Author: Jackson Han

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…

HIMA, Huawei’s intelligent mobility unit, announced that its flagship Maextro S800 luxury sedan has secured over 8,000 firm orders within 50 days of launch. The figures, shared on HIMA’s mobile app, highlight a strong market response to the premium electric model jointly developed by Huawei and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group (JAC). Launched on May 30, the Maextro S800 is available in both battery electric vehicle (BEV) and extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) configurations. Buyers can choose between four-seat and five-seat layouts, with BEV versions starting at RMB 708,000 ($98,600) and going up to RMB 818,000. The EREV variants are priced from…

Buick, a brand under General Motors, has previewed the Electra L7 extended-range electric sedan in China, marking the brand’s entry into the growing market for extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs). The Electra L7 is expected to be priced around RMB 300,000 ($41,790) and will be built by SAIC-GM at its Wuhan facility in Hubei province. The mid-to-large-sized sedan measures 5,032 mm in length, 1,952 mm in width, and 1,500 mm in height, with a 3,000 mm wheelbase. It is based on the Xiao Yao Super Architecture, a new platform unveiled in April when Buick also introduced its Electra sub-brand. The L7…

BYD has submitted regulatory filings for a new electric vehicle, the Song L GT, marking a potential sportier addition to its Song family lineup. The model appeared in the latest approval catalog released by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), a key regulatory step toward market launch. The Song L GT is presented as a shooting brake-style model and is classified in the MIIT catalog as a pure electric sedan, despite the Song L EV being labeled a shooting brake SUV by BYD. The model shares its dimensions with the existing Song L EV, measuring 4,840 mm in…

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) brands Zeekr and Neta reportedly inflated their sales figures by registering vehicles before actual buyer delivery, according to a Reuters investigation citing internal documents and interviews with dealers and customers. The report states that both companies arranged insurance for vehicles before completing final sales, allowing them to record transactions earlier under existing vehicle registration practices in China. This approach, often referred to as “zero-mileage used cars,” reflects the highly competitive nature of China’s automotive market. See also: China Urges Major Automakers to Promote ‘Rational Competition’ in EV Sector Between January 2023 and March 2024, Neta is…

Shangjie, the new automotive brand jointly developed by Huawei and SAIC Motor, is preparing to launch its first model, the H5 SUV, in September. The model has completed its final major regulatory step and has been included in the latest catalog released by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). The H5 will be available in two versions: a battery electric vehicle (BEV) with a claimed CLTC range of up to 655 kilometers, and an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) variant with a total range exceeding 1,300 kilometers. Both models will come equipped with Huawei’s ADS 4 driver assistance system,…

BYD has officially added the BYD Zhengzhou to its growing fleet of car carriers, marking the seventh such vessel as the company strengthens its global new energy vehicle (NEV) export logistics. The BYD Zhengzhou, capable of carrying up to 7,000 vehicles, completed its sea trials in late June before being delivered. The ship is named after Zhengzhou, Henan province — a key production hub for the automaker — and was built by Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Limited. It shares the same specifications as its sister ship, the BYD Hefei, measuring 199.9 meters in length and 38 meters in beam. The…

Aito, the electric vehicle brand jointly developed by Huawei and Seres Group, will introduce battery electric vehicle (BEV) versions of its M8 SUV in August, expanding its lineup amid rising competition in China’s large all-electric SUV market. The new BEV models will follow closely on the heels of major launches by rivals, including Li Auto’s Li i8 on July 29 and Onvo’s L90 later this month. Aito first unveiled the M8 in April with extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) variants, priced from RMB 359,800 ($50,150). Since then, the model has gained traction among Chinese buyers, with firm orders reportedly exceeding 80,000…