Innovation Comparison of Chinese OEMs: Geely, BYD, and NIO from 2019–2023

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Innovations across diverse technology fields in the automotive industry are advancing rapidly, bringing both significant opportunities and complex challenges. In this fifth edition of AutomotiveCOMPASS, we examine the key trends defining and shaping the future of the sector.

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?? Innovation Comparison of Chinese OEMs: Geely, BYD, and NIO from 2019–2023

The automotive sector is evolving continuously, making an innovation comparison essential to analyze the trends and strengths of key players. For this comparison, a peer group of three Chinese manufacturers – Geely, BYD, and NIO – has been formed by Center of Automotive Management, focusing on the quantity and quality of innovations from 2019 to 2023.

?? Overview of the Number of Innovations

• Geely leads the group with a total of 248 product innovations, demonstrating a high level of innovation activity.
• BYD follows with 170 innovations, while NIO ranks last with 85 innovations.
• Comparing the average number of innovations among all OEMs, Geely and BYD are above the average, while NIO aligns to the average level.
• A total of 2.391 innovations were assessed from all car manufacturers during this period (2019-2023).

?? "World's First" Innovations

• A similar distribution appears in the "World's First" innovation category: Geely leads with 63 innovations, closely followed by BYD with 58.
• The gap between NIO with 14 innovations and the others is more significant in this category.
• Here, too, Geely and BYD are positioned above the average, while NIO aligns to the average level again.

Examples of innovations from these three manufacturers:

BYD: Denza D9 Dual Charging

• The Denza D9 offers dual charging ports (rear right and rear left), allowing flexible parking at charging stations and enhancing fast charging capability; by connecting two chargers simultaneously, it achieves its maximum charging power of 166 kW (83 kW each), despite only 29% of fast chargers in China supporting over 120 kW.

Lynk&Co: 08 AR-HUD projection surface

• The 4.82 m Lynk & Co 08 boasts a 92-inch augmented reality head-up display, offering the largest projection surface in a production vehicle to date, with a maximum brightness of 12,000 nits (compared to 2,000 nits on the iPhone 15 Pro), around 2,000 pixels, and a 1,200:1 contrast ratio; similar to the Mercedes EQS, it has a projection distance of 10 meters.

Nio: ET9 Charging Power 600kW

• Nio’s new luxury sedan, the ET9, features a 5.33 m length and a 120 kWh battery with 900V architecture, capable of charging at up to 600 kW, the highest in production to date; using Nio’s PowerCharger 4.0, it can reach 640 kW, enabling a 255 km range recharge in 5 minutes. Additionally, Nio’s battery swapping infrastructure allows a full battery replacement in 5 minutes. The ET9 offers an energy density of 292 Wh/kg, with pre-orders starting at around $112,800 in China in 2023, and deliveries beginning in Q1 2025.

?? Innovation Strength by Technology Fields

Examining the innovation strengths of these Chinese OEMs reveals clear areas of focus and expertise. Geely, BYD, and NIO each demonstrate specific strengths, yet a closer look highlights notable differences in their innovation impact across various fields.

? Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) and PHEV Strengths

• Geely and BYD exhibit significant innovation in the Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) sector, setting themselves apart with continuous advancements.
• BYD leads in Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) and connectivity solutions, positioning itself as a strong player in both areas.
• Geely focuses strongly on interface innovations, enhancing user experience through advanced design and usability improvements.

?? Connectivity, Interface, and ADAS: Areas for Growth

• NIO participates actively across all categories but does not stand out in any single area of innovation.
• Overall, while these manufacturers show near-leading strength in drive innovations, they remain behind competitors in fields like connectivity, interface design, and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).

?? Summary:

Although Geely, BYD, and NIO continue to drive innovations in the automotive market, they still have room for growth in certain technology fields compared to global competitors. Their collective strength in propulsion systems underscores the potential for future advancements across other critical automotive technology areas.

Information on the methodology and further evaluations can be found in the annual AutomotiveINNOVATIONS Report (https://automotiveinnovations.de/report/) or via the AutomotiveINNOVATIONS Dashboard (free trial access): https://automotiveinnovations.de/dashboard/

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Best regards, Stefan Bratzel Director, Center of Automotive Management

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