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.
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…
Onvo, a sub-brand of Nio Inc, has introduced special edition versions of its L90 large sport utility vehicle to mark the upcoming Chinese Year of the Horse, expanding a promotional strategy it recently applied to the smaller L60 model. The company said the new L90 variants will be marketed as the “Ma Dao Cheng Gong” edition, using a Chinese expression associated with wishes for success and smooth progress. “This marks one of several new special editions launched by Onvo in recent months,” the company said previously, reflecting a broader effort by Nio and its sub-brand to raise visibility through themed,…
Li Auto is aiming to return to growth in 2026 by placing renewed emphasis on extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs), refocusing on the segment that has historically underpinned its business, according to a report by Chinese media outlet 36Kr. The Chinese automaker has set a preliminary growth target of about 40% for 2026, which would translate into sales of roughly 550,000 vehicles, the report said. The target follows a difficult 2025, when Li Auto delivered 406,343 vehicles, down 18.81% from a year earlier, making it one of the few Chinese EV startups to record a year-on-year decline. See also: Li Auto…
GAC-Toyota said its bZ7 all-electric sedan will officially launch in March, with pricing expected to start in the 200,000 yuan ($29,000) range, as the joint venture expands its electric vehicle lineup in China’s highly competitive mid-to-large sedan segment. The bZ7 is among the first production vehicles in China to integrate with the Xiaomi smart ecosystem and will run on HarmonyOS 5.0, developed by Huawei. The model is also equipped with the Momenta R6 Flywheel AI model for advanced driver assistance and Huawei’s DriveONE electric motor system, according to specifications released by the company. Externally, the GAC-Toyota bZ7 features a fastback…
Foreign automakers are facing mounting challenges in China as domestic manufacturers consolidate their dominance in the world’s largest car market, driven by rapid growth in electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles and faster adoption of local technologies. China’s so-called new energy vehicle (NEV) demand rose 18% in 2025, outperforming Europe and the United States, where electric vehicle growth has slowed. Even so, overall passenger car sales in China expanded by just 4% last year to 23.7 million units, marking the slowest growth in three years, according to industry data. See also: China NEV Sales Seen Reaching 19 Million Units in 2026,…
Nio said its compact electric vehicle brand Firefly has launched a new limited-edition version of the Firefly EV in China, extending a strategy of small-batch releases aimed at boosting brand awareness. The latest limited-edition Firefly EV, co-designed by Firefly and Dutch artist Jordy van den Nieuwendijk, has gone on sale with a capped production run of 99 units. The model is priced from 95,800 yuan ($13,750) under Nio’s Battery as a Service (BaaS) subscription scheme, which separates vehicle and battery ownership. The monthly battery rental fee is set at 399 yuan. See also: Nio’s Firefly Brand Reaches 40,000 Vehicle Deliveries…
Zhao Changjiang, the former head of sales for BYD’s premium Denza brand, has joined Luxeed, the automotive brand jointly developed by Huawei and Chery, marking a high-profile management move within China’s competitive electric vehicle sector. Zhao confirmed the appointment on his personal Weibo account on Tuesday, ending months of speculation following his departure from BYD last year. His profile shows he has taken on the roles of executive director and executive vice president at Luxeed, which operates under Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA). “Today, carrying the weight of my past experience and a steadfast vision for the future, I…
Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng has set a full-year delivery target of 550,000 to 600,000 vehicles for 2026, signalling a sharp acceleration in growth as the company prepares to broaden its product lineup and expand overseas, according to a report by local media outlet 36Kr. The target, discussed at an internal strategy meeting, would represent an increase of about 28% to nearly 40% from Xpeng’s 2025 deliveries of 429,400 vehicles, the report said. Hitting the goal would require average monthly deliveries of roughly 45,800 to 50,000 units, up from last year’s pace. See also: Xpeng Updates G6 and G9 With…
BYD has introduced two new long-range variants of its Song Pro DM-i hybrid sport utility vehicle in China, while discontinuing one existing version, as the automaker continues to refine its product lineup amid intensifying competition in the new energy vehicle market. The Chinese manufacturer rolled out the two new variants at an event on Saturday, offering limited-time subsidised starting prices of 119,800 yuan ($17,170) and 127,800 yuan. Their official guide prices are listed at 122,800 yuan and 130,800 yuan, respectively. See also: BYD Adds Long-Range Plug-in Hybrid Variants to Seal Sedans in Ocean Lineup Both new versions feature a CLTC-rated…
China’s BYD has established a new sub-brand called Linghui aimed at the ride-hailing market, according to regulatory filings that reveal multiple electric models planned under the new name. In the latest vehicle catalog released by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) on Thursday, BYD registered four Linghui-branded models — the Linghui e5, e7, e9 and M9 — each carrying a new brand logo. Inclusion in the MIIT catalog is a key regulatory step before a vehicle can be approved for sale in China. See also: BYD Refreshes Qin Hybrid Lineup With Longer Battery Range to Meet Tax Rules…
BYD has introduced long-range plug-in hybrid variants for two models in its Ocean lineup’s Seal sedan series, extending its push to offer larger battery options across its mass-market portfolio. The Chinese automaker said the Seal 05 DM-i and Seal 06 DM-i hybrid sedans have both received new versions delivering a CLTC-rated electric-only range of 210 kilometres. The update follows a similar expansion announced earlier this week for BYD’s Dynasty lineup, where long-range variants were added to the Qin series. See also: BYD Refreshes Qin Hybrid Lineup With Longer Battery Range to Meet Tax Rules The new long-range Seal models are…
Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng has begun deliveries of the updated 2026 P7+ sedan, as the model reached a cumulative production milestone of 100,000 units, the company said. The first customer deliveries of the refreshed P7+ took place on Friday at Xpeng’s manufacturing facility in Guangzhou, where the vehicle also rolled off the production line for the 100,000th time. The milestone was achieved about 14 months after the sedan’s initial market launch. See also: Xpeng Launches 2026 P7+ in China With Global Push and Up to 1,550 km Range Xpeng unveiled the 2026 model year P7+ on Thursday, keeping the…
Chinese electric vehicle maker Leapmotor has taken the final regulatory step toward launching its A10 compact electric SUV, after the model appeared in a public approval catalog released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). The A10 was included in MIIT’s latest list of vehicles pending approval, which is open for public comment from Jan. 9 to Jan. 15. Inclusion in the catalog typically clears the way for a vehicle to be sold in China. The filing shows two battery-electric variants of the A10, listed under model codes FZ6430BEVA10B and FZ6430BEVA10A. See also: Leapmotor Debuts A10 Compact EV…
Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng said it wants to be recognised as a “physical AI” company rather than only an automaker, as it prepares to begin street trials of robotaxis and move toward mass production of humanoid robots, stepping up its push into artificial intelligence-driven technologies. Speaking at an event in Guangzhou, Xpeng founder and chief executive He Xiaopeng said the convergence of automobiles and robotics was central to what the company sees as the next phase of technological development. Robots and vehicles share many of the same core components, including sensors, chips and computing systems, allowing carmakers to extend…
Onvo, a sub-brand of Nio Inc, is preparing to introduce LiDAR technology on an updated version of its L90 large electric SUV, according to regulatory documents published by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). The updated specifications show that the revised Onvo L90 will be equipped with a roof-mounted LiDAR unit positioned at the centre of the vehicle, similar to the configuration used on models sold under the Nio main brand. Neither of Onvo’s current production vehicles—the L60 midsize SUV and the existing L90—feature LiDAR, relying instead on camera-based driver assistance systems. See also: Everything You Should Know…
Shangjie, the automotive brand jointly developed by SAIC Motor and Huawei Technologies, has previewed its upcoming Z7 sedan, signaling a direct challenge to Xiaomi’s SU7 as competition intensifies in China’s fast-growing smart electric vehicle market. Shangjie on Wednesday shared a teaser poster on Chinese social media platform Weibo showing the silhouette of the Z7, which will be the brand’s second production model. “Shangjie Z7: Even more anticipated than the next generation!” the company wrote, a comment widely seen as a reference to Xiaomi’s SU7 sedan. See also: Huawei-SAIC Brand Shangjie Logs 20,000 Deliveries for H5 SUV Earlier on the same…
Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio said it has launched a limited-edition version of its flagship ET9 sedan to commemorate the production of its one-millionth vehicle, underscoring the company’s push into the high-end luxury segment as it scales manufacturing. The limited-edition ET9 is priced from 818,000 yuan ($117,070), around 6.5% higher than the standard ET9’s starting price of 768,000 yuan. Nio said only nine units will be produced, split across three exterior themes, making it one of the most exclusive vehicles the company has offered to date. See also: Nio Reaches One-Million Vehicle Production Milestone as Deliveries Accelerate The special edition…