Discovery

After arranging how the factory would operate during the New Year, it was officially time for the holiday break.

Some went home, some went to work, and Xu Yifan prepared to go home to visit his parents in this life.

Meanwhile, the entire country, from north to south, had entered the busy Spring Festival travel rush.

Countless migrant workers from inland areas heading to the developed coastal regions were returning to their hometowns during this period.

The train stopped at the station in this fifth-tier small city. Pulling his suitcase, he walked out of the crowded train station.

After a year away, Wang Yuhui had finally returned to his hometown, Jiangzhou City.

Like most migrant workers, after a year of hard work, he finally had about half a month of vacation.

He would return home to see his parents and relatives and reconnect with friends he hadn't seen in a long time.

The only difference was the type of work they did.

Some people worked in factories tightening screws, while others became corporate executives.

Wang Yuhui was neither a factory worker tightening screws nor a corporate executive. He was just a small employee in the product department of a not-so-large domestic car company.

Standing on the streets of his hometown, after a year, everything in this small city felt both familiar and strange.

After a year away, a few high-rise buildings had been constructed outside the train station. Although there was still a significant gap compared to big cities, it wasn't as run-down as it had been a few years prior.

The shops on the streets had changed slightly, but the overall appearance was still familiar.

After briefly observing the city's development, Wang Yuhui's attention was drawn to the cars parked outside the train station.

"What's going on with these cars parked by the roadside?"

Jiuzhou Mini cars were parked along the road outside the train station. Beside them, several old men, while chatting with others, enthusiastically greeted returning travelers.

"Young man, need a ride?"

"Anyone going to Fazi Bridge? Only five yuan!"

"Where are you going, young man? My car is cheap!"

"Little sister, give me your suitcase, you can put it in the back!"

The first large-scale appearance of black market new energy vehicles!

Taking advantage of the large crowds during the New Year, some enterprising old men had taken their cars out to do business.

Of course, this was something they only did during busy periods like the New Year when there were many people.

At this stage, even smartphones were still in their infancy, so ride-sharing services didn't exist. Taxis were busy, and this offered some convenience to travelers returning home.

Due to range anxiety and slow charging, they could only make a few trips a day, earning at most a few dozen yuan to supplement their household income.

Not in a hurry to go home, Wang Yuhui stood by the roadside, carefully observing these unfamiliar models.

As an employee in the product department of a car company, Wang Yuhui naturally paid more attention to various types of cars.

The product department's main job was to formulate the company's annual product development plan for new products and complete tasks according to the plan.

They communicated with the sales department regarding the company's existing products, tracked sales, and updated and maintained products based on market feedback to adapt to market demands and ensure the company's leading position.

Simply put, their job was to find and design products for the company that could adapt to the market, sell well, and make money for the company.

"It's a bit like Japan's K-car models. The exterior design is really nice. At first glance, it's surprisingly pleasing to the eye, even better looking than most domestic models!"

"Is it the design language of a foreign brand? It doesn't quite look like it. Although it's similar to some models, it's smaller than most. I don't remember seeing anything like it!"

"Why don't they have license plates?"

"What brand is this? I haven't seen it among car brands."

"A small car factory without a car manufacturing license?"

"Why are there so many identical models here? There are over a dozen just at the train station, and more keep arriving after dropping off passengers and waiting for new ones."

For a moment, Wang Yuhui's mind was filled with questions, and he wanted to find answers.

If he knew the answers, perhaps his work next year would be easier!

The product department was responsible for formulating vehicle production plans, so they had to find a car that met market demand and could drive sales.

The simplest approach was to look at the roads and see which cars were selling well, why they were selling so well, and what the core reasons were.

Was it because of joint ventures, their own technology, and accumulated reputation and sales?

Or did the model's design have some unique highlights that attracted a certain type of consumer?

Finding well-selling models and understanding exactly why they sold well, then imitating them, was also one of the breakthrough points for many car companies' product departments.

For example, the future famous BYD!

Its future brilliant achievements were inseparable from the F3 model launched in 2005.

This model was BYD's 1:1 replica of the Toyota Corolla.

Buying a car that looked identical for less than half the price of a Toyota Corolla was incredibly tempting, and some 4S dealerships even included Toyota badges!

From 2005 until its discontinuation in October 2020, the BYD F3 model alone achieved total sales of 3 million units.

It was also thanks to this enduring model that BYD received a continuous stream of capital, laying the foundation for becoming the top brand in new energy vehicles in the future.

Without this model, it was questionable whether they would have survived until the government officially subsidized the development of new energy vehicles, let alone had the funds to research hybrid and new energy electric vehicle technology.

BYD's success owed a great deal to the F3 model.

After observing from the side for a while, Wang Yuhui began to notice a few things.

"First of all, almost all the drivers are elderly. Hmm, out of about thirty observed targets, there were two middle-aged people, which indicates the market isn't limited to just the elderly."

"The exterior design is also good, classic and sturdy, with a boxy shape."

"Although the distance is significant and I couldn't hear very clearly, several times when they passed by, I didn't hear the engine sound, but rather the motor's."

"This isn't an ordinary car!"

"I can't figure out anything else for now, but even if I can't figure it out, I can ask!"

Pulling his suitcase, Wang Yuhui walked towards a Jiuzhou Mini that was soliciting passengers.

Based on Wang Yuhui's observation, this driver seemed quite talkative, and he hoped to get a good answer!

"Driver, are you going to Sunjiawan?"

The elderly man, who had been chatting with a companion, turned around and said happily, "Yes, yes, how about 30 yuan?"

"Sure, that's a fair price!"

Based on Wang Yuhui's past experiences taking taxis, a ride back usually cost over fifty.

Moreover, since he was going out of town, it was difficult to find taxi drivers willing to take passengers during the New Year period, unless they paid extra!

The rear hatch of the Jiuzhou Mini opened. The rear seats had been folded down, providing ample space for several suitcases.

"You can carry people and cargo?" Wang Yuhui mused.

After putting his suitcase in, he quickly sat in the passenger seat of the Jiuzhou Mini.