BYD executive says industry must innovate or competitors will have nothing to copy
BYD Group Brand and Public Relations General Manager Li Yunfei discussed the role of innovation in China’s automotive industry during an interview published by Dongfang Caijing. His comments focused on industry imitation, BYD’s internal research culture, and the company’s approach to long-term technology development.
Li said that in earlier years, some competitors questioned BYD’s technical routes, later studied them, and then attempted to replicate them. He said this pattern led to internal discussions at BYD about whether continued innovation was worthwhile if outcomes were copied. Still, he added that the company concluded innovation must continue because, without original breakthroughs, there would eventually be nothing for others to emulate.
Referring to BYD’s technology releases, Li cited the company’s megawatt flash charging system unveiled in the first half of 2025. He said that across the industry, companies pursue new technical indicators and directions through a competitive process, with leadership shifting over time, and peers later match some indicators after one to three years.
Li also pointed to several technology areas where BYD had previously taken an early position, including lithium-iron phosphate battery systems, DM plug-in hybrid technology, and permanent magnet synchronous motors. He said these directions were established through long-term research rather than short-term market decisions.
Li described BYD’s founder and chairman, Wang Chuanfu, as directly involved in research and development. Li said Wang frequently attends technical and strategic meetings from morning to night, with many major technologies and strategic decisions being shaped through in-depth engineering discussions rather than market planning sessions.
Li said Wang often explains technical principles during meetings, using examples from physics and chemistry, such as electrochemical reactions, anodic oxidation, and battery mechanisms. He added that Wang applies first-principles analysis to practical problems, including evaluating power grid capacity during the planning of fast-charging network deployment.
BYD’s emphasis on foundational research has also been reflected in recent patent disclosures. In December 2025, filings published by the China National Intellectual Property Administration revealed four BYD patents related to variable-flux permanent magnet synchronous motor technology. The patents describe methods for dynamically adjusting magnetic flux to improve efficiency across different operating conditions, representing further development of electric drive system design.
Li said BYD expects future major technology releases to continue attracting industry attention and imitation, which he described as a normal outcome of competition. He added that the company views this process as contributing to overall industry development rather than as a focus on exclusivity.
The comments come amid broader discussion within China’s automotive industry regarding technological competition and leadership in electric and hybrid vehicle development. Earlier reporting by CarNewsChina documented that some Chinese automakers, including BYD, had previously launched models with exterior design elements resembling those of established foreign brands such as Toyota during the early stages of market development.
The comments come as BYD continues to expand its research footprint in electric and hybrid vehicle technologies while preparing additional technical releases in the coming years.
Source: Oriental Finance
