Zhou Guangjun: Will Eipai Technology Become the Next Li Auto?

Lantu Auto has tasted success, prompting Dongfeng Motor to resolutely "clench its fists" and build Yipai Technology into a second Lantu Auto.

Yang Qing, Chairman of Dongfeng Group, stated that in Dongfeng Motor's strategic layout, Lantu and Mengshi are responsible for high-end luxury and brand upgrading, while EpiTech, as the group's main force, is responsible for scaling up volume.

Yipai Technology aims to become Dongfeng Motor's second Lantu, with every detail meticulously arranged and "users" placed in the foremost position. User voices reach the highest decision-making level directly; user problems are resolved promptly. Wang Junjun, General Manager of Yipai Technology, stated this at the Yipai Technology founding conference held at the Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium.

The establishment of Yipai Technology is an internal integration initiative by Dongfeng Group, proactively adapting to changing circumstances.

In this integration, the three major brands, Nano, Yi Pai, and Fengshen, are consolidated into Dongfeng Yi Pai Technology. Among them, Nano and Yi Pai are integrated into Dongfeng Yi Pai, with Nano serving as a product line under Dongfeng Yi Pai, while the Fengshen brand is retained.

The necessity of integrating Epi and Nano lies in the fact that, after combining the sales of the two brands, a monthly sales volume of 20,000 units would put them on par with mainstream emerging brands. However, since the two brands currently operate independently, their market influence is relatively dispersed. After integration, resources can be concentrated to build a more competitive new energy vehicle brand.

Yi Pai and Nano naturally complement each other, with Yi Pai targeting the 150,000 to 250,000 yuan market segment, and Nano focusing on the 60,000 to 100,000 yuan range. After integration, a more complete product matrix will be formed, covering a broader consumer base. At the same time, the benefits of integration for dealers are evident, as cross-brand authorization is opened up, allowing high-quality dealers to expand from selling only two models to four models, significantly enhancing their operational capability and market competitiveness.

The establishment of Yipai Technology was an unprecedented large-scale adjustment and grand symphony involving 5,000 people.

The executive team of EPI Technology follows the "R&D-Production-Supply-Sales-Service" integrated full value chain model. Wang Junjun has been appointed as General Manager of EPI Technology, Zhang Jun as Party Secretary and Deputy General Manager, Cheng Jun as Deputy General Manager, Zhang Yanjun as Deputy General Manager of the Product Planning and Project Management Department, Deng Liuchao as General Manager of the Fengshen Business Division, and Yu Yuefeng as General Manager of the Dongfeng EPI Business Division.

In addition to Chairman Yang Qing setting the direction for YiPai Technology, Feng Changjun, member of the Party Committee and Chief Accountant of Dongfeng Group, is responsible for overseeing YiPai Technology.

Although the core team of YiPai Technology comes from the former Dongfeng Passenger Vehicle Sales Company, it is not entirely so. The personnel composition of YiPai Technology is diverse, representing a major shift from a horizontal to a vertical structure.

The founding of Yipai Technology marks a new departure in user-centered thinking.

Wang Junjun revealed a detail that best reflects the business philosophy of EP Technology: at the company's first executive team meeting after its establishment, the very first topic discussed was "What is the most important thing?" After in-depth discussion, all team members unanimously agreed that user reputation must come first. EP Technology has established a full-process user satisfaction tracking mechanism, covering everything from product development to after-sales service, to ensure that every stage can promptly respond to customer needs.

The user requested the addition of Sentinel mode, QQ Music, intelligent high and low beam switching, etc. Yipai Technology immediately complied. Therefore, the engineers worked day and night to fully complete the delivery. On July 29th, OTA upgrades were officially rolled out for Yipai 007 and 008 models successively.

The establishment of Yipai Technology is a bold attempt at how central state-owned enterprises can marketize.

The establishment of Yipai Technology has addressed the most critical efficiency issue. In the past, the R&D, production, supply, sales, and service ("R&D-Production-Supply-Sales-Service") systems were spread across different companies, which led to information transmission biases and low decision-making efficiency. Through organizational integration, a closed-loop management of the entire value chain has been achieved. Previously, cross-company coordination required multiple layers of approval, but now, with all functions under one system, meetings can be convened at any time to make quick decisions whenever a problem arises. For example, user feedback from the market side can now be responded to immediately, which has an immediate and visible impact on business results. In the past, resources were dispersed among various brands, making it difficult for each project to receive sufficient investment. Now, after integration, saturated investment can be achieved for key products and critical initiatives. Only through true focus can we create high-quality products and achieve bestsellers.

Dongfeng Group's mechanism transformation has achieved a major breakthrough with Yipai Technology. By integrating research and development, production, procurement, sales, and services into one company system, the aim is to fundamentally solve the issue of organizational synergy. Another key change is the comprehensive DOA (Delegation of Authority) authorization. In the past, many decisions required approval from the group's headquarters, which extended the process. After the establishment of Yipai Technology, the group has granted full authorization, including product decisions, business policy formulation, and service plan development, among other delegated powers. This adjustment allows the relevant businesses to form a closed loop at their level, greatly improving decision-making efficiency.

"User-oriented, Efficiency, Collaboration, Results" is the action guideline of Yipai Technology.

Putting "users" first means making everyone understand that user satisfaction is the only standard for evaluating work. In every stage of product development and validation, user needs are the most important consideration. "Efficiency" means optimizing the organizational structure, simplifying decision-making processes, and ensuring a quick response to market changes. "Collaboration" requires all aspects of research and development, production, procurement, sales, and services to work together. "Results" means that promises to users must be fulfilled, and plans made must be implemented.

Wang Junjun said that the goal of Yipai Technology is clear: to build a truly user-centered and highly efficient modern enterprise.

Yipai Technology has set a target of 1.5 million vehicles for itself. Among them, the Yipai brand (including the Nano product series) will serve as the main force of Yipai Technology's new energy strategy, positioned as an "Intelligent Technology Electric" brand, responsible for 1 million of the future sales target of 1.5 million vehicles. The Fengshen brand will continue to focus on the global fuel-efficient car market, including traditional fuel vehicles, HEVs, and PHEVs product lines, with a sales scale of 500,000 vehicles.

In August, Yipai Technology "launches," with many more products to come in the future.

By 2028, the number of products under the Yipai brand will reach 10, covering segments from A0 to C class, with at least two new products launched every year.

The Yipai series products continue to innovate and make breakthroughs in mainstream technological configurations. Taking the Nano 01 and Nano 06 series as examples, more derivative models are being planned based on the segmented needs of different groups, such as age and gender differences. In the future, multiple sedan and SUV products from Yipai Technology will adopt differentiated designs tailored to the usage scenarios of specific groups, striving to provide the most suitable travel solutions for different consumers.

The Fengshen brand adheres to a differentiated development strategy. Considering that Fengshen mainly targets family users, it is conducting in-depth research into the vehicle needs of different family structures, including the feasibility of various seating layouts such as five-seat, six-seat, and even seven-seat options. While maintaining the brand’s consistent advantages of reliability and cost-effectiveness, the new generation of Fengshen products will also incorporate more innovative elements to provide a better driving experience for family users.

At the same time, building on the cooperation between Voyah and Mengshi with Huawei, the "DH Project"—a collaboration between Dongfeng and Huawei (where D stands for Dongfeng and H stands for Huawei)—is currently underway. The greatest feature of this project lies in its "four joint initiatives": joint definition, joint development, joint co-creation, and joint marketing. The goal is to create high-quality products for users that combine Dongfeng's mechanical craftsmanship with Huawei's intelligent technology.

As the general manager of Yi Pai Technology, hailed as the "commander" of Dongfeng Group's main force, Wang Junjun has rooted his career in the Dongfeng system. He worked at Fengshen for 12 and a half years, during which he led the development of several important models. During his three years at Lantu, he participated in the creation of the Lantu brand. Now at Yi Pai Technology, this complete career experience gives him a deep understanding of various brands within the Dongfeng Group. Although his position has changed, he has consistently maintained close contact with the teams of various brands, frequently engaging in in-depth discussions on technology research and development, product planning, and marketing strategies.

Wang Junjun said that, as the person in charge of Yipai Technology, he feels that the mission is glorious, the responsibility is significant, he is deeply honored, and is full of confidence.

The “next step” for Yipai Technology: how to develop, with clear short-, medium-, and long-term planning strategies.

The short-term focus is on improving user reputation and satisfaction. We are conducting a comprehensive review of our product line because, as a management professional with a technical background, I understand that product strength is fundamental. Without a strong product, no amount of marketing investment can achieve true market success.

The medium-term goal is to create blockbuster products with competitive advantages, effective marketing strategies, and a well-developed channel network. At present, Yipai Technology is assessing the market competitiveness of all products for this year and next year to ensure that each product possesses sufficient strength to compete.

Long-term development relies on ecological co-creation. Maintain an open and inclusive mindset, and actively listen to suggestions from all parties. Whether it is user feedback or peer opinions, as long as it is beneficial to the company's development, it will be seriously adopted and quickly improved.

Yipai Technology shoulders the mission of surpassing Lantu in scale, while Lantu Auto serves as a mirror for Yipai Technology in customer operations. In aspects such as market development, user insights, customer operations, and innovative marketing, Yipai Technology should emulate what Lantu has already achieved.