Author: Linda Ma

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL) and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp (JAC Group) have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to strengthen collaboration in battery technology, supply chain stability, and international market expansion, according to a statement posted on CATL’s WeChat account. The agreement aims to enhance the performance and safety of JAC’s vehicle lineup by utilizing CATL’s power battery technologies. JAC, which produces both passenger and commercial vehicles, has been expanding its premium “Maextro” range, incorporating CATL’s Qilin and Shenxing battery systems featuring technologies such as fast charging, dual-surface cooling, and enhanced safety structures. See also: Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle…

The 2026 BYD Qin L DM-i arrives as an upgraded plug-in hybrid sedan featuring enhanced fuel efficiency, new in-car technology, and improved electric range. Positioned above the Qin Plus in BYD’s lineup, the model combines long-distance capability with family-oriented practicality. Powertrain and Performance The 2026 Qin L DM-i continues to use BYD’s DM-i plug-in hybrid system, pairing a 1.5-liter gasoline engine producing 74 kW and 126 N·m of torque with two electric motor options — one delivering 120 kW and another producing 160 kW. This setup enables a pure-electric range of 128 km and an overall driving range of up…

Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio plans to unveil its new flagship SUV, the ES9, in the second quarter of 2026, founder and CEO William Li said during an offline Q&A session, according to a video shared on Weibo by automotive blogger @兄弟电动. The announcement marks the first time Nio has provided a specific timeline for the ES9’s debut. Li did not confirm whether the model would officially launch or only be revealed in the second quarter, though some attendees suggested the company might first hold a technology event, similar to the rollout of the ES8. See also: Nio Launches Limited…

Chinese autonomous driving company Pony.ai has reached a new production milestone, rolling out its 300th ARCFOX Alpha T5 Robotaxi built in partnership with Beijing Automotive Group Co., Ltd. (BAIC Group), as it moves toward scaling its driverless fleet globally. The company began mass production of the ARCFOX Alpha T5, equipped with its seventh-generation (Gen-7) autonomous driving platform, in July 2025. The vehicle is designed for continuous, all-weather operation and integrates key cost and safety enhancements to enable broader commercial deployment. See also: Stellantis and Pony.ai Partner to Develop Autonomous Robotaxi Solutions in Europe https://twitter.com/PonyAI_tech/status/1981659880978264550 Pony.ai said its Gen-7 system reduces…

Zhao Changjiang, former head of sales for BYD’s premium brand Denza, has resigned from his position at the company’s Fang Cheng Bao division, according to an internal memo circulating on Chinese social media. The document stated that Zhao submitted his resignation as general manager of Fang Cheng Bao’s direct sales division for personal reasons, and the company has processed his departure. The move comes just three months after Zhao was reassigned in July from Denza to Fang Cheng Bao, another sub-brand under BYD. His resignation was later confirmed by several automotive bloggers who closely follow BYD developments. See also: Fang…

BYD has unveiled a preview of a new model targeting Japan’s popular K-Car segment, signaling the company’s next phase of expansion in the Japanese market. The vehicle was featured on BYD Japan’s website ahead of its official debut at the Japan Mobility Show 2025, which begins on October 30. The image reveals a compact, urban-oriented vehicle consistent with the proportions of Japan’s K-Cars—mini cars that are typically less than 3.4 meters long, 1.48 meters wide, and limited to 64 horsepower. Favored for their affordability and maneuverability, K-Cars benefit from reduced taxes and are widely used as second vehicles among urban…

Chinese electric vehicle maker XPeng has officially opened its new global headquarters in Guangzhou, unveiling a large-scale complex designed to function as a self-contained city for its employees. “Today marks the day when XPeng’s headquarters officially moves to its new site in Guangzhou,” CEO He Xiaopeng wrote on Monday in a Weibo post. The new campus, located in the Cencun area of Tianhe Smart City, spans more than 500,000 square meters, with a total floor area of about 364,500 square meters and an 80,000-square-meter park. See also: Xpeng Files for Extended-Range Versions of G6 SUV and P7+ Sedan Ahead of…

Great Wall Motor’s Tank brand has opened pre-sales for the updated Tank 400 SUV, introducing new configurations and upgraded technology to refresh one of its flagship models. The hybrid SUV is available in Hi4-T and Hi4-Z versions, with prices starting at RMB 309,800 ($43,520) and RMB 329,800, respectively. Initially launched in September 2023, the Tank 400 was originally offered only in the Hi4-T variant aimed at off-road enthusiasts. The newly added Hi4-Z version is positioned for urban users, offering improved performance and advanced driver assistance while featuring fewer off-road capabilities. GWM describes the Hi4-Z system as a new-generation hybrid powertrain…

BYD’s premium brand, Yangwang, announced that the U9 Xtreme has been officially listed on the Nürburgring Nordschleife production car leaderboard with a certified lap time of 6 minutes 59.157 seconds. The certification formally recognizes the model as the fastest production electric vehicle at the circuit and confirms its “dual first” status for both top speed and lap time. The U9 Xtreme also achieved a top speed of 496.22 km/h, making it the fastest global production supercar. The previous Nürburgring record for production electric vehicles was surpassed by five seconds, marking the first time an EV has completed the 20.8-kilometer track…

CATL is accelerating its battery swap expansion, aiming to increase its EVOGO station count by 1.5 times next year and reach 1,000 locations by the end of 2025, according to its subsidiary Contemporary Amperex Energy Service Technology (CAES). Currently, CAES operates 700 battery swap stations across 39 Chinese cities. By 2026, CATL plans to operate more than 2,500 stations in over 120 cities, as part of a long-term strategy to develop a nationwide battery swap network. The EVOGO brand was launched in January 2022, marking CATL’s entry into the battery swap market, previously dominated by Nio. See also: CATL Third-Quarter…

Zeekr Group said it will release its unaudited financial results for the third quarter of 2025 before U.S. markets open on November 17, the electric vehicle manufacturer announced on Monday. The company, which operates the Zeekr and Lynk & Co brands under Geely Holding, will not hold an analyst conference call following the results release, in line with its second-quarter reporting format. See also: Zeekr Group Reports 51,159 September Deliveries, Up 8.5% Year-on-Year; Lynk & Co Leads with 32,902 Units According to data compiled by CnEVPost, Zeekr Group delivered 140,195 vehicles in the third quarter, representing a 12.5% increase from…

Li Liyun, the former head of Xpeng’s autonomous driving center, has left the Chinese electric vehicle maker following his replacement by Liu Xianming, a company executive with expertise in artificial intelligence, according to local media outlet LatePost. Li, who joined Xpeng in June 2019, reflected on his 76-month tenure at the company, highlighting the expansion of the automaker’s smart driving system from highway applications to urban roads, the transition from reliance on high-definition maps to map-free operation, and a shift from multi-sensor dependence to vision-based systems. See also: Xpeng Reports Over 5,000 Vehicle Exports in September as Overseas Expansion Progresses…

A heavily camouflaged prototype believed to be the next-generation BYD Dolphin has been spotted testing on public roads in China, suggesting the compact electric hatchback is set for significant updates. The current Dolphin, which remains China’s top-selling compact EV with 21,888 units sold in September, is expected to undergo a major mechanical and technological overhaul for the 2026 model year. According to a Chinese automotive source, the upcoming Dolphin will likely adopt BYD’s cell-to-body (CTB) battery integration technology — a feature seen in higher-end BYD models — allowing improved rigidity and energy efficiency. The model is also expected to feature…

Nio founder and chief executive William Li has reiterated the company’s goal of achieving profitability in the fourth quarter of 2025, calling on employees to give their full commitment in the final stretch of the year, according to Chinese media outlet 21jingji. During an internal meeting on October 17, Li outlined his personal VAU (Vision Action Upgrade) plan for the fourth quarter and stressed the importance of meeting the profitability target, which has been a key company objective over the past year. The meeting, attended by mid- and senior-level managers, marked what Li described as the “final sprint” toward the…

Denza, the premium brand under BYD, will officially launch its large six-seat N8L SUV on October 28, according to a Weibo post from Li Hui, the brand’s general manager. Pre-sales for the N8L began on September 26, with two variants priced from RMB 319,800 ($44,890) and RMB 349,800. Positioned for the family vehicle segment, the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) emphasizes safety, comfort, and handling agility. See also: BYD’s Denza Launches New D9 MPV Variants With Lower Starting Price The N8L measures 5,200 mm in length, 1,999 mm in width, and 1,820 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,075…

BYD’s off-road and family-focused sub-brand Fang Cheng Bao will unveil updated variants of its Bao 5 and Bao 8 SUVs on October 20, aiming to expand its market reach after achieving record sales last month. The Bao 5 SUV will receive a long-range variant, while the Bao 8 will see the introduction of a five-seat version, complementing its existing six- and seven-seat configurations. The launches follow strong September deliveries, when the brand sold 24,121 vehicles, marking a 344.87 percent year-on-year increase, driven primarily by its Tai 3 and Tai 7 models. See also: Fang Cheng Bao Launches Tai 7 SUV,…

BYD’s premium sub-brand Yangwang has increased the price of its U9 electric supercar, diverging from the pricing adjustments seen across other divisions of the Chinese automaker. The starting price of the U9 has been raised to RMB 1.8 million ($252,630), up RMB 120,000, or about 7.14%, from the previous RMB 1.68 million, according to an announcement by the company on Wednesday. Customers in China who purchase the vehicle between October 1 and December 31 will receive benefits including a six-year or 150,000-kilometer vehicle warranty and eight years of free maintenance, Yangwang said. See also: BYD’s Yangwang U9 Demonstrates ‘God’s Eye’…

Beijing Hyundai, the joint venture between Hyundai Motor and BAIC Motor, has begun pre-sales of its first all-electric SUV, the Hyundai EO, marking a significant step in the company’s push to re-establish itself in China’s fast-growing electric vehicle market. Formerly known as the Hyundai Elexio, the EO compact SUV is available in three variants — Fun, Smart, and Tech — priced between RMB 130,000 ($18,250) and RMB 150,000. Built on Hyundai’s Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), the vehicle measures 4,615 mm in length, 1,875 mm in width, and 1,698 mm in height, with a 2,750 mm wheelbase. See also: CATL…

Great Wall Motor’s premium Wey brand has launched the Gaoshan 7, a seven-seat plug-in hybrid electric MPV, adding to its Gaoshan series alongside the Gaoshan 8 and Gaoshan 9. The release follows steady sales growth for the Wey brand in recent months. The Gaoshan 7 is priced from RMB 285,800 ($40,100), slightly lower than its pre-sale price of RMB 289,800. Wey also introduced a Gaoshan Welfare Edition starting at RMB 349,800. The MPV measures 5,050 mm in length, 1,960 mm in width, and 1,900 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,085 mm. See also: Wey Begins Pre-Sales of Gaoshan…

Battery manufacturer CATL and e-commerce company JD.com have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to collaborate in areas related to green logistics, battery technologies, and sustainable energy systems. According to the companies, the partnership covers a wide range of fields, including omni-channel battery services, logistics and warehousing, zero-carbon industrial parks, digital supply chains, administrative and employee services, data centers, and overseas business support. See also: CATL to Double Battery Testing Capacity in Germany by 2026 In the new energy vehicle (NEV) energy replenishment sector, CATL and JD.com plan to establish official direct sales channels for the “Choco SE” battery swap model.…