Author: Michael Zhang
Michael Zhang
Michael Zhang follows China’s electric vehicle market with a focus on emerging manufacturers, new model launches, and industry data. His reporting highlights how domestic automakers and technology suppliers are adapting to a rapidly evolving competitive landscape.
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…
Nio said on Thursday it has produced its two millionth electric drive unit, marking a new manufacturing milestone for the Chinese electric vehicle maker as it expands in-house production of key components. The 2 millionth electric drive rolled off the production line on March 5 at Nio’s second electric drive manufacturing plant in Hefei, Anhui province. The unit will be installed in the company’s flagship sport utility vehicle, the all-new ES8, Nio said. See also: Nio to Establish New Battery R&D Base in Shanghai’s Jiading District The milestone comes just 23 months after the company produced its first million electric…
Xiaomi has unveiled its Vision GT two-door electric supercar concept ahead of the 2026 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, underscoring the Chinese technology group’s expanding ambitions in the global electric vehicle market. The all-electric Vision GT debuted on Feb. 28 and marks Xiaomi’s participation in the Gran Turismo project, a virtual racing initiative that has traditionally featured European luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Ferrari. The concept will be displayed at MWC, scheduled for March 2–5 at the Fira Gran Via exhibition center in Barcelona. Built on Xiaomi’s 900-volt silicon carbide platform, the Vision GT features a low-slung,…
BYD has introduced extended financing options for multiple electric and hybrid models in China, offering zero-interest and low-interest loans as automakers shift from price cuts to financial incentives to stimulate demand. The company said vehicles in its Ocean lineup will be eligible for either three-year interest-free financing or seven-year low-interest loans through March 31. The programme allows zero down payment, with daily instalments starting at about 29 yuan ($4.20), along with trade-in subsidies of up to 21,000 yuan. See also: BYD Begins Deployment of Megawatt Flash Charging Stations in China Eligible models include the Seal 07 DM-i, Seal 06 series,…
Xiaomi’s electric vehicle division delivered more than 20,000 vehicles in February, extending a month-on-month decline following record deliveries at the end of last year, the company said. The Chinese manufacturer did not disclose an exact figure, noting that detailed data will be released later by the China Passenger Car Association. February deliveries were affected by the Lunar New Year holiday from Feb. 15 to Feb. 23, which disrupted production and logistics across the country. See also: Xiaomi EV Delivers 600,000th Vehicle Less Than Two Years After First Shipment The company delivered a record 50,212 vehicles in December 2025, followed by…
China’s electric vehicle maker Nio is recalling more than 246,000 vehicles in China due to a software defect that could affect driving safety, according to a notice published by the country’s market regulator. The recall covers 246,229 ES8, ES6 and EC6 electric vehicles manufactured between March 16, 2018, and January 16, 2023, data released on the website of the State Administration for Market Regulation showed. See also: Nio Targets Profitability in Power Business After 100 Million Battery Swaps According to the regulator, the affected vehicles may experience temporary blackouts of the dashboard and central control display under certain conditions. The…
Li Auto has filed regulatory details for the Livis variant of its flagship Li L9 sport utility vehicle, revealing a larger body, higher weight and a bigger battery pack as the automaker prepares to launch the updated model in the second quarter. The Li L9 Livis appeared in a catalogue released on Friday by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, confirming the vehicle remains an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV), combining an electric drivetrain with a petrol-powered range extender. See also: Li Auto Unveils Updated L9 Flagship SUV With AI-Focused Architecture According to the filing, the Li L9 Livis measures…
Voyah, the premium electric vehicle unit of Dongfeng Motor Group, reported year-on-year growth in January vehicle deliveries, even as volumes declined from the previous month in line with a broader seasonal slowdown across China’s auto market. Voyah delivered 10,515 vehicles in January, up 31.29% from 8,009 units a year earlier but down 34.29% from 15,954 vehicles delivered in December. The brand delivered 150,169 vehicles in full-year 2025, a 75.23% increase from the prior year, but missed its annual sales target of 200,000 units. See also: CATL Signs 10-Year Cooperation Deal With Dongfeng’s Voyah Voyah’s current lineup spans a wide premium…