Author: Linda Ma

Zeekr, a new electric vehicle (EV) brand by Geely, is set to unveil its upcoming electric X crossover on April 12th, but the company has been giving glimpses of the car’s features ahead of its official launch. Recently, Zeekr released images showcasing the car’s interior, which boasts of a minimalist and luxurious design. While the company has not disclosed many specifics about the car’s features, it is apparent that the driver will sit behind a two-spoke steering wheel and a freestanding digital instrument cluster. To the right of the steering wheel is a widescreen infotainment system mounted on a slider…

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is set to visit China next week to promote a potential deal between Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD and Ford’s former factory in northeast Brazil. The factory, located in Bahia state, has been inactive since Ford ceased production in Brazil in 2021. BYD signed a letter of intent with the Bahia government in October 2021, indicating their interest in investing $570 million to set up electric vehicle production in the Camaçari industrial park. Since then, negotiations have been ongoing, and BYD executives expressed hope in November that a final agreement could be reached…

Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group, the ambitious electric vehicle (EV) arm of Chinese real estate giant Evergrande, is on the brink of disaster. The company’s latest filing reveals a dire situation, with the automaker struggling to deliver on its production targets, facing a liquidity crisis and cutting costs by reducing its workforce headcount. The filing highlights that Evergrande NEV delivered only around 900 units of its flagship Hengchi 5 model since production began in mid-September 2022, a major setback for the company’s EV ambitions. To make matters worse, the automaker has had to cut 931 jobs in a bid to…

BYD, a Chinese car manufacturer, has recently entered the smartphone accessory market with its latest product, the BYD smartwatch. While other companies like Xiaomi, Huawei, and Nio have ventured into different industries, BYD has taken a small but significant step by introducing a smartwatch that can replace car keys. The BYD smartwatch is designed to be a convenient solution for car owners who want to simplify their lives by reducing the number of devices they carry around. Instead of carrying car keys, users can wear the smartwatch, which also functions as a traditional smartwatch with activity tracking, notifications, and Bluetooth…

China’s largest new energy vehicle (NEV) maker, BYD, has reduced shifts at two of its plants in response to weakened consumer demand for electric vehicles (EVs), according to a new report. The Xi’an plant, BYD’s largest manufacturing hub, has asked some workers to work only four days a week, with the plant running two eight-hour shifts a day. The Shenzhen plant, which makes the Han sedan, has also reduced shifts from three shifts a day to two. The reason for the reduction in shifts was not given in the internal memo, but one person familiar with the matter said BYD…

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Nio is ramping up production of its third generation Power Swap Station (PSS), with mass production expected to be achieved in May. The company is bringing the first 10 stations online on March 28, a month earlier than planned. The latest PSS can store 21 batteries, a significant improvement from the previous model which could only store 13 batteries. The first generation PSS, meanwhile, could only hold five batteries at once. While the PSS can store 21 batteries, it can service 408 vehicles in a 24-hour period. This translates to 17 electric cars charged every…

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Xpeng delivered over 120,000 vehicles in 2022, marking a 23% increase from the previous year. However, despite higher sales, the company reported a net loss of 9.14 billion yuan ($1.25 billion) – nearly double that of the previous year. In its annual report, Xpeng revealed that its sales for the year reached 26.86 billion yuan ($3.67 billion), up 28% from the previous year. However, its gross margin for the year slipped to 11.5%, down one percentage point from 2021. See also: XPeng officially launches G9 electric SUV with range of up to 436 miles The…

Bonnet, the London-based EV charging app with a growing presence across Europe, has launched a public crowdfunding campaign after existing users of the app pledged to invest in the company. Alongside this, Bonnet has also secured £3 million in equity from a range of investors, including GV (the investment arm of Google), Lightspeed Venture Partners, Tier Mobility, Wise, Deliveroo, and 20VC. The new funding will enable Bonnet to further expand and enhance its service, with a particular focus on reliability, as well as increasing its coverage across the UK and Europe. Bonnet’s long-term goal is to become the go-to app…

China’s automotive sector is facing a slump, which has resulted in carmakers and dealerships slashing prices to boost sales. This has affected veteran carmakers such as Ford, Volkswagen, and General Motors, who are offering discounts on their vehicles to attract consumers. Even Tesla, which dominates the EV industry in the United States, is facing stiff competition from local Chinese automakers such as BYD. Legacy automakers have initiated efforts to drive demand by adopting pricing strategies such as aggressive price cuts. Ford is offering a discount of approximately $6,000 on its Mustang Mach-E until the end of April, and Volkswagen has…

BYD, the largest Chinese manufacturer of new energy vehicles (NEVs), recently made its brand debut in Uzbekistan, one of the largest automotive markets in Central Asia. During the brand debut event held on March 16, BYD introduced three models to local consumers, including the Han EV, Song Plus DM-i, and Chazor DM-i. As Uzbekistan is transitioning toward vehicle electrification, BYD’s advanced blade battery and DM-i super hybrid technology are expected to meet the demand of local consumers. Furthermore, three BYD stores will open in Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, this month, including a flagship store and technology museum, a comprehensive brand experience…

In a bid to address the growing importance of recycling and reprocessing materials in the expanding new energy vehicle (NEV) market, Mercedes-Benz has signed a memorandum of understanding with CATL’s Brunp subsidiary in China. The deal will see Brunp recycle used electric car batteries from Mercedes-Benz and process the materials into cathode materials, which will then be used by CATL in new electric vehicle batteries supplied to Mercedes-Benz. Brunp, which already works with Volvo, BMW, FAW-Volkswagen, and GAC-Toyota, among others, operates 251 battery recycling sites across China. Its parent company CATL is also building two large industrial parks to recycle…

Xpeng, the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, is making significant strides in the development of autonomous driving technology with the expansion of its City Navigation Guided Pilot (City NGP) feature. Similar to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, Xpeng’s NGP is equipped with LiDAR sensors that enable the vehicle to detect and avoid obstacles, making the driving experience safer. Starting in Shenzhen, China, Xpeng’s NGP system will be available through an over-the-air (OTA) upgrade for the Xpeng P5 electric sedan. This will be the seventh OTA upgrade for the P5, and Xpeng claims it will provide up to 90% efficiency compared to…