30 Under 30 – EV Rebels: Youth-Driven Innovation in China’s Electric Vehicle Boom
How Liu Bo, a 27-year-old engineer at BYD, is driving breakthroughs in solid-state battery technology.
📝 By David Mitchell | EV & Mobility Correspondent
Growing Up in the Age of Change
Liu Bo (27) grew up in Changsha, Hunan province, where smoggy skies were once the norm. As a boy, he often coughed on his way to school during heavy pollution days. “I remember thinking: when I grow up, I want to breathe clean air,” he says. That childhood memory stayed with him and shaped his career in China’s booming new energy vehicle (NEV) industry.
A Gen Z Engineer at BYD
After graduating from Tsinghua University with a degree in materials science, Liu joined BYD, one of China’s EV champions. At 25, he became one of the youngest engineers to lead a team working on solid-state battery prototypes.
Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries, solid-state batteries promise higher safety, faster charging, and longer ranges. “If we crack this,” Liu explains, “China won’t just dominate EVs—we’ll set the global standard.”
Driving China’s Green Transition
Liu sees his work not just as engineering but as part of China’s broader dual carbon goals (双碳目标)—peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and reaching neutrality by 2060.
His team’s pilot project has already powered a fleet of test buses in Shenzhen, reducing operating costs and proving that large-scale EV adoption is possible in public transport. “When I see passengers boarding buses powered by our batteries,” he says, “I feel like I’m helping clean the skies of my childhood.”
Recognition and Youth Culture
In 2023, Liu Bo was named in Forbes China 30 Under 30 – Industry & Manufacturing. He has also become a symbol of Gen Z’s commitment to green innovation, often featured in People’s Daily as the face of “youth serving the nation through science.”
Beyond the lab, he posts vlogs on Bilibili, where he explains battery science using analogies like hotpot broth (for electrolytes) and dumpling wrappers (for separators). His quirky style has won him a following among students, making science cool for China’s younger audiences.
Challenges on the Road
Developing solid-state batteries is extremely complex. Costs remain high, scalability is uncertain, and foreign competitors are racing ahead. Liu admits frustration: “Sometimes, experiments fail a hundred times before success.” But he adds with a smile: “百折不挠 (bend but never break).”
The Road Ahead
Liu Bo’s vision is to see China’s EV technology exported globally under the Belt and Road Initiative, from Southeast Asia to Europe. He believes Chinese youth engineers can contribute not just to national pride but also to global sustainability.
A Rebel with a Mission
On his desk, Liu keeps a childhood photo of himself standing beside his father’s old gas-powered car. “That car symbolized the past,” he says. “Now, I’m building the batteries that symbolize China’s future.”
