China - A New Year New Energy Future
We often make resolutions...
Individuals do, corporations do, and country's do.
We often break our resolutions - often early on.
We're only human after all they do say.
However, there are a few things we simply cannot fail to progress with...
BIG THINGS.
Climate Change
Urbanisation
An Ageing Population
AI
A Circular Economy
Renewable Energy
Feel free to add a few more - I'm not a custodian of Radical Shiftsville...
And so to China.
I have just returned from the annual gathering of the great and the good for all things New Energy Vehicles - that's Electric Vehicles to those outside of China btw.
EV100
China EV100 is a non-governmental, non-profit forum and intellectual platform.
It's epic in both ambition and activity to my mind and I enjoyed every moment of my birthday weekend January 14th/15th. I've already put the date in the diary for 2018 - this is the BEST forum I've yet to attend....spent far too much time to date sitting around in talking shops.
This is about reviewing action, co-ordinating progress, and matching targets to capabilities. It marshals the right people all together at the right time in the right place.
Really!? 2 days and they fix it all up - hunky dory!
Of course they don't. But what precedes it - and what is actioned from it - forms a solid template for a New Energy Vehicle Future.
Fixing the BIG things is what it all points at.
I saw much of what I'm talking about last Spring at the Beijing Auto Show - and I'll be over in Shanghai for this year's Auto Show. Yes, it all pops up in Detroit, and Geneva, and Paris - but trust me folks, the place to be is China.
Why do I say that?
Just look around at all the connecting parts of our 'New Energy Future' The Tech Giants in China such as Baidu and Tencent, Energy Players like Hanergy, and super smart individuals like Jack Ma, Li Shufu, Wang Chuanfu, William Li, Xu Heyi, CC Chan, and there are many more...
My travel partners and I were blessed whilst in Beijing - both in hospitality terms and in air quality whilst in town. However, when the weather combines with the all the unintended consequences of rapid progress...it's not an ideal environment for anyone. This is of course a key driver - in conjunction with the global imperatives.
China is taking great strides on behalf of its own citizens - as well as the rest of us. You have my word on that.
2017 has already brought great change - and as ever, not all of that is welcome.
However, we all play the cards as they are dealt in this life - so it's vital you pay close attention as the dealer shuffles the pack and flicks them onto the table.
