In 2021, GAC brought many new types of technology to the market via its vehicles, but there is even more going on behind the scenes. To display some of these fantastic innovations to the world, on the 9th April 2021, the company held its third annual “GAC Tech Day”, a large-scale event at the GAC R&D Center, which presents and celebrates awesome new innovations created by GAC‘s R&D work.
In keeping with GAC’s commitment to forward-facing development, and saving customer dollars via energy efficiency, new energy played a central role in this year’s Tech Day.
First off, there was the revealing of GAC’s “neutron star strategy”, aimed at creating a new era of low-carbon, new energy travel. Through deeply and extensive research into the industrialization application of power cells and electric cores, GAC will continually work towards creating a battery that is like a neutron star: small, yet densely packed with extreme speed and power.
As part of the neutron star strategy, Tech Day 2021 also saw the unveiling of GAC’s sponge silicon electrode technology. After years of research, GAC has overcome problems associated with silicon in larger batteries, using independently developed and patented "sponge silicon negative plate battery technology”: this makes the silicon negative sheet inside the battery as soft and elastic as sponge, strengthening it against wear and tear from charging and giving it a larger storage capacity. The volume and weight of a single battery can be reduced by 20% and 14% respectively.
Superfast charging technology also displayed at Tech Day 2021 can achieve a full charge of an electric car’s battery from 0% to 80% in just 16 minutes, roughly the same amount of time it takes for a traditional refuel. This paints an extremely bright future for electric vehicles.
The GAC R&D Center was also proud to present the ADIGO 4.0 Intelligent Driving System, which brings new autopilot and driver habit memorization systems. The newly upgraded driving assistance system is equipped with 31 smart sensors, supporting extensive intelligent features such as lane control, automatic lane change, automatic overtaking and junction exit and entry functions. It can completely liberate a driver’s hands and feet, relieving driving fatigue, and also includes a memorizing parking system, which precisely molds itself to user needs, habits and preferences.
Technological innovation is at the core of GAC GROUP’s business model, and the company adheres to a policy of “no technology, no GAC”. As of 2020, over 30 billion yuan has been invested in independent research, and in the future, GAC is committed to yet more technological development. In the pipeline are a number of exciting projects, including collaboration with Tencent to bring WeChat into cars for the first time; developing a new 5km2 energy automobile industrial park in Guangzhou.
As shown in the 2021 Tech Day, in the future, GAC GROUP will continue to focus on key breakthroughs in core areas such as intelligent network connection and new energy, continuously improve its technological strength, and create a tech-focus GAC MOTOR that brings values.
