21世纪经济报道·2026-01-23 10:31Core Viewpoint - BYD has experienced remarkable growth in the electric vehicle market, with sales skyrocketing from 58,000 units to 4.6 million units by 2025, driven by a unique self-sustaining engineering culture and a focus on vertical integration to combat supply chain volatility [5][6][20]. Group 1: Engineering Culture and Talent Development - BYD's workforce includes 120,000 R&D engineers, surpassing many traditional automotive giants, which is seen as a "technical moat" by the chairman Wang Chuanfu [5][6]. - The company employs a "mentor system" where new graduates are trained by experienced engineers, ensuring a smooth transition from academia to industry [10][13]. - The internal training program, "Tomorrow's Stars," emphasizes core values of humility, eagerness to learn, and hard work, fostering a strong engineering culture [10][11]. Group 2: Innovation and Product Development - BYD's engineering team has been pivotal in developing proprietary technologies such as the blade battery and DM-i hybrid system, redefining cost and efficiency in electric vehicles [6][20]. - The company has adopted a "first principles" approach to problem-solving, allowing for innovative solutions even in the face of resource constraints [9][30]. - Wang Chuanfu's hands-on involvement in technical decision-making has led to significant innovations, such as the blade battery design, which emerged from rigorous internal discussions [16][30]. Group 3: Market Position and Competitive Strategy - BYD's sales reached 1.8624 million passenger vehicles in 2022, marking a historic achievement and establishing the company as a leader in the electric vehicle market [20][28]. - The company has shifted its focus from merely reducing battery costs to enhancing software capabilities and data integration as the market evolves towards smart vehicles [6][28]. - BYD's competitive culture, encapsulated in the phrase "Compare, Learn, Help, Surpass," emphasizes internal competition to drive performance and innovation [21][24]. Group 4: Organizational Transformation and Future Challenges - As BYD expands, it faces the challenge of maintaining its engineering culture while integrating new talent from the tech sector, which may have different working styles [28][30]. - The company is actively working to create a more agile and innovative environment to adapt to the fast-changing landscape of smart vehicles, requiring a shift from traditional manufacturing practices [30][31]. - BYD aims to balance its established strengths in engineering with the need for exploration and adaptability in the face of emerging technologies and market demands [31][32].