Author: Kevin Liu

Aito, the automotive brand jointly developed by Huawei and Seres Group, has filed the M6 as its latest sport utility vehicle, adding a new model to its fast-growing premium new energy vehicle lineup. The Aito M6 appeared in the latest model catalogue released on Friday by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), marking the final major regulatory step before sales approval. Public feedback on the filing can be submitted between Feb. 7 and Feb. 13. The five-seat M6 spans four pages in the catalogue and includes four variants, comprising two battery-electric vehicle (BEV) versions and two extended-range electric…

Li Auto on Friday unveiled an updated version of its flagship L9 sport utility vehicle, positioning the model as an “embodied intelligence” SUV as the Chinese automaker looks to refresh its top-end offering amid intensifying competition. The next-generation Li L9 is scheduled for an official market launch in the second quarter. Founder, chairman and chief executive Li Xiang said the update goes beyond incremental specification changes, aiming instead to deliver a more user-centric vehicle experience. “The evolution of the Li L9 is not just about hardware upgrades, but about creating a truly living vehicle centred on users,” Li said at…

Chinese electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft maker Aerofugia said on Feb. 2 it has raised nearly 1 billion yuan ($140 million) in a new funding round, the largest single investment in China’s low-altitude economy so far this year, as the company accelerates its push toward commercial deployment. The latest financing, Aerofugia’s second independent market-based raise in three months, highlights growing investor confidence in the sector and in the company’s development trajectory. The Chengdu-based firm said the capital will be used to support final airworthiness certification of its AE200 series aircraft, expand production capacity at its global headquarters, and further…

Li Auto has begun rolling out its OTA 8.2 software update, introducing upgrades across driver assistance, smart cockpit and smart electric systems, as the Chinese automaker continues to refine the comfort and practicality of its vehicles in urban driving environments. The update, which started on Jan. 21, enhances Li Auto’s VLA driver assistance model through behavioral reinforcement learning. By integrating millisecond-level steering and pedal inputs, the system improves both lateral and longitudinal control, delivering smoother car-following and more natural driving behavior in congested city conditions such as traffic jams, mixed traffic and unprotected turns, the company said. See also: Li…

Li Auto is evaluating the closure of some underperforming retail outlets as it grapples with a sustained slowdown in vehicle deliveries amid intensifying competition in China’s crowded auto market, domestic media reported. The company is assessing the move, although the number of stores potentially affected has not been finalised, Lanjinger reported on Thursday, citing a source familiar with the matter. The focus of the review is not the scale of closures but improvements in operational efficiency and overall channel effectiveness, the source said. According to the report, most of the outlets under consideration were opened during Li Auto’s aggressive expansion…

Xpeng said it accelerated its international expansion in 2025, surpassing 1,000 sales outlets worldwide and extending its footprint to 60 countries and regions by the end of the year. The company said it operated 721 sales outlets in China as of Dec. 31, covering 255 cities, including 41 cities added during 2025. Domestically, Xpeng also ran 327 delivery centres serving more than 236 cities and 372 service centres across 223 cities, reflecting continued investment in sales and after-sales infrastructure. Overseas, Xpeng expanded to 380 international stores across 60 markets. The automaker entered nearly 30 new countries and regions in 2025,…

Xiaomi has rolled out ultra-long-term, low-interest financing for its YU7 electric SUV in China, following a similar move by Tesla as competition intensifies in the country’s crowded EV market. Xiaomi founder and chief executive Lei Jun announced during a livestream on Thursday that the company is offering a seven-year financing plan across all YU7 variants. The incentive applies to orders placed between Jan. 16 and Feb. 28 and allows buyers to make a minimum down payment of 49,900 yuan ($7,160), with monthly instalments starting from 2,593 yuan. See also: Xiaomi Reveals Redesigned Interior for Updated SU7 Sedan Ahead of April…

Porsche China said it is taking steps to protect customers after the suspension of operations at two dealerships in central and southwestern China left buyers facing delivery delays, registration problems and uncertainty over deposits. At the end of December 2025, the Zhengzhou Zhongyuan Porsche Centre in Henan province and the Guiyang Mengguan Porsche Centre in Guizhou province ceased operations, according to local media reports. Vehicles and equipment were removed from the sites, and hundreds of customers were affected by unresolved deposits and missing vehicle conformity certificates. See also: Porsche Reconsiders EV-Only Strategy After Macan Decision, Former CEO Says Some customers…

China’s BYD has removed its popular Song Plus models from the Ocean lineup as part of a broader effort to streamline and clarify its product portfolio, according to information published on the company’s China website. Following the change, BYD’s Ocean lineup now consists of the Seal, Sealion, Seagull and Dolphin series, all of which follow the brand’s marine-themed naming convention. The Song Plus EV and Song Plus DM-i hybrid had been the only models simultaneously positioned within both BYD’s Ocean lineup and its Dynasty lineup, which is named after ancient Chinese dynasties. See also: BYD Becomes Global BEV Sales Leader…

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL) said sodium-ion batteries are expected to see large-scale commercial adoption beginning in 2026, as rising lithium prices reshape cost dynamics across the battery supply chain. The world’s largest power battery maker made the comments at a supplier conference in Ningde, its headquarters city in China’s Fujian province, according to local media outlet Cailian. The company said sodium-ion batteries are set to be deployed across multiple applications, including battery swap systems, passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles and energy storage. See also: CATL Begins Mass Production of Fifth-Generation LFP Batteries, Boosting Energy Density and Lifespan  CATL described…

Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp (JAC) has formed a joint laboratory dedicated to flying car research, becoming the latest Chinese automaker to enter the emerging low-altitude mobility sector. The lab was established on December 9 in Hefei, Anhui, where JAC is headquartered, in collaboration with the Beijing Institute of Technology and IAT Automobile Technology. JAC said China’s growing low-altitude economy has elevated flying cars to a “golden development period,” highlighting their potential in emergency response, cultural tourism and urban commuting. The company noted, however, that despite rapid interest, the industry still faces “a series of common challenges” related to core…