Author: Eric Liu

Tesla has added Chinese battery manufacturer Sunwoda to its global battery supply chain, Chinese media outlet 36Kr reported on Thursday, citing multiple industry sources, as the U.S. electric vehicle maker seeks to diversify sourcing and lower costs. Through its battery unit Sunwoda Electric Vehicle Battery Co Ltd, Sunwoda has become Tesla’s fifth global power battery supplier, according to the report. Battery cells from Sunwoda have already begun shipping from the supplier’s plant in Yiwu and are being installed in vehicles produced at Tesla’s Giga Shanghai for export markets, 36Kr reported, citing people familiar with the matter. It remains unclear when…

Nio’s sub-brand Onvo is set to introduce the company’s in-house developed Shenji smart driving chip in the updated 2026 L90 electric SUV, marking a further step in its transition away from external suppliers such as Nvidia, according to local media reports. The 2026 Onvo L90, scheduled for launch on April 21, will feature a significantly upgraded intelligent driving system and, for the first time, offer a LiDAR-equipped variant, Chinese outlet Leiphone reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The model is expected to be powered by Nio’s Shenji chip, built on a 5-nanometre process. The move would align Onvo more…

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Nio Inc reported a sharp increase in March deliveries as demand recovered following the seasonal slowdown at the beginning of the year. The company delivered 35,486 vehicles in March, representing a 135.96% increase year-on-year and a 70.63% rise from February, according to data released on Wednesday. Deliveries included 22,490 units from the Nio brand, 6,877 from its sub-brand Onvo, and 6,119 from Firefly. In the first quarter, Nio delivered 83,465 vehicles, up 98.28% from a year earlier, although down 33.12% compared with the fourth quarter of 2025. The total exceeded the upper end of the company’s…

CALB said it has begun deploying semi-solid-state battery technology in the light truck sector, marking an expansion of advanced battery systems from passenger cars into commercial vehicles. The company announced that its solid-liquid hybrid battery, unveiled at a commercial vehicle exhibition in Hefei, Anhui province on March 28, has entered mass production and is already being installed in light trucks produced by Chery Automobile. The move represents one of the first large-scale applications of semi-solid-state batteries in light commercial vehicles, as manufacturers explore higher-performance alternatives to conventional lithium-ion systems. The hybrid technology combines solid and liquid electrolytes, aiming to balance…

Lotus Technology, majority-owned by Geely Holding, has launched its first plug-in hybrid SUV in China, marketed locally as the Lotus For Me and globally as the Lotus Eletre X. The model entered the Chinese market with two variants, priced at 508,000 yuan ($73,500) for the Standard trim and 558,000 yuan ($80,730) for the SE version. Deliveries are set to begin on March 30, while a global launch is scheduled for June 2026. Built on Lotus’s X-Hybrid platform with a 900-volt architecture, the Eletre X combines a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine with dual electric motors, delivering a peak output of 700 kW…

Tesla has denied reports that it plans to introduce a lower-cost version of its Model 3 sedan in China, following widespread speculation on social media. Citing the company, local outlet Caiwen reported that Tesla has no plans to launch a cheaper Model 3 variant in the Chinese market and has not established any related production lines at its Shanghai factory. Tesla said its Giga Shanghai facility remains focused on producing and delivering existing Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y vehicles, including both domestic sales and export orders. The company added that there are currently no plans to introduce additional…

Xpeng has previewed the 2026 version of its Mona M03 electric sedan, introducing its in-house developed Turing AI chip as the company pushes to expand advanced driving features into lower-priced vehicles. He Xiaopeng said the updated Xpeng Mona M03 has already arrived at stores across China, marking the start of its market rollout. The new model will be the first to feature Xpeng’s proprietary Turing AI chip, delivering up to 750 trillion operations per second (TOPS) of computing power. The chip is designed to support all-scenario assisted driving capabilities, bringing higher-level intelligent driving features to the sub-$20,000 segment. The move…

BMW is recalling nearly 180,000 vehicles in China due to a potential fire risk linked to improperly routed air conditioning wiring harnesses, according to the State Administration for Market Regulation. The recall affects a total of 179,527 vehicles, including both domestically produced and imported models. Among them, 133,849 units are locally manufactured BMW 5 Series vehicles built between December 5, 2023 and April 12, 2025. An additional 8,978 imported 5 Series cars produced between October 2023 and April 2025 are also included. The recall further covers 36,527 imported BMW 7 Series vehicles manufactured between June 2022 and April 2025, along…

Leapmotor has opened its first overseas innovation center in Munich, Germany, marking a step in its efforts to globalize design and product development as it expands internationally. The facility, located in Schwabing-Freimann in northern Munich, will oversee design iterations and the conceptual development of future models. The company said the move reflects a shift from exporting vehicles to exporting design capabilities, as it integrates international design concepts into its product strategy. Leapmotor now operates a global design network spanning Munich, Hangzhou and Shanghai, supporting its broader ambitions in overseas markets. The expansion comes amid rising export volumes, with the company…

Li Auto has reportedly suspended orders for several versions of its L-series extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs), as the Chinese automaker prepares to launch updated models in the coming months. The flagship Li L9 is no longer accepting new orders, while only limited configurations remain available for the Li L7 and Li L8, according to a report by local outlet Lanjinger citing sources familiar with the matter. The move comes ahead of a broader product refresh, with the next-generation Li L9 expected to launch in the second quarter. Updated versions of other L-series models are also planned as part of the…

Geely Galaxy, the new energy vehicle brand under Geely Auto, has teased a new off-road sport utility vehicle as it prepares to enter the fast-growing rugged SUV segment. The company has not yet finalized the model’s official name and said on Tuesday that it has launched a global naming campaign for the upcoming vehicle. Geely Galaxy has released limited details about the model so far. Earlier this month, the brand shared winter testing images of the SUV, referring to it at the time as the Geely Galaxy Cruiser. The vehicle’s concept version was first unveiled at the Shanghai Auto Show…

CATL is expanding support for its battery swap ecosystem as Chinese automakers GAC Aion and BAIC’s Arcfox prepare to launch new electric vehicle models compatible with the company’s Choco-SEB battery swap system. GAC Aion said on Thursday it will introduce a battery swap version of its Aion RT sedan in April. The model will feature what the company described as a 99-second ultra-fast battery replacement process. The Aion RT was originally launched in September 2025 as a family sedan available in four variants priced between 99,800 yuan ($14,460) and 123,800 yuan. Arcfox, the electric vehicle brand under BAIC, announced on…