Extraordinary Genius
Chapter 1142 – Mobile Power Bank
As Feng Yu was speaking to the Fu Family to help with Aiwa Little Tyrant’s listing in Hong Kong, he received a piece of good news.
Tai Hua Batteries had finally completed a project assigned to them by Feng Yu. The Portable Power Bank. Before Tai Hua Batteries succeeded, it was only a concept which many companies claimed to be researching on it. But none of these companies had introduced this product.
There are rumors that the first Mobile Power Bank is developed by an overseas student in the US. He used several dry cells in a small electronic device and turned it into a mobile phone charger. This product had first appeared in a US consumer electronics fair.
But now, the electronics fair had not started, and that Mobile Power Bank should not be developed yet. Although Sony claims to be introducing its Mobile Power Bank product several months ago. But to date, it still had not to launch anything.
The Chief Engineer of Tai Hua Batteries brought the prototype to Feng Yu’s office in Beijing Wind and Rain Building.
“We are using high power lithium batteries in this Power Bank, and it is designed in a cylinder shape. A battery can hold up to 800mAH, and we are using four batteries in this device. The total amount of power in this Power Bank is 3,200mAH, 3.7V with 1A output.”
Everyone, except for Feng Yu, was stunned. Feng Yu asked expressionlessly. “What is the conversion efficiency?”
The Chief Engineer looked at Feng Yu with respect. “Manager Feng is an expert. Because of our technological limitations, this Mobile Power Bank’s conversion efficiency is not very high. It is only around 65%.”
Feng Yu calculated in his heart and asked. “That means this Mobile Power Bank is only around 2,000 mAH?”
But this amount of power is enough for the time being. The battery capacity in mobile phones is only around 800 to 1,000 mAH, as there are few functions. But after MP3 players are included in mobile phones, the battery capacity is not enough. That’s why Mobile Power Bank needs to appear in the market earlier than Feng Yu’s previous life.
“We had calculated, and 2,000mAH is enough to fully charge two mobile phone batteries. This is enough to meet the users’ needs. For example, when the user is traveling on the train, during their vacations.” The Chief Engineer explained.
“What is the cost of this Mobile Power Bank?” Feng Yu thought to himself. If your Mobile Power Bank is more expensive than a mobile phone’s batteries, this product will be useless. People can just buy a few more batteries.
“The direct cost is around 80 RMB.”
80?! It is only 80 RMB?! Feng Yu is overjoyed. This is much cheaper than the 200 RMB mobile phone’s batteries!
Huh… We still need to include transportation, storage, advertisements, sales, etc., costs, and the retail price must be at least 150 RMB or 20 USD overseas.
But that Is also cheaper than buying a battery. Furthermore, the power capacity of this Mobile Power Bank is equivalent to two batteries.
“You all can only include four batteries in this Mobile Power Bank? Can you all add more?” Feng Yu asked.
“More batteries?! Manager Feng, this Mobile Power Bank is already quite big. If we add more batteries to it, it will be bigger.” The Chief Engineer replied.
This Mobile Power Bank is already palm-sized, and if they add more batteries to it, it will be the size of a brick!
Feng Yu sighed and explained. “Chief Engineer Xiao, think about this. Users will surely keep this Mobile Power Bank in their bags, right? They will not be holding it in their hands, and it’s fine for it to be bigger. The battery capacity is more important. Of course, I am not saying this prototype is not good. I just want to offer our users more variety. Ok. You need to develop different models of this Mobile Power Bank after you go back.”
“Manager Feng, are you saying that this Mobile Power Bank can be launched into the market?” Chief Engineer Xiao is overjoyed. It’s an achievement to let everyone use a product he developed and make profits for the company.
Feng Yu looks at the excited Chief Engineer Xiao. Chief Engineer Xiao’s hair is almost all white, but he is as excited as a little child.
“Chief Engineer Xiao, you are getting closer to your retirement, right? When are you retiring?” Chief Engineer Xiao was the expert sent over by the Battery Factory when Tai Hua Batteries cooperated with them.
“That’s right. I will be retiring next year. I really can’t bear to leave.” Chief Engineer Xiao had spent his whole life working at this place, and just when he had gotten some results, he had to leave.
“Chief Engineer Xiao, is your family with you?”
“My son and daughter are also working in Tai Hua Batteries, but they work at different branch factories. My wife had retired, and she is staying with me.”
“Chief Engineer Xiao, are you interested in being re-hired after your retirement? You can come back to lead this Mobile Power Bank development team.” Feng Yu asked with a smile.
There might be better experts on batteries in China. Still, none is as familiar with Mobile Power Banks as Chief Engineer Xiao. Furthermore, Chief Engineer Xiao had been working with these engineers all this while.
Also, Chief Engineer Xiao is an employee of the State-owned Battery Factory and is only getting a four-figure monthly salary, despite holding a high rank. In Tai Hua Batteries, the newly hired graduates are getting almost the same amount as Chief Engineer Xiao after three years. Of course, the annual bonuses given out by Feng Yu to these State-owned employees are quite high, and this is a form of compensation for them.
Chief Engineer Xiao is overjoyed. “Yes! I don’t need to be a team leader. Just a research engineer will do.”
“No… you must be the one overseeing the technology development. Of course, after you are re-hired, your salary will be equivalent to our company’s Deputy General Manager. Still, your annual bonuses will not be as high as in previous years.”
“I can give up my bonuses!” Although the bonuses are high, Chief Engineer Xiao got bonuses of around 70,000 to 80,000 RMB annually. He will be getting a Deputy General Manager salary, which is around 300,000 RMB annually. Why would he still care about the bonus?
“Chief Engineer Xiao, your next research should focus on increasing the conversion efficiency and batteries’ capacity. Also, the output must be increased to 2A or more. Oh, it will be better if the voltage can be increased to 19V.”
19V?! Chief Engineer Xiao immediately understood what Feng Yu wants. That is the voltage of laptop batteries.
“Manager Feng, are you saying that this Mobile Power Bank will be used on laptops in the future?”
“It might not be a Power Bank. It can also be an external battery for laptops. The laptop batteries cannot last long, and what if the battery dies when the user needs to use it outside? Those that can afford laptops and uses them often will surely be willing to buy our external laptop batteries!”
“Ok. Manager Feng, I know what to do. Increasing the Power Bank capacity and output is not difficult. It is just increasing the size of the Power Bank. We will think of a solution to increase the batteries’ capacity and lower the size and weight of it.”
Feng Yu nodded and turns to Liu Chuanzhi. “Old Liu, can you help to get the patent for this Mobile Power Bank as soon as possible?”
The inventor of Mobile Power Bank is Tai Hua Batteries! A Chinese company!