Author: Jackson Han

Global sales of fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles (EVs) surged by 20% year-on-year in August, reaching 1.47 million units, according to market research firm Rho Motion. The growth was primarily driven by record-breaking sales in China, despite a sharp 33% decline in Europe, marking its weakest performance since January 2023. China, the world’s largest EV market, saw a 42% rise in EV sales in August, surpassing one million vehicles. Rho Motion projects that China’s EV sales will increase by one-third this year, reaching 10.5 million units. In contrast, sales in Europe are expected to remain flat compared to last…

BYD reported record sales of 373,083 new energy vehicles (NEVs) in August, surpassing the previous record of 342,383 units set in July. This marks a 35.97% increase year-on-year and an 8.97% rise from the prior month, driven by continued growth in its plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) segment. Passenger NEVs accounted for the majority of sales, with 370,854 units sold in August, reflecting a 35.31% year-on-year increase and an 8.82% gain from July. Commercial NEV sales also saw significant growth, with 2,229 units sold in August, up 643% year-on-year and 40.72% from the previous month. BYD’s passenger BEVs saw a…

The European Commission expressed confidence on Friday that its investigation into Chinese state subsidies for electric vehicles (EVs) and the resulting measures are in line with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. This comes as the EU’s executive body affirmed that its probe will continue despite China’s request for a WTO consultation. In July, the European Union imposed provisional tariffs of up to 37.6% on EV imports from China, aiming to protect its domestic EV industry. The tariffs followed an EU investigation that concluded Chinese-made vehicles were benefiting from state subsidies, which the EU deemed unfair competition. China, however, challenged the…

Zeekr, the premium electric vehicle (EV) subsidiary of Geely Holding Group, has introduced a humanoid robot into its manufacturing process, following a similar move by Nio. The Zeekr factory began using the Walker S Lite, a humanoid robot from UBTech Robotics, in early July. This robot has been operational at the plant for 21 days, aiding in lifting tasks and showing high efficiency in its role. The deployment of Walker S Lite at Zeekr is part of a collaboration with UBTech, Geely Holding, and Miracle Automation Engineering. Miracle Automation, which recently secured a contract for an assembly mainline conveyor project…

Onvo, a sub-brand of Nio, is set to commence production of its first vehicle, the Onvo L60, in mid-August, with the official launch scheduled for September. The company has introduced a new charging map in anticipation of the launch. Onvo President Ai Tiecheng announced in a live video stream that the L60’s first production vehicle is expected to roll off the assembly line in mid-August, and its interior will be revealed in two weeks. The L60 was first unveiled on May 15 and is available for pre-order at a starting price of RMB 219,900 ($30,710), which includes the battery. The…

Tesla China sold 74,117 vehicles wholesale in July 2024, marking a robust start to the second half of the year, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). This figure represents a 4.38% increase from the 71,007 vehicles sold wholesale in June 2024 and a 15.29% year-over-year rise from the 64,285 units sold in July 2023. The strong performance in July is encouraging for Tesla’s Giga Shanghai, which is expected to maintain high output levels in the third and fourth quarters. Industry analysts noted that Tesla China’s export activities remained consistent last month, despite new tariffs in Europe…

BYD is set to launch both the EV and DM-i versions of the Seal 07 on August 8, marking another significant release in 2024 for the Chinese automaker. Although the two versions share the same name and similar styling, they are distinguishable by the EV’s closed front and the DM-i’s 5-slat grille. The Seal 07 DM-i features dimensions of 4980 mm in length, 1890 mm in width, and 1495 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2900 mm. The car is registered with three weight variations: 1795 kg, 1900 kg, and 1960 kg. https://evmagz.com/new-byd-seagull-model-launches-with-unchanged-9650-starting-price/ This model is seen as a…

The U.S. Trade Representative’s office announced on Tuesday that the implementation of certain steep tariffs on Chinese imports, including electric vehicles (EVs) and their batteries, computer chips, and medical products, will be delayed by at least two weeks. The USTR had previously planned for these tariffs to take effect on August 1. However, the office is still reviewing 1,100 comments received and now expects to issue a final determination in August. The new tariffs will be enacted approximately two weeks following this final determination. https://evmagz.com/u-s-special-tariffs-on-chinese-evs-set-to-take-effect-in-august-2024/ In May, President Joe Biden decided to maintain tariffs imposed by his predecessor, Donald Trump,…

Xiaomi has acquired a new land parcel in Beijing’s Yizhuang development zone, likely for the second phase of its electric vehicle (EV) factory project. The acquisition was made through an affiliate of Beijing-based Xiaomi, which won the bid for RMB 842 million ($116 million), according to an announcement by local natural resources authorities. The deal, concluded on July 25, grants Xiaomi a 50-year lease for the 531,130 square meter site, located east of its existing EV factory. The land is designated for smart car and parts manufacturing. Xiaomi officially entered the car-making industry on March 30, 2021, when it announced…

A group of Toyota Mirai drivers in California has filed a class-action lawsuit against Toyota, alleging that the automaker misled them about the practicality of using fuel cell vehicles in everyday life. The plaintiffs claim Toyota’s assertions that “refuelling the Mirai is seamless” and “comparable to refuelling with gasoline” are inaccurate. They argue that the limited number of hydrogen refuelling stations and high hydrogen prices make fuel cell cars “unusable” for many drivers. See also: Toyota Offers $40,000 Rebate on 2023 Mirai FCEV, Making It Cheaper Than a Corolla According to Carscoops.com, the cost of hydrogen in the US has nearly…

Berkshire Hathawayhas reduced its stake in BYD to below 5%, according to a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Monday. The stake was cut to 4.94% from 5.06% as of July 16, and had been as high as 7.02% on June 11. The reduction follows a broader trend of Berkshire selling its shares in Shenzhen-based BYD, which it began doing in August 2022 after the stock price had surged over 20-fold. The original investment, made in 2008, involved a $230 million purchase of approximately 225 million shares, giving Berkshire a 10% stake at that time. See also: BYD Launches…

A Chinese industry body representing 12 automakers has argued that the European Union’s tariffs on electric vehicles (EVs) built in China violate global trading rules. During a hearing with the European Commission, the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME) stated that the EU’s preliminary assessment conflicts with EU and World Trade Organization (WTO) regulations. “We are very concerned. We urge the Commission to correct these unlawful findings and terminate the investigation (into Chinese EV subsidies),” CCCME Vice President Shi Yonghong told reporters on Friday. Earlier in July, the EU imposed provisional tariffs…