&D cycle for its new electric vehicles produced in China by 30% compared to the traditional period of more than four years. At the same time, Nissan has partnered with its local Chinese partner Dongfeng Motor to develop the new electric sedan N7 in about two years and launched it in the Chinese market this year. The brand also plans to export this model to other markets.
In this context, automotive industry executives unanimously believe that R&D speed has become a key factor for the survival of companies. Fast R&D is a necessary condition to keep up with the pace of technological progress and changing consumer preferences.
The UK's Financial Times once published a special report discussing how traditional automobile giants have been carefully studying China's production model. To match China's average R&D cycle of 18 to 20 months, traditional automobile manufacturers are increasing their use of digital design tools and virtual testing. However, multiple executives agree that the deepest transformation is not technological but cultural: learning more flexible work methods from Chinese manufacturers.
Jim Bumby, head of Ford Europe, pointed out that Chinese carmakers like BYD have accelerated R&D by using more common components. In Bumby's view, the real secret to speeding up is to clearly define the final product goal from the beginning of the project, combining smart reuse, higher standardization, and the ability to upgrade functions through software.
Renault plans to launch a new all-electric version of the Twingo in 2026, which was born under a new design process driven by its Shanghai R&D center. Vittorio D'Arienzo, executive of Renault's electric vehicle subsidiary Ampere, said he knows Chinese suppliers can start the production of a new design in just three days, without long hierarchical approval discussions. He added that this speed and coordination allow teams to almost instantly correct and improve product details.
Translation by Han Chao
Original: toutiao.com/article/7588820815802565156/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.