Author: Jackson Han

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has introduced a more affordable version of its Yuan Up compact electric SUV, cutting prices by 25% as it aims to reach a broader segment of the market. The new variant, priced at RMB 74,800 ($10,400), undercuts the previous base model by RMB 25,000. It comes with a smaller 32-kWh battery pack, offering a CLTC-rated driving range of 301 kilometers, compared to the 401-kilometer range of the higher-tier models, which are equipped with a 45.12-kWh battery. In addition to the reduced battery capacity, the latest version excludes BYD’s “God’s Eye C” smart driving system, a…

Chinese battery manufacturer Sunwoda Electronic has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong, becoming the latest company in the sector to pursue a listing in the city following Eve Energy. Goldman Sachs and CITIC Securities are acting as joint sponsors for Sunwoda’s proposed listing, according to the preliminary prospectus. Details regarding the number of shares to be issued and the timeline of the listing have not yet been disclosed. Founded in 1997 and listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2011, Sunwoda expanded its international presence in November 2022 with the issuance of Global Depository Receipts (GDRs)…

Nio is preparing to unveil its third-generation ES8 SUV in the coming months, with the model recently spotted undergoing road tests in China, according to images shared by a local automotive blogger. The company previously confirmed the vehicle would be introduced at its annual Nio Day event, which has been moved to the fall to align with the peak sales season in the fourth quarter. The third-generation ES8, listed last month in a regulatory filing from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, features a larger body compared with its predecessor. The updated SUV measures 5,280 mm in length, 2,010…

WeRide and Uber have expanded their Robotaxi operations in Abu Dhabi to include Al Reem and Al Maryah Islands, in coordination with the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC). The expansion is expected to double ride volumes and significantly increase the service area, which now includes parts of Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, and highway routes to and from Zayed International Airport. Since launching their joint service in December 2024, WeRide and Uber have tripled the size of their Robotaxi fleet in Abu Dhabi. Both companies intend to expand further later this year, with plans to operate in Khalifa City, Masdar City, and…

BYD has become the leading electric vehicle (EV) brand in Hong Kong for the first half of 2025, capturing 27% of new private EV registrations and overtaking rivals Tesla and BMW, according to data from the city’s Transport Department. The Shenzhen-based automaker registered 4,902 EVs out of 18,356 total private EV registrations between January and June. Its sales were led by the Sealion 07, a mid-size SUV launched in late 2024, which accounted for 3,676 units—making it the best-selling EV model in the city during the period. Tesla followed with 3,889 registrations, while other automakers including Zeekr, Toyota, and Xpeng…

Aito, the automotive brand backed by Huawei and Seres Group, has opened pre-sales for the battery electric vehicle (BEV) version of its M8 SUV, the company said Friday. The vehicle is scheduled to launch officially in August. The starting price for the Aito M8 BEV is RMB 378,000 ($52,780), according to a post by Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) on Weibo. Customers who place a deposit of RMB 5,000 will receive a discount of the same amount and a complimentary purple exterior option valued at RMB 8,000. Originally launched on April 16 as an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV), the…

Yangwang, the premium sub-brand of Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD, announced on Sunday it will begin pre-sales for its flagship U8L Dingshi Edition on July 31. The official launch event will take place at 2:30 p.m. Beijing Time on the same day. The U8L is a full-size executive luxury SUV distinguished by a logo made from 24-karat pure gold, positioning it at the ultra-luxury end of the market. The model was first unveiled at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show on April 23, with the company confirming at the time that a launch was expected in the second half of the…

Leapmotor has officially launched the B01, expanding its electric vehicle lineup with a new mid-size sedan targeting China’s price-sensitive EV market. The company revealed six variants of the B01 at a launch event, with prices starting at RMB 89,800 ($12,550), representing a 15% reduction from its earlier pre-sale price of RMB 105,800. The B01 now includes a newly introduced base model offering a CLTC range of 430 kilometers. Higher variants deliver extended ranges of 550 km and 650 km, with corresponding battery capacities of 56.2 kWh and 67.1 kWh. The entry-level model comes equipped with a 43.9 kWh lithium iron…

Tesla is planning to open its first Tesla Diner in China, with a launch targeted around the Lunar New Year in February 2026, according to a report by local media outlet West China City Daily on Wednesday. The automaker has reportedly allocated a 3,000-square-meter site adjacent to its Gigafactory in Pudong, Shanghai, for the facility, which would mirror Tesla’s first restaurant and charging hub that opened in Hollywood, California, earlier this month. Tesla’s Hollywood diner, which opened on July 21, features 80 V4 Superchargers, two 66-foot LED movie screens, and a 24-hour restaurant with seating for over 250 guests. The…

Chinese car brands are continuing their rapid expansion across European markets, with sales in the first half of 2025 surging 91 percent year-on-year to 347,135 units, according to new data from market research firm Jato Dynamics. This brought their market share across 28 European countries to a record 5.1 percent, nearly double the 2.7 percent figure recorded in the same period last year. The growth puts Chinese brands just behind Mercedes-Benz, which held a 5.2 percent market share in the same period, and ahead of Ford, which accounted for 3.8 percent. The report notes that in June alone, Chinese automakers…

Great Wall Motor has offered a first glimpse of a new high-performance supercar, marking a significant step beyond its traditional SUV and pickup truck lineup. The Chinese automaker, headquartered in Baoding, unveiled the veiled silhouette of the vehicle in a photo shared by chairman Wei Jianjun on social media platform Weibo. The image, featuring Wei and top executives posing next to the shrouded vehicle, comes as Great Wall Motor commemorates its 35th anniversary. Wei’s post hinted at the significance of the model, which will be the company’s first foray into the supercar segment—a category dominated by legacy players like Ferrari…

China is reinforcing its commitment to electrification in the transport sector, with Beijing becoming the latest major city to ban new gasoline vehicles from entering the ride-hailing market, according to state-affiliated China Automotive News. The restriction, effective from July 20, prohibits the registration of new fuel-powered vehicles on ride-hailing platforms in the capital. It marks a tightening of earlier rules, which had already barred older gasoline cars with sub-National 6 emission standards from operating in the sector. Drivers attempting to register vehicles now receive notices requiring them to switch to “green-plate” vehicles, a designation used for new energy vehicles (NEVs).…

China’s cumulative power battery installation reached 299.6 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in the first half of 2025, up 47.3% year-on-year, according to data released by the China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance (CABIA). The figures reflect sustained growth in the country’s new energy vehicle (NEV) sector, alongside signs of a gradual shift toward a more diversified battery supply chain. CATL remained the market leader with 128.6 GWh installed, representing 43.05% of the total, though its market share declined by 3.33 percentage points from a year earlier. BYD ranked second with 70.37 GWh and a 23.55% share, down 1.55 percentage points. Combined, CATL and…

Onvo, a sub-brand of Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio targeting the family car market, will launch its first three-row SUV, the L90, on July 31, according to information obtained by CnEVPost. The launch will follow Li Auto’s unveiling of its Li i8 electric SUV by two days. Although neither Nio nor Onvo has officially announced the date, Onvo began pre-sales for the L90 on July 10, with customer deliveries expected to begin on August 1. The L90 carries a pre-sale starting price of RMB 279,900 ($39,000) including an 85-kWh battery, or RMB 193,900 with the battery rental plan under Nio’s…

Mirattery, the battery asset management firm backed by Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio (NYSE: NIO), said on Sunday that founding shareholder Hubei Science Technology Investment has increased its investment as part of the company’s ongoing Series C financing round. The disclosure was made in a statement accompanying the announcement of two new strategic cooperation agreements. Mirattery did not disclose the size, timing, or status of the Series C round. The Wuhan-based company signed separate agreements with Hubei Science Technology Investment and the Wuhan Optics Valley Intelligent Manufacturing Industrial Park Construction and Service Center. The partnerships are intended to support development…

Horizon Fuel Cell Group has secured a deal to supply 100 fuel cell systems to Chinese commercial vehicle manufacturer Shanghai Wuliu Automotive Technology, which is jointly developing a new 42-tonne hydrogen-powered truck with Z Truck Automotive Technology. The order will see Horizon’s VL-III Series fuel cell systems integrated into the upcoming truck model, which has been designed with a lightweight structure and an extended range. The trucks are expected to achieve a driving range of over 1,500 kilometres using the 250-kilowatt hydrogen system, according to Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies. Launched in 2022, the VL-III fuel cell platform has been deployed…

A leading publication affiliated with China’s top auto industry association has retracted a report that inaccurately stated the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) planned to ban the resale of new cars within six months of registration. The correction comes amid broader efforts to address issues linked to so-called zero-mileage used cars in the Chinese automotive market. Auto Review, an official outlet run by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), acknowledged that its original story published on Saturday contained misrepresentations involving the MIIT and other authorities. The publication said it had since removed and corrected the relevant parts…

BYD is set to release its latest SUV, the Sealion 06, on July 24, offering both plug-in hybrid and battery electric options, according to a report by local automotive outlet Auto Home. The launch will expand the Sealion family and strengthen BYD’s position in China’s competitive new energy vehicle (NEV) market. The new Sealion 06 lineup includes the Sealion 06 DM-i, equipped with BYD’s fifth-generation DM hybrid system, and the fully electric Sealion 06 EV, built on the company’s upgraded e-Platform 3.0 Evo. Both platforms were introduced in May 2024 as core technologies underpinning BYD’s latest vehicle rollouts. See also:…

A team of scientists from the Institute of Chemistry at the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a lithium metal battery featuring a flame-retardant interface designed to prevent fires caused by overheating, according to findings published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Lithium metal batteries offer significantly higher energy density compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries but are prone to safety risks due to flammable gases produced during thermal runaway. The Chinese researchers addressed this by incorporating flame retardant interfaces (FRIs) into the battery’s cathode. These FRIs reduce oxygen release and modify the gas composition during thermal…

Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer BYD has surpassed 60,000 cumulative vehicle deliveries in Australia, marking a significant milestone since entering the market in August 2022. The achievement underscores BYD’s expanding footprint in the region, as the company continues to record strong sales growth. In June 2025, BYD delivered 8,156 vehicles in Australia, representing a 368% increase from the same period last year. Much of the growth was driven by the Shark 6 hybrid pickup truck, which accounted for 2,993 units—or 37%—of total deliveries during the month. For the first half of 2025, Shark 6 sales reached 10,424 units, representing…