Author: Linda Ma

BYD has filed a next-generation version of its Seagull battery-electric vehicle with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), completing a key regulatory step ahead of the model’s launch in the domestic market. The filing, published in the ministry’s latest catalog of new vehicle models on July 10, includes two battery-electric variants of the Seagull. Larger Dimensions and More Powerful Motor According to the filing, both versions measure 4,205 millimeters in length, 1,810 mm in width and 1,570 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,650 mm. Both are configured with five seats. Compared with the current Seagull, the…

BYD’s premium brand Denza has unveiled the all-electric Denza Z at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the United Kingdom, marking the European debut of the brand’s first two-door electric supercar. According to Denza, the model is the first Chinese-developed electric supercar to enter the European market. The Denza Z will be offered in three variants. The Coupe is priced at £142,900, while the Spider convertible starts at £159,900. A track-focused Racing version will be available from £172,900. Pre-orders in the United Kingdom are scheduled to begin in October, with first customer deliveries expected before the end of 2026. In…

Xpeng has opened pre-sales for the Mona L03, the first sport utility vehicle in its Mona lineup, ahead of the model’s official launch in China on July 16 as the company expands its product portfolio and targets younger buyers. At a launch event in Beijing, Xpeng announced six variants of the Mona L03 with pre-sale prices ranging from 143,800 yuan (approximately US$21,200) to 165,800 yuan. The company describes the vehicle as a smart and stylish SUV designed for first-time car buyers and younger consumers. Following its China launch, the Mona L03 is scheduled to make its global debut in Europe.…

Mirattery, the battery asset management company supporting Nio Inc.’s battery-as-a-service (BaaS) business, has launched two green asset-backed securitization products with a combined issuance value of more than 2 billion yuan, expanding its financing activities for battery services and clean technology. The company said its Phase 2 Green Technology Innovation Asset-Backed Special Plan was established on June 30 on the Shanghai Stock Exchange with a total issuance of 971 million yuan (approximately $143 million). On the same day, Mirattery also completed the issuance of its third Green Asset-Backed Medium-Term Notes (ABN) of 2026, valued at 1.05 billion yuan. Financing Costs Reach…

Li Auto has officially entered the Macau market with the opening of its first retail center in the city, marking a new milestone in the Chinese electric vehicle maker’s international expansion strategy. The company partnered with Guangdong Hongyue Automobile Sales Group to establish the retail outlet. Guangdong Hongyue also serves as the exclusive general distributor for Nio in Macau. The expansion represents Li Auto’s first entry into the Hong Kong and Macau market, with the company positioning Macau as a gateway to the broader Asia-Pacific region. First Retail Center Opens The new retail center allows customers in Macau to experience…

Nio founder, chairman and chief executive officer William Li expects new energy vehicles (NEVs) to account for more than 90% of new vehicle sales in China by 2030, with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) representing more than 90% of the country’s NEV market. Li shared the outlook during the 2026 Nio Partner Day on Friday, according to a Weibo post by Nio Vice President of Brand and Communications Ma Lin. Confidence in Full Electrification According to Ma, Li’s forecast is based on several factors that have accelerated China’s transition toward electrification over the past two years. These include rapid changes in…

BYD is reportedly preparing a major restructuring of its research and development operations, shifting from a technology-centered organization to a more brand-focused structure as China’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer seeks to sustain growth in an increasingly competitive market. According to local media outlet Jipian Lab, BYD plans to reorganize its Engineering Academy into five independent research institutes aligned with its major automotive brands: Dynasty, Ocean, Fang Cheng Bao, Denza, and Yangwang. Brand Research Institutes Gain Greater Authority Under the proposed restructuring, the five brand-specific research institutes would be elevated to a level similar to that of the Engineering Academy. The…

Zeekr, the premium electric vehicle brand owned by Geely Auto, has surpassed 800,000 cumulative vehicle deliveries, highlighting the rapid growth of the Chinese automaker in the increasingly competitive premium mobility market. The company announced the milestone on Tuesday, noting that its vehicles are now available in more than 50 countries and regions worldwide. Deliveries continue to surge Zeekr delivered a record 34,377 vehicles in May, bringing cumulative deliveries to 786,090 units as of the end of the month. Based on the latest milestone announcement, the company has delivered more than 13,910 additional vehicles in June, pushing total deliveries beyond the…

Chinese battery manufacturer CATL has cautioned that mass adoption of all-solid-state batteries in electric vehicles remains several years away, with the technology unlikely to reach widespread commercial deployment before 2030. Speaking in an interview with Caijing, CATL founder and CEO Robin Zeng said significant technological and manufacturing challenges still need to be overcome before solid-state batteries can be produced at scale for mainstream vehicles. According to Zeng, the first commercial applications are likely to be confined to premium vehicle platforms priced above 250,000 yuan (approximately €32,000), reflecting the high costs associated with the emerging technology. Commercialization Still in Early Stages…

China’s Guangdong province has unveiled a major infrastructure strategy aimed at accelerating electric vehicle adoption, with plans to build more than 3 million charging facilities by the end of 2027 to support a rapidly growing fleet of new energy vehicles (NEVs). The action plan, jointly issued by eight provincial government departments including the Guangdong Provincial Development and Reform Commission, seeks to expand charging access across urban centers, highways and rural areas while promoting next-generation charging technologies. Charging Network Expansion Targets 8 Million NEVs Under the plan, Guangdong aims to establish a charging network capable of supporting more than 8 million…

Nio has strongly rejected a decision by the US Department of Defense (DOD) to include the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer on its list of “Chinese military companies,” describing the designation as unjustified and signaling it may pursue legal action to challenge the move. The company said it is neither a Chinese military company nor a contributor to China’s military-civil fusion program, responding after the Pentagon formally added Nio to the list under Section 1260H of the US National Defense Authorization Act. In a statement issued Tuesday, Nio sought to reassure investors that the designation does not constitute economic sanctions and…

Nio has entered into a strategic partnership with Chinese semiconductor supplier GigaDevice to jointly develop automotive-grade chips and support the next generation of intelligent electric vehicles. The agreement, announced by GigaDevice on Friday, focuses on collaborative innovation in automotive semiconductors, with the two companies aiming to accelerate the development of advanced chips for smart cockpits, intelligent driving systems, and future vehicle electronic architectures. Joint Development of Automotive Chips Under the partnership, GigaDevice will leverage its expertise in chip design and large-scale semiconductor manufacturing to provide high-performance automotive-grade memory and microcontroller products for Nio’s future vehicle lineup. The Beijing-based semiconductor company…