Author: Linda Ma

Nio will fall short of its 2025 target for new battery swap stations in China as it reallocates resources toward a next-generation system, Chief Executive William Li said on Wednesday. The company had originally aimed to install 2,000 new stations this year, later revising the goal to between 1,800 and 2,000. As of September 10, Nio had added 488 sites, or about 27% of its revised target. “Mainly because we have to think about deploying the fifth-generation stations,” Li said, explaining that current fourth-generation stations cannot be upgraded to support the variety of battery sizes across Nio and its sub-brands,…

Chinese car makers are increasing their presence in Europe, with executives emphasizing long-term plans to establish local production and tailor vehicles to European customers, highlighting a shift from earlier struggles in the region. At the IAA Mobility auto show in Munich this week, Chinese automakers, facing intense competition and margin pressure in their domestic market, showcased their latest electric vehicles (EVs) for Europe. GAC displayed its Aion V electric SUV, set to launch in Poland, Portugal, and Finland this month, and the Aion UT, which will go on sale in Europe next year. “Everything we do starts with the needs…

BYD plans to produce electric vehicles locally in Europe within three years, a move that would help it sidestep European Union tariffs on Chinese-made cars, a senior company executive said on Monday. “We are training ourselves to be more European in production,” said Stella Li, executive vice president and BYD’s second-ranking executive, in an interview at the IAA Mobility auto show in Munich. The company is set to start output at its factory in Hungary this year and aims to begin production in Turkey in 2026. The EU imposed tariffs on Chinese-made EVs last year, citing what it said were…

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Xpeng said on Monday it will open its first European research and development (R&D) center in Munich, Germany, as the company looks to deepen its foothold in one of its key overseas markets. The Munich site will be the company’s ninth global R&D hub and will work alongside facilities in Silicon Valley, San Diego, and several Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou. The automaker said the center, built on the principle “In Europe, With Europe,” is designed to capture local user needs, accelerate innovation, and advance localization efforts. “The Munich center enables us…

Chinese electric vehicle maker WM Motor said on Friday it has secured a new investor and will restart production after financial troubles pushed it into restructuring last year. Shenzhen Xiangfei Automobile Sales Co has become the restructuring investor and shareholder of WM Motor’s four operating entities, taking control of the businesses, according to an announcement on the company’s official social media accounts. Xiangfei said it is “fully committed to rapidly resuming mass production” of WM Motor’s EX5 and E5 models at its Wenzhou base in Zhejiang province. The restructured company targets production of 10,000 to 20,000 units of the two…

Shangjie, the new electric vehicle brand co-developed by Huawei and SAIC Motor, said its first model, the H5 SUV, has secured over 80,000 pre-orders since pre-sales began on August 25, signaling strong market interest ahead of its official launch on September 23. The brand announced the figures on Weibo, highlighting the SUV’s rapid uptake, which included more than 25,000 pre-orders within the first hour of pre-sales. Positioned as a mid-size SUV, the Shangjie H5 measures 4,780 mm in length, 1,910 mm in width, and 1,664 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,840 mm. It offers both Extended Range Electric…

CATL has introduced its new Shenxing Pro battery in Europe, unveiling the product ahead of the IAA Mobility auto show in Munich as it seeks to accelerate its international expansion. The Shenxing Pro is the first battery to feature CATL’s latest NP 3.0 (No Propagation 3.0) safety technology, which is based on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry. CATL said the innovation reflects seven years of research and allows the battery to “sustain power supply for over an hour after thermal runaway,” enabling drivers to safely move vehicles away from hazardous areas. According to the company, the design prevents visible flames…

China’s BYD has launched its Seal 6 DM-i hybrid sedan and Seal 6 DM-i Touring wagon in Europe, further expanding its presence in the region’s new energy vehicle (NEV) market. The two models, known in China as the Seal 06 DM-i, were introduced to European buyers on Sept. 2, BYD said on Friday. The move follows earlier rollouts of the Seal U DM-i, marketed in China as the Song Plus DM-i, as well as the Seal 05 DM-i sedan in Poland and Slovakia in June. “The success of the Seal U DM-i demonstrates that hybrid technology allows users to enjoy…

Chinese automaker Geely Auto’s sub-brand Geely Galaxy announced that it will launch its new M9 hybrid SUV on September 17 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, the company’s headquarters. The vehicle is expected to compete aggressively in China’s large hybrid SUV segment. The M9, which made its global debut in Milan in May, is built on Geely’s Electric Architecture (GEA) and uses the next-generation Leishen EM Super Hybrid system. Geely Galaxy highlighted the vehicle’s AI capabilities on social media, stating, “AI makes life better!” Pre-sales for the six-seat SUV began in China on August 23, with six variants priced from RMB 193,800 ($27,130)…

BYD’s ultra-luxury sub-brand Yangwang will officially launch the U8L on September 12, an extended-wheelbase version of its U8 off-road SUV, as the company intensifies its push into China’s luxury electric vehicle market. The U8L, scheduled for unveiling at 7:30 pm Beijing time, measures 5,400 mm in length, 2,049 mm in width, and 1,921 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,250 mm, extending the dimensions of the standard U8. The vehicle’s six-seat layout is powered by four electric motors producing over 1,000 horsepower and is built on BYD’s e4 platform. To highlight its premium positioning, the SUV will feature a…

Fang Cheng Bao, a sub-brand of Chinese automaker BYD, will launch its new Tai 7 hybrid SUV on September 9, according to local media outlet Auto Home. The model will be the second in the brand’s Tai series and its first hybrid SUV built on a unibody frame. The Tai 7 is expected to be priced between RMB 250,000 ($34,990) and RMB 300,000, overlapping with Fang Cheng Bao’s Bao 5 off-road SUV, which sells for RMB 239,800 to RMB 329,800. The company began production of the Tai 7 on August 11, and display models have already been delivered to over…

WeRide has started 24-hour fully driverless operations of its GXR Robotaxi in Huangpu District, Guangzhou. The service allows passengers to book rides anywhere within the designated service area using the WeRide Go app. The launch follows 11 months of road testing, regulatory approval, and model certification. The company’s GXR vehicle features Level 4 autonomous driving capabilities, a high-performance computing platform, and sensors designed to operate in varying weather and lighting conditions. Redundancy systems for steering, braking, and computing are included to enhance operational safety. https://twitter.com/WeRide_ai/status/1963527467358130593 The GXR is designed to carry up to five passengers and includes features such as…