Author: Jackson Han

Zeekr has taken a step toward launching its flagship hybrid SUV, the Zeekr 9X, as the model appeared in China’s latest Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) approval list. The listing, open for public comment until August 15, represents the final major regulatory hurdle before sales can begin. The Zeekr 9X, the company’s first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), is available in four variants with model numbers MR6521DCHEV101, MR6521DCHEV106, MR6521DCHEV102, and MR6521DCHEV100. All versions feature a 1,974 ml engine producing up to 205 kW, paired with ternary lithium batteries from a joint venture between CATL and Geely. The 6-seat…

Chinese automaker Wuling said it has produced its 1.7 millionth Hongguang Mini EV, maintaining its position as the best-selling vehicle in the country’s A00-class small electric segment for 60 consecutive months. The company said one unit is sold every two minutes, with the model amassing 1,986 patents since its launch in July 2020 at the Chengdu Auto Show. Cumulative sales exceeded 554,000 units in 2022, 237,863 in 2023, and 1.4 million in 2024. The Hongguang Mini EV lineup now includes the third-generation model, a five-door variant, the Game Boy edition, the Cabrio, and the Classic edition. Wuling has also introduced…

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL) has confirmed it has suspended production at a large lithium project in Yichun, Jiangxi province, after its mining permit expired on August 9. The company disclosed the halt on a stock market information platform, saying it is expediting the application for a permit extension and expects to resume production once approval is granted. CATL indicated the suspension is not expected to have a significant effect on its overall operations. According to media reports, the expired permit applies to the Jianxiawo mine, while production at other lithium mines in Yichun remains unaffected. Bloomberg reported the…

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL) has suspended production at its Jianxiawo lithium mine in Yichun, Jiangxi province, following the expiration of a key mining license, according to sources cited by Bloomberg. The halt, which began after the permit lapsed on August 9, is expected to last at least three months. CATL is reportedly in discussions with government agencies to secure a renewal but has notified affiliated refineries in Yichun of the closure. The city, often called the “Lithium Capital of Asia,” is a major hub for lithium processing in China. See also: CATL, Car Inc Partner to Expand Battery…

Solar car startup Sono Motors, which recently rebranded as SonoSolar following insolvency, is auctioning off the remaining assets from its discontinued Sion programme. The sale, organised by the insolvency administrator, includes prototypes, components and tools from what was once billed as a pioneering solar electric vehicle project. “While this marks a fresh chapter for us, another part of our story is coming to a close,” the company said in a statement. “The trustee responsible for the former Sion vehicle program has launched an auction for remaining assets, components, tools and prototypes of a pioneering solar EV project. These assets are…

Luxeed, the automotive brand jointly developed by Huawei and Chery, has begun pre-sales for updated versions of its S7 pure electric sedan and R7 coupe SUV, marking the start of what it calls “Phase 2.0” in its development. The updated S7 starts at 258,000 yuan ($35,920) and the updated R7 at 268,000 yuan, according to company information. Chinese customers can place a reservation for 2,000 yuan to receive a 5,000 yuan discount on the final purchase price. Luxeed said the two updated models received more than 10,000 pre-orders within the first hour of pre-sales. The new S7 will be available…

Chinese tech giant and electric vehicle manufacturer Xiaomi has appointed Kai Langer, former head of design at BMW i, to a new position within its automotive division. Langer, who spent more than 20 years at BMW, joined Xiaomi on August 1 and will remain based in Munich, where Xiaomi operates a research and development centre. While Xiaomi has not disclosed Langer’s specific role, the move signals the company’s intention to further develop its design capabilities in the EV sector. Langer announced the career change on LinkedIn, saying he was joining “one of the most progressive and uprising big tech players…

Chinese electric truck startup Zeron has raised 500 million yuan ($69 million) in a Series A funding round led by investors including Momenta, a domestic leader in AI-powered autonomous driving technology. The funding will support Zeron’s plans to scale production of its electric heavy-duty trucks and accelerate development of its in-house autonomous driving platform. Founded in April 2022 by former executives of TuSimple and Sany Truck, Zeron has already delivered nearly 700 units of its Jingzhe and Xiaoman models. The company, which currently employs about 200 people, focuses on integrating intelligent technologies into its electric heavy goods vehicles, including powertrain…

China’s government is urging electric vehicle (EV) makers to rein in steep price cuts that officials fear could destabilize the industry and slow economic growth, The Guardian reported. The warning comes after President Xi Jinping highlighted the risks of “involution,” a cycle where businesses invest heavily with diminishing returns, pointing to sectors such as automotive manufacturing, AI, and computing power. See also: Chinese Carmakers Gain Record 5.1% Market Share in Europe in H1 2025 as Sales Nearly Double China’s EV market has seen discounts reach levels far beyond those in overseas markets. BYD’s Seagull subcompact EV, for example, sells for…

Xpeng said it will release its unaudited second-quarter 2025 financial results before U.S. markets open on August 19, with an earnings conference call scheduled for 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time (8:00 p.m. Beijing time) the same day. The automaker delivered 103,181 vehicles in the second quarter, a record figure within its guidance range of 102,000 to 108,000 units. Deliveries rose 241.6% compared with a year earlier and were up 9.8% from the previous quarter. Over the first seven months of 2025, total deliveries reached 233,906 vehicles, marking a 270% year-on-year increase. Xpeng aims to double its annual deliveries this year from…

Tesla’s sales of China-made vehicles fell in July, reversing a modest rebound seen in June, according to industry data released by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). The electric carmaker sold 67,886 vehicles from its Shanghai plant last month, including units delivered to Chinese customers and exported to overseas markets. The figure was down 8.41% from the same month a year earlier and 5.19% lower than June’s 71,599 units. Tesla’s Shanghai facility builds the Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover for both domestic and export markets. Despite being a key production hub, its output has struggled to match year-ago…

Li Auto has revised the lineup of its newly launched Li i8 electric SUV, dropping two of the original three variants and adjusting pricing, following a muted reception in the Chinese battery electric vehicle (BEV) market. Initially launched on July 29, the Li i8 was available in Pro, Max, and Ultra versions. As of Tuesday, only the Max variant remains, with its price reduced by RMB 10,000 to RMB 339,800 ($47,310). Consumers seeking higher-end features from the Ultra model can now opt for equivalent configurations through additional paid options, resulting in a total cost of RMB 349,800—RMB 20,000 lower than…

Chery Group said on Monday it has become the first Chinese automotive brand to surpass 5 million vehicles exported, underscoring its lead in the country’s overseas car shipments. As of July 31, the company reported a global user base of over 17.18 million, with more than 5.17 million overseas. In July, the Anhui-based automaker sold 224,439 vehicles, up 14.7% from a year earlier. Sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) — including battery electric and plug-in hybrid models — rose 44.1% year-on-year to 65,357 units. Exports climbed 31.9% to 119,090 units, cementing Chery’s position as China’s top car exporter. For the…

Neta Auto has resumed full salary payments at its Tongxiang factory in July, according to Chinese media outlet ITHome, in what could be an early sign of operational recovery as the electric vehicle maker undergoes bankruptcy reorganisation. The brand, owned by Hozon New Energy Automobile Co., launched a pre-registration process for strategic investors on July 10 through Alibaba’s asset disposal platform. As of early August, 47 entities had reportedly expressed interest. Neta entered formal restructuring proceedings in June after months of cash flow shortages, unpaid wages dating back to November 2024, and workforce reductions of nearly 50%. At its Tongxiang…

Brazil’s foreign trade committee, Gecex-Camex, said it will implement a 35% import duty on disassembled electric and hybrid vehicles 18 months earlier than planned, a move likely to affect manufacturers using completely knocked down (CKD) and semi-knocked down (SKD) assembly formats. The decision advances the tariff schedule aimed at encouraging automakers to increase domestic production. Established manufacturers in Brazil operate full vehicle plants, including bodywork production, while BYD currently assembles imported components at its facility in Camaçari, in the northeastern state of Bahia. “It is significantly cheaper to import automotive parts than entire vehicles,” the committee said, noting the difference…

Li Auto reported a significant drop in vehicle deliveries for July, continuing a downward trend as the Chinese electric vehicle maker navigates market challenges and prepares for a new model launch. The company delivered 30,731 vehicles in July 2025, representing a 39.7% decline compared to the same month last year and a 15.3% decrease from June. Cumulative deliveries for the year reached 234,669 units, down 2.2% year-on-year. See also: Li Auto Officially Launches Li i8 Electric SUV With 720-Km Range and Advanced Smart Driving System Li Auto is preparing to begin deliveries of its newest model, the Li i8, a…

Leapmotor reported July 2025 deliveries of 50,129 vehicles, marking the first time the company has exceeded the 50,000-unit mark in a single month. The figure represents a new all-time monthly high and the third consecutive month of record-breaking performance, according to data released on Friday. The July total reflects a 126.9% increase from the same month in 2024, when Leapmotor delivered 22,093 vehicles. It also shows a 4.4% rise from June’s 48,006-unit figure. With these results, the company’s cumulative deliveries have reached 871,341 vehicles since its founding. See also: Leapmotor Launches B01 Electric Sedan Starting at RMB 89,800, Targeting China’s…

BYD has advanced to 91st place on the latest Fortune Global 500 list, marking a 52-position jump from the previous year and placing it ahead of U.S. rival Tesla, which now ranks 102nd, according to a report released on Tuesday. The Fortune Global 500 ranks the world’s largest companies by revenue. This year’s edition reflects a combined $41.7 trillion in revenue and $2.98 trillion in profit across all listed firms, the report noted. https://twitter.com/BYDCompany/status/1950302814162604149 The new rankings highlight shifting momentum in the global electric vehicle (EV) sector. BYD’s rise comes amid continued efforts to expand internationally, including plans to introduce…

Ferrari is moving forward with plans to launch its first fully electric vehicle next spring, and recent sightings suggest the Italian marque may be benchmarking one of China’s most advanced performance EVs—the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra—as part of its development process. A Xiaomi SU7 Ultra sedan, finished in the distinctive yellow-and-silver livery widely used in the model’s marketing campaigns, was recently spotted outside Ferrari’s headquarters in Maranello. While it is common practice for automakers to study competitors’ models, the appearance of a Chinese EV on Ferrari grounds reflects a shifting landscape in global automotive innovation. https://twitter.com/DriveGreen80167/status/1950072698832322803 The SU7 Ultra has attracted…

Chinese battery manufacturer CATL has constructed more than 400 battery swap stations for passenger vehicles as of the end of July and is on track to reach its target of 1,000 stations by the end of 2025, the company said during its mid-year performance briefing. The battery swap business, which also includes support for heavy-duty trucks, is progressing steadily. Around 100 swap stations have already been built for commercial trucks, with the number expected to triple by the end of the year. CATL has partnered with multiple automakers to launch over 20 vehicle models that support battery swapping using its…