Author: Victor Choi

Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng has begun pre-sales in China for the battery-electric version of its X9 multi-purpose vehicle, expanding the model range two months after introducing an extended-range electric variant. The company said on Thursday that it is accepting consumer reservations for the 2026 seven-seat X9 BEV, offering five variants: 665 Max, 650 Ultra SE, 650 Ultra, 750 Ultra and 710 AWD Ultra. Xpeng has not disclosed pre-sale pricing but said customers can place an order with a 2,000 yuan ($290) deposit, which will be applied as a 7,000 yuan discount toward the final purchase price. See also: Xpeng…

Nio has taken part in a large-scale vehicle-to-grid (V2G) pilot in eastern China, using its battery swap stations to supply electricity back to the power grid as part of efforts to integrate electric vehicles into energy management systems. Six of Nio’s fourth-generation battery swap stations were involved in the trial on Jan. 22 in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu, according to a social media post by GCL Energy Technology. The stations were upgraded with V2G capabilities by GCL and Nio ahead of the test. See also: Nio and CATL Sign Five-Year Deal to Deepen Battery and Swap Network Cooperation During…

China’s electric vehicle industry is entering a period of heightened strain as rising raw material and semiconductor costs converge with the withdrawal of policy support and the reintroduction of purchase taxes, according to a recent research note from UBS. UBS said early 2026 represents a critical inflection point for the sector, with manufacturers simultaneously absorbing the impact of commodity price inflation, surging memory chip costs and a 5% EV purchase tax that took effect in January. The research team led by Paul Gong estimates that production costs for a typical mid-sized smart EV could rise by between 4,000 yuan ($575)…

Yijing Auto, a premium intelligent vehicle brand jointly developed by Dongfeng Motor and Huawei, has released initial teaser images of its first production model, a large six-seat SUV, the company said. The images, published on the brand’s official WeChat account on Jan. 23, show a camouflaged vehicle undergoing cold-weather performance testing. The tests follow the rollout of the first tooling prototype on Dec. 22, 2025, indicating that the programme has moved into a vehicle validation phase. See also: Dongfeng–Huawei Brand Yijing Rolls Out First Pre-Production SUV Prototype The vehicle is positioned as a flagship family-oriented SUV and will feature Huawei’s…

Chery’s new energy vehicle brand LEPAS has introduced its LEX vehicle platform, targeting global markets with a modular architecture designed to support pure electric, hybrid and multiple powertrain configurations. The LEX Platform incorporates Chery’s EEA 5.1 electronic and electrical architecture, featuring a dual-zone, dual-center integrated layout. The system enables coordinated operation across intelligent cockpit functions, advanced driver assistance systems and powertrain controls, while supporting hardware standardisation, over-the-air software updates and cross-domain data sharing. See also: Chery to Acquire Nissan’s South Africa Plant as Overseas Localization Push Advances Chery said the platform has been engineered to meet diverse regional requirements. Battery-electric…

Tesla has reinstated insurance subsidies for its Model 3 electric sedan in China, the company said, as it steps up incentives in the world’s largest electric vehicle market following the introduction of ultra-long-term, low-interest financing earlier this month. Chinese customers who purchase eligible Model 3 variants by Feb. 28 will receive an insurance subsidy of 8,000 yuan ($1,150), according to a statement posted on Weibo by Tesla. The offer applies to the rear-wheel-drive, long-range rear-wheel-drive and long-range all-wheel-drive versions, which are priced from 235,500 yuan, 259,500 yuan and 285,500 yuan, respectively. The performance all-wheel-drive variant, priced from 339,500 yuan, is…

Sales of new energy heavy-duty trucks in China surged to a record level in December 2025, pushing market penetration above 50% for the first time, as buyers rushed to lock in incentives ahead of policy changes, industry data showed. China sold 45,300 new energy heavy-duty trucks domestically in December, accounting for 53.89% of total heavy-duty truck sales of 84,000 units, according to data from CV World. The penetration rate jumped more than 17 percentage points from November’s 36.45%, marking a historic milestone for electrification in the segment. December sales of new energy heavy-duty trucks rose 198% year on year and…

Geely Auto said it plans to begin production of solid-state battery packs later this year, marking a further step by Chinese automakers toward next-generation battery technologies as competition intensifies in the electric vehicle market. The company disclosed the target on Thursday during Geely Holding Group’s five-year strategy briefing, saying it will complete production of its first in-house developed all-solid-state battery pack in 2026 and proceed with vehicle installation and verification. See also: Geely Holding Targets 6.5 Million Global Vehicle Sales by 2030, With NEVs at 75% Geely Auto also said it will roll out a newly developed lithium manganese iron…

Onvo, the mass-market electric vehicle sub-brand of Nio Inc, has launched a native application for Huawei’s HarmonyOS, extending its digital services to one of the world’s largest mobile operating systems. Onvo president Shen Fei said in a post on Weibo on Wednesday that the HarmonyOS version of the Onvo app is now available through Huawei’s App Gallery, adding that the release responds directly to user demand on Huawei devices. See also: Nio’s Onvo Launches Lunar New Year Special Edition of L60 SUV The move follows earlier steps by Nio to adapt its main-brand mobile application for HarmonyOS. That app has…

Li Auto has begun offering Chinese consumers financing plans of up to seven years with reduced interest rates across its model range, joining rivals Tesla and Xiaomi in using credit incentives to stimulate demand. Li Auto said on Tuesday that the programme applies to its full lineup, including the Li L6, Li L7, Li L8, and Li L9 extended-range sport utility vehicles, as well as the all-electric Li i6 and Li i8 SUVs and the Li Mega multi-purpose vehicle. Buyers are required to make a minimum down payment of 15%. Under the offer, minimum monthly payments start from 2,578 yuan…

The chairman of Chinese battery maker Svolt Energy has cast doubt on claims by Finnish startup Donut Lab that it has developed a production-ready solid-state battery, saying the specifications described are not technically feasible. Speaking to local media on Jan. 14, Yang Hongxin, chairman and chief executive of Svolt, said the battery presented by Donut Lab “doesn’t exist in the world,” according to a report by Xuanyuan Business Review. See also: Dongfeng Tests Solid-State Battery Prototypes in Extreme Cold Ahead of Planned 2026 Production “All the parameters are contradictory,” Yang was quoted as saying. “Any technician with basic knowledge would…

The Dongfeng Nissan joint venture has unveiled the NX8, a new mid-sized sport utility vehicle that will be offered in China as both a battery-electric vehicle (BEV) and an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV), as the automaker broadens its electrified lineup in the world’s largest car market. The NX8 is positioned as a sister model to the N7 electric sedan introduced last year and shares its wheelbase of 2.92 metres. Measuring 4.87 metres in length, 1.92 metres in width and 1.68 metres in height, the five-seat SUV adopts a design language tailored to Chinese consumers and distinct from Nissan’s global models.…

Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng has completed its first ET1 humanoid robot prototype developed to automotive-grade standards, marking a step toward mass production of advanced robots, its chief executive said on Monday. “Today, the first unit of our ET1 robot, developed to automotive-grade standards, has successfully rolled off the production line,” He Xiaopeng said in a post on X. “This marks a critical step toward the large-scale mass production of advanced humanoid robots this year.” See also: Xpeng to Begin Public Road Tests of Robotaxis Using VLA 2.0 Software https://twitter.com/xiaopenghexpeng/status/2013197566067032205 Xpeng has been expanding beyond electric vehicles into artificial intelligence…

Zeekr said it will launch updated versions of its Zeekr 007 and Zeekr 007 GT models in China in the second quarter, featuring upgraded smart driving hardware and a new high-voltage electrical system. The premium electric vehicle maker, a unit of Geely Auto, said on Friday that selected versions of both models will be equipped with Nvidia’s next-generation Drive Thor-U assisted driving chip and a 900-volt high-voltage architecture. Interior designs will remain largely unchanged, the company said. See also: Everthing You Should Know About Zeekr 7GT Specifications During the transition period, Zeekr is offering limited-time incentives for the Zeekr 007…

BYD on Friday previewed two new flagship models, the Seal 08 sedan and Sealion 08 sport utility vehicle, as it steps up its push into the premium new energy vehicle (NEV) segment ahead of planned launches in 2026. The company released its first teaser images of the models, which will serve as the flagship vehicles of BYD’s Ocean lineup, following the appearance of spy photos earlier in the week. The camouflaged vehicles carry “Ocean 8” markings, underscoring their positioning at the top of the range. See also: BYD Seal 08 Flagship Spotted Ahead of Expected First-Quarter Debut BYD did not…

BYD’s personalised vehicle sub-brand Fang Cheng Bao has surpassed cumulative sales of 300,000 units, underscoring rapid growth driven by strong demand for its Tai series of SUVs. Fang Cheng Bao announced the milestone on Thursday via the social media platform Weibo, just 70 days after reporting cumulative sales of 200,000 units. The brand was launched by BYD in August 2023 as a higher-margin, design- and lifestyle-focused offering. See also: Fang Cheng Bao Expands Bao SUV Lineup with New Long-Range and Five-Seat Variants The Tai 7 hybrid SUV has reached cumulative sales of 100,000 units, Fang Cheng Bao said, accounting for…

China will step up efforts to achieve breakthroughs in all-solid-state batteries and high-level autonomous driving while expanding automotive consumption, the country’s industry ministry said following a high-level policy meeting on the development of the new energy vehicle sector. The plans were outlined after a Jan. 13 inter-ministerial work meeting in Beijing focused on energy conservation and the NEV industry, chaired by Li Lecheng, Party Secretary and Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, according to a report by Sina. See also: China Opens Public Consultation on National Solid-State Battery Standard Officials described 2026 as the opening year of…

Luxeed, the automotive brand jointly developed by Huawei and Chery Automobile, plans to launch a new large sport utility vehicle in 2026 alongside its previously announced V9 multi-purpose vehicle, while also updating its existing models, the brand’s newly appointed executive leadership said. Zhao Changjiang, Luxeed’s executive director and executive vice president, outlined the plans in an interview with Chinese automotive outlet Sina Auto, according to a transcript released on Tuesday. Zhao, who previously headed sales for BYD’s premium Denza brand, officially joined Luxeed this week. See also: Huawei-Backed Luxeed Releases Official Images of V9 MPV as Regulatory Approval Nears The…

Buick, the General Motors brand, plans to debut its Electra E7 plug-in hybrid SUV in China in the first quarter of this year, as part of its broader push to expand electrified offerings in the world’s largest automotive market. The automaker announced the plan on Tuesday via a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo, adding that the Electra E7 is expected to officially go on sale in China later this year. See also: SAIC-GM Releases Official Images of Buick Electra E7 Plug-In Hybrid SUV The Electra E7 is a five-seat mid-size SUV built on Buick’s Xiao Yao Super Architecture,…

The Maextro S800 electric sedan, jointly developed by Huawei and state-owned automaker JAC, became China’s best-selling luxury sedan priced above 700,000 yuan ($100,000) in December, outselling established foreign rivals including Porsche, BMW and Mercedes-Maybach, according to industry data. Sales figures from market tracker Haidaxing ECC showed that the Maextro S800 recorded 4,376 deliveries in December, up 104% from the previous month. That performance made it the top-selling model in China’s ultra-luxury sedan segment, ahead of the Porsche Panamera, which ranked second with 1,593 units sold during the same period. See also: Maextro Rolls Out 10,000th S800 Sedan Less Than Seven…