Author: Jackson Han

Li Auto has started deliveries of its Li i8 all-electric sport utility vehicle across China, following a relaunch earlier this month aimed at boosting demand for the new model. The six-seat SUV began rolling out on August 20 in 44 cities, the automaker said in a post on Weibo, though no further details were disclosed beyond photos from handover sites. The company previously said its factories were operating at full capacity and that it aimed to deliver more than 8,000 units by the end of September, with the target potentially rising to 10,000 in partnership with supply chain providers. “The…

Geely’s premium electric vehicle brand Zeekr announced that its upcoming flagship SUV, the Zeekr 9X, will be equipped with a high-end audio system from British manufacturer Naim, the company said on Wednesday. Naim, traditionally known for supplying bespoke audio setups to ultra-luxury automaker Bentley, has won the UK’s “Queen’s Award” three times. Its systems have been featured in Bentley models including the Flying Spur, Continental GT, and Bentayga, with top-tier configurations costing up to 140,000 yuan (19,230 USD) extra. The Naim system in the Zeekr 9X features 32 speakers, eight seat shakers, and 40 independent channels. With a peak output…

China’s state-owned FAW Group is preparing to acquire a stake in electric vehicle maker Leapmotor, local outlet Cailian reported on Tuesday, in a move that could further solidify their partnership in new energy vehicle (NEV) development. FAW is advancing an internal plan to acquire around 10 percent of Leapmotor’s shares, the report said, citing a person familiar with the matter. The potential investment follows a memorandum of understanding signed in March, under which both companies agreed to jointly develop passenger NEVs and collaborate on auto parts. According to Leapmotor’s latest financial report, the first co-developed vehicle project between the two…

Xiaomi plans to enter the European electric vehicle (EV) market in 2027, marking the first time the company has identified Europe as its initial overseas destination for its auto business. William Lu, or Lu Weibing, mentioned the plan during an earnings call yesterday, saying that research and preparations are underway to support the expansion. The move follows early signs of testing in the region, with an SU7 Ultra model registered in Germany earlier this year. Xiaomi’s executives have reiterated that near-term efforts remain focused on meeting domestic demand, where production capacity is under strain and delivery wait times for its…

Nio said it has reduced the prices of all its long-range models after Tesla launched a new six-seat version of its Model Y sport utility vehicle earlier in the day. The Chinese electric vehicle maker lowered the price of its optional 100-kWh long-range battery pack by RMB 20,000 ($2,780), cutting the cost from RMB 128,000 to RMB 108,000. The reduction applies to all current models using the pack. As a result, the starting price of the ET9 executive sedan, which comes with the 100-kWh pack as standard, fell 2.54% to RMB 768,000 from RMB 788,000. The ET5 and ET5 Touring,…

Huawei’s HIMA (Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance) business announced it will host a new product launch event on August 25 to unveil updated electric vehicle models from its Luxeed and Aito brands. The event, scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. Beijing time, will showcase the Luxeed S7 sedan, R7 coupe SUV, and the battery-electric (BEV) variant of the Aito M8 SUV. Luxeed, a joint venture between Huawei and Chery, began pre-sales for the updated S7 and R7 models on August 8. Within the first hour, the company reported receiving more than 10,000 pre-orders. The S7 is priced at RMB 258,000 ($35,900)…

China’s state-owned carmaker Dongfeng Motor has listed its 50 per cent stake in the Dongfeng Honda Engine joint venture for sale, reflecting the country’s accelerating transition toward electric vehicles. The joint venture, which produces engines for Honda’s Chinese models, has been operating in Guangzhou since 1998. The sale was posted on the Guangdong United Assets and Equity Exchange on Monday, with bids open until Sept. 12. The platform has not specified a minimum price, leaving the potential financial outcome of the transaction unclear. Dongfeng Honda Engine has struggled financially in recent years. The unit posted a loss of 227.8 million…

Tesla has officially launched the Model Y L in China, a large six-seater electric SUV, with a starting price of 339,000 yuan (around $47,120 USD). Deliveries for the new model are expected to begin in September. Designed with both style and functionality in mind, the Model Y L introduces several upgrades to its exterior, interior, and performance compared to the standard Model Y. Exterior and Dimensions The Model Y L features subtle but impactful exterior changes, including a redesigned roofline and a re-engineered rear spoiler that gives the SUV a more dynamic appearance. These aerodynamic enhancements contribute to an impressive…

Great Wall Motor (GWM) has commenced vehicle production at its new factory in Iracemápolis, São Paulo, marking its latest overseas manufacturing expansion following BYD’s recent start of local production in Brazil. The factory, converted from a Daimler plant acquired in 2021, has an annual production capacity of 50,000 vehicles and spans 1.2 million square meters, with 94,000 square meters dedicated to building space including welding, painting, and assembly workshops. The first vehicle produced at the plant was a Haval H6 GT. The facility will initially produce models including the Haval H6 series, Haval H9, and the 2.4T Poer. This is…

Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio said on Monday it will enter Singapore, Uzbekistan and Costa Rica between 2025 and 2026, marking its first presence in Southeast Asia, Central Asia and the Americas. In Singapore, the company will work with Wearnes Automotive, a long-established luxury car retailer in the Asia-Pacific region, to introduce its first right-hand drive model, the firefly, in 2026. See also: Nio’s Firefly Brand Begins First Deliveries in Europe For Costa Rica, Nio has partnered with Horizontes Cielo Azul Movilidad, the country’s largest electric vehicle distributor, in what will be its initial venture into the Americas. In Uzbekistan,…

Geely Galaxy will begin pre-sales of its six-seat hybrid SUV model M9 on August 23, with an event scheduled in Shanghai. The company is positioning the vehicle as its flagship AI-powered SUV aimed at the large SUV segment. The M9 will be the first production model to feature Agent OS, an intelligent cockpit system jointly developed by Geely Auto and Chinese AI startup StepFun. Introduced at the 2025 World AI Conference in Shanghai, Agent OS is built on StepFun’s Step-Audio end-to-end voice large language model, designed to offer more natural, knowledgeable, and emotionally responsive in-car interaction. First unveiled globally in…

Chinese autonomous driving technology company WeRide said it has received equity investment commitments worth tens of millions of dollars from Southeast Asian super app Grab, aiming to speed up its expansion across the region. The investment, expected to close by the first half of 2026, follows a memorandum of understanding signed in March 2025. Under the strategic partnership, the companies plan to integrate WeRide’s L4-level robotaxis into Grab’s mobility network and apply WeRide’s autonomous driving technology to fleet management, vehicle matching and route planning. See also: WeRide Secures Beijing Approval for 24/7 Robotaxi Testing https://twitter.com/WeRide_ai/status/1956281613941166588 WeRide said the collaboration will…