Author: Eric Liu

Chinese technology group Xiaomi is facing mounting scrutiny over the safety design of its first-generation SU7 electric sedan after a financial media outlet urged the company to recall around 370,000 vehicles. Yicai, a prominent Chinese financial publication, called on Xiaomi to initiate a recall to address the risk that the vehicle’s electronically controlled exterior door handles could fail in the event of a power outage. The article cited a recent forensic report related to a fatal crash in October involving a Xiaomi SU7 Ultra. See also: Xiaomi EV Delivers 600,000th Vehicle Less Than Two Years After First Shipment According to…

Nio has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Germany’s Bosch Group during Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit to China, strengthening ties between the Chinese electric vehicle maker and one of Europe’s largest automotive suppliers. Nio said the partnership will span all three of its brands — Nio, Onvo and Firefly — and focus on collaboration in core technologies for smart electric vehicles. Areas of cooperation include steer-by-wire chassis systems, battery management systems, electric powertrains and autonomous driving perception modules. See also: Nio Says It Will Press Ahead in Europe as EU Signals Shift From Tariffs to Pricing Plan The agreement was…

Nio said its semiconductor subsidiary GeniTech Co Ltd, also known as Shenji, has secured 2.257 billion yuan ($330 million) in its first external funding round, confirming earlier media reports. Under the agreement, Chinese investors will subscribe to newly issued shares in the chip unit, Nio said in a statement. After the transaction, a Nio subsidiary will retain a controlling 62.7% stake, allowing the company to continue consolidating Shenji’s financial results. See also: Nio February Deliveries Rise 57.6% to 20,797 Units Year on Year The investors will hold a combined 27.3% stake, implying a post-investment valuation of about 8.27 billion yuan…

BYD has begun large-scale installation of megawatt-level electric vehicle charging stations across China, signalling a move from development to deployment of its ultra-fast charging infrastructure. Images circulating on Chinese social media show newly installed units with a cyan exterior and a T-shaped overhead structure that suspends charging cables from above, reducing ground drag and improving ease of use. The distinctive design appears intended to create a recognisable visual identity for the network. See also: BYD February NEV Sales Fall 41.09% to 190,190 Units as Exports Rise The rollout follows BYD’s unveiling in March 2025 of a 1-megawatt (MW) charger based…

Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio said its customers performed a record 175,976 battery swaps in a single day across its nationwide network, underscoring the scalability of the company’s alternative to conventional fast charging. The milestone, achieved during the peak return travel period of the Lunar New Year holiday, surpassed a previous record set just days earlier of 165,898 swaps. The holiday season represents the busiest annual travel period in China, placing heavy demand on transportation and energy infrastructure. At the peak rate, the figure equates to nearly two battery swaps per second across the network over a 24-hour period. The…

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has become the official automotive partner of Manchester City, in a sponsorship agreement aimed at strengthening the company’s brand recognition across Europe. The deal follows BYD’s previous role as an automotive partner of the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament in Germany and adds to its growing involvement in European football, including sponsorship of Inter Milan. Manchester City, a multiple-time English champion and recent UEFA Champions League winner, has a global fan base that companies often target for international marketing campaigns. Under the agreement, BYD branding will appear on the sleeves of the men’s and women’s teams’…

Li Auto’s autonomous driving chief Lang Xianpeng will leave the company’s newly formed humanoid robot division after a brief tenure, with another senior engineer set to take over, according to a report by Chinese outlet LatePost. Zhan Yifei, a senior autonomous driving algorithm expert at the electric vehicle maker, will assume leadership of the robotics unit and report to company president Ma Donghui, the report said. Lang’s future plans were not disclosed. See also: Li Auto Reaches 4,000 Supercharging Stations as EV Strategy Faces Market Pressure Li Auto established the humanoid robotics division only weeks ago, initially appointing Lang to…

Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio has disclosed new details about its upcoming flagship SUV, the ES9, indicating a maximum driving range of up to 620 kilometres, according to the latest regulatory documents published by China’s industry regulator. The ES9 is equipped with a 102-kWh battery pack weighing 545 kg, delivering an energy density of 187 watt-hours per kilogram, based on a vehicle model catalogue eligible for purchase tax reductions released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Monday. See also: Nio Targets Profitability in Power Business After 100 Million Battery Swaps Depending on configuration, the ES9 has curb…

Cumulative deliveries of the new Aito M7 have surpassed 100,000 units, the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) said on February 5, marking a key sales milestone for the Huawei-backed smart vehicle brand less than five months after the model’s launch. The Aito M7, developed under Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance and produced with Chinese automaker Seres, was officially launched on September 23, 2025, with a starting price of 279,800 yuan ($39,000). The mid-to-large SUV measures 5,080 mm in length, 1,999 mm in width and 1,780 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,030 mm. See also: Huawei-Backed Aito Files M6…

Foxconn has opened a new research and development centre for electric vehicles in Zhengzhou, China, as it steps up efforts to become a contract manufacturer for automakers and accelerate vehicle development timelines. The centre began operations on Wednesday and aims to reduce the production cycle for new electric vehicle models to about 24 months, according to a statement from the Henan provincial government cited by Reuters. The facility will focus on next-generation electric vehicles, electric architectures and intelligent driving technologies, the statement said, quoting Li Guangyao, managing director of a Foxconn subsidiary in Henan. See also: ZF-Foxconn Venture Opens Hungary…

Nio Inc has officially entered the Uzbek automotive market, marking its first move into Central Asia as the company continues to expand its international presence. The electric vehicle maker opened its first showroom, branded Nio Space Tashkent, at the end of January, according to information shared on Sunday by Qin Lihong, the company’s co-founder and president. Images posted by Qin indicated the store opened on January 31, making Uzbekistan Nio’s first market in the Central Asian region. See also: Nio Opens Distributor-Operated Showroom in Hungary Nio later said the Tashkent operation was established in partnership with Abu Sahiy Motors, a…

Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng has begun overseas deliveries of its new P7+ electric sedan, with the model now available in several international markets, including Germany, where prices start at €46,600. Xpeng said in a post on its Weibo account that large-scale overseas deliveries of the 2026 model year P7+ are underway, with plans to offer the vehicle in 36 countries and regions, including across Europe. The company did not specify which markets are receiving the first shipments. The P7+ has been on sale in China since November 2024, initially as a battery-electric vehicle. For its next-generation lineup, Xpeng split…

Geely Auto was among the few Chinese carmakers to post year-on-year sales growth in January, supported by record exports and solid demand for plug-in hybrid models, even as battery electric vehicle sales declined. Geely sold 270,167 vehicles in January, up 1.29% from a year earlier and 14.08% higher than in December, the company said on Sunday. Growth was driven largely by overseas markets, with exports reaching a record 60,506 vehicles, more than doubling from a year earlier and rising 50.10% from December. Domestic sales in China totaled 209,661 units, down 12.62% year on year but up 6.69% month on month.…

Voyah, the premium electric vehicle unit of Dongfeng Motor Group, has received approval from China’s securities regulator to proceed with a planned listing in Hong Kong, as the state-owned automaker restructures its financing channels. China’s China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) has issued Voyah a filing notice allowing it to move forward with the Hong Kong listing, according to a statement published on the regulator’s website on Wednesday. The filing requires Voyah to complete the listing within 12 months, after which updated materials would need to be submitted if the plan remains in place. The transaction is still subject to approval…

Li Auto founder and Chief Executive Li Xiang reaffirmed the company’s strategic focus on artificial intelligence during a company-wide meeting this week, even as some employees expressed concern that slowing vehicle sales were not being adequately addressed, according to a report by Chinese media outlet 21jingji. Li hosted a nearly two-hour online meeting with employees on Monday morning Beijing time, much of which centered on his assessment of AI development trends. During the session, Li said 2026 would be the final window for companies aiming to emerge as leaders in artificial intelligence, and that Level 4 autonomous driving technology could…

Li Auto said on Jan. 26 that cumulative deliveries of its Li Mega electric multi-purpose vehicle have exceeded 30,000 units, marking a milestone for the company’s flagship battery-electric model. The Li Mega is sold in two variants priced between 529,800 yuan ($74,000) and 559,800 yuan. The company did not disclose a time frame for the deliveries or provide updated sales targets. See also: Li Auto Sets 2026 Goal of 550,000 Deliveries, Aiming for 40% Growth Li Auto has introduced a family-oriented “Mega Home” edition that largely retains the exterior design of the standard model, including its rounded body shape and…

BYD’s Fang Cheng Bao brand is preparing an updated version of its Tai 3 all-electric off-road SUV, with improved powertrain specifications and the option of lidar for more advanced driver assistance, according to documents recently published by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). The refreshed Fang Cheng Bao Tai 3 retains its existing exterior design and dimensions but introduces notable mechanical upgrades. Buyers will be able to choose between rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive variants. The rear-wheel-drive version sees its maximum output rise to 240 kW (322 hp) from 160 kW, with acceleration from zero to 100 km/h expected to…

China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) sales are expected to continue growing in 2026, though at a slower pace than last year, as domestic demand remains constrained and global trade uncertainties weigh on the outlook, the country’s main auto industry association said on Wednesday. NEV sales are projected to reach 19 million units in 2026, representing year-on-year growth of 15.2%, according to a report released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). That compares with sales of 16.49 million NEVs in 2025, when volumes rose 28.2% from a year earlier. See also: China Records 16.49 Million NEV Sales in 2025,…

Chinese semiconductor maker GigaDevice said it has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with automaker Chery Automobile to deepen collaboration across the automotive chip value chain, as both companies seek to support the development of next-generation intelligent vehicles. The agreement, announced on Jan. 12, establishes a long-term partnership focused on closer coordination from chip definition to vehicle-level validation. GigaDevice said the cooperation aims to jointly develop advanced intelligent vehicle system solutions suited to the AI era, strengthening the technological foundation of China’s push toward smarter, more software-driven automobiles. See also: Chery’s iCar Begins Mass Production of V27 Extended-Range Electric SUV GigaDevice…

Spy shots of the Seal 08, the upcoming flagship model in BYD’s Ocean lineup, have surfaced on Chinese social media as the automaker prepares for a debut expected in the first quarter of this year. Images shared by users on the Xiaohongshu platform show the vehicle wrapped in camouflage featuring wave patterns and “OCEAN 8” lettering, consistent with BYD’s Ocean-series branding. The sightings suggest road testing is under way ahead of an official launch. See also: BYD Files New Linghui Sub-Brand Models Aimed at Ride-Hailing Market The Seal 08 is based on BYD’s Ocean-S concept and is expected to be…