Author: Jackson Han

China has called on Germany to help mediate a dispute with the European Union over electric vehicle (EV) tariffs. Last month, the EU decided to raise tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China by as much as 45.3%. Beijing views Germany, its largest trading partner in Europe, as a key player in resolving the issue. During a meeting at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, China’s President Xi Jinping told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that Beijing would continue to offer “broad market opportunities for German companies” in exchange for Germany’s support. “China regards Germany as an important…

Dutch supermarket chain Albert Heijn has extended its emission-free delivery service to cover all shops within Amsterdam’s city centre ring road. The company has increased its fleet of electric trucks and enhanced its charging infrastructure at the Home Shop Center (HSC) Amsterdam depot to support this expansion. The move builds on over a year of electric deliveries within the city. With this extension, Albert Heijn now delivers to a larger area, eight times the size of its original ‘zero-emission zone’ (ZE). The company currently delivers 10,000 customer orders per week to 82 shops within the city centre ring road using…

China’s push to diversify electric vehicle (EV) battery chemistries has reached a new milestone with sodium-ion technology, which could address limitations of lithium-ion batteries, particularly under extreme weather conditions. Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd (CATL), the world’s largest battery maker, has announced breakthroughs in sodium-ion batteries, including the ability to perform reliably at temperatures as low as -40 degrees Celsius. Sodium-ion batteries operate similarly to lithium-ion cells, with ions shuttling between electrodes during charge and discharge cycles. However, sodium-ion technology offers potential advantages, including reduced thermal runaway risks, lower raw material costs, and enhanced resilience to temperature fluctuations. CATL’s second-generation…

Gotion High-tech, the Chinese battery giant backed by Volkswagen, has secured a significant investment for its battery production project in Morocco. On November 13, Gotion signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with CDG Group, Morocco’s largest public financial investment institution, which plans to invest 300 million euros ($280 million) into the first phase of Gotion’s Moroccan project. The initial phase of the project will focus on the production of power batteries, energy storage batteries, and the manufacturing of cathode and anode materials. This phase is expected to create over 2,000 local jobs, Gotion announced. The collaboration with CDG will support…

Zeekr, the premium electric vehicle (EV) subsidiary of Geely Holding Group, has confirmed its acquisition of a controlling 51% stake in Lynk & Co, marking a significant shift in the ownership structure of the electric vehicle brand. The deal, valued at approximately $2.5 billion, will see Zeekr purchase a 20% stake in Lynk & Co from Geely Holding for RMB 3.6 billion ($500 million) and a 30% stake from Volvo Cars for RMB 5.4 billion. Lynk & Co, founded in 2017 as a joint venture between Geely Auto and Volvo Cars, has undergone significant changes in its ownership as part…

Xiaomi EV, the automotive arm of Chinese tech giant Xiaomi Corp, celebrated a milestone as the 100,000th unit of its inaugural electric vehicle, the SU7, rolled off the production line. The achievement comes only 230 days after the launch of the SU7, signaling rapid production progress for the company’s new venture into the electric vehicle (EV) market. Xiaomi founder and CEO Lei Jun announced the milestone on social media platform Weibo, remarking, “As a newcomer to the auto industry, this speed is already remarkable.” Lei shared that he visited the Xiaomi EV plant early in the day and spent some…

Tesla announced on Wednesday a recall of 2,431 of its recently launched Cybertruck electric pickups in the United States, citing a potential loss of drive power as the reason for the recall. This issue marks the sixth Cybertruck recall in 2023, and follows a similar move last month when Tesla recalled over 27,000 Cybertrucks due to delayed rear-view camera images that posed risks to driver visibility. According to Tesla’s filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Cybertrucks manufactured between Nov. 6, 2023, and July 30, 2024, could experience a fault in the drive inverter. This fault may prevent…

Leapmotor, the Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) maker backed by Stellantis NV, has set an ambitious sales target of 500,000 vehicles for 2025. During its third-quarter earnings call, the company outlined plans to achieve monthly sales of 40,000 vehicles on average. To meet this goal, Leapmotor is significantly ramping up production capacity and expanding its sales channels, according to CEO and founder Zhu Jiangming. Leapmotor had 698 stores in China by the end of October and expects to exceed its full-year sales target of 250,000 units for 2024. In the third quarter of 2024, Leapmotor delivered a record 86,165 vehicles,…

Tesla recently marked the five-year anniversary of its Gigafactory in Berlin, showcasing the facility’s achievements since CEO Elon Musk announced the project on November 12, 2019. Despite initial challenges, including regulatory delays and the pandemic, Giga Berlin commenced production of the Model Y in early 2022 and has since made significant strides. According to Tesla Manufacturing’s recent video on social media platform X, Gigafactory Berlin has produced over 400,000 Model Y units to date, along with more than 500,000 drive units. These vehicles are shipped to 37 countries, helping Tesla expand its footprint across multiple markets. The facility currently employs…

Retail sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China reached a record high in October, totaling 1.196 million units, marking the third consecutive month of over one million units sold. This represents a 56.7 percent year-on-year increase and a 6.4 percent rise from September, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). However, the NEV penetration rate in retail sales saw a slight decline, driven by faster growth in gasoline vehicle sales. Despite the record sales, the penetration rate for NEVs at retail stood at 52.9 percent, slightly down from 53.3 percent in September. This is the second consecutive month…

XPeng Aeroht, a subsidiary of China’s XPeng Motors, has entered the “manned test flight” phase for its Land Aircraft Carrier, a road vehicle with detachable flying capabilities. Founder Zhao Deli, an experienced pilot, is personally conducting tests to refine the vehicle’s performance. The Land Aircraft Carrier is scheduled for its first public demonstration at the China International Airshow on Nov. 12, showcasing the automated detachment and reattachment processes. The Land Aircraft Carrier features a six-wheel, three-axle ground vehicle, or “mothership,” that carries an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air module stored in the rear trunk, with a semi-transparent glass…

The Polish city of Szczecin is further advancing its electric bus fleet with a new order for 14 additional electric buses from Solaris. This latest order will bring the city’s total fleet of electric buses to 30, as it continues to electrify its public transportation network. The new order includes four Urbino 12 Electric buses, each 12 meters in length, and ten articulated Urbino 18 Electric buses. These buses will join the 16 Solaris electric buses already in operation in the city. Both the Urbino 12 and 18 models will be equipped with a central electric motor and Solaris High…

Vertical Aerospace, a manufacturer of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, has been offered a $75 million financing deal from its primary creditor, Mudrick Capital Management. The firm, which previously invested $200 million in Vertical in 2021 through convertible senior secured notes, has proposed an equity offering to support the company through 2026, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). As of June 30, 2024, Vertical Aerospace reported cash and cash equivalents totaling $84 million. The company’s response to the financing offer remains uncertain, as it may involve relinquishing control. “The company is exploring all…

Chinese autonomous driving technology firm DeepRoute.ai has raised $100 million from a domestic automaker to support wider adoption of its assisted driving systems in China. The Shenzhen-based company expects nearly 200,000 vehicles equipped with its technology on Chinese roads by the end of 2025, up from the current 20,000, CEO Maxwell Zhou told Reuters. “Our system is designed to navigate the complexities of Chinese urban traffic,” Zhou said, noting that DeepRoute.ai’s technology performs in settings with high volumes of pedestrians and scooters. The system aims to compete with Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology, which Tesla plans to launch in China.…

Nio has dismissed recent speculation that its upcoming third brand, codenamed Firefly, will include a hybrid model. Co-founder and president Lihong Qin confirmed that the Firefly line will adhere to Nio’s “chargeable, swappable, and upgradable” all-electric approach, setting a launch for Nio Day 2024. Qin’s statement follows a report from Yicai, which, citing unnamed sources, suggested Firefly would employ an extended-range hybrid system aimed for a 2026 launch. The report pointed to a Nio job posting for engineers skilled in NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) development for air intake and exhaust, raising questions about potential hybrid designs. The report also highlighted…

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Zeekr  set a new monthly delivery record in October, fueled by strong demand for its latest model, the Zeekr X. The company reported 25,049 vehicle deliveries for the month, up from the previous record of 21,333 units in September, reflecting a 91.55% year-on-year increase and a 17.42% jump from the prior month. From January to October, Zeekr delivered a total of 167,922 vehicles, an 82.32% increase compared to the same period last year. The automaker is targeting around 230,000 deliveries for the full year, meaning it will need to average approximately 31,000 vehicles per month in…

Leapmotor, the Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer backed by Stellantis NV, recorded a significant milestone in October with the delivery of 38,177 vehicles. This marks a remarkable year-on-year increase of 109.74 percent and a 13.06 percent rise compared to September, as the company continues to see robust order growth. October’s results represent the fifth consecutive month of record deliveries for Leapmotor, with three consecutive months surpassing 30,000 units. Year-to-date figures reveal that from January to October, Leapmotor delivered a total of 211,038 vehicles, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 97.18 percent. Cumulatively, the company has delivered 516,862 vehicles since its…

Li Auto announced its 1,000th charging station milestone in China, unveiling its highest-altitude facility on Mount Everest. This marks significant progress in Li Auto’s charging network expansion, yet achieving its 2024 goal of 2,000 stations will require a rapid acceleration in installations. Currently, Li Auto operates charging stations in 175 cities across 31 provinces, providing 4,888 chargers. The company launched its own supercharging network in early 2023, with the first trial stations opening in April last year. In March 2024, Li Auto set an ambitious target to reach 2,000 supercharging stations by year-end, a goal that will demand an average…

Li Auto has established a first-tier division dedicated to overseas market expansion, signaling a renewed commitment to its international growth strategy, as reported by 36kr. This new division, led by Wang Jin, who has been with the company for over a year, operates under Zou Liangjun, the senior vice president of sales and service. Wang, who previously worked with Huawei and oversaw sales and services in Chile, will be pivotal in steering Li Auto’s international initiatives. Currently, the division has a small team and has yet to make significant moves in the overseas market. Initially, Li Auto planned to expand…

The Smart #5 has officially entered the Chinese market after its launch in August, with prices starting at 239,900 yuan (approximately $33,700). This new lineup includes four mid-size electric SUVs: the Long Range Adventure Standard, Long Range Adventure Deluxe, and Jungle Realm Limited, with prices ranging from 239,900 to 368,000 yuan (around $33,700 to $51,700). Available in both rear-wheel drive (RWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD) configurations, three of the four trims come equipped with RWD drivetrains, while only the Jungle Realm Limited features an AWD option. The Smart #5 measures 4,705 mm in length, 1,920 mm in width, and 1,705…