After the Divorce, I Could Hear the Voice of the Future
Chapter 585 - 578: All Set Off by Peers

Chapter 585: Chapter 578: All Set Off by Peers

The Pro version is priced at 298,900 yuan, with a range of 685 kilometers,

the Max version is priced at 328,900 yuan, with a range of 765 kilometers,

the ProMax version is priced at 348,900 yuan, with a range of 855 kilometers.

Once the prices were announced, it was like a thunderstorm hit the venue, with cheers as loud as a tsunami, almost lifting the ceiling.

Even with the widespread 20,000 yuan discounts and subsidies, the minimum still exceeds 280,000 yuan, definitely not cheap.

But this price greatly exceeded expectations because initially, the public thought this was a 400,000 yuan car.

Those deciding to buy a car but financially strained are also mentally prepared to save money and wait for a while.

Now suddenly telling them that it’s only 298,900 yuan is like scoring 58 on an exam nervously, and then the teacher suddenly saying, due to the difficulty of the paper, the passing mark has dropped to 50.

"Almost 300,000 yuan is still expensive."

"Can’t it be a bit cheaper?"

A sharp voice pierced through the wave of cheers; Lu Liang heard it but could only pretend not to.

He also wanted to sell it for 199,900 yuan or even cheaper, then generously say, not to make money, only to make friends.

But making cars for the first time lacks experience, the materials used are too solid, the costs are right there, and there’s a need for a 32% gross margin to increase market competitiveness.

Just like there were previous rumors that Tesla’s president in the Chinese District was vigorously negotiating with headquarters for the price reduction rights of the Mao Dou 3.

Although the Tianxing is a coupe, it’s still a four-seater sedan, which might pressure the similarly categorized Mao Dou 3.

Tesla in the Chinese District is preemptively applying for price reduction rights with headquarters because if the Tianxing sells well, they can immediately follow up and actively initiate a price war.

The Mao Dou 3 has already achieved full localization; even with the lowest configuration price at 285,000 yuan, it still has a nearly 26.5% gross margin.

Their vehicle’s cost price is 200,900 yuan, and a 26.5% gross margin is their market competitiveness.

Selling the Mao Dou 3 at 285,000 yuan, but foreigners always have it easier; spending that much for an unfinished product, there must be something wrong with thinking.

If the Mao Dou 3 were priced at 220,000 yuan or even lower, foreign brands are great, while domestic ones are all trash.

After all, consumers are sometimes that realistic.

"Later, our official website will launch an APP, where you can order, check orders, choose configurations, and even remotely control daily functions or enable advance seat and steering wheel heating, among many interesting and practical features. We look forward to everyone’s exploration."

Revealing the price is just one part of the launch event, but not all. Next, Lu Liang has more significant news to announce.

He wore a light blue suit, smiling as he paced on stage: "Some may know, but some may not, so allow me to reintroduce my former profession, real estate agent."

"This job is tough, battling the elements every day just to chase potential orders."

"But the reputation of this profession is not very good. Apart from some jerks deliberately acting badly, it boils down to a lack of information transparency."

"Buyers always feel they paid too much, while sellers always feel they sold for too little. It’s not just in real estate; many industries are like this."

"The traditional auto industry is even more outrageous. Just like some dealers in the Liang-Guang area, they won’t sell to you without a markup."

"I have an idea that may sound naive, but very luckily, I now have the ability to implement this naive idea."

"I believe buying and selling is such a simple matter; I give you the product, you give me the money—clear transactions, why make it complicated?"

"That’s why we have the 225 Plan."

"Some may have already noticed, starting from the end of last year, Tianxing’s direct stores have been appearing in your cities one after another."

"This is our 5-billion-yuan investment to implement the 225 Plan, planning to establish 225 offline direct stores nationwide."

"As of the 5th of this month, the plan has been successfully completed. No matter where you are, you can see our direct stores."

Lu Liang smiled confidently with an upturned corner of his mouth: "All the employees in direct stores are employees of our Tianxing Automobile. We do not outsource, reject outsourcing, and will not use outsourcing in the future."

"By doing this, I can implement my naive idea."

"As long as you place an order on our official website APP, the amount displayed there is the amount you will pay—clear and transparent, making your car purchase worry-free."

"If there are any overcharging or unauthorized charges, we welcome everyone to report it. Investigation will be thorough, responsibility will be taken—no tolerance."

Lu Liang has always wanted to take down Tesla, so he has also been studying Tesla. Looking nationwide, Tesla’s car purchasing model is absolutely the most transparent and clear, bar none.

Even new forces in new energy like Li Xiang and NIO, due to having Lifan Jianghuai handle manufacturing, inevitably get entangled with traditional automakers’ debts of friendship.

Dealers everywhere always want to make more money, so they add lots of unnecessary projects. As long as they can confuse consumers, they can earn more.

Even loans have many intricacies, just like when he sold houses before. A store with just a dozen people had at least seven or eight loan channels.

Bank loan managers would be invited for drinks and sauna trips; after serving them well, the channel would change.

One party profits a bit here, another a bit there, but the wool always comes from the sheep; in the end, some people get rich at the expense of consumers.

Lu Liang speaks grandly, but actually, it’s not that great because those interests flowing into personal pockets should have belonged to their company, to him.

So he’s willing to pay high salaries to support these people.

The base salary for traditional car sales might only be 2000, with the rest relying on commissions from selling cars, but he abolished performance commissions and set salaries at four to five thousand yuan, just to have them focus on serving customers.

"Awesome~"

"Lu Liang, awesome!"

As soon as those words were spoken, the cheers from the crowd were even more intense than when the price was announced.

The powerful waves of sound made those car company executives sitting in the front row feel like they were sitting on pins and needles, with thorns on their backs and a bone in their throats.

NIO’s contractor is Jianghuai, Li Xiang’s contractor is Lifan, and Xiao Peng’s contractors were Guangqi first, then Haima.

The messes of traditional car companies aren’t unknown to them, but knowing doesn’t change anything, because they still need the others to help with contract manufacturing.

While they can eat with the bowl and curse their mothers after putting down the bowl, they don’t have the financial strength, and can only pretend not to know.

Lu Liang’s move undoubtedly put them on the spot, and Li Bing and Li Xiang remained silent, because Lu Liang was their investor; one just went public, and the other still needed Lu Liang’s assistance.

He Xiaopeng and Shen Hui didn’t have such worries, directly expressing their dissatisfaction with their faces, looking visibly displeased.

At this moment, Lei Jun, who had been silent, suddenly raised his eyes full of admiration, clapping his hands and saying, "This is the responsibility of an entrepreneur, worthy of our serious study."

Weiliao all use contract manufacturing, and Xiaomi isn’t much better off; it only now has production lines, previously it was also using contract manufacturing.

After all, outsourcing has lots of benefits, you don’t have to support so many idle people when times are quiet, and when busy, you just pay a bit more.

The company’s profits are fatter,

but its sense of social responsibility is lower.

It’s just that there are a lot of people in East Country, allowing them to do this.

If they went abroad, those sky-high fines would be enough to make them howl like a dog with its tail stepped on.

"Perhaps this is the meaning of industrial upgrading, with companies earning more and workers earning more, attaining common prosperity," Lei Jun asked himself, feeling the need to appropriately mimic Lu Liang.

Tianxing Automobile’s press conference continued, but a new storm had emerged, with a trend of gradually growing stronger.

The cause was because competitors were unhappy with Lu Liang canceling dealerships and fully adopting a direct sales model.

People say Tesla can do it because Tesla was invited by the country as a catfish, and foreign investment also has privileges.

But if Tianxing Automobile learns from it, then we need to discuss it thoroughly.

You are awesome, you are great, you have too much money to burn, that’s your business, but Lu Liang shouldn’t make them look like sweatshops or black-hearted enterprises.

Consequently, various company presidents went down to the field, criticizing Lu Liang’s decision, considering him to deliberately disrupt the market.

However, the stronger the criticism from the high and mighty presidents, the more excited the netizens became.

"Who said we don’t have macho men, isn’t this one coming?"

"Liangzi’s ’Liang’ indeed stands for ’conscientious’, thirty thousand isn’t expensive."

"Are the staff at the direct stores really all Tianxing employees? Is there anyone to testify?"

"Location Zhangzhou, fifth-tier small city, after deducting the Five Insurances and One Fund, the monthly salary is still 4200, with two months of training, salary is paid as usual, one month after joining buys social insurance, two months buys the housing fund, the civil servants next door are envious to tears."

"Location Shangrao, sixth-tier mountainous corner, after deducting the Five Insurances and One Fund, there’s still 4000..."

"Location Baoji..."

"Location Handan..."

Employees of Tianxing Automobile’s direct stores across the country spoke up one after another, stating that Lu Liang had canceled sales commissions, but what matched it was an industry-leading salary.

Generally between 4000-5000, which may not seem like much, but considering it’s in fifth and sixth-tier small cities.

In their local exploitative factories, working themselves to death with overtime for a month might just be this much.

Even though it’s the standard 996, nine hours a day, four days off a month, and not even allowed to rest on weekends.

Yet the 996 that urban white-collar workers loathe is a dream beyond reach for many idle young people in small cities.

Imagine, in an obscure small city, finding a job is difficult enough, let alone one with six days on and one day off, which is flashy and with salaries at the threshold level.

Lu Liang caught fire again, not for being the conscience of the capital market this time, but for having the responsibility of an entrepreneur.

"All thanks to the contrast from peers."

A well-known blogger sighed.

But ironically, Lu Liang only did what he thought should be done, something very normal.

However, in an abnormal business environment, doing something normal appears abnormal.