Wang Chuanfu (BYD)

Wang Chuanfu turned a rural chemistry startup into BYD, the world's top EV maker by volume—surpassing Tesla with 3.02 million new energy vehicles sold in 2023, a 62% year-on-year increase. BYD's Blade Battery, costing 30% less to produce than the industry average lithium-iron-phosphate cell, gives Wang a decisive cost advantage over Lei Jun's Xiaomi, which must source batteries externally. The company achieved a net profit margin of 4.9% in 2023, higher than #8 Richard Liu's JD.com at 3.7%, proving that manufacturing scale can beat e-commerce margins. Wang's vertical integration, from batteries to chips, cuts supply costs by roughly 15% compared to rival automakers who depend on third-party suppliers.