Author: Linda Ma

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…

Xiaomi has penalized a supplier with a fine of 1 million yuan ($149,000) for leaking early designs of an upcoming car model. The Beijing-based molding technology company violated a confidentiality agreement by publicly revealing images of the front and rear bumpers of the vehicle on January 22. The smartphone-turned-car maker has instructed the supplier to enhance information security and upgrade confidentiality measures. The leaked designs of the electric vehicle spread on social media over the Chinese New Year and marked the first confirmed images of Xiaomi’s long-anticipated automobile. However, the designs were part of a bidding process and not final…

Nio, the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker, held an event in Beijing where the founder and president, Qin Lihong, shared the company’s performance figures from the Chinese New Year period and answered reporters’ questions. During the Q&A session, Qin was asked about Nio’s product roadmap and whether the EC7 coupe SUV and ES8 full-size SUV would enter production and deliveries on schedule. In a surprise answer, he confirmed that two more vehicles could enter production before the EC7 and ES8, expanding Nio’s portfolio of EVs and potentially increasing its customer base. See also: NIO EC7 specifications : battery, range and…

Tesla saw a boost in sales in January, with 66,051 China-made vehicles sold, including exports, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). The figures show a 10.37% increase from the same period last year and a 18.38% rise from December 2022. The CPCA will provide more details on the numbers in the coming days, including the number of vehicles sold domestically and those exported. Tesla operates a factory in Shanghai that produces the Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover and serves as an export hub for the company. According to previous information released by Tesla, vehicles produced in…

Tesla has set off a chain reaction in the electric vehicle (EV) market, with several companies following suit and reducing their prices. The latest to join the trend is Neta, which is offering a cash value incentive to potential customers. If they put down a deposit of RMB 5,000 ($765), the company will treat it as RMB 20,000 ($3,060) once the car is ordered and paid for. This is nearly a $3,000 discount at current exchange rates. The promotion is only valid until the end of February and excludes two of Neta’s most expensive versions of the Neta S. The…

Lotus Technology, the electric car division of Geely subsidiary Lotus, has announced its intention to go public through a merger with the already listed L Catterton Asia Acquisition Corporation on the Nasdaq stock exchange. The business combination has an estimated enterprise value of $5.4 billion and, although no specific date has been named, this move represents a growing trend of companies using SPAC mergers as a fast route to go public on the Nasdaq. This method bypasses the traditional 2-year long process of an IPO and instead leverages a SPAC, or Special Purpose Acquisition Company, which is a listed company…

Tesla’s biggest rivals may not be in the US, but in China, according to CEO Elon Musk’s recent reference to “Some company out of China” during Tesla’s Q4 2022 earnings call. China has a thriving EV market with successful local brands like Li Auto, Nio, and Xpeng who are being impacted by Tesla’s price cuts in the country. Despite Musk’s previous statements about gas-powered cars being Tesla’s top rivals globally, in China, the US automaker is primarily focused on outperforming local EV brands. Tesla recently made major price cuts in various global markets, including the US and China, which are…

Zeekr is preparing for the release of its third model, one of two new models to be launched this year as the company anticipates increased competition in the world’s largest electric vehicle market. The company said in the tweet the third model was designed by the ZEEKR studio in Gothenburg and Based on EV-focused SEA architecture. ZEEKR’s third electric model follows the brand feature of top performance. The vehicle reaches acceleration from 0-100km/h within 4s. Zeekr was established as an independent firm in March 2021, offering the Zeekr 001 hatchback and 009 MPV, both produced at its plant in Ningbo,…

Li Auto delivered 15,141 vehicles in January, down 28.69% from December but up 23.42% from the same month last year. The decline in deliveries can be attributed to the negative impact of the Chinese New Year holiday. Li Auto currently offers two models, the Li L9 and Li L8, both of which are extended-range electric vehicles (EVs). On February 8th, the company will launch its newest model, the Li L7, a five-seat flagship family SUV. Li Auto has been dominating monthly sales of full-size SUVs in China since September, and its vehicles have become the top choice for premium SUVs…

Zeekr, Geely’s electric vehicle (EV) brand, aims to double its sales in 2023, according to its CEO, Andy An. In an internal letter, An acknowledged the intense competition in China’s EV market this year and stated that 2023 will be a crucial year for proving Zeekr’s development model. To meet this challenge, Andy An outlined five key objectives for the company in 2023, including delivering 140,000 vehicles. He emphasized the importance of accomplishing this goal, calling it a “hard battle.” The company also plans to launch two new EV models in 2023. “The 140,000-unit delivery goal will be a hard…

NIO is planning new factories for its two sub-brands, with one located outside of Hefei, Anhui, according to an inside source. The F4 plant for sub-brand “Firefly” will be in Chuzhou, Anhui and the F3 plant for “ALPS” will stay in Hefei. The F4 plant will manufacture vehicles for Firefly and some components, with main exports to Europe starting in Q3 2024. The Chuzhou factory will produce affordable small cars around 100,000 yuan. The F3 plant will continue to produce mid-to-high-end ALPS models, with prices ranging from 150,000 to 300,000 yuan. The NIO’s F3 and F4 plant groundbreaking ceremony is…

The Xiaomi Modena, the company’s first electric vehicle, has been spotted again in low-resolution, grainy photos obtained by Car News China. The images were taken from a display and show the car without any camouflaging. The design of the Xiaomi Modena resembles that of the Tesla Model 3 or Hyundai Ioniq 6 with a sedan trunk. It features pop-out door handles, a full glass roof, and a sensor array above its windshield. See also: Xiaomi’s Electric Vehicle “Modena” Spotted in Winter Testing Although an interior shot has not yet surfaced, there appears to be no digital dash and the car…

XPeng Aeroht, a subsidiary of XPeng, has made significant progress in their pursuit of regulatory approval with the granting of a conditional flight permit for the X2 flying car. This milestone makes the X2 the first manned eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) product to receive such permission from the Civil Aviation Administration of China’s Central and Southern Regional Administration. The X2 has already completed over 3,000 test flights since its maiden flight in June 2021 and has now been granted a licensed flight certificate by Chinese civil aviation regulators. See also: XPeng Aeroht X2 flying car gets green light…