BYD is one of the fastest-growing companies in the global electric vehicle (EV) transformation wave. Recent data shows that their workforce now exceeds 700,000 people, nearly double that of automotive giant Toyota.
While the automotive industry’s success isn’t solely based on workforce size, creating job opportunities is a significant consideration for national policies, which is a key reason for supporting the automotive industry. In China, the three industries contributing the most to employment growth are automotive, electronics, and semiconductors, with the rapidly growing automotive sector being the main driver.
China has the highest EV adoption rate in the world, with 8.1 million new energy vehicles (pure electric and plug-in hybrids) registered in 2023, representing an annual growth rate of 35%. Additionally, China’s car exports increased to 4 million units, of which 1.2 million were new energy vehicles, showing an annual growth rate of 80%.
It might be hard to imagine Chinese-made cars posing a threat to Europe, but the truth is that China’s low-cost EVs have already made European car manufacturers nervous, leading to an ongoing price war. According to the International Energy Agency, at least two-thirds of vehicles are expected to see price reductions, with BYD leading this aggressive pricing strategy.
Interestingly, while Tesla has been cutting jobs to reduce costs, BYD has been increasing its workforce. Since 2019, BYD has hired 470,000 new workers, bringing its total number of employees to over 700,000, almost double Toyota’s 375,000 employees.
It should be noted that BYD’s large workforce isn’t just due to overstaffing or government mandates; it’s because they have a very high in-house production rate. BYD manufactures about 70% of the parts for their vehicles, including batteries, unlike Toyota’s extensive supplier network. Therefore, directly comparing the number of employees doesn’t accurately reflect the efficiency of each company’s workforce.
On the other hand, China’s low wages and long working hours are a powerful factor in reducing costs for Chinese car manufacturers. This is also one reason Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory can achieve such high production capacity.
BYD’s price-cutting strategy is ongoing. Their goal is not just to compete in the EV market but to bring EV prices down to the same level as traditional fuel vehicles, aiming to become the dominant player surpassing other joint venture car companies in China.
In 2023, BYD captured an 11% market share in China, overtaking Volkswagen, which had dominated for 15 years. With Volkswagen phasing out its classic models and the ID series performing poorly in China, the gap between BYD and its competitors is likely to widen further in 2024, making BYD the new leader in the Chinese car market.
The Yoke steering wheel that debuted with the Model S Plaid two years ago will no longer be standard equipment for these two high-end Tesla cars. Is it because the feel is really bad?
The strangely shaped Yoke steering wheel is very different from the traditional round steering wheel. After some Model S Plaid owners complained, Tesla decided to change the policy.
From now on, on the car purchase page of Model S/X, the steering wheel is preset as a traditional circular steering wheel.
If you want to use the Yoke steering wheel, you need to choose it. Interestingly, this option is at no extra cost.
While many owners eventually got used to the Yoke wheel after complaining,
But Tesla also felt that it was not necessary to force car owners to accept it, so it opened up two options.
Although such an option, in the eyes of the Model 3/Y owner who modified the Yoke steering wheel himself, it is simply a luxury.
The Yoke steering wheel does make Tesla look more like a racing car, and the feeling of controlling the vehicle is quite unique.
It forces the driver’s hands to be placed at the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock directions of the steering wheel,
This is also in line with Tesla’s philosophy of designing vehicles. Their goal is to let humans drive as little as possible, so the steering wheel should be more and more streamlined.
Perhaps influenced by the recent increase in inventory, Tesla seems to be opening up more and more to try to attract more buyers.
Recalling that when the Yoke steering wheel was first launched, Elon Musk also said that there would be no option for a round steering wheel.
The vagaries of Tesla have also caused headaches for other manufacturers. The interior design of many car manufacturers continues to “pay tribute” to Tesla.
The car factory that launched the “Yoke-like” steering wheel is now lonely.
By simultaneously adopting small three-cylinder turbo petrol engines, the Hyundai i20 and Volkswagen Polo intend to reduce their appetite. These cars are for the ones who want to save up while having some class.
Some fall for the suggestive line of a Renault Clio, inspired according to the words of its designer Laurens van den Acker by the Aston Martin Vantage. Others will swear by the chic side of a Mini Cooper. Finally, some will flock to the undeniable originality of the Toyota Yaris, which also has the good taste to come in a hybrid variant, almost unique on the market.
In the midst of all this, our two protagonists of the day may seem very bland. Certainly neat in their style and balanced, the Volkswagen Polo and Hyundai i20 stick to a classicism of good taste. With a certain success elsewhere: the German does not admit her already seven years of career.
Classic in their philosophy, the Hyundai i20 and Volkswagen Polo are also technically classic. It is indeed after most of their competitors that they adopt new three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engines, the avowed aim of which is to reduce emissions and consumption.
The city car from Wolfsburg proclaims this intention loud and clear, by offering its new 95 hp 1.0 TSI only on a single Bluemotion finish, which is coupled with a set of specific aerodynamic elements: smoothed grille, lower body, spoiler of tailgate…
At Hyundai, the 1.0 T-GDi of 100 hp is added to the standard range and comes in reinforcement of the atmospheric 1.4 of the same power, simply claiming an additional cost of about $250.
Whether at Volkswagen or at Hyundai, these new blocks are full of technology: direct injection (pressure of 250 bar at VW, 200 bar at Hyundai), separate cooling circuit for the cylinder head, turbo with electrically controlled wastegate …
However, only the Korean engine is already capable of meeting Euro 6c particulate emission standards, applicable in 2017. In the meantime, the three-cylinder Polo emits more particles than an equivalent diesel, legislation obliges!
A bit rough Korean
In use, however, the three-cylinder Hyundai bends the spine against its Germanic counterpart. Admittedly flexible and vigorous up to the red zone, the 1.0 T-GDi appears quite vibrant at low revs.
It is also less discreet, imposing in particular a very unpleasant hum at mid-load around 2,000 rpm. In addition, its appetite remains quite high: about 7.2 l/100 km on the road with light feet and 7.8 l/100 km on the highway or on a mixed course.
Opposite, the 1.0 TSI shows impressive frugality, claiming around 1.4 l/100 km less! In addition, and thanks to its balanced flywheel, it contains its tremors much better, while its vocalizations are better muffled. Like its competitor, it presents a good length, with a fairly linear temperament.
In short, one like the other does not suffer from the very long stages of the five-speed gearboxes with which they are associated (it is possible to reach 170 km/h in third gear on both cars). Only the Polo has a slight throttle lag, more to blame for throttle mapping than any lazy turbo.
Volkswagen Polo 2019 design
In addition to its more pleasant engine, the Polo can put forward a more padded comfort. The softer suspensions isolate much better from the bumps of the road, even if they are sometimes sensitive to pumping. This can slightly unbalance the rear when cornering on bumpy roads, while this Volkswagen has a most reassuring understeer temperament on smooth roads.
Dunlop Sport Blue low rolling resistance tires have decent grip. The time of the Volkswagen Bluemotion which put CO2 emissions before safety and pleasure therefore seems to be over. So much the better!
Slightly livelier on winding roads, the Hyundai i20 has very healthy handling. But what drought! The very firm suspensions, associated with hard seats, are not tender for the passengers, who will also have to endure fairly intrusive rolling noises as soon as the bitumen degrades. Comfort is therefore not the first quality of the Korean.
In terms of reception, it is thanks to its space on board that the Hyundai i20 makes up for it. Rear passengers can stretch their legs wide and the large trunk can take up to 326 liters of luggage. With only 280 liters and more roominess, the Polo cannot compete, although it is one of the good competitor in the category.
With its neat ergonomics and foamed plastics, the Hyundai’s dashboard seems light years away from the image that the general public can have of the affordable Korean city car.
Moreover, the i20 can have the most complete equipment, depending on the finishes or by drawing from the catalog of options. The Intuitive version, the cheapest offered with the 100 hp 1.0 T-GDi, already offers air conditioning, CD player and reversing radar for a price of $11,900. More than adequate.
The opening of the door of the Polo Bluemotion is surprising. Like the entry-level Trendline, this version is indeed content with a dashboard entirely made of hard plastics, fortunately covered with a paint which improves the perceived quality. However, the finish is neat, with precise assemblies and chrome strapping that brighten up the whole thing a little.
Hyundai i20 interior 2013
Inside the Polo, the finish is serious and the atmosphere austere. The Bluemotion has to make do with a hard plastic dashboard, like the entry-level Trendline.
If the finish is therefore very correct as always with Volkswagen, the level of equipment is itself clearly unacceptable: at 17,370 €, you still have to dig into the catalog of options to obtain a radio or air conditioning! The automatic lighting of the headlights, the rain sensor or the electrically folding mirrors are prohibited for this finish.
Dominating its competitor on all points except that of habitability, the Polo Bluemotion cannot therefore claim victory through the fault of an abstruse pricing policy. To have a decent price / equipment ratio on the German, it is therefore better to turn to the more traditional 1.2 TSI 90, offered at $19,600 in Comfortline finish, with equipment comparable to that of the i20 Intuitive.
The price gap remains substantial, but in our view it corresponds to a real benefit gap. This, especially since the promotions are legion at Volkswagen on the Polo which is approaching retirement. It simply seems regrettable that the German manufacturer voluntarily weighs down the career of its brilliant little three-cylinder by limiting it to this poor finish, while Seat distributes it widely on its Ibiza.
Fuel Consumption
Hyundai i20
Hyundai’s official fuel economy figure for the i20 N, on the ADR 81/02 – urban, extra-urban cycle, is 6.9L/100km, the 1.6-litre four emitting 157g/km of C02 in the process.
Stop/start is standard, and we saw a dash-indicated average of 7.1L/100km over several hundred km of city, B-road and freeway running on the occasionally ‘spirited’ launch drive.
Volkswagen Polo
If VW’s aim in turning the wick down on the manual Polo is improved fuel-efficiency it’s a dubious move with both versions of the 1.0L three-cylinder engine returning an official fuel economy figure of 5.4L/100km on the combined (ADR 81/02 – urban, extra-urban) cycle.
And the environment is ultimately the (not so big) loser, the 70kW manual producing 124g/km of CO2, while the 85kW auto trims that to 123g/km.
Minimum fuel recommendation is 95 RON premium unleaded, although you’ll need just 40 litres of it to brim the tank. Using the official consumption figure that translates to a range of 740km.
With the C-HR Prologue concept, Toyota expects the second generation of the successful model to appear at the end of 2023. The new C-HR is compact, muscular and certainly has a very mysterious look.
The new Toyota C-HR will follow in the footsteps of the model on the market today, and six years after its launch it will remain by far one of the drivers’ favorite hybrid crossover models, thanks to its bold and original styling.
While modeling the shapes of the Toyota C-HR Prologue, the designers played with the succession of sharp surfaces. The result was a car that was more aggressive and “sharp” than the current Toyota C-HR, but also leaner, more elegant and above all more practical and comfortable. The inspiration for the front, now characterized by thinner headlights and a smaller grille, came from the pointed nose of a shark.
In the concept model we saw, the size of the tire diameter stands out. Bigger tires and wheels added a more aggressive air to the car.
In addition, there are hidden door handles in the latest model vehicles in the pictures. Instead of side mirrors, camera mirrors with new mirror technology and safer driving are used in the concept.
The Toyota C-HR prologue brings a third sulfur color accent on metal silver and carbon black. From the very beginning, it was designed to stand out with a tri-colour option. This rich color texture makes the vehicle look much more stylish.
At a ceremony at Palmdale Air Force Base, Northrop Grumman and the US Air Force unveiled the first B-21 Raider strategic bomber to the public. This aircraft represents the future of US Air Force strategic aviation and includes new systems, highly advanced stealth and capable of performing many missions.
The long-awaited ceremony took place
On December 3, Northrop Grumman and the United States Air Force (USAF) held a ceremony to introduce the first B-21 Raider to the public. Many local and foreign press members attended the ceremony.
After the American national anthem, Northrop Grumman CEO and President Kathy J. Warden gave a speech, and the highly anticipated B-21 Raider bomber emerged from the hangar behind it. After the B-21 was removed, it was pulled from the hangar by a Push-Back vehicle. The B-21’s resemblance to the legendary B-2 bomber produced exactly 34 years ago did not go unnoticed.
.@SecDef: [The @USAirForce’s B-21 Raider is] proof of the Department’s long-term commitment to building advanced capabilities that will fortify America’s ability to deter aggression, today and into the future. pic.twitter.com/93ahmw90Ar
Secretary of Defense LLoyd J. Austin took the podium. He confirmed that the B-21 will remain a continental-based aircraft. It means it doesn’t need to be deployed as close as possible to operational areas like the B-2 bombers based in Whiteman (Missouri, Missouri). These planes are said to be far more advanced than even the very advanced B-2 Spirit planes used by the United States.
B-21 Raider, an aircraft with dual attack capabilities; May carry conventional or nuclear weapons. Raider has also been developed to be very easy to maintain and also designed in open architecture so it can easily use newly developed technologies.
There is no exact date yet, but with the announced entry into service for 2026-2027, the US Air Force will have 4 types of strategic bombers;
B-52
ilk B-21
B-1
B-2
The Army, which will retire the B-1 and B-2 aircraft in the next 10 years, will instead take the B-21 and B-52s into the inventory.
MERCEDES VE BOSCH: OTONOM PARK SİSTEMİ DEVREYE ALINDI
Mercedes and Bosch collaborated to develop the 4th level autonomous parking system commissioned at Stuttgart Airport, Germany. Stuttgart, Germany – Bosch and Mercedes-Benz have reached an important milestone on the road to autonomous driving:
The German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) has approved a highly autonomous parking system for use in the P6 car park operated by APCOA at Stuttgart Airport.
“The world’s first approval for customer use of our highly automated, driverless parking function, developed together with our technology partner Bosch, shows that innovation leadership and the phrase ‘Made in Germany’ will come together,” said Markus Schäfer, Chief Technology Officer and Chief Technology Officer.
Development and Supply at Mercedes-Benz: “After the launch of our Drive Pilot Level 3 system, we will soon offer a Level 4 for parking all year round with our Intelligent Park Pilot. We are really showing our customers how technology can make their lives easier and save them valuable time.
It will be the first level 4 autonomous parking system to be authorized
This system is the world’s first Level 4 autonomous parking system officially approved for commercial use. This system works without any driver, the vehicle parks completely autonomously or brings the vehicle to the driver.
The function will soon be available on some Mercedes S-Class and EQS models equipped with the Intelligent Park Pilot system: To park in the P6 car park at Stuttgart airport in Germany, drivers will be able to use the APCOA FLOW platform for contactless reservations. It will also offer online payment as well as check-in and check-out.
Image source: Bosch (Level 4 autonomous parking is realized thanks to advanced sensors)
How does the autonomous parking system work?
All you have to do is select a pre-reserved parking space using the Mercedes me app for smartphones. Once the parking place is selected, it will be sufficient to enter the parking lot and get out of the vehicle.
This automatic valet parking service doesn’t need a driver. The user can continue to work while the vehicle is automatically navigating to its assigned parking spot and parking alone, providing real-time savings and peace of mind.
When the user returns, the vehicle returns to the pick-up point autonomously as it was originally. This process is based on the interaction between the smart infrastructure provided by Bosch and installed in the car park and the autonomous driving technology in Mercedes vehicles.
