Author: Eric Liu

Xpeng has confirmed plans to enter the South Korean electric vehicle market, appointing former Volvo Cars Korea executive Lee Man-sik to lead its local operations as the Chinese automaker continues expanding internationally. The company said in a statement on Monday that Lee will take over as managing director of Xpeng Motors Korea, effective December 1, 2026. Xpeng has not yet provided a launch schedule, identified the models it intends to introduce or disclosed details of its planned local operations. The company said further information would be announced at a later date. Former Volvo Executive to Establish Local Operations Lee brings…

The Huawei-led Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) delivered 33,537 vehicles in October, down 50.84% year on year, marking its fifth consecutive month of declining deliveries as weaker sales pushed its cumulative performance below the previous year’s level. Figures released by the alliance on Sunday showed that October deliveries also fell 10.54% from September. The monthly total was the lowest since April, while the annual decline widened from 29.15% in September. HIMA has now recorded five consecutive months of year-on-year delivery declines and four straight months of month-on-month decreases. During the first 10 months of 2026, the alliance delivered 400,766 vehicles,…

Volkswagen Group is considering using its China-developed CEA electronic architecture in European volume models, a move that could save the automaker between €4 billion and €5 billion, according to a report by Manager Magazin. The proposal has sparked debate within the company’s management over costs, software strategy and the future of its partnership with Rivian. The Volkswagen Core brand group, which includes Volkswagen, Skoda and Cupra, needs to improve its financial performance by around €12 billion by 2030 while reducing planned investments by nearly €15 billion. Against this backdrop, brand chief Thomas Schäfer and China board member Ralf Brandstätter have…

Pre-owned Chinese electric vehicles are gaining traction in Europe as buyers seek more affordable alternatives to new models affected by import tariffs. China EV Marketplace (CEVM) reported a 280% year-over-year increase in sales to European Union customers, reaching 7,900 vehicles through September. The company lists more than 2,600 used vehicles, including models from BYD, Geely and Zeekr. CEVM says its inventory includes low-mileage cars priced around 40% below their original Chinese list prices. Used EVs Offer an Alternative to Tariff-Affected Imports European Union tariffs on new Chinese battery-electric vehicles vary by manufacturer, reaching as high as 45.3% in some cases.…

Geely has produced its one-millionth Xingyuan electric car, reaching the milestone approximately two years after the compact EV entered the Chinese market. Geely Galaxy, the automaker’s sub-brand, announced the production milestone on Weibo on Tuesday. The company said the model is currently selling at an average rate of one unit per minute. In overseas markets, the vehicle is marketed as the Geely EX2. Production Milestone Reached in Two Years The Xingyuan was launched in China on October 9, 2024, competing primarily with BYD’s Seagull and Dolphin electric models. Its cumulative production has increased steadily since launch, reaching 200,000 units in…

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Xpeng is considering expanding its European production capacity beyond its existing contract manufacturing arrangement with Magna in Austria, as it prepares for proposed European Union rules that could introduce minimum local-content requirements for electric vehicles. Xpeng vice president Yeqing Zheng told Reuters at the Paris Motor Show 2026 that the company expects to decide on a new production line within the coming months. The company currently relies on Magna’s Austrian facility for contract vehicle manufacturing. However, Zheng said the existing production volume is insufficient to meet Xpeng’s anticipated growth in Europe. Xpeng expects its European business…

Geely Auto’s Galaxy brand has launched the Cruiser 700, its first rugged off-road SUV, in China with a starting price of 189,800 yuan ($28,190). The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) offers up to 305 km of electric range under China’s CLTC test cycle and a combined system output of up to 830 kW (1,113 hp) in its highest-powered version. The SUV went on sale on Saturday with six variants, including five standard versions and a Land Ark special edition. Official prices range from 189,800 yuan to 259,800 yuan for the standard lineup, while the special edition is priced at 379,800…

Geely Auto recorded its highest monthly sales of the year in September as its domestic decline continued to narrow, while exports fell sequentially for the first time in 2026. The Chinese automaker sold 292,168 vehicles in September, up 6.97% from a year earlier and 8.13% from August, according to data released Thursday. September marked Geely’s third consecutive month of year-on-year growth above 5% and its highest monthly sales total of the year. Exports Remain Strong Despite September Decline Geely exported 106,685 vehicles in September, representing a 162.35% increase from a year earlier. However, exports declined 3.10% from August, when the…

GAC has brought its Aion brand and Aion UT compact electric hatchback to Denmark and Norway, with Sulland Group’s importer Electric Way handling sales in both markets. The expansion gives GAC a presence in two of Europe’s highly electrified car markets. Danish and Norwegian journalists attended the joint launch in Copenhagen on September 17, 2026, which included a short drive of the Aion UT. Pricing and dealer details will be announced separately for each market. Aion UT Offers Up to 430 km of WLTP Range Designed in Milan, the Aion UT measures 4,270 mm in length and has a 2,750…

Geely has begun rolling out a new ultra-fast electric vehicle charging network shortly after unveiling charging technology with a peak output of up to 2,250 kW per connection. Chinese media reports indicate that charging stations branded “Smart Charging C12” are already operating or being installed in five cities: Hangzhou, Shanghai, Ningbo, Jiaxing and Xi’an. According to reports, Geely’s new charging system can deliver up to 2,250 kW through a single connection. The company says the technology can enable compatible electric vehicles from its Zeekr and Lynk & Co brands to charge from 10% to 97% in less than nine minutes.…

China aims to achieve the initial large-scale application of all-solid-state batteries by 2030 as part of a new five-year development plan designed to accelerate next-generation battery technology from research toward commercialization. China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) released the battery industry development plan for the 15th Five-Year Plan period on Monday, outlining development priorities for 2026 through 2030. The document, dated September 14, was jointly issued by seven government agencies, including MIIT, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Transport. Solid-State Batteries Identified as Key Priority The plan calls for steady growth in China’s battery…

Li Auto is gradually reducing its reliance on CATL and transitioning more of its vehicle lineup to battery cells developed in-house. The cells are manufactured by Sunwoda, with the technology already being introduced in several Li Auto models and planned for the i6, which will be marketed in Europe as the Li 6. According to CarNewsChina, Li Auto’s internally developed cells are already being used in the L8, L6 and i8. The company expects the technology to be introduced to additional vehicle series during the fourth quarter. New Battery Cells Expand Across Model Range Li Auto said supplies of the…

Voyah, the premium new energy vehicle subsidiary of Dongfeng Motor, increased revenue and deliveries in the first half of 2026, but higher raw-material costs and intensifying competition pushed the company into a net loss. Revenue rose 42.4% year-on-year to 18.16 billion yuan ($2.68 billion), while deliveries increased 35.9% to 76,264 vehicles. The company reported a net loss attributable to shareholders of 389 million yuan, compared with a net profit of 460 million yuan in the first half of 2025. Higher Costs Pressure Profitability Voyah’s gross profit increased 17.7% year-on-year to 3.22 billion yuan, substantially slower than revenue growth. Gross margin…

BYD has unveiled the third-generation Tang SUV at the 2026 Chengdu Auto Show, updating one of the key models in its Dynasty lineup ahead of a planned fourth-quarter launch. The five-seat mid-to-large SUV uses BYD’s second-generation Blade Battery and flash charging technology, with a claimed CLTC range of up to 850 km. Tang Expands Dynasty Flagship SUV Lineup The third-generation Tang is positioned as an 8-series flagship model within BYD’s Dynasty range. It will be sold alongside the 9-series Da Tang, which launched in June, creating a two-model flagship SUV strategy for the lineup. The new Tang measures 5,045 mm…

BYD’s Fang Cheng Bao brand has launched a long-range DM version of its Tai 7 sport utility vehicle in China, adding a larger battery and faster charging to the plug-in hybrid SUV. Prices start at 195,800 yuan ($28,830). The new Tai 7 DM is available in two versions. The rear-wheel-drive Max starts at 195,800 yuan and offers a CLTC electric range of up to 315 kilometres, while the four-wheel-drive Ultra starts at 225,800 yuan and has a 300-kilometre electric range. https://evmagz.com/byd-fang-cheng-bao-tai-9-clears-china-filing-with-310-km-ev-range/ Larger Battery Extends Electric Range Both versions use a 50 kWh BYD Blade Battery, significantly larger than the 26.6…

Avatr Technology has launched the five-seat Avatr 07L electric SUV in China, with prices starting at 229,900 yuan ($33,860) as the company looks to expand its presence in the highly competitive premium electric vehicle market. The new model is available in three versions priced at 229,900 yuan, 249,900 yuan and 279,900 yuan. Limited-time benefit prices reduce those figures to 219,900 yuan, 239,900 yuan and 269,900 yuan, respectively. The launch follows pre-sales that began on July 17. Avatr added an entry-level Elite all-electric version for the official launch, lowering the starting price by 20,000 yuan compared with the previously announced range.…

Dongfeng Nissan, the Chinese joint venture between Nissan Motor and Dongfeng Motor, has filed its NX7 plug-in hybrid SUV with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), clearing another regulatory step ahead of its expected market launch. The NX7 was included in the latest batch of vehicles published by MIIT on Friday, just two days after Dongfeng Nissan began releasing official teaser images for the model. The timing suggests the automaker is moving quickly toward introducing the fourth vehicle in its N series. NX7 Positioned Below Larger NX8 The NX7 measures 4,785 mm in length, with width options of…

Smart’s upcoming #2 two-seat electric city car has appeared in China’s latest Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) vehicle catalog, bringing the Mercedes-Benz and Geely Auto-backed brand’s smallest new EV closer to commercial launch. The MIIT filing is a required regulatory step for new vehicles in China and typically precedes a market launch by several months. The listing identifies the Smart #2 as a battery-electric two-seat sedan manufactured by Geely’s Zhejiang Haoqing Automobile Manufacturing. The model is expected to succeed the iconic Smart ForTwo and will be produced in China for domestic and overseas markets. Compact Dimensions Target Urban…

Huawei-backed luxury automotive brand Maextro has officially launched the V680 and V800 extended-range multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs), expanding its premium vehicle portfolio as it targets China’s executive mobility market traditionally dominated by imported Japanese luxury models. The two MPVs, jointly developed by Huawei and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp (JAC), entered the market on Wednesday after pre-sales began in late June. Pricing Comes in Below Pre-Sale Levels The Maextro V680 is offered in a single Premium Edition priced at 648,000 yuan ($95,450). The flagship V800 is available in three variants, with the Premium Edition priced at 766,000 yuan, the Executive Edition…

Zeekr delivered a record 35,837 vehicles in July, marking its highest monthly total since the brand was launched and extending a series of consecutive delivery records. The July figure represented a 111.09% increase from a year earlier, according to data released by the company. Fourth Consecutive Monthly Record The premium electric vehicle brand, owned by Geely Auto, delivered 35,837 vehicles in July, up from 35,169 units in June. July marked the fourth consecutive month in which Zeekr achieved a new monthly delivery record. However, month-on-month growth slowed to 1.9%, the weakest sequential increase since March, indicating that delivery growth has…