Author: Linda Ma

Chinese car manufacturer Chery is taking steps to enter the increasingly popular electric vehicle (EV) sector in the world’s largest vehicle market. On Friday, the Anhui province-based carmaker unveiled its ambitious plan for electrification. Gao Xinhua, executive vice-president of Chery, announced that this year, the company will launch a platform for hybrids and another for EVs, along with cutting-edge technologies for its batteries and operating systems. Chery’s high-end Exeed marque also introduced a new energy vehicle (NEV) product line called Sterra, which will cover a range of models from sedans to SUVs and MPVs. These models will be available in…

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker NIO has confirmed that it will launch the 2023 ET7 at the upcoming Shanghai Auto Show, alongside the new ES6. The biennial event, which runs from April 18 to April 27, will also showcase the full range of NIO models equipped with the Banyan intelligent system, with NIO’s booth located in Hall 6.1, Stand 6A01. NIO’s Banyan software architecture is used for its NT 2.0 platform-based models, while the company’s NT 1.0 platform-based models use a software architecture called Aspen. The new ET7 is expected to feature a new gold exterior option and a tow…

BYD has launched a new chassis suspension system called the DiSus Intelligent Body Control System. The system is designed to offer a premium driving experience, similar to what is found in luxury cars like Porsche and Mercedes-Benz. Initially, the DiSus system will be used in BYD’s luxury off-road SUV, Yangwang U8, and will later be available in the Han, Tang, and Denza models. This move signifies BYD’s efforts to penetrate the upmarket segment with premium products, as the company’s current products are mainly concentrated in the mass market segment with prices under 300,000 yuan ($43,641.44). The launch of the DiSus…

BYD, China’s biggest new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer, unveiled its latest Qin Plus EV model on Friday. Dubbed the “champion version” for 2023, the upgraded model comes in six different variants and is poised to rival traditional gasoline-powered vehicles. According to BYD, the new version boasts significant improvements over its predecessor. Built on the latest 3.0 platform technology, the champion version features a powertrain that is 10% smaller and lighter than before, yet boasts an impressive efficiency rating of up to 89%. In terms of performance, the model is capable of generating a maximum output of 150 kW and has…

BYD, a Chinese automaker, has reintroduced its all-electric e2 vehicle with a new design and upgraded features. Initially launched in 2019 as a purpose-built taxi vehicle, the e2 unexpectedly gained immense popularity, selling over 72,000 units in just two years. Now, the new and improved e2 is part of the Ocean family, built on the e-platform 3.0. The latest e2 model has grown to be 4.26 meters long, with a completely new interior design that is more in line with other BYD vehicles. The 12.8-inch touchscreen display can rotate from horizontal to vertical orientation for added convenience, and the car…

General Motors is gearing up for the launch of its first all-electric model under the Buick brand in China. The Electra E5, a five-seat all-electric SUV, will debut on April 13th and is set to be one of the most anticipated EV offerings from a foreign brand in China. The Electra E5 will come in standard, long-range, and Avenir four-wheel-drive versions. The Avenir version will feature an Ultium 8-in-1 electric drive system with a permanent magnet synchronous motor in the front and an induction asynchronous motor in the rear, providing the vehicle with a capacity of 80 kWh and a…

Chinese automaker BYD has recently announced a partnership with Evera, a New Delhi-based electric taxi service, to provide a fleet of 100 e6 electric cars. The collaboration aims to support sustainable energy solutions in reducing carbon emissions in India and eventually onto a global stage. The 100 BYD e6 units will be delivered to Evera over the next few months, adding to the existing fleet of electric vehicles in the company. Nimish Trivedi, CEO & Co-Founder of Evera, expressed excitement about the partnership and how it aligns with the company’s goal to expand the grid of e-mobility across the nation.…

Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motor (DFM) has announced the world’s first series production passenger vehicle that utilizes Protean Electric’s in-wheel electric motors. The Dongfeng Fengshen E70, which is one of China’s most popular passenger cars and is an electric vehicle (EV) with a single front-mounted electric motor, has now been upgraded with two ProteanDrive Pd18 in-wheel motors for the rear wheels, transforming the vehicle into an all-wheel-drive sedan. The ProteanDrive Pd18 in-wheel motor is capable of producing a peak power output of 78 kilowatts (104 horsepower) and a peak torque of 922 pound-feet (1,250 Newton-meters), providing more than enough power for…

NIO has deployed 1,326 battery swapping stations and 52 destination charging routes across China, with users completing nearly 20 million battery swaps. The founder, chairman, and CEO of NIO, William Li, announced that the company is also actively installing 500 kW ultra-fast charging stations to complement its existing battery swapping technology. According to NIO, users have completed 20 million battery swaps, with over 45,000 daily swap services provided. One car departs from a battery swap station every 1.9 seconds on average. The company plans to accelerate its charging station layout and provide more convenient battery swapping services to users in…

BYD, the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, has now launched its EV models for sale in Spain, including the Atto 3 SUV, Tang SUV, and Han sedan. The company plans to open two ‘BYD Pioneer Stores’ in Madrid and Barcelona in the coming weeks, with additional retail outlets to follow in Valencia, the Canary Islands, Malaga, and Seville, as well as more stores in Madrid and Barcelona in 2023. Astara, Quadis, and Caetano Retail Spain will provide sales and aftersales support for BYD customers in Spain. BYD already offers its electric cars in several European countries, including the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark,…

Tesla China-made vehicle sales reached 88,869 in March, including exports, according to data released by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) today. This marks a 35.03% increase from the same month in 2020 and a 19.44% increase from February 2021. These sales figures include both domestic sales in China and exports to other countries. The sales breakdown is expected to be available in the coming days. Tesla’s China-made vehicle sales in Q1 2021 totaled 229,322, a 25.88% increase from the same period last year. This includes only the Model 3 and Model Y, which are currently produced in Tesla’s Shanghai…

Electric vehicles (EVs) are poised for a significant price drop over the next decade, according to Zhu Jiangming, founder and CEO of Leapmotor. Speaking at the China EV 100 Forum on Saturday, Zhu stated that the price of the company’s mid-sized electric SUV, the C11, which is currently priced from 155,800 yuan ($22,606), is expected to plummet to approximately 50,000 yuan within the next ten years. Zhu attributed this drop to the decline in the cost of electronic components, such as batteries and smart cabin features, which account for over 60 percent of a smart EV’s cost. “The prices of…

NIO has reached a new milestone, with its cumulative battery swap service providing 20 million swaps. This achievement was announced on the company’s mobile app, and it took only nine months to double the number of swaps from 10 million to 20 million, with an average of 45,000 services provided daily. This increase demonstrates the popularity of NIO’s battery swap stations as a way for its customers to quickly recharge their EVs. NIO’s battery swap stations are becoming increasingly popular among its customers, and they now provide over 60% of the power the company delivers to its owners. The swap…

Tesla is set to begin large-scale testing of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology in China, according to local media reports. The move marks a significant development for the company, which has been seen as slow to progress in the autonomous driving space in China. The news comes just days after auto blogger Zheng Xiaokang claimed that Tesla China would soon release a major update to its Autopilot software, sparking speculation that it could be the company’s vision-only V11 software. Currently, all Tesla vehicles come with the Basic Autopilot (BAP) software as standard, while Enhanced Autopilot (EAP) and FSD software are…

Li Auto, the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, announced on Thursday that it had delivered 20,823 vehicles in March, marking the second time it had surpassed 20,000 deliveries since December 2020. The figures reflect a 25% increase over February’s deliveries and an 88.72% increase compared to March of last year. The company delivered a total of 52,584 vehicles in the first quarter of 2023, a 65.8% increase year-on-year, and a 13.53% increase from the previous quarter. These figures are slightly above the company’s previous guidance range of 52,000 to 55,000 deliveries for the first quarter. Li Auto’s cumulative deliveries, as of…

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, is reportedly planning a trip to China in the coming weeks, with the intention of meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang. According to sources familiar with the matter, this will be Musk’s first visit to China since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. China is a crucial market for Tesla, accounting for around 22% of the company’s total revenue in 2022, which amounted to $18.1 billion. Tesla’s Shanghai plant, which produces the popular Model 3 sedan and the Model Y crossover, is the company’s largest production center. In 2022, Tesla delivered over 1.3 million…

Chinese tech giant Huawei’s partnership with Seres Group, a prominent automaker in China, continues to flourish as the latter launches yet another new energy vehicle (NEV) brand called Landian (蓝电). The brand was officially unveiled today, and its first model, the plug-in hybrid E5, was made available with technology from both Huawei and BYD. The launch was conducted through an online event. The Landian E5 is a mid-size SUV that comes in five- and seven-seat versions. It measures 4,760 mm in length, 1,865 mm in width, and 1,710 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,785 mm. The car…

SAIC-GM-Wuling, one of the leading players in the Chinese mini electric vehicle (EV) market, has recently launched a new model, the Binguo. This EV model offers five versions with starting prices ranging from RMB 59,800 ($8,683) to RMB 83,800, offering Chinese consumers a budget-friendly and eco-friendly option. Binguo is an A0-class EV that boasts impressive dimensions. It measures 3,950 mm in length, 1,708 mm in width, and 1,580 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,560 mm. In comparison, Wuling’s current top-selling Hongguang Mini EV is substantially smaller, with a length, width and height of 2,920 mm, 1,493 mm and…

Cadillac has opened a new state-of-the-art design space for buyers of its new electric flagship, the Celestiq. The design space, located at the GM Global Technical Center campus in Warren, Michigan, will provide customers with a highly personalized and elevated design experience. The new facility, called Cadillac House at Vanderbilt, offers customers the opportunity to work directly with Celestiq designers and a concierge to create a one-of-a-kind commissioning experience. Each Celestiq is personally commissioned and tailored to reflect the owner’s tastes. Melissa Grady Dias, global chief marketing officer at Cadillac, said, “From start to finish, the process is meticulously curated,…

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, NIO, is set to begin deliveries of its ET5 sedan in Germany on March 31st, fulfilling the company’s previous promise to begin European deliveries of the sedan this month. As part of the launch, NIO is offering a first-mover campaign, with the first consumers to receive delivery of the ET5 eligible for a free NOMI Mate voice assistance system and electric folding trailer hitch, worth 1,800 euros. NIO staff will contact existing customers who have ordered the ET5 to adjust their orders to include the offer. The ET5, which starts at 47,500 euros in Germany (excluding…