Understanding the emergence of Chinese new energy carmakers : the perspective of productive model

This paper examines the emergence of Chinese carmakers in the global new energy vehicle (NEV) market through the framework of productive models (Boyer and Freyssenet, 2002). We observe that the competitive viability of Chinese NEV carmakers results from the joint endeavours of the government, industry stakeholders and the substantial market size, while highlighting the increasing influence of Chinese consumers, and the importance of leapfrogging towards the disruptive technology through the creation of ecosystem. To address these dynamics, the paper proposes an updated productive model that incorporates 'consumer' and 'technology and ecosystem' as integral components. A preliminary examination of BYD's productive model facilitates a comparative analysis of Taylorian, Fordian, and Toyotian paradigms, offering new insights into the evolution of productive models in the global automotive industry.