Author: Linda Ma

In a recent development, NIO, the renowned electric vehicle manufacturer, has once again drawn attention by recruiting top talent from its competitor, XPeng. The trend seems to be gaining momentum as NIO aims to strengthen its position in the market. One notable addition to NIO’s team is Liu Fanfan, formerly the vice general manager of XPeng’s Internet center, who has now assumed the role of head of NIO’s navigation and location services division. This strategic move signifies NIO’s commitment to enhancing its digital cockpit and software development capabilities. As part of its evolution, NIO is gradually phasing out its NT…

Great Wall, the prominent Chinese automaker, has expressed its interest in establishing car manufacturing operations in Europe, with a focus on Germany and other countries in Eastern Europe. The company is currently in the early stages of evaluating various concepts for a European factory. Xiangjun Meng, President of Great Wall Motor Europe, stated, “The eastern German states could be potential candidates.” He further emphasized the need to analyze the strategic decisions made by experienced Asian manufacturers regarding their European locations. Hungary and the Czech Republic are also being considered as potential options for the European factory. China’s leading battery manufacturer,…

Geely Auto Group’s latest venture, Geely Galaxy, has emerged on the scene with its groundbreaking new energy vehicle (NEV) sub-brand. In a bid to conquer the burgeoning plug-in hybrid market, Geely Galaxy has taken a significant stride forward by making its inaugural model, the L7, readily available to the Chinese market. During an exclusive launch event held yesterday, Geely Galaxy proudly presented the L7 in five distinct versions, each starting at an attractive price point. With options ranging from RMB 138,700 ($19,500) to RMB 173,700, the L7 brings forth a compelling proposition for consumers. The Geely Galaxy L7 stands tall…

BYD, the renowned electric vehicle manufacturer, has officially launched the highly anticipated 2023 Yuan Pro compact SUV. This model is an improved version of the original Yuan Pro, which was initially introduced in March 2021. The 2023 Yuan Pro comes in three different versions, each with its own starting price. The prices for the base models start at RMB 95,800 ($13,500), while the higher trims are priced at RMB 105,800 and RMB 113,800, respectively. Pre-sales for the 2023 Yuan Pro began on April 7, with pre-sale prices set at RMB 99,800, RMB 109,800, and RMB 119,800 for the three versions,…

Denza N7, the highly anticipated new energy vehicle (NEV) from the brand under BYD, has announced its official launch schedule after a successful pre-sales phase that began last month. According to Zhao Changjiang, the general manager of Denza’s sales division, the Denza N7 will be officially launched in late June, with deliveries commencing in July. This announcement came during the company’s first brand day event following BYD’s effective control of Denza. Denza was established in February 2011 as a joint venture between BYD and Daimler, with both companies holding a 50 percent stake at the time. However, in February 2022,…

NIO, the prominent electric vehicle (EV) designer and manufacturer, continues to make strides in the rapidly expanding Chinese electric vehicle market. Following the recent launch of its second-generation ES6 electric SUV, NIO has garnered significant attention, amassing nearly 30,000 pre-orders within the initial three days of its release. The ES6, originally introduced in 2018, has emerged as NIO’s best-selling and most affordable model, accounting for 64% of the company’s sales in 2020, 45% in 2021, and 46% in 2022. However, with NIO focusing on new models based on its NT 2.0 platform, such as the EC7 and refreshed ES8 electric…

Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group (Evergrande NEV), the electric vehicle unit of China’s Evergrande Group, has successfully resumed production at its Hengchi Auto plant in Tianjin after a temporary suspension. The plant, which halted operations for a month due to financial challenges, resumed full-scale production on May 23, as confirmed in an official WeChat post by Hengchi. During a recent visit by officials from Tianjin Binhai New Area on May 29, it was observed that the production lines were running smoothly, and thousands of workers were diligently engaged in their tasks. This development signifies a positive step forward for Evergrande…

Chinese automotive giant BYD is actively searching for suitable locations in France, Spain, and Germany to establish its first electric car manufacturing plant in Europe. While BYD has not disclosed a preferred choice among these countries, it has made it clear that the United Kingdom has been excluded from consideration. A spokesperson from BYD informed CarNewsChina that the company is currently evaluating various potential sites for its European electric car plant. Brexit played a role in the decision to eliminate the UK as an option. The final location for the plant will be determined later this year. Notably, discussions have…

The Buick Electra E5, Buick’s inaugural model based on GM’s Ultium platform, has commenced deliveries in China, generating a positive initial response due to its competitive pricing for an electric SUV. SAIC-GM, the joint venture between General Motors and SAIC, recently announced the commencement of the first batch of Electra E5 deliveries, without disclosing the exact number of vehicles involved. Buick has outlined plans to enhance its energy replenishment system by incorporating nearly 1,000 Ultium supercharging terminals by the end of this year. Moreover, the company is on track to offer access to over 400,000 charging posts provided by prominent…

French auto parts manufacturer Valeo has announced its strategic partnership and investment agreement with Didi Autonomous Driving, a division of Didi Global, to tap into the rapidly expanding autonomous driving sector in China. The collaboration aims to jointly develop safety solutions for L4 robotaxis. Although the exact amount of Valeo’s investment was not disclosed in the press releases issued by both companies, the agreement signifies their commitment to advancing autonomous driving technology. Geoffrey BOUQUOT, Valeo’s Executive Vice President Strategy and CTO, expressed his pride in signing the agreement and emphasized the importance of combining research and development efforts for safety…

NIO, the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, has recently inaugurated a new factory dedicated to the production of battery swap stations. This move is in line with the company’s ambitious plan to add 1,000 battery swap stations to its network by the end of this year, a goal that was announced three months ago. On Friday evening, a brand-new battery swap station was shipped from NIO’s Hefei plant in Anhui province. It was promptly installed in Xiamen, located in the Fujian province, the following morning. Shen Fei, the Senior Vice President of NIO Power, made this announcement on Weibo, providing the…

Pony.ai, the Chinese startup supported by Toyota Motor and NIO Capital, has achieved another milestone in its pursuit of self-driving technology by launching its fully unmanned robotaxi service in Shenzhen, a prominent Chinese mega-city. As of May 29, Pony.ai has obtained a permit from the Shenzhen authorities to operate robotaxi services without a safety officer on board within the city’s core areas. It is currently the sole company to receive such authorization in Shenzhen, according to a recent press release. Since its establishment in late 2016, Pony.ai has strategically positioned its research and development centers in Silicon Valley, Guangzhou, Beijing,…

Nio, the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, has introduced an upgraded version of its popular ES6 model in China. The ES6, which has been converted to the new NT 2.0 platform, has garnered significant success in the Chinese market. Earlier this year, Nio announced its plan to phase out the first-generation models based on the NT 1.0 platform. This decision affects the 2022 model year vehicles, including the ES8, ES6, and EC6. The new models based on the NT 2.0 platform include the sedans ET5 and ET7, the recently introduced coupe SUV EC7, the updated large SUV ES8, and the smaller…

Geely’s electric car brand, Zeekr, has commenced deliveries of the Zeekr 001 model in China, featuring CATL’s Qilin batteries. The Zeekr 001 WE variant, equipped with an optional 140 kWh battery, boasts a range of up to 1,032 kilometers based on Chinese standards. The newly introduced model variant is priced at 403,000 yuan (approximately 53,000 euros), in comparison to the Zeekr 001 WE with a 100 kWh battery, which is priced at 300,000 yuan (about 39,500 euros). Consequently, the Qilin battery incurs an additional cost of 103,000 yuan (roughly 13,500 euros). Initially, this version will be limited to a production…

Volkswagen (VW) is taking another step towards establishing a new local sub-brand for electric cars in China. According to German media, the new brand will incorporate the lines of the ID family, which Chinese customers have received with only moderate enthusiasm. The new Volkswagen China brand will convey more lifestyle and appeal to a younger audience, and the first model to launch in China will be the Cupra Tavascan, which VW showed a few days ago. The Cupra Tavascan is the most powerful MEB model to date and the company’s first all-electric SUV coupé. The model’s infotainment touchscreen measures 15…

Electric vehicle manufacturer NIO is addressing alleged misinformation circulated on Chinese social media platforms, following the footsteps of fellow EV maker Tesla in taking a strong stance against inaccurate reports. NIO has opted for legal action to counter the misinformation, which has purportedly caused harm to the company. According to local sources, NIO has filed a lawsuit against Cheshiji, a popular vlogger with 6.5 million followers on Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok. NIO accuses the influencer of disseminating false information that has negatively impacted the company’s reputation. NIO is seeking a public apology from the vlogger on their Douyin…

The global automotive industry is set to witness a significant consolidation in the next decade, with only 10 companies remaining, according to a Chinese competitor of Elon Musk’s Tesla. Brian Gu, the vice-chair of Xpeng, headquartered in Guangzhou, stated that Chinese companies aiming to survive must achieve annual sales of at least 3 million vehicles, supported by global exports. In 2022, Toyota, the world’s largest carmaker, sold 10.5 million cars, while Tesla sold 1.3 million. This warning comes at a crucial moment for the global automotive sector. China is poised to surpass Japan as the world’s leading car exporter by…

NIO reported its delivery figures for April 2023, indicating a further decline as the company continues its product switchover. According to the data released today, NIO delivered 6,658 units during the month, reflecting a 31.2% increase compared to the same period last year. However, this figure represents a significant drop of 35.85% from March’s deliveries, which totaled 10,378 units. The majority of NIO’s April deliveries consisted of 1,713 premium smart electric SUVs and 4,945 premium smart electric sedans. With these recent deliveries, NIO’s cumulative vehicle deliveries have now reached 327,255 as of April 30, 2023. During April, NIO primarily focused…

During the ongoing Auto Shanghai 2023 exhibition, emerging Chinese car brands like ZEEKR, NETA, and HiPhi have announced their plans to enter Europe, a market currently dominated by established global auto giants. ZEEKR, an electric vehicle brand owned by the Chinese automotive giant Geely, has revealed its ambitious global growth strategy at the auto show. Their first European vehicles will be launched in Sweden and the Netherlands later this year. ZEEKR Europe’s CEO, Spiros Fotinos, stated that the company aims to penetrate most of Western Europe by 2026 and strives to become a leading brand in the European electric vehicle…

Tesla is making strides in its mission to encourage widespread adoption of electric vehicles by opening up its fast-charging network to third-party electric cars in China. This follows similar moves in Europe and the US. The pilot project, which has been launched in Beijing and Shanghai, will initially see five Superchargers in each city made available to third-party brands. While Tesla has over 1,600 Supercharger hubs with 10,000 charge columns on the Chinese mainland, this project is a minimal test. See also: Tesla adds reliable third-party fast chargers in its navigation In Beijing and Shanghai, the Superchargers have only been…