Author: Linda Ma

BYD has marked the production of its 9 millionth new energy vehicle (NEV), becoming the first Chinese automaker to reach this milestone. The achievement was celebrated today at a ceremony at its headquarters in Shenzhen, where the ultra-luxury Yangwang U9 electric supercar rolled off the line as the landmark vehicle. The U9, a 2-seat electric supercar under BYD’s premium sub-brand Yangwang, represents the company’s commitment to expanding into the high-end market. The vehicle, which starts at RMB 1.68 million ($239,230), is equipped with four electric motors, each delivering 240 kW of power, enabling a total output of 1,306 Ps horsepower.…

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Nio and state-owned energy giant Sinopec Group have expanded their collaboration, formalizing a charging service cooperation agreement on September 25. This agreement builds on their existing partnership, which began in 2021 with the construction of battery swap stations. Under the new agreement, Nio users will now have access to Sinopec’s nationwide charging network through the Nio App, in-vehicle screens, and the Jiadian App. The enhanced cooperation aims to provide greater convenience for Nio and its sub-brand Onvo users, particularly ahead of China’s National Day holiday, scheduled for October 1-7. Nio and Sinopec initially joined forces…

A leaked document from supplier Bosch has revealed that Xiaomi plans to launch three new electric vehicle models between 2025 and 2026, signaling the company’s expansion beyond its initial offerings. The information indicates that Xiaomi will venture into the SUV segment, marking a shift away from a purely electric drive. The first of these models is the SU7 Ultra, already presented as a prototype. It is a performance-oriented version of Xiaomi’s inaugural production model, the SU7. According to Electric Vehicles, the details come from a new technology roadmap provided by Bosch. Additionally, Xiaomi’s first dedicated SUV, internally codenamed MX11, is…

Huawei and Chinese automaker Chery have launched the Luxeed R7, a new all-electric coupe SUV aimed at competing in the mid-size SUV market, particularly challenging Tesla’s Model Y. The Luxeed R7 was unveiled during Huawei’s fall product event as the second model under the Luxeed brand, following the Luxeed S7 sedan, and marks the first SUV under Huawei’s HIMA (Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance) business. The Luxeed R7, built on Huawei’s Giant Whale 800 V high-voltage platform, is offered in four variants, with prices ranging from RMB 259,800 ($36,940) to RMB 339,800. The model targets a similar price range to the…

BYD has introduced two new hybrid models, the Sealion 05 DM-i and the second-generation Song Pro DM-i, both equipped with the latest DM 5.0 technology and competitively priced to attract consumers. The launch event highlighted the compact SUVs, which have a starting price of RMB 112,800 ($15,980). Despite differences in design, the two models share nearly identical specifications and pricing. The Sealion 05 DM-i is designed as a compact five-seater SUV, measuring 4,710 mm in length, 1,880 mm in width, and 1,720 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,712 mm. These dimensions make it slightly smaller than the Tesla…

Denza, the premium new energy vehicle (NEV) brand under BYD, has officially launched its Z9GT model, following a pre-sale period that began a month ago. This marks the first release since BYD acquired full control of Denza. The Z9GT features a tri-motor powertrain and offers a range of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and battery electric vehicle (BEV) options, with prices starting at RMB 334,800 ($47,460). Denza’s Z9GT is available in five variants—three PHEV and two BEV models—with introductory prices set until December 31, 2024. Additionally, Denza is offering two PHEV First Edition models, limited to 2,010 units. Deliveries of…

BYD, China’s leading electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, is ramping up its global expansion efforts with the launch of its second car carrier. The new vessel, named BYD Hefei, was unveiled during an undocking ceremony held by Guangzhou Shipyard International over the weekend. This marks a significant step in BYD’s strategy to strengthen its logistics network as it seeks to dominate the global EV market. The company plans to introduce a total of seven new car carriers over the next two years. The BYD Hefei can transport up to 7,000 vehicles and will undergo a series of tests before officially commencing…

Lynk & Co’s second all-electric vehicle, the Z20 (Z02 in Europe), is gearing up for its European launch in October, with the Chinese debut following in November at the Guangzhou Auto Show. The first official images have surfaced from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), offering a glimpse into the brand’s latest BEV offering under Geely’s SEA2 platform, optimized for smaller vehicles like the Zeekr X and Volvo EX30. With a length of 4.46 meters, the Z20/Z02 shares similar dimensions with the Zeekr X but will distinguish itself with a 250 kW electric motor. While battery specifications remain…

Zeekr has officially launched the Zeekr 7X, its second electric SUV targeted at the mainstream EV market, during an event in Shanghai. The five-seat SUV is positioned as a competitor to Tesla’s Model Y, featuring a starting price of RMB 229,900 ($32,590), which is RMB 9,100 lower than its pre-sale price and below the Model Y’s starting price of RMB 249,900 in China. Since the commencement of pre-sales on August 30, the Zeekr 7X has garnered over 58,000 orders within just 20 days, according to the company. Deliveries are set to begin in China at the end of September, with…

Chinese battery giant CATL has reportedly halted its lithium lepidolite operations in Jiangxi province, a significant lithium mining region in China. The decision is believed to be part of CATL’s strategy to ease the current oversupply of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) in the market. UBS analyst Sky Han confirmed the development in a note released on September 11, 2024, stating that “CATL finally decided to suspend its lithium lepidolite operation in Jiangxi after a meeting on September 10.” Although there were previous speculations about CATL cutting lithium production in the region, Han expressed greater confidence in the accuracy of the…

Nio delivered 20,176 vehicles in August, marking its fourth consecutive month with deliveries exceeding 20,000 units. The figure represents a 4.38% increase compared to the 19,329 vehicles delivered in the same month last year but shows a slight decline of 1.57% from the 20,498 vehicles delivered in July. The company’s SUV deliveries remained stable at 11,923 units, a marginal decrease from the 11,964 SUVs delivered in July. Meanwhile, sedan deliveries totaled 8,253 units, down 3.29% from July’s 8,534 units. Nio’s cumulative deliveries since inception reached 577,694 units by the end of August, reflecting the company’s continued growth in the EV…

Shanghai has announced ambitious plans to completely transition its bus and taxi fleets to new energy vehicles (NEVs) by the end of 2027, as part of its latest transportation infrastructure and equipment work plan. The city’s strategy involves replacing over 9% of its public buses and taxis with NEVs annually from 2024 to 2027. This translates to the introduction of approximately 6,200 new energy buses and 11,000 NEV taxis over the next three years. The plan also includes phasing out aging buses while expanding the fleet with various types of new energy buses, including both battery-electric and fuel-cell vehicles. According…

BYD is set to integrate Huawei’s advanced smart driving system into its Fang Cheng Bao sub-brand’s upcoming Bao 8 model. This collaboration marks the first time BYD will utilize Huawei’s technology in the smart driving domain, according to a report by local media outlet LatePost. The Bao 8 will be the inaugural model from Fang Cheng Bao to feature city NOA (Navigate on Autopilot) capabilities, powered by Huawei’s Qiankun ADS 3.0 system. This development follows the official unveiling of the Fang Cheng Bao brand on August 16, 2023, with the launch of its first model, the Bao 5 off-road SUV,…

China-based autonomous driving startup WeRide announced on Friday its intention to seek a valuation of up to $5.02 billion in its upcoming initial public offering (IPO) in the United States. The company plans to raise up to $119.4 million by offering 6.45 million American depositary shares at a price range of $15.50 to $18.50 per share. The IPO comes at a time when the Biden administration is expected to propose new regulations that could potentially restrict the use of Chinese software in autonomous vehicles in the U.S. This regulatory uncertainty adds to the challenges facing self-driving technology, which continues to…

Nio has reached a significant milestone in its battery swap service, completing its 50 millionth battery swap as of August 5, 11:33 pm Beijing time. The achievement means that Nio’s battery swap stations have collectively delivered 2.62 billion kWh of electricity, equivalent to powering over 1.31 million households for one year. The company reports that nearly 60% of the energy used by Nio vehicles now comes from these battery swap stations. https://evmagz.com/nio-introduces-fourth-generation-battery-swap-stations-with-22-faster-swapping/ Nio’s battery swap service has reportedly saved users more than 2.85 billion minutes compared to conventional public charging, and has generated savings of over RMB 20.3 billion yuan…

The London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC), known for its iconic London taxis, has received a £120 million capital infusion from its Chinese parent company, Geely. The funds will support the development of LEVC’s SOA (Space Oriented Architecture) electric car platform. Geely’s investment was made in two phases: £70 million in October and an additional £50 million in May. This financial boost will be directed towards the production of the new L380 electric van, which uses the SOA platform. The L380 has been available in China since late June and is expected to be launched in the UK in the future.…

CATL, a leading global battery manufacturer, has announced a significant investment in Autoflight, a Chinese startup specializing in electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) technology. The deal, valued at hundreds of millions of dollars, marks CATL’s first public investment in the eVTOL sector. The investment was disclosed in a press release from Autoflight on August 3, which described the move as a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing eVTOL battery technology. “This investment reflects CATL’s recognition of Autoflight’s competitiveness and long-term growth potential in the eVTOL space,” the release stated. Under the terms of the agreement, CATL and Autoflight will collaborate…

Li Auto achieved record vehicle deliveries in July, driven by continued strong sales of its entry-level Li L6 model. The Chinese automaker reported delivering 51,000 vehicles last month, marking the second instance of surpassing the 50,000-unit threshold, following 50,353 deliveries in December of the previous year. This figure represents a 49.41 percent increase from 34,134 vehicles delivered in July 2023 and a 6.75 percent rise from 47,774 units in June 2024. Year-to-date, Li Auto has delivered a total of 239,981 vehicles, reflecting a 38.52 percent increase compared to the same period last year. As of the end of July, the…

Xpeng is set to launch its new S5 fast charging station in the third quarter of 2024, which will offer up to 800 kW of power. This new charger will surpass the company’s current most powerful charger, the S4 column, which debuted in 2022. The S5 Supercharger, featuring liquid cooling, will deliver a maximum output current of 800 amps and a maximum output voltage of 1,000 volts, according to a report by CN EV Post. He Xiaopeng, Chairman and CEO of Xpeng, highlighted these details during a live-streamed technology event. https://evmagz.com/xpeng-unveils-p7-model-promising-technological-advancements/ Scheduled to become operational in Q3 2024, the S5…

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Meizu, owned by Geely Group, plans to launch its first electric car this year, based on the Geely SEA platform. This move follows similar ventures by Huawei and Xiaomi into the electric car market. At the ChinaJoy 2024 trade fair, Meizu’s COO, Liao Qinghong, confirmed the launch of Meizu Automobile within the year. “The vehicles would differ from those of conventional car manufacturers in the way they function,” said Qinghong. https://evmagz.com/meizu-geely-applied-for-trademark-wujie-auto-for-next-car-brand/ Meizu joins competitors Xiaomi, whose SU7 model has been available since spring, and Huawei, which has entered joint ventures with various car manufacturers as part of…