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Future of transport

Future of transport
From electric cars to on-demand car service apps, companies like Uber, Google and Didi Dache are changing the way we get from place to place, and having a potentially irreversible effect on employment in this key sector.
This picture taken on April 23, 2026 shows a driver returning the charging gun after charging his electric truck at a station in Beijing. At a dusty lot an hour outside Beijing, a steady stream of vehicles come and go for a quick battery charge -- just one node in China’s rapidly expanding network of electric trucks. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP) / To go with AFP story China-tech-logistics-auto-show, FOCUS by Peter CATTERALL
Electric & new energy vehicles

Video | Cleaner, cheaper EV trucks gain traction in China

The energy shock from the Middle East conflict is transforming China’s trucking and logistics sector.

Mainland China

China taps the brakes on robotaxi licences after Wuhan incident: sources

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Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s EV and battery makers race to cut charging times to under 10 minutes

Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese robotaxi firms accelerate global roll-outs as cost edge drives expansion

Pony AI and WeRide harness China’s supply chain strength to cut costs, boost efficiency and scale robotaxi fleets worldwide.

A Pony AI robotaxi is displayed at the Beijing Auto Show. Photo: DPA
Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s CATL touts landmark energy-storage order for sodium-ion batteries

Deal for massive grid storage system shows that CATL has ‘overcome all the challenges in mass-producing sodium-ion batteries’, company says.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

Li Auto targets BMW and Mercedes with premium SUVs in Middle East, Asia-Pacific

Beijing-based EV maker expects overseas deliveries to account for 30 per cent of its total by 2030, president Ma Donghui says.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

Xpeng sets August goal to overtake Tesla’s self-driving tech in China

Carmaker bets on training AI in China’s dense urban roads to build a competitive advantage for expansion into Europe and Southeast Asia.

He Xiaopeng, CEO of Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng, walks past the new SUV GX six-seater on the opening day of Auto China 2026 in Beijing. Photo: AFP
Electric & new energy vehicles

Huawei earmarks US$11.7b for training of autonomous-driving systems

Company claims it will outspend all rivals combined to boost computing power, which is essential to enhance advanced driving systems.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese EV makers bet on in-house chips to make cars smarter and more autonomous

Chinese EV makers are showcasing advanced in-house chips at Auto China, powering smarter vehicles and challenging global tech leaders.

Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s low-cost EVs to be fitted with lidar systems, usually saved for lux cars

Intense competition, rapid tech advancement and falling costs allow the superior driving systems to be fitted into budget-price vehicles.

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An exhibitor introduces a dynamic perception lidar which can be applied to self-driving systems and robots at the Zhongguancun Exhibition Centre, Beijing, on March 25, 2026. Photo: Xinhua
Electric & new energy vehicles

CATL to supercharge China’s EV sector with revamped battery tech

World’s largest EV battery producer reveals third-gen product that charges in under six and a half minutes, easing drivers’ range anxiety.

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People look at a model of CATL’s Chocolate 26# Battery during the CATL Tech Day event ahead of the Beijing Auto Show in Beijing on April 21. Photo: AFP
China-EU relations

China’s CRRC drops bid for Lisbon metro deal as EU finds ‘billions’ in subsidies

Polish firm to replace state-backed Chinese giant as Brussels uses regulatory powers to curb what it says is market-distorting foreign aid.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

Jump in EU EV sales amid Iran war boosts Chinese brands’ fortunes

Chinese-made EVs accounted for 16 per cent of the EU market in the year’s first two months, up from 12.2 per cent in 2025, CPCA data shows.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s Hesai adds colour to lidar to help EVs level up in self-driving

Colour-capable sensors to ‘significantly enhance’ sensing, helping cars identify traffic lights, construction signs, Deutsche Bank says.

Sun Kai, Hesai Group executive director, co-founder, and chief scientist, explains the company’s 6D technology on April 17, 2026 in Shanghai. Photo: Handout
US, Israel war on Iran

Why Iran war is making petrol cars an unwanted luxury in Asia

From Nepal to Vietnam, soaring fuel costs are making petrol cars a luxury as Asia outpaces Europe in the race to go electric.

A man looks at an EV from a Chinese carmaker at an auto expo in Shanghai. Photo: AP
Science

Chinese trucks could go 100% electric, halving road transport oil use: industry

China’s industrial supply chains and engineering expertise provide a distinct competitive advantage, CiDi CEO Albert Hu says.

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Middle East

‘First of its kind’ flying taxi station completed in Dubai

Commercial operations, with flights by California-based Joby Aviation, are expected to begin by the end of the year.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s EV battery giant CATL to set up mining arm to secure supply chain

Global energy shock accelerates CATL’s upstream push as demand for EV batteries and storage systems surges.

CATL reported a net profit of 20.74 billion yuan in the three months to March, up 48.5 per cent from the previous quarter and beating analysts’ estimates. Photo: AFP
Electric & new energy vehicles

Hyundai spearheads foreign EV comeback push in China with Ioniq brand

South Korean carmaker bets on local partnerships and technology as global brands prepare fresh push into China’s fast-moving EV market.

Singapore

Singapore’s robotaxi drive revs up with help from Chinese AV leaders

The city state is working with Chinese companies like WeRide and Pony.ai to test and deploy shuttle taxi services on public roads.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

China amps up battery buildout to ‘10 times US 2025 capacity’

China’s battery expansion plans highlight a widening gap with the US, as renewable energy demand fuels rapid growth in storage systems.

An employee works on the production line at FoxESS, a global leader in the development of inverter and energy storage solutions. Photo: Getty Images
Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese carmakers bet on solid-state batteries to drive next EV phase

Carmakers push next-generation battery tech as they chase longer range and improved safety, despite high costs.

Analysts say the technology promises higher energy density, improved safety and longer driving range. Photo: Shutterstock
The Philippines

Why high fuel costs could accelerate the Philippines’ EV boom

Vietnam’s VinFast is seizing the moment by offering incentives for drivers to make the switch from petrol-powered vehicles to electric.

Electric & new energy vehicles

More foreign marques face a do-or-die moment as Chinese buyers shun petrol cars

Following Skoda’s exit from China, other carmakers with falling sales are also likely to close shop this year, analysts say.

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Robotics

Meter running: CaoCao backs heavy-asset play to scale robotaxis

Geely-backed firm targets 100,000 autonomous vehicles by 2030, banking on tighter control of cars, tech and operations to drive efficiency.

Chinese ride-hailing company CaoCao, backed by Geely, is betting on a heavy-asset strategy to emerge as a leading robotaxi operator. Photo: Handout
Electric & new energy vehicles

Tesla outraces China’s BYD in pure electric car sales to regain world’s top spot

Shrinking subsidies, new taxes sap China’s EV demand, giving Tesla an edge in global deliveries for first time since fourth quarter of 2024.

Drivers charge their vehicles at a Tesla supercharger station. Photo: TNS
Electric & new energy vehicles

Leapmotor targets global growth with Europe R&D hub, eyes Canada assembly

Chinese EV maker lifts overseas sales target as rising fuel costs and easing tariffs boost demand abroad.

Electric & new energy vehicles

China EV makers surge back in March as subsidies and financing spur demand

Carmakers report strong month-on-month gains as policy support and new financing schemes lift buyer sentiment.

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