Author: Linda Ma

Leapmotor, the Chinese electric vehicle maker backed by Stellantis, confirmed plans to launch a second vehicle brand as it seeks to expand beyond its current lineup of affordable electric cars. Speaking during an earnings call on Friday, Leapmotor Vice President Li Tengfei said products under the new brand could debut as early as the end of this year. “Products from the new brand are expected to debut as early as the end of this year,” Li said during the call. He added that the new models are likely to be officially launched in the middle or second half of next…

Zeekr, the premium electric vehicle brand of Geely Auto, launched updated versions of its 007 sedan and 007 GT wagon on Friday, introducing upgraded specifications at lower prices as it seeks to sustain sales momentum in China. The refreshed Zeekr 007 and 007 GT share the same trim structure and pricing, with a limited-time starting price of 193,900 yuan ($28,400), compared with an official suggested retail price of 203,900 yuan. That compares with previous starting prices of 209,900 yuan for the 007 sedan and 202,900 yuan for the 007 GT. Zeekr said both updated models now use a 900-volt electrical…

Geely Auto’s sub-brand Geely Galaxy opened pre-sales for its M7 plug-in hybrid sport utility vehicle on Thursday, as the automaker seeks to strengthen its position in China’s competitive mass-market segment. The mid-size SUV is offered in three variants with pre-sale prices starting at 139,800 yuan ($20,450), rising to 146,800 yuan and 156,800 yuan for higher trims. The M7 measures 4,770 mm in length, 1,905 mm in width and 1,685 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,785 mm. Geely said the vehicle is powered by a 1.5-liter Leishen EM hybrid engine delivering 82 kilowatts of maximum power and thermal efficiency…

BYD has launched the 2026 versions of its Seal 06 DM-i wagon and Seal 06 GT, introducing updated battery and charging technologies as part of its product expansion in China. The company said the hybrid Seal 06 DM-i wagon starts at 111,900 yuan ($16,230), while the battery-electric Seal 06 GT is priced from 128,900 yuan. Both models are equipped with BYD’s second-generation Blade Battery and flash charging technology. According to the company, the system allows the battery to charge from 10% to 70% in five minutes, and from 10% to 97% in approximately nine minutes. Charging times may increase slightly…

Zhu Jiangming, founder and chief executive of Leapmotor, has increased his stake in the company through a new share purchase, according to a filing with the Hong Kong stock exchange, as management continues to raise its holdings. Zhu and his concert party, Fu Liquan, acquired a combined 5,080,200 H shares on the open market at an average price of HK$45.10 ($5.75) per share, the filing showed. The transaction totaled about HK$230 million and marks the fifth instance of stake increases by the company’s leadership over the past two years. Following the latest purchase, the shareholder group led by Zhu holds…

BYD’s premium brand Denza has opened pre-sales for the updated D9 multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) in China, introducing new battery technology and expanded powertrain options. The second-generation Denza D9 is priced between 389,800 yuan ($56,400) and 489,800 yuan, with both plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and battery-electric (BEV) versions offered at the same price levels. Show vehicles are expected to arrive in dealerships in April, with deliveries to follow. The updated model features BYD’s second-generation Blade Battery and flash-charging technology. According to the company, the system enables charging from 10% to 70% in five minutes and up to 97% in nine minutes, while…

Volkswagen Group has opened pre-sales in China for its first electric model developed with local partner Xpeng, the Volkswagen ID. UNYX 08, priced from around €30,000. The model, unveiled in November 2025, is the first production-ready vehicle resulting from the partnership formalised in 2023, under which Volkswagen also acquired a stake of approximately 5% in Xpeng. Built on Xpeng’s Edward platform—also used in the Xpeng G9—the ID. UNYX 08 reached production readiness within 24 months, according to Volkswagen. Manufacturing is handled by Volkswagen Anhui at its plant in Hefei. The SUV is offered exclusively in China, with pre-sale prices ranging…

BYD reported a decline in full-year net profit for 2025, as intense price competition in China’s electric vehicle market continued to pressure margins. The company posted net profit of 32.62 billion yuan ($4.72 billion), down 19% from a year earlier and below analyst expectations, according to its annual financial report. BYD said the domestic new energy vehicle (NEV) market remains highly competitive, with ongoing price wars eroding profitability. Revenue rose modestly by 3.46% to 803.97 billion yuan but also fell short of market forecasts, indicating a slowdown in growth momentum amid challenging market conditions. BYD sold 4.6 million NEVs in…

Mirattery, the battery asset management unit of Nio, has listed a new asset-backed security (ABS) on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, marking a step in its efforts to diversify funding sources and enhance asset utilization. The product, named the “CITIC Securities-Mirattery Holding-Type Power Battery Green Asset-Backed Special Plan,” began trading on March 24 and is described by the company as the world’s first holding-type power battery ABS. The issuance, completed in February, has a total size of 501 million yuan ($72.7 million). The underlying assets consist of power batteries leased to vehicle owners under a rental model, reflecting Mirattery’s role in…

Xpeng has lowered the starting price of its new-generation P7 sedan and introduced a more flexible trim structure, as the Chinese electric vehicle maker seeks to revive demand. The company launched three new P7 Max variants to replace the previous lower-priced Ultra versions, reducing the entry price by 16,000 yuan to 203,800 yuan ($29,650). The top-tier variant remains priced at 301,800 yuan. Under the revised lineup, the new Max variants come equipped with a single in-house developed Turing AI smart driving chip as standard, compared with three chips previously included in the Ultra models. Customers can now opt for upgrades,…

Nio has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Tuhu Car Inc, China’s largest independent auto service platform, to expand vehicle lifecycle services and enhance user engagement, the companies said. The collaboration will initially focus on the core Nio brand, excluding its sub-brands Onvo and Firefly. Both parties aim to integrate resources across online and offline channels to provide full-lifecycle services covering vehicle maintenance, mobility, and broader lifestyle needs. The companies said the partnership represents an effort to combine Nio’s premium electric vehicle ecosystem with Tuhu’s extensive aftermarket service network, which includes more than 150 million registered users. “The partnership represents…

Li Auto plans to launch its flagship pure electric sport utility vehicle, the Li i9, in the second half of 2026, as the company aims to regain momentum following a challenging year. Founder, Chairman and CEO Li Xiang announced the plan during an earnings call on Thursday, highlighting the model’s role in expanding the company’s battery electric vehicle (BEV) portfolio. “The year 2026 will be a crucial year for Li Auto to evolve into an embodied AI enterprise. Faced with intensifying competition in the NEV market, we will be committed to raising our technological moat,” Li said. See also: Li…