Author: Linda Ma

The new BYD Seal was launched in China and is projected to be a serious challenger to the Tesla Model 3. The BYD Seal comes in a price range between 212,800-289,800 RMB (31,890-43,430 USD). BYD Seal uses the BYD e-platform 3.0 and adopts the latest CTB (Cell to Body) technology. The BYD Seal is the first vehicle to adopt CTB technology. The BYD Seal has a drag coefficient of 0.219 Cd – slightly better than the Porsche Taycan at 0.22 Cd. On the exterior, the BYD features long, narrow headlamps, a low hood, pop-out door handles, and a long taillight…

Polestar has cut its electric vehicle delivery target by 15,000 units to 50,000 units due to the lockdown that occurred in China due to the increase in Covid-19 infections. “The reduction for 2022 is 100% attributable to the lockdowns in China,” the electric-vehicle maker said in a statement. As a result of the COVID-19 lockdown in China, supply chains such as semiconductors and other components are hampered. These supply chain disruptions affect Polesatar’s ability to produce them. Polestar said it would seek to address supply chain challenges as it did in 2021 when it delivered 29,000 vehicles. Polestar has added…

Gogoro announced total revenue in the first quarter of 2022 of $94.5 million, up 61 percent over Q1 2021. Gogoro’s revenue consists of hardware sales and Gogoro Network sales, and enterprise customers for battery swapping services. Hardware sales dominated Gogoro’s revenue in Q1 2022 at $65.1 million. This amount is an increase of 87.1 percent from $34.8 million sold in Q1 2021. Gogoro sees this as an increase in its market share in its home market in Taiwan. this can be seen from the registration of Gogoro scooters which rose 57.7 percent for Q1 2022 compared to the same period…

BYD launched a technology called CTB (Cell To Body) last Friday. The first electric vehicle model to integrate this technology is the BYD Seal electric sedan. CTB technology allows the battery to be integrated into the vehicle body itself. Previously, most electric vehicles used CTP (Cell To Pack) technology, that is, the battery cells were directly integrated into the battery pack. CTP technology has been used in Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y, XPeng P7 and other models in the last two years. The CTB technology allows the sandwich structure originally used for the battery to be used throughout the…

Denza is unpopular in Asia. This is because the brand is a joint venture between BYD and Mercedes-Benz. BYD is one of the largest electric car manufacturers in China. Recently Denza introduced the D9 MPV which is only sold specifically for the local Chinese market. Consumers can choose two powertrains. The first is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), using a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder turbo engine combined with an electric motor. Denza claims, this PHEV version can cover a distance of 970 km-1040 km. Then, there is a second option that uses fully electric drive, All Wheel Drive (AWD), and a mileage of…

The Denza D9 is a new MPV that is booming in China. Denza itself is a car brand issued by the collaboration between BYD China and Mercedes-Benz. In terms of dimensions, the Denza D9 is much larger than the Alphard. This car measures 5,520 mm long, 1,960 mm wide and 1,920 mm tall. While the wheelbase reaches 3,110 mm. The Denza D9 so far has only been marketed specifically for the Chinese local market. There, consumers can choose from two powertrains. The first is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), using a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder turbo engine combined with an electric motor. In…

NIO made its debut on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (SGX-ST) on Friday 20 May 2022. NIO’s presence on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (SGX-ST) makes it the first car company to be listed in three locations. NIO shares closed higher Friday in their first trading day in Singapore. NIO shares started trading at $16.90 and rose as high as $20.29 on the Singapore exchange. The stock closed at $17.30. “Today marks a new milestone for NIO. The listing on the SGX is of great importance to NIO’s global business development. NIO has further strengthened its footing in…

Nissan has introduced the Nissan Sakura to enliven the Kei car class in Japan (20/5). The Nissan Sakura was launched as one of Nissan’s first electric Kei cars developed with Mitsubishi. Yup, almost simultaneously with the launch of Sakura, Mitsubishi also introduced its ‘brother’ namely the Mitsubishi eK X EV. “The new Nissan Sakura follows in the footsteps of LEAF and the Ariya as a mass electric car,” said Asako Hoshino, Executive Vice President of Nissan. “We believe it will be a breakthrough for the Japanese market and make electric cars more accessible to Japanese consumers,” added Hoshino. Like other…

A big news came from Japan that reported that Nissan is developing the next generation GT-R as an electric car! The Nissan GT-R with an electric powertrain will be jointly developed by Japanese and US engineers. Before becoming an electric car, the GT-R will first become a hybrid car with new technology, while waiting for the development of the EV version. For information, the current model is planned to be discontinued next fall, and in the spring of next year it is possible that the car will be the last ICE version before switching to hybrid and BEV. See also:…

Hyundai Motor Company, plans to build a factory for a new electric vehicle (EV) in the United States, after holding discussions with authorities in Georgia. The South Korean auto company confirmed the plan, but declined to provide details, including information about negotiating the plant’s construction site. “We are excited to announce plans for a new EV factory in the United States soon, but we have no details to share at this stage,” Hyundai said in a statement. Hyundai has continued discussions with the authorities to build a dedicated EV factory in Georgia, United States. Details regarding the investment, including costs,…

The Chinese market continues to be lively with the presence of another new EV model from the automotive company Leapmotor, namely the C01. According to a report from CarNewsChina, this C01 sedan uses cell-to-chassis (CTC) technology where components such as the chassis, underbody, and battery are integrated, so there is no need to install the battery separately. This midsize sedan measures 5,050 mm x 1,902 mm x 1,509 mm, with a wheelbase of 2,930 m and an available cargo space of 496 liters. This sleek body design also features such as embedded door handles, as well as frameless doors which…

Tesla is recalling 107,293 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles made in China starting May 23. The recall was made due to a safety risk of overheating, which could cause the center touchscreen display to malfunction on vehicles manufactured between October 19 and April 26, 2022. This is based on a statement issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), as quoted from Xinhua, Tuesday (17/5/2022). “Defects associated with the center touchscreen during fast charging may cause malfunctions and pose a potential safety hazard,” the statement said. Tesla has promised to provide an over-the-air software update to address the…

Electric vehicle manufacturer from China, Leapmotor presents the C01 electric sedan with 542 hp. This car is priced at $ 26,784 – $ 40,176 and will be marketed in the United States. Leapmotor is a newcomer to the electric car manufacturer. At the beginning of its appearance, this manufacturer failed to register production facilities. The C01 is expected to be a turning point for Leapmotor’s success in the electric car manufacturing industry. Leapmotor C01 is claimed to be able to accelerate from 0-100 kph in just three seconds. That would put it on par with cars that cost at least…

Volkswagen has big ambitions as one of the world’s top electric vehicle manufacturers. The German company is targeting to produce 800,000 electric cars this year. The target is referred to as an effort to compete with Tesla as the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer. Previously, Volkswagen revealed that new buyers who place orders for the rest of the year will have to wait until 2023 to get their electric vehicles. Volkswagen Sales Head Hildegard Wortmann said Volkswagen plans to produce 1.3 million electric cars by 2023. “It will be tough competition but we will not give up,” said Hildegard Wortmann,…

NIO has announced an increase in the price of their electric vehicle in the last month. The latest development, the price increase will also apply to the new model ET7. Most recently, NIO will raise the starting price of all ET7 variants by RMB 10,000 ($1,470) on May 23. This price increase was caused by an increase in the price of raw materials. Customers who paid a deposit for ET7 on and before May 22 will not be affected by this price increase. The price of the NIO ET7 after adjustment is RMB 458,000 for the regular version and RMB…

Toyota officially launched the All New Toyota bZ4X electric car in Japan today, Thursday, May 12, 2022. This car was built using a special BEV platform developed by Toyota with Subaru called e-TNGA. Launching the official TMC website, the e-TNGA platform is able to provide an attractive, smooth, intuitive driving experience, not only for BEVs, but also for any car, including off-road cars. In addition, this platform also provides ample cabin space, including ample legroom for the front and rear seats. In addition, this car features a low instrument panel with a cloth lining on the dashboard and a large…

Hyundai Motor Company launched the “Innovation Begins, from Very Human Things” campaign to share its vision for self-driving robots. By partnering with ride-hailing services, the South Korean automaker will deploy Level 4 autonomous cars in major US cities by 2023. The Hyundai Ioniq 5-based Robotaxi which was first introduced at IAA Mobility 2021 is an SAE Level 4 autonomous vehicle. This car can operate safely without a driver. To make robotaxi a reality, Hyundai partnered with Motional to equip its electric cars with a suite of hardware and software. In line with Hyundai’s brand vision of ‘Progress for Humanity,’ the…

After being officially introduced to the public last March. ID price. The buzz has now been announced. The passenger car version of ID.Buzz will start at a little under 65,000 euros. Meanwhile, the Cargo version is available at a much lower price. Data from the Federal Office for Economic and Export Control (BAFA), an agency related to electric car subsidies, says ID. The Buzz Pro with 150 kW of power and a 77 kWh battery will be offered in Germany for a net price of 54,270 euros. Adding VAT results in a price of 64,581 euros. The final price is…

The Chinese automotive company, Sany Group, is preparing to release an electric pickup type vehicle that is ready to become a competitor to the Tesla Cybertruck. As reported by Carscoops, the Sany Group, which is known for its commercial vehicle products such as cranes, trucks, and bulldozers, recently stated that it was preparing to release an electric pickup. This statement is further strengthened by the registration of this electric pickup patent by Hunan Xingbida Network Technology, a company that is a subsidiary of the Sany Group. Through a leaked photo uploaded on the official account, the Sany pickup truck stands…

Shortly after the debut of the Smart #1 all-electric SUV, this model is available to order in China and has been priced for the first time. Presale prices for the Smart #1 are 190,000 Yuan ($28,970) and 230,000 ($35,070), which sound very close to initial expectations given the vehicle segment and market position. In China, Smart #1 is available in two variants Pro+ and Premium. Both are equipped with a rear-mounted electric motor that produces 264 hp (200 kW / 272 PS), 343 Nm (252 lb-ft) of torque and a 66 kWh battery. The difference is that the Premium trim…