The topic of "aluminum replacing copper" in the air conditioning industry has been intensely debated recently. Dong Mingzhu has taken a clear stance, declaring that Gree will resolutely not adopt this practice.
In her latest interview, Dong Mingzhu revisited this subject, providing the core reason behind Gree's decision to avoid using aluminum.
Dong Mingzhu stated that Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai has conducted research on aluminum materials for many years. The primary reason for not fully substituting copper thus far is that they have not yet confirmed with absolute certainty that aluminum can match copper's performance standards completely.
"Since equivalence hasn't been achieved, I cannot make such a change lightly," she emphasized.
She indicated that as technology continues to advance, Gree's pursuit extends beyond merely reducing material costs. A comprehensive consideration of consumers' long-term operating expenses is paramount. For instance, using Gree's technology might result in an annual electricity bill of around 5,000 yuan for a user. However, if products from other companies utilizing alternative materials are used, they might function, but the energy consumption could potentially double the cost to 10,000 yuan.
"Such data must be calculated with precision to genuinely address consumers' fundamental concerns," Dong Mingzhu remarked.
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