Chapter 55

Two days later in the afternoon, Ye Qing stood by the aluminum electric melting road, watching the laborers use small tongs to pour the aluminum alloy solution, which resembled molten rock, into several high-precision molds.

After waiting for it to solidify, two sets of high-temperature aluminum alloy wheel hubs were freshly produced.

Not only that, but the brake drums and rear racks of electric vehicles could also be cast using this method.

The time saved was significant.

Five engraving machines had already been shipped, with two remaining in the workshop.

As the main roads of Zhongyun were increasingly lined with curbstones, many stone processing industries inquired at the city construction bureau about the machinery used to process these curbstones.

Running a factory as a boss was all about networking. After a few inquiries, they eventually found Ye Qing.

However, these stone processing plants were not large in scale, and with each engraving machine costing 500,000 yuan, they were only willing to order one to test its effectiveness.

Two advertising companies also called to ask if the engraving machine could engrave soft metals.

After receiving Ye Qing's assurance, one of them ordered a machine, but they insisted on inspecting it before payment.

Zhongyun City was mainly flat, so there were no large-scale stone processing plants.

There were many advertising companies, but with the reputation not yet widespread, very few were willing to spend 500,000 yuan on an engraving machine.

The largest stone processing plant was Jiangshan Stone Plant, owned by Sang Qing, to whom Ye Qing would never sell anything.

Ye Qing had hoped to become famous through the engraving machines, but unexpectedly, the electric vehicles were selling exceptionally well.

This was understandable: an engraving machine cost 500,000 yuan, and Ye Qing could make over 400,000 yuan in profit. An electric vehicle sold for 2,800 yuan, with a profit of only about 1,500 yuan.

Selling 250 electric vehicles would be equivalent to the profit from one engraving machine.

The only regret was that the electric vehicles could not reach ordinary quality; otherwise, the Monster Factory would have already upgraded to level three.

Just as he was preparing to deliver 50 sets of newly produced electric vehicle components to the old factory for assembly, his father called to inform him that the batch of assembled electric vehicles had sold out again.

However, Ye Jiangning's tone was very serious.

He told Ye Qing that in the afternoon, 30 more electric vehicles suddenly appeared on the market. Except for the brand name, they were identical to the ones produced by the factory.

The appearance and tires of these counterfeit vehicles were the same as those from the factory, except for the inferior internal details.

These counterfeit goods were sold at the same price and were quickly snapped up.

"I asked a friend at the industry and commerce bureau, and he said it's difficult to hold anyone responsible for product imitation. If we had registered a design patent, we could sue for infringement. Without a design patent, unless the name is also imitated, there's nothing we can do."

"It seems we can only focus on quality. The internal details of those counterfeits are terrible," Ye Jiangning said, feeling disheartened that someone was already imitating their products.

"Right now, we can only register design and structure patents. But I think even if we do, it won't be very effective. They can make minor changes and sell them again."

Counterfeiting is always a headache and a helpless issue in the business world. From cars to nail clippers, any product that sells well is bound to be counterfeited.

Of course, counterfeits are always counterfeits. Like Apple phones, countless manufacturers try to imitate them, but none can replicate the Apple system.

Consumers who buy counterfeit electric vehicles will naturally realize they've bought fakes after a couple of days, but since they've already bought them, they can only be cheated.

"Who's selling them?"

"Right across from Uncle Huang. Now that our electric vehicles are popular in that area, he might not be able to sell them elsewhere."

After hanging up, Ye Qing drove to the Aima Electric Vehicle Specialty Store on Zhujiang Road.

The store selling the counterfeits was easy to find, as Ye Qing's father's friend, Huang Ranjun, was arguing with the store owner at the entrance.

As the saying goes, competitors are like enemies. The two store owners, already not on good terms, had their relationship completely broken due to the profit motive.

"What right do you have to sell these counterfeits? Look at the frame of your vehicle; it's so poor it's all over the place."

"Ridiculous, you can sell, but I can't?" The store owner retorted, "Aren't you an Aima specialty store? Why are you selling Aima Star in your store?"

Huang Ranjun was so angry he was jumping up and down: "My Aima Star is just a name; the appearance is different from Aima. Look at what you're selling; except for the name, it's like it came from the same mold as what I sell."

"Why don't we have a competition to see whose electric vehicle has a longer range?"

"What's the point of you yelling at me?" The store owner, seeing the crowd growing, felt less confident: "These electric vehicles are the Fengyu brand, produced by the Owen Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Company. They came to sell them, and I had no reason to refuse."

Ye Qing joined the crowd watching the two electric vehicle specialty stores, each with a sample vehicle on display.

If you ignored the brand names, even Ye Qing would find it hard to tell which was the counterfeit.

Without a professional plastic injection molding machine, Ye Qing couldn't produce the electric vehicle shells and had to have a professional electric vehicle shell manufacturer do it.

It seemed that this Owen Electric Vehicle Company not only had injection molding machines but also experienced mold makers, otherwise, they couldn't have replicated the appearance so well.

Ye Qing had obtained the necessary information and drove back to the factory in Longxi Beach. He squatted in the production workshop, deep in thought about how to solve this problem.

Complaining and seeking legal action were not in Ye Qing's nature.

If legal action were effective, brands like Kangshifu, Pepsi, and Sanjiao toothpaste would have long been eradicated.

No matter how capable Ye Qing was, he couldn't outdo those billion-dollar giants.

Of course, this didn't mean he wouldn't go after Owen Electric Vehicle Company. With the reputation of the electric vehicles just starting, having counterfeiters come in would ruin the old factory's reputation as well.

But relying solely on causing trouble wouldn't solve the problem. As the Storm brand electric vehicles became more popular, Owen II, Owen IV, and True Owen would inevitably appear.

So, how could he make customers easily distinguish between the genuine and counterfeit products?

Recalling the two almost identical electric vehicles he had seen, even a professional like Huang Ranjun said they were from the same mold.

From the same mold...

Wait!

Ye Qing looked at the corner where the laborers were pouring aluminum into the molds to cast the electric vehicle wheel hubs and suddenly had a crucial idea.

Mold casting!

Ye Qing immediately took out his phone and called the manufacturer who made the wheel hub molds, asking them to make three high-precision molds for the electric vehicle aluminum shells overnight.

Casting aluminum molds using sand casting is fast, but the only drawback is the rough surface, which needs to be polished.

The next day at noon, the ordered molds arrived. After they were installed, Ye Qing had the monsters pour aluminum into them.

When the aluminum in the molds cooled, a set of silver-white electric vehicle shells was freshly produced.

After the monsters polished them, Ye Qing selected the front shell and used the metal rapid engraving machine to engrave a coiling dragon with a fierce expression.

When the electric vehicle with the silver-white aluminum shell and the beautifully engraved dragon on the front was assembled, a completely silver-white, futuristic-looking electric vehicle stood before Ye Qing.

Ye Qing was stunned; who had ever seen an electric vehicle with an aluminum shell?

With the monsters' precision and efficiency bonuses, even after a single polish, the aluminum shell of the electric vehicle shone like a sports car.

Why was it an electric vehicle?

At that moment, Ye Qing wished he could bring his minivan and convert it into a silver-white aluminum shell with engraved patterns.

Of course, all dragons would be a bit tacky; engraving some maid images would be more tasteful.

Now, who could imitate this? Ye Qing sneered.

Aluminum shells were easy to make, but what about the polishing and engraving processes?

Ye Qing only paid a few cents for electricity, but others would find it difficult to engrave the dragon, let alone the entire process.

The Monster Factory's phone beeped, and Ye Qing, who had previously ignored it because all previous alerts were for failed inspections, took out his phone.

Inspection passed!

The independent processing and manufacturing part of the product by the monsters exceeded 60%, meeting the minimum requirement for ordinary quality.

Long-range electric vehicle (ordinary quality/sellable), battery management technology, and fast charging technology are being generated...

The sudden happiness was overwhelming, and Ye Qing was momentarily stunned by the surprise.

Previously, the independent completion rate of the electric vehicle was only 43%, but after the monsters independently processed the shell, it exceeded 60%, meeting the minimum requirement for ordinary quality.

Selling 50 ordinary quality products would upgrade the Monster Factory to level three, entering a new mode.

Now, they had sold five engraving machines and hundreds of inferior quality electric vehicles.

With the electric vehicles now upgraded to ordinary quality, wouldn't the Monster Factory be able to upgrade to level three tomorrow?

Originally, the plan was to sell 50 engraving machines, but the production of the engraving machines was too complicated. Even with six skilled masters working together, it would take half a month to produce them.

Now—50 electric vehicles, just an extra shift for the monsters.

Level three, a new mode.

Not only would the manufacturing ranking be opened, but the Monster Factory could also purchase Disguiser Workwear, allowing the monsters to be exposed to others.

The Lord's Chariot would also be upgraded.

Hmph!

Once upgraded to level three, he would immediately take the monsters to Owen Electric Vehicle Company to cause trouble.

And Sang Qing, who must have been released from the detention center, would be looking for him.

Who else?

With these monsters that could be exposed to the sun, Ye Qing wished he could stand on a mountain top with a megaphone and shout, "Who else!"