Author: Linda Ma

VinFast has received an “Air Permit” from regulators in North Carolina, USA. This is one of several environmental permits required to start building the company’s planned $4 billion EV assembly plant in Chatham County. VinFast plans to compete with existing automakers in the US market and create more than 7,000 jobs in the process. VinFast intends to begin constructing phase one of the plant soon, following the award of the Air Permit. This phase of the project involves investing $2 billion in a factory capable of producing up to 150,000 vehicles per year. While the company is still seeking other…

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have continued their impressive growth in China, accounting for almost 90% of new energy vehicle (NEV) miles driven in January, according to the National Big Data Alliance of New Energy Vehicles (NBDANEV). The latest figures showed 17.1 billion kilometers of mileage were driven by NEVs in January, an increase of 5.99% from December. NEVs include plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), BEVs, and fuel-cell vehicles. By the end of 2022, China had 13.1 million NEVs, with BEVs accounting for 79.78% of all NEV ownership. In 2022, China’s retail sales of new energy passenger vehicles increased by 90% year-on-year,…

Chinese automaker Geely Automobile Holdings Limited has announced the launch of a new brand, Geely Galaxy, to target the mid-to-high-end new energy vehicle (NEV) market. The company will hold a launch event on February 23 to unveil the brand’s strategy and its first product. The first model of Geely Galaxy is expected to be a sedan with an imagination-breaking smart ecology and an extremely low wind resistance coefficient, as teased in several images. Geely has become the latest auto giant to launch a new NEV brand after BYD’s Yangwang brand, which debuted in January. See also: Renault and Geely announced…

There were rumors circulating yesterday that NIO would be discontinuing its older models. However, the company has since clarified the situation in a response. The NIO spokesperson stated that while previous media reports were false, the company’s older models are indeed on track to exit the market. “The three older products — ES8, ES6 and EC6 — are about to see their transitions and we are preparing for the model switch,” the spokesperson said. As a result, the 2022 ES8, ES6 and EC6 are no longer in custom production, but a few show cars and existing cars are still available…

Xiaomi’s entrance into the electric car market has faced significant challenges, particularly with obtaining a manufacturing license in China. The Chinese government recently implemented stricter requirements for electric car manufacturers after several new companies collapsed in the last few years. Under these new regulations, any company looking to start a car manufacturing business in China must obtain a specific license, which was relatively easy to obtain in the early days of electric vehicle (EV) production. However, as more and more companies entered the market, many received financial assistance from the government only to later collapse and disappear, prompting the government…

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer NIO is speeding up the retirement of its older models and launching new ones following complaints about its slow product launches. According to a report from Yiche, NIO has issued an urgent internal notice that all first-generation products will be discontinued starting from the next day. The discontinued models, including the ES8, ES6, and EC6, will be withdrawn from NIO showrooms nationwide, and all test cars will be retired. NIO’s current inventory and show cars will be sold to a yet-to-be-disclosed entity. The company plans to focus on selling models based on the NT 2.0 platform,…

Xiaomi’s Investor Day was filled with exciting updates on the company’s foray into the automotive industry. CEO Lei Jun revealed that he devotes 50% of his time and energy to the automotive division and 25% to mobile phones, IoT, and premium products. The R&D team working on Xiaomi cars has expanded to over 2,300 members and is actively working towards their official mass production launch in Q1 2024. The team has made remarkable progress, with the soft-film car being produced in September of last year and winter testing scheduled for the end of December. See also: Xiaomi invests $490 million…

BYD, the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, has unveiled plans to construct a new factory dedicated to battery production. The $1.2 billion facility, which will be operated by BYD’s battery unit, FinDreams Technology, is set to be built in the central province of Henan. The factory will have the capacity to produce 40 gigawatt hours of BYD’s Blade Battery annually. The project’s environmental filings were released on Friday by the Zhengzhou government, which is currently seeking feedback from the public. At this time, a spokesperson for the company has declined to comment on the matter. BYD has developed a new type…

Baojun, a Chinese automaker, has revealed the exterior design of their upcoming electric vehicle (EV), named “Yep.” The off-road-style EV will make its official debut at the 2023 Shanghai Auto Show in April, with a market launch in China expected in May. Initially teased as a concept model with Kiwi branding, Baojun has decided to proceed with their own badge in the final production model. The EV’s name in Chinese is “悦也” (YueYe), which translates to “Yep” in English. See also: Baojun unveils teaser of tiny EV off-roader with a very small footprint Taking design cues from its concept predecessor,…

The electric vehicle market in China is set to welcome a new player as Zeekr’s third model, the Zeekr X, has been added to the regulatory filing list. This development means that the Zeekr X is one step closer to hitting the market. According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the Zeekr X is included in the latest batch of models that will soon receive approval for sale in China. The regulatory process for the Zeekr X is in its final stages, with the last step being the entry into the catalog. The public has a chance…

The second-generation Suzuki Alto from the 80s has a surprising connection to a new Chinese electric vehicle (EV) – the Jiangnan U2. The Chinese company, Jiangnan Automobile, which used to produce rebadged versions of the Suzuki Alto as one of the most affordable cars in the country, is making a comeback with a much more modern offering. The Jiangnan U2 is not a completely original vehicle, as it heavily resembles the Ruixiang Hoen O2 from BAIC. Although it shares most of its body panels with the latter, it has a unique look that pays homage to the Jiangnan TT (2001-2010),…

BYD, China’s leading new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer, has just introduced its updated plug-in hybrid sedan, the Qin Plus DM-i 2023, in five different versions. With a starting price range from RMB 99,800 ($14,650) to RMB 145,800, this is the first time that BYD has made a model with its DM-i powertrain available for less than RMB 100,000. The model measures 4,765 mm in length, 1,837 mm in width, and 1,495 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,718 mm. Powered by a 1.5L engine with a maximum output of 81 kW and 135 Nm of torque, the Qin Plus…

Tesla has increased the price of the basic Model Y in China by RMB 2,000 ($295) following a price cut for all China-made models last month. The updated starting price for the rear-wheel drive version of the Model Y is now RMB 261,900, up from RMB 259,900. However, the wait time for the vehicle remains unchanged at 2-5 weeks and pricing and specifications for the other versions of the Model Y and Model 3 have not been altered. Tesla operates a factory in Shanghai that produces both the Model 3 and Model Y. The company currently offers two versions of…

Tesla has started the year 2023 on a positive note by striving to retain its title as the most popular premium SUV in China. According to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), the Model Y emerged as the second best-selling premium SUV in January, with the Model 3 following closely behind. Although Tesla China sold 66,051 vehicles in January, data shows that 39,208 of these were exported to other countries. The remaining 26,843 cars were sold domestically in China, with the Model Y leading the sales with 14,184 units sold, while the Model 3 had 12,659 sales. This made the…

Li Auto is making waves in the automotive industry with its plans to launch a beta testing program for its advanced assisted driving feature, similar to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD). This will make the company one of the first local car manufacturers to offer this technology. The announcement was made at the launch of the new Li L7 SUV. The beta testing of the feature, called City NOA (Navigate on Autopilot), will begin in the fourth quarter of this year for vehicles equipped with AD Max, Li Auto’s in-house developed intelligent driving system. The AD Max system is the assisted…

Toyota has reduced the price of its electric SUV, the bZ4X, in China just a few months after its launch. The automaker’s joint venture in the country, GAC Toyota, announced a price cut of 30,000 yuan, bringing the starting price down from RMB 199,800 to RMB 169,800. The limited-time offer also includes low-interest loan options and trade-in subsidies. The bZ4X is based on the e-TNGA architecture and comes in two-wheel and four-wheel drive versions, with different power and battery capacities. The model was launched on October 10, 2022, with a price range of RMB 199,800-287,800. Before its launch, Japanese regulators…

WiTricity, a leading provider of wireless charging systems in the US, has partnered with Chinese manufacturer Yutong Bus to bring inductive charging to automated electric minibuses. The two companies have already successfully launched a full commercial operation of their technology in Zhengzhou, China, with the deployment of the Xiaoyu 2.0 minibus. This Level 4 automated minibus has a seating capacity of ten passengers and a range of 150 kilometers, and will be used for public transport in the city. See also: Ram Trucks Unveils Inductive Charging Robot for Upcoming Revolution Electric Truck The charging facility features both inductive charging points…

Li Auto just unveiled its latest offering: the Li L7. This five-seat, flagship family SUV marks a major step forward for the company and sets a new standard for luxury and technology in the electric vehicle market. With its sleek and modern design, the Li L7 boasts a spacious and comfortable interior, complete with cutting-edge technology and advanced safety features. The vehicle is powered by a high-capacity battery, which provides a long driving range, and features fast charging capabilities for maximum convenience. The Li L7 offers a spacious and comfortable interior, offering a home-like feel for the whole family. It’s…

Solid-state batteries are being touted as the next big thing in the automotive industry. Despite some experts being skeptical, Huawei-backed company Seres is determined to prove them wrong.  Huawei-backed Seres just announced it is bringing a new version of the Seres 5 SUV with a 90kWh semi-solid state battery pack that will offer 530km of WLTP range. Seres is a unique company, with an intriguing history. Founded in 2016 in Silicon Valley as SF Motors, the company was co-founded by Martin Eberhard, the former Vice Chairman and Chief Scientist of Tesla. Seres received a Chinese production permit in 2017, further…

Chinese battery makers, such as CATL and BYD, saw substantial growth in their installed base in 2022 as the country’s electric vehicle (EV) sector continued to flourish, according to a report by South Korean market research firm SNE Research. The report stated that total battery consumption for EVs, including BEVs, PHEVs, and HEVs, was 517.9 GWh in 2022, a 71.8% increase from the previous year. See also: CATL to supply 123 GWh EV batteries to Honda from 2024 through 2030 CATL maintained its position as the world leader with 191.6 GWh of installed power batteries, while BYD and LG Energy…