My Age of Investment

Straubel opened the door to Xia Jingxing's office and was about to walk out when he found a blond, middle-aged white man standing not far from the door, looking at him with a smile on his face.

"Is Darren in there?"

Straubel nodded subconsciously, and then said: "Mr. Fisk, do you have anything to do with the boss?"

"It's nothing, I just want to have a casual chat with Darren."

Straubel did not doubt his presence, smiled, nodded to the man, and left.

After watching Straubel leave, a blond man named "Fisk" walked into Xia Jingxing's office.

"Dylan~"

After seeing the person coming clearly, Xia Jingxing stood up and greeted warmly: "Mr. Fiske, please take a seat. What would you like to drink?"

"No, I was planning to go back to the company, but I remembered something and wanted to chat with you for a while."

Fisk smiled and sat down on the guest sofa nearby. Then he stared at Xia Jingxing sitting opposite for a moment, and then slowly said: "Darren, what do you think of the Model S prototype?"

Xia Jingxing was a little confused, "What are you referring to?"

Fisker smiled and simply stated: "Don't you think it's too early to launch pure electric vehicles? The Model S prototype has encountered so many problems, which shows everything. The current supporting technology and industry are not mature."

Xia Jingxing moved his butt back, leaned against the back of the sofa and began to think deeply, and suddenly said: "You mean the extended-range hybrid?"

"right!"

Fisker nodded slightly, and then said with emotion: "Pure electric vehicles represent the future, but not the present. What the market needs most now is a hybrid transitional model. Users, supply chain, three-electric technology, etc. , it will all take some time to adapt to the technological craze led by electric vehicles."

Xia Jingxing held his chin and began to think. Instead of considering launching a hybrid car, there was nothing to consider. Pure electric cars were the future. He was thinking about the deep meaning behind Fisker's words.

Fisker's full name is Henrik Fisker. He is not an employee of Tesla Motors, but a Tesla partner and consultant, the founder and president of Fisker Automotive Company.

Fisker Automobile was founded in 2005. Its main business is to provide customers with hand-built super sports cars. The production and sales volume are very small. For example, the Fisker Tramonto they built based on the Mercedes-Benz SL-AMG platform a few years ago only sold 150 units worldwide. , there are two versions: V8 and V12, of which the V12 version is rarer, with only 15 units.

This production and sales volume is like a small workshop, so in order to survive, Fisker Automobile Company also accepts design orders from other automobile manufacturers.

Xia Jingxing was not very familiar with Fisker. He only knew that Fisker had a very brilliant career. He had led a team that designed famous models such as the BMW Z8, Aston Martin DB9, and Aston Martin V8 Vantage. He was a well-known car designer in the industry.

The cooperation between Fisker and Tesla was negotiated when Eberhard and Tarpenning were still employed.

After Straubel came to power, Tesla still maintained good work with Fisker, and Fisker was deeply involved in the design of the Model S.

However, as far as Xia Jingxing knows, Fisker Automobile is also building an electric car!

"Mr. Fisker, I wonder if you haven't noticed a concept car that General Motors exhibited last year - the Chevrolet Volt?"

Fisker smiled: "Of course I know. After many years, General Motors once again set its sights on electric vehicles, and the entire automotive industry was shocked.

However, GM seems to have learned the lesson from the last failure in building a car. They did not follow the old pure electric path that EV1 took, but chose the new path of extended-range hybrid power.

More than ten years ago, the EV1's cruising range was only a pitiful 144 kilometers, but today's Chevrolet Volt concept car has a 500-kilometer range. "

Xia Jingxing smiled and nodded, "The Karma car that Fisker plans to put on the market also uses the chassis provided by General Motors, right?"

Fisker laughed loudly, "It seems that Darren, you are still very concerned about the news in the automotive industry. Yes, Karma not only uses a universal chassis, but we also plan to make an extended-range hybrid vehicle!

Fisker Automotive is very optimistic about this direction, and we think this is the direction of development in the next ten or even twenty years.

As for pure electric vehicles, it may take another twenty years for the technology to take off.

As a partner, I don’t want to see Tesla wasting years on pure electric vehicle technology and wasting development time.

I hope you can join the camp of extended-range hybrid vehicles and work together to improve related technologies and promote changes in the automotive industry. "

Xia Jingxing shook his head secretly. If he hadn't been familiar with the development history of electric vehicles in his previous life, he would have almost been fooled by this bad old man like you.

"Thank you very much for Mr. Fisker's reminder and advice. However, Tesla has been aiming in the direction of pure electric power since its birth. We will not make hybrid cars. Even if we get a bloody head, we will stick to pure electric cars." electric car."

Fisker shook his head repeatedly, "This is really not a good idea. There are still many problems on the Model S prototype body. It may be possible to solve them one by one soon, but it is more likely to fall into a dead end of repeated testing and verification of technology.

Not a single car has been sold, no positive cash flow has been generated, and it has been stuck in the stage of burning money on concept cars. This will directly bring down a car company that originally had good development prospects. "

Speaking of this, Fisker shrugged, "I want to cooperate with you for a few more years. After all, you are very happy to give me money."

Xia Jingxing smiled and said: "Mr. Fisker, you don't need to persuade me. I have made up my mind. No matter how difficult it is, I will overcome the technical difficulties of Model S one by one.

Even if we fail in the end, we will have no regrets! "

Fisk raised his head, took a deep look at Xia Jingxing, and sighed: "Well, since you insist on doing this, I won't persuade you anymore.

However, Darren, please listen to my advice and set a stop loss line and a research and development deadline for yourself and Tesla. "

Xia Jingxing said with a smile: "What you said makes sense! But we will not leave ourselves a way out. Starting a business is a matter of narrow escape. If you have the idea of ​​"cherishing your life", the probability of failure will become 99.99%."

Fisker's face doesn't look good. I kindly pointed out a clear path for you and Tesla, but you turned around and taught me a lesson?

"Okay, Darren, I wish you and Tesla success."

After finishing the matter, Fisk was no longer prepared to linger. He stood up, shook hands with Xia Jingxing, and left without looking back.

After walking out of the Tesla office park and getting into an Aston Martin DB9, Fisker suddenly showed a strange smile on his face. He was still too young!