The call from Chen Xi came in early in the morning at New York time.
When Zhao Chen picked it up, the night was getting darker in Manhattan, and the lights on the Hudson River dimmed into a blur of golden color on the window glass.
Su Wantang walked out of the room and put a coat on his shoulders without saying a word.
"The test reports of Zhao Zong and CTI are out."
Chen Xi's voice came from thirteen thousand kilometers away, with a kind of irrepressible excitement.
"Independent Testing, it is made in full accordance with international standard procedures.
Green Energy Technology Samples submitted for inspection, Energy Storage Density, cycle life, Degradation Curve--
Not only are all the data not exaggerated, there are two indicators that are a little better than what they reported themselves.
The cycle life reported by them is 10,000 times, and the extrapolated accelerated aging test data of CTI is 10,600 times.
The attenuation rate they quoted is less than 5%, but the actual measured data is 4.3%."
Zhao Chen's fingers holding the phone tightened slightly.
"Four and three percent."
"Yes." Chen Xi paused,
"Zhao Zong, I have scanned and sent this report to your email. CTI's signature and seal are all complete."
Zhao Chen hang up the phone and open the mailbox.
The report is not long, but every number is heavy.
The cost of Energy Storage is 34.8% lower than the mainstream solutions in the market.
The cycle life is 10,600 times. The decay rate is 4.3%.
His eyes lingered on those lines of numbers for a long time.
Su Wantang put a cup of freshly brewed Pu'er in his hand and looked down at the screen.
"Translate this test report into English!"
"Are you going to Boca Chica?" she asked. Su Wantang instantly understood the intention of the translation.
Zhao Chen did not answer, but just printed out the report and put it into a Kraft Paper Envelope.
"Book a flight. The earliest flight."
Su Wantang nodded and turned around to get the tablet.
When she reached the door, she paused.
"Xiao Chen, Elon Musk, you have been dealing with him for so long, are you sure?"
Zhao Chen leaned on the back of the chair, his eyes falling on the night Manhattan outside the window.
"He is one of the people in the world who best understands technological disruption.
If this report cannot impress even him, then it means there is no need for us to follow the investment."
The sunshine of Boca Chica is as bright as ever.
When Zhao Chen's car drove into Launch Site, Starworm's same silver-gray prototype as Stainless Steel Water Tower was still standing on the launch pad.
But the scaffolding around the launch pad has several more layers than the last time we came here, and engineers shuttled between the steel skeletons like ants.
Elon Musk is not under the launch pad.
Zhao Chen asked several engineers before finding him next to Raptor engine's test bench.
He squatted in front of a disassembled engine, holding a piece of Carbon Fiber Composite Material in his hand, and was arguing with two engineers.
His voice was loud, his gestures were bigger, and his whole person was like an engine running at full power.
"Zhao?" Elon Musk raised his head and saw Zhao Chen standing at the door of the test bench, with undisguised surprise on his face.
He stood up, wiped his hands covered with engine oil on his work clothes, walked over and shook hands with Zhao Chen,
"Didn't you reply to New York?"
"I came here specially today." Zhao Chen said.
Elon Musk tilted his head slightly and his eyes stayed on Zhao Chen's face for a second.
He didn't ask anything, just turned around and explained a few words to the two engineers, and then patted Zhao Chen on the shoulder.
"Let's go and talk over there."
The two walked to an open space on the edge of Launch Site.
Texas The winter wind blows from the wilderness, carrying the smell of gravel and dead grass.
Starworm in the distance glows silver-gray in the afternoon sun, like a stainless steel nail nailed into the sky.
Zhao Chen pulled out the test report from Kraft Paper Envelope and handed it to Elon Musk.
For the English version, CTI's logo is printed on the upper right corner of the cover.
"I invested in a company in the Energy Storage Materials field.
Their Third-Generation Formula just ran through Pilot Line, which is the data of third-party Independent Testing.
The cost of Energy Storage is about 35% lower than the mainstream solutions in the market, the cycle life is more than 10,000 times, and the attenuation rate is less than 5%."
His voice was not high, but every word was clear,
"I'm not sure what this data means in terms of materials science.
You are one of the people in the world who best understands technological disruption, and I would like to ask you to help me find out."
Elon Musk took the report and opened the first page.
His eyes fell on those few lines of core data, and then stopped.
Texas The winter wind blew between the two of them for a long time.
Elon Musk turned over the report page by page, turning it so slowly that Zhao Chen could hear the sound of the paper shaking gently in the wind.
His expression did not change much, but Zhao Chen noticed that when he turned to the page about cycle life and Degradation Curve, the finger that turned the page stopped for two seconds.
"Composite Phase-Change Thermal Storage Material, for Industrial Waste Heat Recovery and New Energy Storage Peak Shaving."
Elon Musk finally spoke, his voice was much lower than usual, and the eloquent speaking speed at the press conference was completely gone.
"I have paid attention to this technical route.
The Megapack of Tesla uses lithium battery Energy Storage. The cost of electricity has been falling, but the cycle life of the lithium battery is not on the same order of magnitude as that of Thermal Storage Material.
The problem with Thermal Storage Material is that Energy Storage Density is too low and the cost is too high. If someone can lower the cost--"
He closed the report and raised his head to look at Zhao Chen.
"This is not Improvement, this is Revolution.
Thirty-five percent cost advantage and a cycle life of 10,000 times. This combination is the best in the Energy Storage industry.
This is equivalent to reducing battery costs by an order of magnitude."
Zhao Chen's finger tapped lightly on the cover of the report.
"This company is called Green Energy Technology, a start-up company of Magic City.
Henglong invested in Two Hundred Million more than four years ago, accounting for 40% of the shares.
They are now preparing to start Series B financing and build the first Thousand-Ton Scale Mass-Production Line.
The financing objects are Dening Times, Bidiya, and two other companies, Central State-Owned Enterprise Industry Fund.
The valuation given by Industrial Capital is 5 billion after the investment, 20% will be released, and 1 billion will be raised.
At the same time, Henglong is required to give up its right to follow in the investment, because if Henglong continues to follow in the investment, Industrial Capital will not be able to get enough shares, and the equity of the founding team will be excessively diluted."
He paused.
"I came here this time just to confirm one thing - whether the technology written in this report is worth it, I will retain the right to follow the investment no matter what."
Elon Musk did not answer immediately.
He opened the report and read the page Degradation Curve again.
Then he closed the report and handed it back to Zhao Chen.
"Can I invest in this company?"
Texas The winter wind suddenly stopped for a moment.
Zhao Chen's finger stopped on the cover of the report.