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Electric & new energy vehicles
BusinessChina Business

As Tesla puts off new launches, Chinese trio NIO, Xpeng and Li Auto get a chance to close gap with US rival

  • NIO says it will deliver three new models this year, while Xpeng and Li Auto will introduce one SUV each
  • Tesla says its focus this year remains on scaling output

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Why you can trust SCMP
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Customers checkout NIO’s EC6 car at the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition in April last year. Photo: AFP
Daniel Ren
Chinese smart electric vehicle makers have a chance to catch up with Tesla on the mainland with their ramped up car development plans, after the US carmaker said it does not plan to introduce new models this year, according to analysts.
Tesla chief executive Elon Musk said in an earnings call on Thursday that the company would rather focus on coping with supply chain constraints this year than attract customers with new models.

Tesla has not provided a timetable for the launch of the Cybertruck, Semi or Roadster revealed over the past few years.

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“The new models to be delivered by China’s leading smart EV start-ups are set to attract a large volume of eyeballs,” said Phate Zhang, founder of Shanghai-based tech portal CnEVpost. “In China, new products that use latest digital technologies can easily click with consumers.”

An Xpeng P7 is displayed at a showroom in downtown Beijing. Photo: Simon Song
An Xpeng P7 is displayed at a showroom in downtown Beijing. Photo: Simon Song

The leading smart EV makers – NIO, Xpeng and Li Auto – have ambitious plans to assemble and deliver new vehicles this year as they look to gain a bigger market share in China, where sales are expanding rapidly.

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