Author: Victor Choi

Chinese electric truck startup Zeron has secured more than 1.2 billion yuan ($about €151 million) in fresh funding from investors including Nio, CATL, and Momenta, as the company seeks to accelerate development of battery-electric and autonomous heavy-duty trucks. The latest investment round, led by CATL’s Puquan Capital alongside Momenta and Nio Capital, more than doubles the 500 million yuan (around €63 million) financing Zeron secured in July 2025. The participation of major players in batteries, autonomous driving and electric vehicles highlights growing industry interest in electrified freight transport. Founded in April 2022, Zeron was established by former executives from autonomous…

Lotus Technology, the luxury electric vehicle unit majority owned by Geely Holding, has begun pre-sales of its new hybrid SUV, the Lotus For Me, in China. The model is available in two variants with pre-sale prices set at 528,000 yuan ($76,780) and 588,000 yuan. The vehicle is currently displayed at Lotus retail stores across China, with the official market launch and customer deliveries expected by the end of March. The For Me represents the company’s first hybrid vehicle and is built on the 900-volt X-Hybrid architecture. In overseas markets, the same model will be marketed as the Lotus Eletre X.…

Lang Xianpeng, the former head of smart driving at Chinese electric vehicle maker Li Auto, has reportedly launched a new startup focused on embodied artificial intelligence, according to a report by local media outlet Red Probe. The venture marks Lang’s entry into the fast-growing embodied AI sector, which aims to integrate artificial intelligence into physical systems such as robots so they can perceive their surroundings, learn from experience and interact dynamically with real-world environments. According to the report, Lang has partnered with a senior executive from Alibaba to develop the new company. The move comes amid increasing investor interest in…

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has unveiled two new electric models — the Seal 07 EV sedan and the 2026 Sealion 06 EV SUV — equipped with its second-generation blade battery and new flash-charging technology. The Seal 07 EV is offered in two variants with starting prices of 169,900 yuan ($24,600) and 189,900 yuan. The mid-to-large electric sedan is powered by a 69-kWh battery pack and delivers a driving range of up to 705 kilometres. See also: BYD Debuts Seal 08 Sedan With 1,000 km Range and Megawatt Charging The model uses a rear-mounted single electric motor producing 240 kW…

BYD unveiled its new Seal 08 sedan on Thursday, introducing a mid-to-large-size electric vehicle equipped with the company’s latest battery and charging technologies as it expands its Ocean product lineup. The Seal 08 is expected to officially launch in China in the second quarter of the year. The model is positioned as a core product within BYD’s Ocean series and forms part of the company’s strategy to strengthen its presence in the premium electric vehicle segment. Built on an 800-volt high-voltage architecture, the Seal 08 is equipped with BYD’s second-generation Blade Battery and is expected to deliver a driving range…

Alan Ai, the former president of the Onvo electric vehicle sub-brand under Nio, has joined Chinese hospitality company H World Group as chief growth officer, according to an internal appointment announcement. Ai will report directly to H World chief executive Jin Hui and will be responsible for overseeing the company’s long-term growth planning and the execution of its expansion strategy, according to a screenshot of the internal notice shared on Tuesday by automotive blogger @德卤爱开车. Before moving to H World, Ai held several senior management roles at Nio, including senior vice president and president of its Onvo brand. He announced…

Arcfox, the electric vehicle brand under Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC Group), has begun pre-sales of its updated Alpha S5 sedan, introducing extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) variants alongside battery-electric versions as it seeks to regain momentum in China’s competitive market. The model carries an official pre-sale starting price of 117,800 yuan ($17,180), with a limited-time subsidized price of 112,800 yuan. Customers placing deposits are offered purchase benefits valued at 25,888 yuan, while all variants receive a temporary 5,000 yuan subsidy. The revised Alpha S5 lineup includes six variants — four battery-electric (BEV) models and two EREV versions. BEV pre-sale prices range…

BYD’s premium brand Denza has previewed an updated version of its Z9GT, highlighting a battery-electric range of up to 1,036 kilometres under China’s CLTC test cycle, as competition intensifies in the high-end EV segment. The company said the revised Z9GT will offer battery pack options of 102.326 kWh and 122.496 kWh, supporting CLTC ranges between 820 km and 1,036 km. A recent regulatory filing showed that the related Z9 sedan, using the same battery configurations, will provide CLTC ranges of 905 km to 1,068 km. See also: BYD Offers Seven-Year Low-Interest Auto Loans in China Sales Push Denza said the…

Xpeng said it will begin construction of a large-scale humanoid robot production base in Guangzhou this quarter, as the Chinese electric vehicle maker expands its artificial intelligence strategy into robotics. The planned facility, located in the Tianhe district’s Guangtang Sci-Tech Innovation City, will cover about 110,000 square metres and is intended to support the mass production of advanced humanoid robots by the end of 2026. Xpeng described the project as the industry’s first “full-chain” manufacturing base for such machines. See also: Volkswagen to Use Xpeng VLA 2.0 as Smart Driving Solution Phase one of the development will include factory buildings,…

Li Auto said it delivered 26,421 vehicles in February, a slight increase from a year earlier that ends a run of year-on-year declines, even as deliveries fell compared with the previous month. The Chinese electric vehicle maker reported a 0.6% rise from February last year but a 4.5% drop from January, attributing the monthly decline in part to the Spring Festival holiday, which ran from Feb. 15 to Feb. 23 this year and disrupted production and deliveries. See also: Li Auto Autonomous Driving Executive Lang Xianpeng To Depart Robotics Unit The February result breaks eight consecutive months of year-on-year delivery…

Chinese materials and battery supplier Ganfeng Lithium has started production of a semi-solid-state battery with an energy density of 650 watt-hours per kilogram, while also initiating pilot production of full solid-state battery packs, according to Chinese media reports. Ganfeng, one of the world’s largest lithium processors and a supplier to automakers including Hyundai and Changan, has been expanding into battery manufacturing in recent years. The company is now focusing on next-generation chemistries aimed at higher performance and improved safety compared with conventional lithium-ion cells. The semi-solid-state batteries reportedly use a lithium-alloy, stress-free anode paired with a sulphur cathode and exhibit…

Chinese battery manufacturer Svolt has introduced a redesigned safety architecture in its Dragon Armor 3.0 battery, separating electrical connections from pressure relief channels to better protect passengers in the event of a battery fire, according to a report by CarNewsChina. Battery fires typically result from thermal runaway, a self-accelerating chain reaction inside a cell in which rising temperatures trigger further chemical reactions and heat generation. Once a critical threshold is reached, the process can lead to ignition and the spread of fire to adjacent cells. While prevention remains a priority, Svolt said its latest design focuses on mitigating risks should…

Chinese automaker JETOUR has outlined a comprehensive strategy for hybrid off-road vehicles, combining plug-in hybrid technology with an intelligent four-wheel-drive system across its expanding lineup. The approach centers on three models—the JETOUR T1 PHEV, JETOUR T2 PHEV, and flagship JETOUR G700—all built on a shared technical foundation designed to serve mainstream through premium segments. At the core is the company’s GAIA architecture, which integrates a 2.0-litre turbocharged hybrid engine with a dual DHT transmission and a 210-kW P3 electric motor. In the G700’s “Super Hybrid” configuration, the system delivers a combined output of up to 665 kW with a power…

Mercedes-Benz will recall 19,481 electric vehicles in China due to potential battery safety issues, according to a notice published by the country’s top market regulator, marking another large-scale recall linked to EV battery reliability. The recall affects locally produced EQA and EQB electric SUVs manufactured between April 1, 2021, and March 12, 2024, and will begin on June 25, 2026. The vehicles were built by Beijing Benz, the German automaker’s joint venture with Chinese partner BAIC, and the campaign is being conducted under a defect investigation by the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR). Regulators said variations in the high-voltage…

BYD has released the first official exterior images of the Song Ultra EV, signaling an acceleration in marketing activities for the upcoming electric sport utility vehicle. The Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) maker shared two images of the model on its official Weibo account on Tuesday, highlighting the vehicle’s size and positioning within its Dynasty lineup. The Song Ultra EV is described as the brand’s first B-segment pure-electric SUV under the Dynasty series and the latest addition to the Song family. See also: BYD Sues U.S. Government Over Trump-Era Tariffs, Seeks Refund of Levies Paid According to a vehicle purchase…

BMW has appointed Christian Ach as President and Chief Executive Officer of BMW Group Region China, effective April 1, as the German premium carmaker seeks to stabilise its performance in its most important global market. Ach, who has led BMW’s home market in Germany since March 2024, will relocate to China at a time when foreign premium brands are under growing pressure from domestic automakers and a rapidly expanding local electric vehicle sector. China remains BMW’s largest single market by volume, despite a sharp decline in recent years. See also: BMW Launches 2026 iX1 Electric SUV In China With Equipment…

Xiaomi has filed a new ultra-high-performance variant of its YU7 sport utility vehicle, signalling a further push into the premium electric performance segment, according to a regulatory catalogue released by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The filing reveals a YU7 GT pure-electric SUV with a combined power output of 738 kilowatts, or about 990 horsepower, exceeding the 508 kW output of the most powerful YU7 variant currently on record. The YU7 GT uses a dual-motor setup, with a 288 kW motor at the front and a 450 kW motor at the rear. See also: Xiaomi YU7 GT Electric…

Nio said on Thursday it expects to post its first-ever quarterly profit in the fourth quarter of 2025, under both non-GAAP and GAAP accounting standards, marking a potential turning point for the Chinese electric vehicle maker after years of losses. In a profit alert issued before market open, the company forecast non-GAAP adjusted operating profit of between 700 million yuan ($100 million) and 1.2 billion yuan ($172 million) for the quarter. That would compare with a non-GAAP adjusted operating loss of 5.54 billion yuan recorded in the same period of 2024. See also: Nio Launches Seven-Year Financing Plan as China…

Tesla recorded year-on-year growth in China-made vehicle sales in January, even as deliveries declined from the previous month amid a broader seasonal slowdown in the country’s auto market, industry data showed. Wholesale sales of China-produced Tesla vehicles totaled 69,129 units in January, including domestic sales and exports, according to figures released on Tuesday by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). The figure marked a 9.32% increase from 63,238 units a year earlier but represented a 28.86% drop from December’s 97,171 units. See also: Tesla Beats Q4 Earnings Expectations as Margins Improve and Energy Business Sets Records Monthly sales declines are…

Geely Auto sub-brand Geely Galaxy has previewed a new plug-in hybrid sport utility vehicle, the M7, as it looks to sustain strong growth in the PHEV segment, the company said. Geely Galaxy released the first images of the M7 on Weibo on Monday, describing the vehicle as a mid-size SUV. The model will be equipped with Geely’s Golden Battery, offering a battery-only range of 225 kilometres. With a full fuel tank and fully charged battery, the company said the M7 will deliver a combined driving range of more than 1,730 kilometres. The M7 will be the second model in Geely…