Wang Chuanfu: BYD Has Nearly 110,000 Engineers, the Most R&D Personnel in the World Among Automakers
On December 29, BYD appeared at the first China Innovation Technology Festival hosted by the Central Radio and Television Station, with Group Chairman and President Wang Chuanfu attending the event to share the technological innovation achievements and applications in China's new energy vehicle sector.
At the event, Wang Chuanfu introduced BYD's groundbreaking new energy vehicle technologies and provided insights into the philosophy and thought behind BYD's technology research and development. Wang Chuanfu stated that the numerous new energy vehicle technologies mastered by BYD, from inception to implementation, are all aimed at enhancing user safety and improving life experience, starting from user needs and striving to create the ultimate technology experience. Features such as the emergency floating water function of the Yi Si Fang technology and the 140km/h high-speed tire burst stability control function of the Yi San Fang technology, Wang Chuanfu said: "I hope that with these disruptive technologies, everyone can be calm and at ease even in the face of emergencies," deeply interpreting the concept that "safety is the greatest luxury of electric vehicles."
Wang Chuanfu reviewed BYD's development history and a series of pioneering technical achievements. He said that on one hand, it stems from long-term persistence and investment in technological innovation; by the third quarter of 2024, BYD's cumulative R&D investment exceeded 160 billion yuan. On the other hand, it benefits from deep cultivation and layout in the field of science. In basic science, as early as 1997, BYD established a Central Research Department with foresight, focusing on basic scientific research. Wang Chuanfu believes that: "If technology is the 'trunk,' then science is the 'roots.' Only when the 'roots' are deeper can the 'trunk' grow taller." Valuing basic science is not only a strategic layout for pursuing excellent technology but also a profound practice of the engineer culture.
Wang Chuanfu shared a set of BYD data on-site: "We now have nearly 1 million employees, 11 major research institutes, and nearly 110,000 engineers, making us the automaker with the most R&D personnel in the world, with an average of 32 patents applied for per working day."
Currently, China has become the world's largest automobile exporter, with more and more Chinese automakers gaining a say in the field of new energy vehicles globally due to their advantages in technology and industry chains. Wang Chuanfu said with emotion: "Hundreds of years ago, the Maritime Silk Road brought tea, silk, and porcelain, promoting the exchange and integration of civilizations. Hundreds of years later, setting out along this new route again, this time we bring more innovative and technological modern new energy products. We are opening the 'Great Age of Navigation' for Chinese new energy vehicles!"
