Author: Eric Liu

Eric Liu reports on China’s electric vehicle ecosystem, including battery technology, charging infrastructure, and regulatory trends. His work aims to provide accessible insights into how policy and innovation are shaping the future of electric mobility in China.

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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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’…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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.…

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