21: Chapter 21: Tribute from All Directions

The storm triggered by the "spark super energy" battery did not subside with the end of the press conference; instead, it swept through the global supply chain with even greater momentum. Spark Technology headquarters, a place once on the verge of bankruptcy, had now become a technological highland that countless industry giants had to look up to and make a pilgrimage to.

Within a week, the heads of two giants capable of shaking up their respective industry landscapes personally led their core teams and arrived at the Spark Technology park one after another. Their arrival was no longer just for negotiations; it felt more like a bet on the future direction of technology and a way to pay necessary respects to the king who held the "core energy."

The first to visit was the CEO of Huawei terminals, Yu Dong. He was not tall, but he carried an aura of battlefield-hardened decisiveness and the keenness of a technology leader. Accompanied by Su Chen, Lin Wan, Shen Nanpeng, Wu Hao, and Yang Yang, he toured the highly automated "spark super energy" battery production line.

Watching the robotic arms precisely assemble the battery cells and seeing the perfect data flowing through the testing equipment, Yu Dong's eyes grew brighter. He did not engage in small talk; after sitting down in the conference room, he cut straight to the point, his tone sharp and direct:

"Su Chen, Dr. Wu, Dr. Yang. To be honest, the data at the press conference already shocked us, but seeing it with my own eyes makes me even more convinced that this is the 'heart' our next-generation flagship products have been desperately waiting for." He leaned forward, his gaze burning. "For mobile phones, tablets, and laptops, battery life and low-temperature performance are eternal pains! The emergence of 'spark super energy' is not an improvement; it is a revolution! We at Huawei hope for not just a simple purchase, but a deep strategic tie-up."

Su Chen smiled and responded calmly: "President Yu is direct, and we at Spark also appreciate partners with courage and vision. I wonder what kind of model Huawei envisions for a 'deep strategic tie-up'?"

"Five years!" Yu Dong held up five fingers, his tone resolute. "We hope to sign a five-year exclusive strategic supply agreement! For Huawei's high-end flagship mobile phones, high-end laptops, and flagship tablet product lines, the battery core will be exclusively customized and supplied by Spark Technology! We don't want to build phones with just slightly better battery life; we want to create 'battery life monsters' and 'polar warriors' that leave competitors far behind!" He added, his eyes sparkling with infinite longing for the future, "This will be a revolutionary upgrade in user experience!"

A brief silence fell in the conference room. A five-year exclusive supply! This meant huge, stable orders, and it also meant that Spark Technology would be deeply tied to the giant ship that was Huawei.

Shen Nanpeng quickly calculated the production capacity and revenue in his mind, while Wu Hao and Yang Yang were surging with emotion because their technology had received such recognition.

Su Chen pondered for a moment. He did not agree immediately but raised a key question: "President Yu's courage is admirable. But exclusive supply is a huge test of Spark's production capacity and flexibility. Moreover, customization means higher R&D and production costs."

"Price is not an issue!" Yu Dong waved his hand. "We can accept a reasonable premium. What we need is a period of technological exclusivity and priority access to production capacity! As for capacity, I believe in the layout capabilities of Spark and Su Chen."

The subsequent negotiations proceeded intensely and efficiently between Su Chen and Yu Dong, as well as their respective teams. Su Chen demonstrated amazing strategic vision; he not only stabilized the price, securing a huge profit margin for Spark, but also cleverly drew a line between "exclusive" and "non-exclusive"—the agreement was limited to the "top flagship" series defined by Huawei, and Spark retained the right to supply other fields (such as outdoor power supplies, automobiles) and non-competing mid-range brands.

Finally, an agreement outline detailing a five-year strategic partnership, huge advance payments, a joint technology optimization laboratory, and other specific terms was preliminarily determined under the witness of the core teams of both sides. Yu Dong shook Su Chen's hand tightly: "Su Chen, it's a pleasure to cooperate! I believe the combination of Huawei and Spark will redefine the boundaries of mobile devices!"

Less than forty-eight hours after sending off Yu Dong, a meeting with a different style but equal weight took place.

The visitor was Li Fu, the chairman of Geely. Unlike the sharp and agile Yu Dong, Li Fu was more like a steady, profound, and far-sighted strategist. He represented the automotive industry, which had a longer supply chain and more stringent requirements for safety and reliability.

The meeting was held in the VIP reception room of Spark Technology, and the atmosphere was solemn. Li Fu listened carefully to Yang Yang's detailed explanation of the battery's safety test reports in extreme environments and its cycle life, occasionally asking extremely professional and in-depth questions.

"Su Chen, Dr. Yang." Li Fu's voice was steady and powerful. "Automobiles are different from consumer electronics. They are about the safety of life and property, and the requirements for consistency, reliability, and safety are at the highest level. What Geely values is not only the amazing energy density and low-temperature performance of 'spark super energy', but also its redundancy and ultimate pursuit in safety design."

He paused and continued: "We have two levels of cooperation in mind. First, it is aimed at our rapidly developing new energy vehicle sector. We hope to cooperate with Spark to jointly develop power battery packs suitable for A0 to A-class electric vehicles, utilizing the fast-charging and low-temperature advantages of your batteries, focusing on urban commuting and the northern market."

"Second," he changed the subject, "is our vast base of traditional fuel vehicles. We hope to use 'spark super energy' batteries to completely replace existing lead-acid batteries, thoroughly solving the stubborn problem of difficult starting in winter, especially for northern users, and significantly increasing the standby and usage time of in-vehicle electrical appliances."

This cooperation concept was equally grand and strategically significant. It meant that Spark Technology's technology would be upgraded from the "heart of mobile devices" to the "heart of walking machinery"!

Su Chen also did not express his stance immediately. He looked at Yang Yang and Wu Hao, seeking their technical opinions with his eyes. Yang Yang nodded slightly, indicating that while the development of power battery packs had challenges in BMS (Battery Management System) and pack technology, it was completely feasible in terms of core cell technology. Wu Hao also added that the reinforcement of graphene materials and the corrosion resistance of the positive electrode grid were far superior to traditional batteries, making them more than enough for start-stop batteries.

With the endorsement of the technical team, Su Chen felt confident. The negotiation with Geely focused more on joint research on technical standards, docking of quality control systems, long-term supply stability, and the price game brought about by the huge order scale. Shen Nanpeng once again demonstrated his financial operation capabilities, while Lin Wan efficiently coordinated the docking of various cooperation details.

In the end, Spark Technology and Geely reached two major strategic cooperation agreements covering the joint development of new energy vehicle power batteries and the comprehensive replacement of traditional fuel vehicle starter batteries. Geely would become the most important bridgehead for Spark batteries to enter the trillion-dollar automotive market.

The news that two giants had reached deep strategic cooperation with Spark Technology in succession was like two bombshells, causing unprecedented shock in the industry!

Huawei's competitors were restless, scrambling to urgently evaluate the battery life of their own product lines and sending a flurry of cooperation inquiries to Spark Technology, asking about the possibility of non-exclusive supply. Geely's move made a host of car companies, whether traditional or new forces, feel tremendous pressure and begin to re-examine their own battery supplier strategies.

Moreover, well-known outdoor power brands, high-end drone manufacturers (including even some of Spark's former competitors), and even some special equipment manufacturers expressed strong willingness to cooperate with Spark Technology through various channels.

The market finally realized clearly that the "spark super energy" battery was no longer just an excellent product; it had become a strategic resource that could not be bypassed in multiple key tracks! Whoever controlled it controlled the power to define the performance of the next generation of products!

With an epoch-making battery, Spark Technology successfully leaped from an excellent product company to a pivotal platform company. Standing in front of the huge strategic map in his office, looking at the constantly added cooperation logos representing industry leaders, Su Chen felt a surge of pride in his heart.

Tying up with Huawei meant firmly occupying the top of the consumer electronics pyramid; joining hands with Geely was planting his own flag in the magnificent wave of electrification in the automotive industry.

The company's industry status and the certainty of future performance were unprecedentedly strengthened. Ahead lay a broader world, one that Spark Technology participated in defining, and even leading.