Shanghai (ZXZC)- If it were not for the combat against the novel coronavirus, people would never expect that today’s largest facial mask producer in the world is an automaker.

BYD, the Shenzhen-based vehicle manufacturer backed by Warren Buffett, has now taken the leading place with a daily capacity of 5 million masks. After the company announced on Feb. 8 the resolute decision to produce the urgently needed medical supplies, all production lines running at full capacity are currently able to output 5 million masks and 300,000 bottles of disinfectant.

The products would be donated to the posts standing at the anti-epidemic front line, such as hospitals, public security, and governmental agencies, in the first place, in a bid to further alleviate their shortage of medical gear amid the health crisis.

The crossover manufacturing mission almost integrates the power from BYD's all business units, such as NEV, battery, electronics and rail transit. Thanks to over 3,000 engineers and other employees working around the clock, BYD fulfilled the arduous tasks at an astonishing speed. According to a press release, it took them only three days to complete more than 400 papers of facility drawings, and only a week to consummate the R&D and production of the mask-production machine, eight to twenty days faster than that of the industry's average speed.

Yes, BYD not only produces facial masks, but also manufactures the equipment that outputs masks. Certainly, its advantageous capabilities in R&D and manufacture make the courageous deed utterly possible and reasonable.

“An assembly line of mass-producing machine is composed of around 1,300 parts, such as gears, chains, rollers and trolley wheels,” said Li Wei, an executive from BYD, “of which 90% parts are made by ourselves.”

For now, quite a few automakers including SAIC-GM-Wuling, GAC Group, Changan Automobile and Skywell have joined the string of mask producers. The battle hasn't finished yet, and they resolve to keep fighting until the epidemic is completely eradicated.