{"id":665665,"date":"2025-04-27T02:02:09","date_gmt":"2025-04-26T23:02:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/foreign-carmakers-strive-for-china-speed-to-stay-in-race\/"},"modified":"2025-04-27T02:02:09","modified_gmt":"2025-04-26T23:02:09","slug":"foreign-carmakers-strive-for-china-speed-to-stay-in-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/foreign-carmakers-strive-for-china-speed-to-stay-in-race\/","title":{"rendered":"Foreign carmakers strive for &#8216;China Speed&#8217; to stay in race"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3dbd2c679ed\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3dbd2c679ed\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/foreign-carmakers-strive-for-china-speed-to-stay-in-race\/#%E2%80%98Make-or-break_moment\" >&#8216;Make-or-break moment&#8217;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/foreign-carmakers-strive-for-china-speed-to-stay-in-race\/#Three_years_to_nine_months\" >Three years to nine months<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2025\/robots-weld-chassis-of.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2025\/robots-weld-chassis-of.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Robots weld chassis of electric cars at a Zeekr factory in Ningbo, in China's eastern Zhejiang province.\">\n<figure class=\"article-img\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2025\/robots-weld-chassis-of.jpg\" alt=\"Robots weld chassis of electric cars at a Zeekr factory in Ningbo, in China's eastern Zhejiang province\" title=\"Robots weld chassis of electric cars at a Zeekr factory in Ningbo, in China's eastern Zhejiang province.\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-darken text-low-up text-truncate-js text-truncate mt-3\">\n                Robots weld chassis of electric cars at a Zeekr factory in Ningbo, in China&#8217;s eastern Zhejiang province.<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>In fluid synchronization, dozens of robotic arms picked up metal parts and welded them onto vehicle beds, as car skeletons gradually took shape and progressed along an automated factory floor near the eastern Chinese city of Ningbo.<\/p>\n<p>Across the country, car models rolling off assembly lines like this have gone from concept to release in record time\u2014known in the industry as &#8220;China Speed,&#8221; the envy of foreign competitors.<\/p>\n<p>At EV firm Zeekr&#8217;s vast Ningbo plant, advanced robotics and artificial intelligence have been leveraged at every stage of the manufacturing process to save huge amounts of time and money.<\/p>\n<p>In the casting shop, a robotic arm that towered over the human foremen supervising it picked up a freshly made piece of aluminum and dunked it into a vat of water, sending steam hissing out, before passing the metal to another machine to cut and press it.<\/p>\n<p>The factory still employs around 2,500 workers to do some delicate tasks and for quality control.<\/p>\n<p>But the heavy lifting is done by hundreds of tireless robots, with some processes going on 24 hours a day.<\/p>\n<p>And it&#8217;s not just manufacturing that has been accelerated.<\/p>\n<p>Zeekr has a research and development base in Sweden, which allows workloads to be shared across timezones. Its parent company, Geely, also owns Swedish automaker Volvo.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2025\/the-most-innovative-ch.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2025\/the-most-innovative-ch.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"The most innovative Chinese manufacturers spend less than a third of that spent by traditional competitors to develop new vehicles, a recent Bain &amp; Company report says.\">\n<figure class=\"article-img text-center\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2025\/the-most-innovative-ch.jpg\" alt=\"The most innovative Chinese manufacturers spend less than a third of that spent by traditional competitors to develop new vehicles, a recent Bain &amp; Company report says\" title=\"The most innovative Chinese manufacturers spend less than a third of that spent by traditional competitors to develop new vehicles, a recent Bain &amp; Company report says.\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-left text-darken text-truncate text-low-up mt-3\">\n                The most innovative Chinese manufacturers spend less than a third of that spent by traditional competitors to develop new vehicles, a recent Bain &amp; Company report says.<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>In the factory&#8217;s car park, hundreds of gleaming, plate-less Zeekr 7X SUVs stood ready to be transported to dealerships.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The future is our history,&#8221; read a slogan above the entrance hall.<\/p>\n<p>                                                                                                        <!-- TechX - News - In-article --><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%98Make-or-break_moment\"><\/span>&#8216;Make-or-break moment&#8217;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Factories and companies like this have set a new pace in the industry.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We are at a make-or-break moment for established global automakers,&#8221; a recent report by consulting firm Bain &amp; Company said.<\/p>\n<p>En route to the factory, AFP saw lorries carrying brand new Zeekr cars headed to Ningbo&#8217;s huge port, bound for export to places like Australia.<\/p>\n<p>The most innovative Chinese manufacturers spend less than one-third of that spent by traditional competitors to develop new vehicles, the Bain report said.<\/p>\n<p>While legacy automakers often take 48 to 54 months to bring out new models, the timeline for younger brands is more like 24 to 30, it added.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2025\/at-ev-firm-zeekrs-vast.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2025\/at-ev-firm-zeekrs-vast.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"At EV firm Zeekr's vast Ningbo plant, advanced robotics and artificial intelligence have been leveraged at every stage of the manufacturing process.\">\n<figure class=\"article-img text-center\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2025\/at-ev-firm-zeekrs-vast.jpg\" alt=\"At EV firm Zeekr's vast Ningbo plant, advanced robotics and artificial intelligence have been leveraged at every stage of the manufacturing process\" title=\"At EV firm Zeekr's vast Ningbo plant, advanced robotics and artificial intelligence have been leveraged at every stage of the manufacturing process.\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-left text-darken text-truncate text-low-up mt-3\">\n                At EV firm Zeekr&#8217;s vast Ningbo plant, advanced robotics and artificial intelligence have been leveraged at every stage of the manufacturing process.<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Some of Zeekr&#8217;s models only took 15 months to develop, a spokesman told AFP.<\/p>\n<p>The results are clear in the sheer choice available to consumers: There are currently 2,755 models on offer from 163 brands in the Chinese market, authorities say.<\/p>\n<p>At industry show Auto Shanghai, which opened Wednesday, more than 100 new models were launched.<\/p>\n<p>Jostling in the pack were not just Chinese firms like Zeekr, BYD and Chery, but also foreign rivals hitting the gas to catch up.<\/p>\n<p>Volkswagen and Nissan launched tens of new models developed &#8220;in China for China&#8221; at the show, with executives insisting they had adapted to &#8220;China Speed.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The acceleration has been helped by the shift towards EVs, disposing of the complex internal combustion engine.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You start by designing the car virtually, making as few prototypes as possible, so you can move very quickly,&#8221; BCG consultant Mikael Le Mouellic told AFP.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2025\/the-factory-still-empl.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2025\/the-factory-still-empl.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"The factory still employs around 2,500 workers to do some delicate tasks and for quality control.\">\n<figure class=\"article-img text-center\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2025\/the-factory-still-empl.jpg\" alt=\"The factory still employs around 2,500 workers to do some delicate tasks and for quality control\" title=\"The factory still employs around 2,500 workers to do some delicate tasks and for quality control.\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-left text-darken text-truncate text-low-up mt-3\">\n                The factory still employs around 2,500 workers to do some delicate tasks and for quality control.<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Design and engineering will then work hand-in-hand, and often &#8220;reuse recipes that work,&#8221; he added.<\/p>\n<p>Zeekr&#8217;s &#8220;Sustainable Experience Architecture,&#8221; for example, can be the bed for A-class to E-class cars, saving time and money.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Three_years_to_nine_months\"><\/span>Three years to nine months<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Foreign suppliers have also had to adapt.<\/p>\n<p>Traditionally, companies could take up to three years to design, for example, a new headlamp, said Michael Fischer, boss at French automotive parts maker Forvia.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In China that doesn&#8217;t work,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>Now, &#8220;we have a process that is going to be very organized, that&#8217;s going to secure for quality, but can bring up a new headlamp in as little as nine months.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>At competitor Valeo&#8217;s factory in Changshu, north of Shanghai, four large robots assembled LED headlamps for Zeekr and other brands.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We don&#8217;t work 24\/7!&#8221; joked Valeo&#8217;s innovation manager in China, Gu Jianmin. &#8220;But we use existing solutions, and we work upstream with the automakers.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2025\/some-of-zeekrs-models.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2025\/some-of-zeekrs-models.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Some of Zeekr's models only took 15 months to develop, a spokesman tells AFP.\">\n<figure class=\"article-img text-center\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2025\/some-of-zeekrs-models.jpg\" alt=\"Some of Zeekr's models only took 15 months to develop, a spokesman tells AFP\" title=\"Some of Zeekr's models only took 15 months to develop, a spokesman tells AFP.\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-left text-darken text-truncate text-low-up mt-3\">\n                Some of Zeekr&#8217;s models only took 15 months to develop, a spokesman tells AFP.<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Development and durability tests that &#8220;would have taken months&#8221; are helped along by AI and other <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Chinese manufacturers are a little more demanding. But foreigners are trying to catch up,&#8221; said Gu.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;To emerge in China, you have to be at the same level as the locals.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"article-main__note mt-4\">\n                                                \u00a9 2025 AFP\n                                            <\/p>\n<p>                                        <!-- print only --><\/p>\n<div class=\"d-none d-print-block\">\n<p>\n                                                <strong>Citation<\/strong>:<br \/>\n                                                Foreign carmakers strive for &#8216;China Speed&#8217; to stay in race (2025, April 26)<br \/>\n                                                retrieved 26 April 2025<br \/>\n                                                from https:\/\/techxplore.com\/<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>\/2025-04-foreign-carmakers-china-stay.html\n                                            <\/p>\n<p>\n                                            This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no<br \/>\n                                            part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.\n                                            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script id=\"facebook-jssdk\" async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/sdk.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. 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In fluid synchronization, dozens of robotic arms picked up metal parts and welded them onto vehicle beds, as car skeletons gradually took shape and progressed along an automated factory floor near the eastern Chinese city of Ningbo. Across&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":665666,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2025\/robots-weld-chassis-of.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-665665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sciencee"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/665665","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=665665"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/665665\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/665666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=665665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=665665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=665665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}