Author: Linda Ma

Xiaomi EV has disbanded its dedicated sales team for the SU7 Ultra, its ultra-premium electric sedan, as demand for the high-performance model has fallen sharply in recent months, according to Chinese media reports. The specialised “Ultra Master” sales team was officially dissolved by the end of January, local outlet Lanjinger reported on Wednesday. The SU7 Ultra remains available for purchase in China, but sales are now being handled by general entry-level sales staff rather than a dedicated premium team. See also: No EV Joint Venture Planned, Ford and Xiaomi Say After Media Report Launched in February 2025, the SU7 Ultra…

Chinese new energy vehicle maker BYD has formally announced the creation of Linghui, a new sub-brand focused on the ride-hailing market and corporate clients, following regulatory filings last month for multiple models under the name. BYD said in a post on Weibo on Monday that Linghui would pioneer what it described as “ultra-value mobility.” “A car carries not just luggage and aspirations, but also supports every striving individual shining brightly,” the company said in Linghui’s inaugural social media post. See also: BYD January NEV Sales Fall 30% Year on Year as China Auto Market Weakens The launch adds a new…

Chinese automaker GWM reported a sharp decline in net income for 2025, reflecting rising expenditures linked to marketing, sales channel expansion and investment in new technologies, even as revenue and vehicle sales increased. GWM said its net income for 2025 fell 21.71% to 9.91 billion yuan ($1.43 billion), down from 12.66 billion yuan a year earlier, according to an earnings preview released on Friday. Excluding non-recurring gains and losses, net income dropped more sharply, declining 36.48% year-on-year to 6.16 billion yuan. See also: GWM January Sales Rise 11.6% Year on Year on Overseas Growth Revenue for the year rose 10.19%…

Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio Inc is increasing its investment in artificial intelligence this year, strengthening its smart driving research team with the recruitment of senior AI talent as it seeks to sharpen its autonomous driving capabilities. Yang Sheng, a former algorithm expert at Alibaba Group’s DAMO Academy, has joined Nio’s smart driving team, Chinese media outlet Yiou reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Yang will work closely with Ren Shaoqing, Nio’s vice president and chief expert for smart driving research and development, focusing on autonomous driving architectures and advanced algorithms. See also: Nio Warns of Rising…

Smart, the electric vehicle brand jointly owned by Mercedes-Benz and Geely, said it will debut the two-seat Smart #2 mini electric vehicle prototype concept at the 2026 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, ahead of a planned production launch later in the year. The concept will be shown publicly at Auto China 2026, which runs from April 24 to May 3 in Beijing, Smart said over the weekend. The production version of the Smart #2 is scheduled to be launched within 2026, following its initial unveiling in September last year. See alos: Smart Begins Real-World Testing of All-Electric #2 Ahead of 2026…

Abu Dhabi has consolidated its holdings in Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio and the owner of McLaren Automotive under a newly created state-owned investment vehicle, L’imad Holding, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. The restructuring involves the transfer of CYVN Holdings, a government-owned investor focused on mobility, to L’imad, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. The move is intended to streamline management and centralise selected Abu Dhabi investments, while expanding the remit of the emirate’s newest holding company. A spokesperson for McLaren confirmed that the company will ultimately be controlled by L’imad, though CYVN will remain McLaren’s direct parent, according to…

Geely Auto’s electric-focused sub-brand Geely Galaxy on Tuesday officially launched the V900 extended-range multi-purpose vehicle, marking the first model in its newly introduced V series. The Geely Galaxy V900 is offered in three variants priced at 269,800 yuan ($38,770), 289,800 yuan and 329,800 yuan. Pre-sales for the model began on Jan. 7, when indicative prices were set higher at 319,800 yuan, 349,800 yuan and 389,800 yuan, respectively. The V900 measures 5,360 mm in length, 1,998 mm in width and 1,940 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,200 mm. It enters China’s competitive premium MPV segment, where it will face…

Nio is expected to unveil its new flagship sport utility vehicle, the ES9, in mid-April, ahead of its public debut at the Beijing Auto Show later that month, company executives said. The ES9’s technology launch event is tentatively scheduled for around April 10, Qin Lihong, Nio’s co-founder and president, said during a weekend user engagement event, adding that the date could still change. The timing would position the model for its first public appearance at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, which runs from April 24 to May 3. See also: Nio Says It Will Press Ahead in Europe as EU…

Nio’s sub-brand Onvo has launched a special edition of its L60 midsize sport utility vehicle to mark the upcoming Chinese Lunar Year of the Horse, the company said. The limited-time “Ma Dao Cheng Gong” edition of the five-seat L60 is priced at 218,900 yuan ($31,420), including the battery pack, representing a premium of 12,000 yuan, or about 5.8%, over the standard model. Under Onvo’s battery-as-a-service (BaaS) scheme, the vehicle starts at 161,900 yuan, with a monthly battery rental fee of 599 yuan. See also: Nio Says It Will Press Ahead in Europe as EU Signals Shift From Tariffs to Pricing…

China Changan Automobile Group and battery maker CATL have signed a five-year memorandum of understanding to expand their strategic partnership, focusing on advanced technologies and new business models across China’s fast-evolving new energy vehicle sector. The agreement was signed on Jan. 14 in Chongqing, according to a statement published on CATL’s official WeChat account. It outlines cooperation across technology deployment, market expansion, business model innovation, overseas development and coordinated brand-building initiatives. See also: Nio and CATL Sign Five-Year Deal to Deepen Battery and Swap Network Cooperation China Changan Automobile Group was established in 2025 with approval from the State Council…

Geely Auto’s Galaxy sub-brand said on Wednesday it will launch the V900 extended-range electric multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) on Jan. 20, following the start of pre-sales earlier this month. Pre-orders for the V900 opened on Jan. 7 with three four-wheel-drive variants — Pro, Max and a Collector’s Edition — priced at 319,800 yuan ($45,840), 349,800 yuan and 389,800 yuan, respectively, Geely Galaxy said. See also: Geely Galaxy Starts Pre-Sales of V900 MPV to Take On BYD Denza D9 The V900 is an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV), designed to deliver battery-electric driving characteristics while using a combustion engine as a range extender…

Nio said it would continue advancing its European operations after the European Commission outlined conditions under which Chinese electric vehicle makers could replace EU tariffs with a minimum pricing arrangement, Reuters reported. “We are pleased to see China and the EU making steady progress toward consensus on the basis of mutual respect,” Nio said in a statement on Tuesday, according to Reuters. See also: Nio’s Firefly Brand Expands European Footprint With Austria Deliveries The comments came after China and the European Union reached an agreement in principle on price undertakings for Chinese battery electric vehicle (BEV) exports to the bloc,…

Chinese electric vehicle exports to the European Union are expected to grow at an average annual rate of about 20% between 2026 and 2028, despite possible short-term volatility following new pricing commitments agreed between Beijing and Brussels, a senior industry official said. Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), said the outlook remains positive after China and the EU agreed to resolve their electric vehicle trade dispute by replacing high tariffs with price undertakings. China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Monday that both sides had reached consensus on providing common guidance for minimum price commitments for Chinese…

BYD has filed certification documents in China for a substantially revised version of its Sealion 05 DM plug-in hybrid, revealing updated exterior styling and the addition of a larger battery option that extends the model’s pure-electric driving range. The regulatory filing shows the updated Sealion 05 DM adopts design elements introduced earlier on the Sealion 05 EV, a compact battery-electric SUV launched in China in March 2025. The revisions indicate BYD is aligning the styling of its plug-in hybrid and electric variants more closely under a unified design language. See also: BYD Files New Linghui Sub-Brand Models Aimed at Ride-Hailing…

Geely Holding Group reported record vehicle sales in 2025, with total deliveries rising 26% year on year to 4.12 million units, as demand for new energy vehicles accelerated across its portfolio. The automaker said on January 9 that NEV sales reached 2.29 million vehicles, up 58% from a year earlier, lifting the group’s NEV penetration rate to 56%. The results marked the first time Geely Holding’s annual sales surpassed four million vehicles and capped five consecutive years of expansion. See also: Geely Signals Possible U.S. Market Entry Within Three Years Geely Automobile Holdings, the group’s core listed unit, sold 3.02…

BYD maintained its position as the largest seller of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China in 2025, even as its retail sales declined from a year earlier, while Tesla fell to fifth place in the world’s largest NEV market, according to data released on Monday by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). BYD’s passenger NEV retail sales totaled 3.48 million units in 2025, down 6.3% year on year. The Shenzhen-based automaker held a 27.2% share of China’s NEV market, lower than the 34.1% share it recorded in 2024 but still well ahead of its closest rivals. See also: China, EU…

Buick, a brand under General Motors, has filed the Electra E7 plug-in hybrid SUV with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), marking a further move in its electrification strategy in the world’s largest automotive market. The Electra E7 appeared in a vehicle catalog released by MIIT on Thursday, a key regulatory milestone that precedes approval for public sale in China. The catalog allows for public feedback between January 9 and January 15 and lists three plug-in hybrid variants under the product codes SGM6481MBPHEV, SGM6481MDPHEV and SGM6481MAPHEV. See also: Buick Reveals 2026 Electra Encasa With Hybrid and Electric Powertrains…

LiDAR technology, once limited to premium electric vehicles in China, is moving further into the mass market, with BYD’s lowest-priced model set to offer the sensor for the first time. An updated version of the BYD Seagull, the automaker’s most affordable electric vehicle, appeared in a regulatory catalog released on Thursday by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). The filing shows that the compact EV will gain an optional roof-mounted LiDAR unit, while retaining the same exterior design as the current model. See also: BYD Refreshes Qin Hybrid Lineup With Longer Battery Range to Meet Tax Rules LiDAR,…

Volkswagen has unveiled the ID.ERA 9X, a new large SUV developed specifically for the Chinese market, marking the longest sport utility vehicle the German automaker has ever produced. The ID.ERA 9X appeared in a regulatory catalog released by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in January, confirming key specifications ahead of its market launch. The model is produced by SAIC Volkswagen and represents the production version of the ID.ERA concept first shown in 2025. ID.ERA is the series name, while 9X denotes the vehicle itself. See also: Volkswagen ID.Unyx 08 Electric SUV Appears in Official Photos Ahead of…

China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) retail sales reached a new monthly high in December, extending a record run even as growth momentum moderated and battery-electric vehicle sales softened from the previous month, industry data showed. Passenger NEV retail sales totalled 1.337 million units in December, surpassing the prior record of 1.321 million units set in November, according to figures released by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). The total was up 2.6% from a year earlier and 1.2% higher than in November, though it fell short of earlier CPCA preliminary and revised estimates. See also: China Warns Battery Makers to…