Author: Michael Zhang

BYD is preparing to make most of its automotive brands responsible for their own profit and loss performance, marking a significant shift away from the highly centralized operating model that helped drive the company’s rapid growth over the past decade, according to a report by Chinese media outlet LatePost. The restructuring would require individual brands to independently account for costs associated with research and development, manufacturing, and procurement, effectively moving toward a self-funding model within the broader BYD organization. Yangwang, BYD’s ultra-premium brand, is reportedly excluded from the changes for now. Brands to Bear Their Own Costs Under the proposed…

Volvo Cars is recalling 2,501 EX30 electric SUVs in China due to a potential battery defect that could increase the risk of thermal runaway, according to a notice issued by China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR). The recall, filed by Zhejiang Haoqing Automobile Manufacturing Co., takes effect immediately and covers vehicles produced between April 12 and December 27, 2024. Battery Defect May Cause Internal Short Circuit According to the recall notice, a production deviation may lead to lithium growth inside battery cells, potentially causing an internal short circuit. Affected vehicles may display warnings indicating that the high-voltage battery is…

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Leapmotor said its cumulative global deliveries have exceeded 1.5 million units, highlighting the company’s rapid growth as it expands both domestically and internationally. The milestone comes just eight months after the automaker surpassed 1 million cumulative deliveries in October 2025, reflecting an accelerating pace of vehicle sales. Delivery Growth Continues to Accelerate Leapmotor delivered its first vehicle in June 2019. According to the company, it took 64 months to reach 500,000 cumulative deliveries. The next 500,000 units were achieved in just 12 months, while the increase from 1 million to 1.5 million vehicles took only eight…

Arcfox, the electric vehicle brand under Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC Group), has officially launched the upgraded Beta T1 compact electric vehicle in China, aiming to strengthen its position in the highly competitive affordable EV segment. The new model, unveiled on June 16, succeeds the Arcfox T1 introduced in September 2025 and arrives with improved driving range, additional technology features and a lower ownership cost package designed to attract budget-conscious consumers. Three variants priced below 80,000 yuan The Arcfox Beta T1 is available in three variants with limited-time subsidized pricing ranging from 62,800 yuan ($9,290) to 78,800 yuan. The entry-level Beta…

Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Chairman Eric Li, also known as Li Shufu, said the company will continue consolidating its operations through closures, mergers, suspensions and restructuring initiatives as it seeks to strengthen its core automotive business and improve operational efficiency. Li outlined the strategy during a video address at the 2026 China Auto Chongqing Summit, reaffirming Geely’s commitment to the strategic framework known as the “Taizhou Declaration.” Geely to streamline corporate structure According to Li, Geely plans to further simplify the relationship between Geely Automobile Group Co. and its Hong Kong-listed vehicle manufacturing arm, Geely Auto. The company intends to…

BYD remained China’s largest new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer in May, while Tesla returned to the country’s top 10 NEV sales rankings following a sharp recovery in retail demand, according to data released by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). BYD recorded retail sales of 207,372 passenger NEVs in China during May, giving the company a market share of 21.8% and allowing it to maintain its position as the country’s leading NEV brand. The automaker’s sales increased 13.9% from April, although they were 29.2% lower than the same month a year earlier. Geely Holds Second Place Geely Auto remained the…

Leapmotor founder and chairman Zhu Jiangming has increased his stake in the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer once again, purchasing nearly HK$490 million ($62.5 million) worth of shares alongside a concerted party, underscoring management’s confidence in the company’s long-term growth prospects. According to a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Zhu and concerted party Fu Liquan recently acquired a combined 11.62 million H shares of Leapmotor in open-market transactions at an average price of approximately HK$41.99 per share. Stake Increase Lifts Ownership to Nearly 25% Following the latest purchase, the shareholder group led by Zhu now controls approximately 24.71% of…

Avatr delivered 7,336 vehicles in May as the premium electric vehicle brand continued to expand its intelligent driving capabilities through its partnership with Huawei. The company is preparing to introduce the Avatr 07L, which recently appeared in filings with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). According to Avatr, the model will be among the first vehicles equipped with Huawei’s next-generation Qiankun Smart Driving ADS 5 system. Avatr 07L to Debut ADS 5 Technology The upcoming Avatr 07L represents the latest step in the company’s strategy to differentiate itself through advanced intelligent driving technologies. Huawei’s Qiankun ADS platform has…

GWM reported a slight decline in vehicle sales in May as strong growth in overseas markets helped offset continued weakness in China, where intense competition continues to weigh on demand. The automaker sold 100,399 vehicles in May, down 1.8% from a year earlier and 5.6% lower than in April, according to figures released by the company. Despite the monthly decline, GWM’s cumulative sales for the first five months of the year rose 3.6% year-on-year to 475,815 vehicles. Exports Remain Key Growth Driver International markets continued to underpin GWM’s performance. The company sold 50,688 vehicles overseas in May, an increase of…

Nio reported its highest monthly vehicle deliveries of 2026 in May, driven by growth across its Nio, Onvo and Firefly brands as the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer continued to broaden its presence in the domestic market. Nio delivered 37,705 vehicles in May, up 62.3% from a year earlier and 28.4% higher than in April. Deliveries from January through May reached 150,526 units, representing a 68.7% increase from the same period last year. Nio Brand Remains Largest Contributor The company’s core Nio brand delivered 20,013 vehicles in May, an increase of 50.8% year-on-year, maintaining its position as the group’s largest sales…

Li Auto has completed a new round of organizational restructuring as the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer continues efforts to expand its artificial intelligence capabilities and develop embodied AI technologies. According to a report by Chinese media outlet LatePost, the company implemented the changes on May 29, creating three new second-tier departments focused on embodied engineering, embodied interaction and embodied behavior. The move forms part of Li Auto’s broader strategy to expand beyond automotive manufacturing and strengthen its position in AI-related technologies. New Embodied AI Structure Under the latest restructuring, the newly established embodied AI departments will operate alongside an independent…

Xiaomi has introduced a new flagship performance version of its Xiaomi YU7 GT electric SUV, with the company claiming the model set a new SUV lap record at the Nürburgring circuit. According to Xiaomi, the YU7 GT completed the Nürburgring lap in 7 minutes and 22.755 seconds, surpassing the previous SUV benchmark reportedly held by the Audi RSQ8 by around 14 seconds. The company said the model was developed with significant input from engineers at Xiaomi EV’s European research and development centre in Munich, where the vehicle reportedly underwent two years of chassis and performance tuning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zdPCUCaMlI The YU7 GT…

Nio sub-brand Onvo launched its new L80 electric SUV in China on Friday, expanding the company’s range of family-oriented battery electric vehicles. The five-seat sport utility vehicle was unveiled at an event in Hefei, with customer deliveries scheduled to begin on Saturday as the automaker continues to accelerate product rollouts in the competitive Chinese EV market. The Onvo L80 starts at 242,800 yuan ($35,650) with an 85-kWh battery pack included, slightly below its earlier pre-sale price. Buyers opting for Nio’s battery-as-a-service (BaaS) model can purchase the vehicle from 156,800 yuan, while paying a separate monthly battery subscription fee. William Li,…

Geely Auto reported a modest increase in vehicle sales in April as record overseas exports helped counter continued weakness in the domestic Chinese market. The company sold 235,164 vehicles during the month, up 0.45% from a year earlier and 0.92% higher than March, according to data released Friday. Exports remained the company’s strongest growth driver. Overseas sales surged 244.70% year-on-year to a record 83,186 vehicles in April. Domestic sales, however, declined sharply. Geely sold 151,978 vehicles in China during the month, down 27.62% from a year earlier, although slightly higher than March levels. Sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) remained…

BYD remained China’s top seller of new energy passenger vehicles in March, while Tesla slipped to fourth place in the monthly retail rankings, according to data released by the China Passenger Car Association on Friday. BYD sold 194,131 passenger new energy vehicles in China in March, up 118.9% from February but down 33.1% from a year earlier, CPCA data showed. The automaker held a 22.8% share of China’s passenger NEV retail market in March, up from 19.1% in February. Geely Auto ranked second with NEV retail sales of 96,842 units, giving it an 11.4% market share, while Changan Automobile placed…

Chinese electric vehicle maker Avatr Technology on Wednesday launched an updated version of its Avatr 12 sedan and opened pre-sales for the new Avatr 06T wagon, as the company broadens its product lineup ahead of a planned Hong Kong listing. Backed by Changan Automobile, CATL and Huawei, Avatr said the updated Avatr 12 is available in five battery-electric variants and two extended-range electric variants. Battery-electric versions of the Avatr 12 are priced between 303,900 yuan ($44,450) and 433,900 yuan, while the two extended-range variants start at 293,900 yuan and 313,900 yuan. The company said the sedan comes standard with Huawei’s…

GAC Aion has launched a new electric sedan, the RT Super, built on CATL’s Choco-SEB battery swap platform, as automakers and suppliers push to accelerate adoption of battery swapping in China. The mid-size sedan starts at 88,800 yuan ($13,000) under a battery rental scheme, separating ownership of the vehicle body from the battery to reduce the initial purchase cost. Unlike offerings from Nio Inc, the RT Super is not available for full purchase with a battery included. The model supports CATL’s Choco battery swap network, enabling drivers to replace a depleted battery in as little as 99 seconds. It is…

Chinese new energy vehicle manufacturer BYD reported March sales of 300,222 vehicles, marking a 57.85% increase from February, as the company saw a rebound in deliveries following a seasonal slowdown. Despite the monthly recovery, sales declined 20.45% compared with the same period last year, extending a streak of seven consecutive months of year-on-year declines and reflecting a broader slowdown in China’s electric vehicle market after years of rapid expansion. Passenger vehicle sales reached 295,693 units in March, up 57.47% from the previous month but down 20.39% year-on-year. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) contributed nearly equally…

Li Auto said it will launch its first automated charging station in the second quarter, as the Chinese electric vehicle maker seeks to simplify the charging experience and enhance user convenience. The company said on Thursday that the system will reduce manual steps for drivers, from locating a station to parking and initiating charging, offering what it described as a more “relaxed and reassuring” travel experience. The planned rollout comes as Li Auto continues to expand its charging infrastructure. The company has built more than 4,000 supercharging stations across China, equipped with over 22,000 charging points covering more than 280…

Leapmotor has outlined an aggressive product rollout plan for 2026, announcing four new models during an earnings call as it seeks to sustain rapid growth and meet a target of one million vehicle deliveries. The Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer, backed by Stellantis, said its all-new A10 compact SUV will officially launch on March 26, earlier than previously planned. The model’s top variant is expected to be priced below 100,000 yuan ($14,530) and will integrate Alibaba’s Qwen artificial intelligence models to enhance in-car interaction. See also: Leapmotor Posts First Annual Profit on Record Deliveries in 2025 The company will…