Author: Jackson Han

The anticipation for Kia’s entry into the electric pickup truck market is heating up as the first sightings of its electric pickup testing in the US have surfaced, suggesting that a rival to the Ford F-150 Lightning might be on the horizon. Kia has already announced its intention to launch an electric truck in the US as part of its broader electric vehicle (EV) strategy. During its investor day in 2022, Kia unveiled plans to introduce two electric pickup trucks: one designed specifically as an EV pickup and another strategically aimed at emerging markets. These electric trucks are key components…

China FAW Group Corporation (FAW) is set to join the Nio-led battery swap alliance, becoming the seventh member to do so, according to a report by local media outlet Cailian. The battery swap alliance, which already includes GAC Group, Changan Automobile, Geely Holding, Chery, JAC, and Lotus, will now see FAW as its newest addition. Nio’s founder, chairman, and CEO, William Li, had previously indicated that more brands were expected to join the alliance in the future. Li views the battery swap business as akin to a cloud service and has started to consider its future beyond just the premium…

Nio has officially launched its latest offering, the Onvo L60 SUV, directly targeting Tesla’s popular Model Y but at a more affordable price point. The Onvo L60, built on a 900 V high-voltage architecture, boasts higher energy efficiency, with an impressive CLTC energy efficiency of 92.3 percent and the lowest wind resistance of any production SUV at 0.229 Cd, resulting in an energy consumption of just 12.1 kWh per 100 km. The Onvo L60 is believed to be the first production vehicle based on Nio’s next-generation vehicle platform, NT 3.0, although Nio is downplaying the vehicle platform narrative. The SUV…

Baidu’s smart driving arm, Apollo, has unveiled its latest generation of robotaxis, marking a significant cost reduction and aiming to drive profitability for the business. The sixth-generation robotaxi, launched at Apollo Day 2024 in Wuhan, Hubei province, is priced at 200,000 yuan ($27,670), representing a 60 percent reduction compared to its predecessor. These vehicles are set to join the robotaxi fleet on Apollo Go, Baidu’s self-driving ride-hailing platform, with plans to deploy 1,000 sixth-generation robotaxis in Wuhan by the end of 2024. Baidu anticipates that the establishment of a fully autonomous robotaxi operation network will reduce operating costs by 30…

In a rare display of camaraderie between automotive rivals, William Li, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Nio, purchased an Xpeng X9 MPV, a vehicle from a competing brand. The Xpeng X9 was personally delivered to Li by He Xiaopeng, Xpeng’s chairman and CEO, in Hefei, Anhui province, on May 11, marking Li’s first purchase of a vehicle from another brand in eight years. The Xpeng X9, launched on January 1, is the flagship model under Xpeng’s SEPA (Smart Electric Platform Architecture) 2.0. Priced starting at RMB 359,800 ($49,800), it is Xpeng’s highest-priced vehicle to date, with deliveries commencing on…

China has recently initiated its inaugural large-scale sodium-ion battery storage station, signaling the onset of this new, potentially more cost-effective battery technology for broader utilization in the energy sector. The 10-megawatt-hour (MWh) station began operations on May 11 in Nanning, Guangxi, southwestern China, according to China Southern Power Grid Energy Storage, the energy storage arm of Chinese grid operator China Southern Power Grid. This station marks the initial phase of a larger 100-MWh project. Upon completion, the full project is projected to generate 73 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean power annually, catering to the electricity needs of 35,000 households and…

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has emphasized the seriousness of the Biden administration’s investigation into the security threat posed by Chinese connected vehicles, stating that a ban on these cars in the United States is a real possibility. Raimondo highlighted that such extreme action could be taken if the probe, initiated in February, concludes that Chinese connected vehicles pose a national security risk. She also mentioned the potential for allowing Chinese cars into the U.S. market but with restrictions in place. However, Raimondo noted that there is still much evaluation and analysis to be done before a decision is made regarding…

BYD’s ultra-luxury brand, Yangwang, will unveil its electric supercar, the U9, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2024, marking the vehicle’s debut in an overseas market. The U9 will be showcased at the prestigious motorsports festival, held in Goodwood, England, from July 11-14. Two U9s departed for the UK on May 7, beginning their journey to the event, according to Hu Xiaoqing, general manager of Yangwang sales division, who shared the news on Weibo. “We are very much looking forward to meeting supercar enthusiasts around the world at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July,” Hu stated. The Goodwood Festival…

Nio  is set to officially unveil its sub-brand, Onvo (known as Ledao in China), on May 15, with its inaugural model poised to compete directly with Tesla’s (NASDAQ: TSLA) Model Y. Onvo’s first offering, the Onvo L60, will enter the market targeting the smart, family-centric pure-play EV segment in the RMB 250,000 ($34,600) class, Nio announced. The company aims to redefine the standard for family cars with the Onvo L60, setting a new benchmark for the segment. The Model Y, a popular SUV in China, currently enjoys robust sales of tens of thousands of units monthly, with a starting price…

BMW’s CEO, Oliver Zipse, cautioned on Wednesday against imposing EU import duties on electric vehicles (EVs) from Chinese automakers, citing potential risks to the bloc’s Green Deal industrial plan and German automakers that rely on imports from China. The European Commission, responsible for trade policy in the EU, initiated an investigation in October into whether fully-electric cars manufactured in China were benefiting from distortive subsidies and warranted additional tariffs. Zipse expressed concerns, stating, “You could very quickly shoot yourself in the foot.” He emphasized that BMW, like its German competitors Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz, imports Chinese-made vehicles into Europe and that…

Shenzhen, the renowned hub of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD, has achieved a remarkable milestone, becoming the first city in China to surpass the number of supercharging plugs compared to traditional gas pumps. With direct government subsidies of “at least” $3.7 billion, as reported by Electrek in April, BYD has aggressively expanded its EV business, offering competitively priced vehicles that now require efficient fast-charging solutions. In response, Shenzhen, BYD’s hometown, has embraced the challenge, aiming to have as many supercharging stations as gas stations by 2025. In June 2023, Shenzhen unveiled its first fully liquid-cooled supercharging prototype station, a…

The Tesla Model 3 Highland has emerged as the leader in electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging capabilities, according to recent analysis by independent automotive research firm AMCI Testing. The analysis, known as “MP6,” aims to determine which EV models can add the most range within a six-minute window, equivalent to the duration of a typical gas station stop. AMCI Testing noted that the Model 3 Highland significantly outperformed previous top performers, particularly the Toyota bZ4X, which had previously held the top spot. The Tesla Model 3 Highland’s performance was attributed to its native Supercharger network, which delivered a maximum rate of…