China’s Jinan – In the global competition for sustainable transportation, China has established itself as the forefront through the remarkable advances in green energy vehicles.
On Wednesday, as part of a delegation of foreign journalists, I visited BYD Zinan Base in Shandong Province and witnessed first-hand the manufacturing powerhouse redefines the future of electric mobility.
BYD Zinan Base represents a 15 billion yuan ($2.1 billion) investment in the future of China’s green industry. This fully integrated facility features sophisticated stamping, welding, painting and assembly lines, showing you the perfect marriage of scale and technology refinement. The March 2024 milestone, which produces BYD’s 7 million new energy vehicles, speaks volumes of China’s accelerated transition to clean up electricity alternatives from combustion engines.
Walking along the production line, we observed meticulous assemblies of popular models such as the Denza N7, Yuan Plus, Seal 06 DM-I, and Song L. All of them benefited from production volumes that doubled from the previous year. The facility’s efficiency and level of automation rivals the best automotive plants in the world, but focuses on sustainable manufacturing operations.
Beyond its technical achievements, Zinan Base serves as the economic engine of Shandong Province. The facility’s current 15,000 workforce is just the beginning, with forecasts pointing to 57,000 jobs in full capacity. Currently, based on trial production, the 5 billion yuan smart component base emphasizes the production of critical EV systems such as vertical integration, high voltage harnesses, and on-site manufacturing of critical EV systems such as e-drive units.
There is no denying the economic ripple effect. Over 10 support companies have established businesses nearby, but nearly 400 suppliers across Shandong contribute to the supply chain. This industrial ecosystem demonstrates how environmental sustainability can promote economic prosperity. This is a lesson in developing countries around the world.
As the world’s largest EV market and manufacturer, China’s commitment through facilities like Zinan Base exceeds domestic priorities. The scale of production here is that global roads have replaced the traditional gasoline-powered vehicles with global roads replacing the global roads, directly contributing to global carbon reduction efforts.
BYD’s innovation trajectory – from battery technology to vehicle system completion – illustrates China’s strategic approach to clean technology development. The Jinan facility is more than just a production site. This is a living lab for sustainable mobility solutions exported worldwide.
Wednesday’s visit to Zinan Base reinforced a key truth. The clean energy transition could be an engine for both environmental protection and economic growth. China’s EV models offer valuable insights as developing countries aim to industrialize without repeating past environmental mistakes.
The speed and scale of adoption of Chinese electric vehicles supported by facilities like BYD Zinang Base hopes industrial development and environmental management can actually hold hands.
This is not only a contribution to China’s achievements, but also to global climate efforts worthy of international recognition.