71 Electric relies on Research & Development, continuous innovation, and new technologies such as automation and digitalization as an engine for growth. To support its ambition, 71 Electric invests about 5.5% of its annual operating income in R&D, and established a company R&D center, as well as several partnerships with top Chinese universities.

71 electric medium & high voltage epoxy insulation Research Institute was established in 2015 and upgraded in 2017. It covers an area of 1600m2 and currently count 58 R&D personnel, including 9 senior engineers, more than 30 junior engineers and 1 senior technician. The Institute follows closely the latest technological development in the industry, conducts research on epoxy insulation material, manufacturing processes, especially casting, and design new insulators d on technical requirements.

71 Electric is actively participating in academic exchanges and established long-term partnerships with several universities, notably North China Electric Power University, Hangzhou Normal University, Southeast University.

The spectrum of collaboration covers various areas aiming at improving the overall technical performance of the insulators. For instance, one particular research domain concerns the electric field distribution inside of the insulators. By improving the shielding, the field can be made more uniform. This research has notably led to the Design and Development of 40.5kV Double Shielded Contact Box.

The synergy with universities also allowed 71 Electric to develop a strong expertise on the epoxy resin insulating materials. Studying their performance and their resistance against extreme weather condition, especially extreme temperatures, high humidity, and intense UV exposure have notably led to developing a range of insulators, including flame-retardant insulators (using V-0 epoxy material), high glass transition temperature insulators (heat-resistant), weather-resistant insulators (for outdoor use), and super-hydrophobic insulators (for harsh environments).

In July 2019, 71 Electric established a postdoctoral workstation， as to deepen the partnership and tackle more fundamental research areas.In addition, 71Electric is involved in the development and regulation of standards for the power industry