SUV

"Professor Tao, you're Guosheng's R&D consultant. I'm curious, what do you need to do?"

"Battery pack optimization design."

Professor Tao knew what Du Ke was going to ask. "There's competition even among contract manufacturers. If we optimize and lower costs, we can get more orders. However, compared to BYD, Tesla's battery pack technology, Guosheng is still a bit behind. Actually, I want to develop a better battery management system, but unfortunately, no one is investing."

Du Ke smiled and joked, "When I start my own company and invest in battery R&D, Professor Tao, you can come help me design it."

Professor Tao also joked, "Haha, okay, okay, I'll wait for you to hire me, Boss Du... By the way, Xiao Du, you're not really planning to start a company, are you? The battery industry is too deep. The only one in China that can really do it is BYD... But BYD's success isn't due to technology, but service."

"What do you mean by that? Isn't BYD an international leader in the battery industry?"

"Uh, let me put it this way, the gap between BYD's batteries and Tesla's batteries is still quite significant."

"How is that possible?" Du Ke didn't believe it. BYD batteries were exported abroad and were getting orders hand over fist in Europe. "Are Tesla batteries that good?"

"Tesla uses Panasonic's Lithium Cobalt Oxide Batteries, which store a lot of energy and can greatly increase driving range, but the downside is they're too expensive. BYD uses its own technology, Lithium Iron Phosphate Batteries, which perform worse but are cheaper. BYD sells service, offering free battery replacements, and their vehicles are also cheap. Why wouldn't consumers buy something that's both good and affordable?"

After Professor Tao finished his comparison, he pointed at Du Ke's BYD Han. "How much did you pay for this car?"

"It was 320,000 after taxes and fees. I bought the top trim."

"Do they offer free battery replacements?"

"Lifetime free."

"That's exactly right. The BYD Han has a range of 500 kilometers, which completely meets your needs. Even if the battery life is a bit shorter, you can just replace it when it's no longer good, right? So it's completely worth it for home use. Your top trim was 320,000, but without the extras, it's probably less than 300,000 after taxes and fees. Isn't that better than buying a Tesla?"

It really was better.

However, Du Ke's BYD Han wasn't bought; he "made" it himself. After his Mind Power reached level 2 Touch of Mind, the energy limit of his Mind Armor doubled, finally allowing him to materialize a small car. He chose this cool, trendy new energy flagship sedan first.

Professor Tao continued, "Moreover, Lithium Iron Phosphate Batteries are very safe, unlike Lithium Cobalt Oxide Batteries, which are not as safe. That's why you often see news about Teslas catching fire, but BYDs have never caught fire. The few cases were caused by owners modifying the circuits themselves. So you see, it's cheap and safe, with such high cost-effectiveness, it's no wonder BYD is conquering the market."

They parked and found a restaurant to sit down. Professor Tao continued to drone on about the battery industry, lamenting the intense competition and his own lack of recognition.

Du Ke listened quietly, occasionally asking a question.

After having a few drinks with Professor Tao, Du Ke drove him back to his residence at Xiake University. When Du Ke drove home and entered the parking garage, the BYD Han quickly dissipated, and the Mind Armor returned to his body. If he wanted to, Du Ke could drive a different luxury car every day.

He had visited most of the 4S dealerships in Luzhou City, touching cars until the salespeople rolled their eyes.

He opened his laptop and created a WPS document, starting to write some random thoughts: "The new energy battery industry is generally divided into two types: power batteries and digital batteries... BYD is a leader in power batteries, holding core intellectual property rights for Lithium Iron Phosphate Batteries, while the digital battery market is a free-for-all."

"And I will unite the new energy battery industry!"

At the end of the year, Du Ke shut down his "laboratory" and destroyed all the equipment inside.

In fact, of the eleven test tube samples brought back from the Fantasy World, most were gone, except for the humus soil sample which was sealed. The Hopping Pill Bugs and Crawling Tadpoles died when they crossed back to Earth. The moss, sprouts, and yellow algae ultimately couldn't adapt to the environment and also died.

The spores of the Large Mushrooms, which Du Ke had tried to cultivate, never sprouted until they rotted.

It proved that the Earth's air, or rather soil, was likely missing some substance essential for the survival of the creatures from the Fantasy World.

Now, there weren't many Long-Haired Bombs left on the Bomb Caterpillars, and Du Ke had to use each one sparingly.

Driving the BYD Han, Du Ke returned to his rural hometown for the New Year. The past year, 2020, had been full of disasters, with the pandemic and floods following one after another. Fortunately, everything was peaceful at home. The promised demolition had been delayed until the end of the year, and his parents were still living at home.

They planted a small vegetable garden and played mahjong, living a leisurely life.

Du Ke transferred another 200,000 yuan to his parents' card.

"Why do you keep sending us money, son? Your dad and I aren't lacking money. The 100,000 yuan you gave us before National Day is in a fixed deposit," his mother said. "Besides, the compensation for the land requisition has come through, over 180,000 in total. And the money for the road construction occupying the team's land, and the fish pond money, have all come through. We really don't lack money."

"Your mom is right. We don't spend much money in the countryside. You have to spend money on all sorts of things when you're starting a business out there," his father also said.

"Just take it. I don't lack money now. By the way, Dad, have you ever thought about buying a car? You and Mom could buy an SUV, and it would be convenient to go anywhere."

His mother quickly stopped him. "What SUV? I think the three-wheeled vehicle at home is quite convenient. As long as you have a car, that's enough face for us."

His father's eyes, however, flickered.

What man doesn't love cars? Du Ke smiled. "Listen to me. If you have money, why save it in the bank and earn interest? Housing prices probably won't go up much in the next few years, so buying property isn't a good deal. Just get a car for the family. It'll be convenient for you to come to the city later. Let Dad get his driver's license, and buy a car!"

Under Du Ke's strong suggestion, his father, who was already wavering, began to persuade his mother, and finally, the car purchase plan passed with a two-to-one vote.

"Should we get an electric or gasoline car?" His father clumsily operated the computer, browsing the Autohome website.

Du Ke had installed the computer and set up broadband for them so they could play games online when they had free time. They couldn't handle difficult games, but they were quite adept at games like Link-Link and Dou Dizhu. His father also liked to read headlines and keep up with national affairs.

His mother spent most of her time on her phone, happily browsing Douyin and Taobao.

"Get a gasoline one, it's more convenient," Du Ke suggested. Charging new energy vehicles can be troublesome, and currently, electric car batteries are still a potential hazard. "The Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLC, and BMW X3 are all suitable for family use, costing less than 400,000 after taxes and fees."

In the countryside, brand names matter. The BBA brands are well-known enough. It's just a car for getting around, so there's no need to pursue performance too much.

"What about a Land Rover?" his father suddenly said.

"Dad, haven't you heard the saying 'Land Rovers that can't be fixed'? If you buy one, you're either repairing it or on your way to repair it. Land Rover has a very poor reputation abroad; otherwise, they wouldn't have sold it to India's Tata. And it's not considered a luxury brand overseas. Only Chinese nouveau riche like to buy them for fun."

"Then let's forget it. If a car needs frequent repairs, it's not a good car." His father finally chose the Audi Q5, believing Audi had a better brand.

"Then let's go with the Audi Q5. Dad, hurry up and get your driver's license so we can pick up the car as soon as possible."

"Okay!" His father was full of enthusiasm.

His mother was still complaining, "What car are you buying? How old are you? Aren't you afraid of accidents while driving? You've been a farmer your whole life, riding a tricycle or a motorcycle is enough. You have to insist on having face and driving an S, S what V..."

His father happily replied, "SUV."