https://www.scmp.com/rss/21152/feed Toyota Motor is the largest carmaker in the world. Founded in 1937, it makes some of the world’s most popular vehicles, including the Corolla and Camry. It also has a luxury brand, Lexus, and majority stakes in truckmaker Hino, compact carmaker Daihatsu, and 16.66 per cent of Fuji Heavy Industries, which makes the popular all-wheel drive Subarus. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A US move to freeze the Lunar Gateway orbiting space station could render Japan’s new technologies redundant – but its space agency is expected to be diplomatic in its response. The Lunar Gateway project was initially planned as an installation that would orbit the moon as part of the United States’ Artemis programme, which recently made headlines for a record-breaking journey that went deeper into space than anyone had ever flown before. Artemis’ aim is to return astronauts to the moon’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350662/japan-focus-lunar-rover-after-us-halts-moon-space-station?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350662/japan-focus-lunar-rover-after-us-halts-moon-space-station?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 04:00:12 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Hyundai Motor has spearheaded a comeback among foreign marques vying for a slice of the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) market, launching a new brand built around local technologies and partnerships. The South Korean carmaker, which reversed a six-year sales decline in 2025, said it would soon introduce production models under the Ioniq brand tailored for Chinese consumers, as it steps up its push into the world’s largest automotive market. “The newly launched Ioniq brand in China evolves beyond a... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349776/hyundai-spearheads-foreign-ev-comeback-push-china-ioniq-brand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349776/hyundai-spearheads-foreign-ev-comeback-push-china-ioniq-brand?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 05:20:54 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren A number of underperforming international car brands are likely to either exit the mainland Chinese market or scale down operations, as losses mount due to falling sales and shrinking market share. Carmakers delivering fewer than 1,000 units a month already faced a do-or-die situation in the world’s largest automotive market because the weak sales were not enough to cover their manufacturing and operating costs, according to analysts. Some carmakers are likely to follow Skoda, Volkswagen’s... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349083/more-foreign-marques-face-do-or-die-moment-chinese-buyers-shun-petrol-cars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349083/more-foreign-marques-face-do-or-die-moment-chinese-buyers-shun-petrol-cars?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin Zhu Ziqiang, one of the world’s leading experts in electric motor engineering, has left his four-decade career in Britain to take up a full-time position at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. In his new role as chair professor of electrical machines and control systems, Zhu will continue his long-standing work on high-efficiency permanent magnet motors, according to his faculty page on the PolyU website. Zhu spent 38 years at the University of Sheffield, where he eventually established what was... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3344399/world-leading-ev-motor-expert-joins-hong-kong-polyu-after-38-years-britain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3344399/world-leading-ev-motor-expert-joins-hong-kong-polyu-after-38-years-britain?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 06:00:09 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin US President Donald Trump’s administration announced on Wednesday that it would rescind a rule rewarding electric vehicle production – eliminating the so-called “fuel content factor” – the latest in a series of actions rolling back federal support for EVs that analysts say could leave the US further behind in a global race increasingly shifting in China’s favour. The move comes as the US struggles to compete with China’s rapid growth in the EV sector, marking another setback for America’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343942/does-trumps-retreat-electric-vehicle-policy-risk-ceding-ground-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343942/does-trumps-retreat-electric-vehicle-policy-risk-ceding-ground-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 19:12:50 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage In 1994, Richard Leiter, a South African entrepreneur, took a gamble on the then unknown Chinese commercial truck maker FAW with the introduction of the first Jiefang CA141 truck into the South African market. Two decades later, he had transitioned from importer to industrialist, with a sprawling assembly plant in the Coega special economic zone in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. FAW now outsells major brands like Toyota, Daimler and Isuzu in the heavy truck sector in South Africa, driven by... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340081/how-risky-punt-unknown-chinese-truck-manufacturer-paid-south-africa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340081/how-risky-punt-unknown-chinese-truck-manufacturer-paid-south-africa?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Chinese self-driving technology firm Pony AI has started mass production of a robotaxi co-developed with Toyota, taking an important step forward in commercialising autonomous cabs worldwide. The Guangzhou-based company said on Monday that 1,000 driverless cabs of this kind would roll off the production line this year, to be deployed in top-tier mainland Chinese cities. The cars will reinforce Pony AI’s plan to operate a total robotaxi fleet of more than 3,000 units in various mainland and... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3342953/pony-ai-and-toyota-roll-out-mass-produced-robotaxis-chinas-autonomous-drive-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3342953/pony-ai-and-toyota-roll-out-mass-produced-robotaxis-chinas-autonomous-drive-push?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:28:20 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s plan for advanced chip production at a Japanese plant will help it hedge against US tariff threats and the possibility of a Beijing blockade around Taiwan, analysts said, while providing Japanese giants such as Sony and Toyota with local access to advanced chips for artificial intelligence applications. C C Wei, president and CEO of the world’s top chip foundry, known as TSMC and based in Taiwan, said on Thursday after meeting Japanese Prime Minister... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3342524/tsmc-japan-plan-advanced-chips-seen-hedge-against-pressure-us-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3342524/tsmc-japan-plan-advanced-chips-seen-hedge-against-pressure-us-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:00:10 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Brazil has ended a temporary tariff exemption that allowed electric and hybrid vehicles assembled using imported parts from China to enter the country at sharply reduced costs, closing a measure that fuelled months of confrontation between the government, Chinese carmaker BYD and Brazil’s established automotive industry. The exemption expired on January 31 and was not renewed, the South China Morning Post confirmed with multiple sources on Wednesday. Companies such as BYD and Great Wall Motor... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342454/brazil-scraps-ev-tariff-break-china-carmaker-byd-amid-pressure-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342454/brazil-scraps-ev-tariff-break-china-carmaker-byd-amid-pressure-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 03:32:30 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Seven out of every 10 European companies operating in China were reviewing their supply chain strategies amid geopolitical tensions and Beijing’s opaque policymaking, which appears to set back the country’s globalisation efforts, according to a new survey. A survey of 324 corporate respondents conducted by the European Union Chamber of Commerce found that these firms aimed to strike a balance between cost efficiency and risk diversification, while building resilience in their supply... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3341446/over-70-european-firms-china-review-supply-chain-strategies-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3341446/over-70-european-firms-china-review-supply-chain-strategies-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 12:30:13 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Major international marques, from Tesla to Volkswagen, continued to lose market share in mainland China, as consumers increasingly favoured new domestic electric vehicle (EV) models equipped with hi-tech features. But in 2026, foreign carmakers are expected to stage a comeback when they launch models with innovative technologies, which are expected to attract buyers in spite of sluggish consumer demand, according to industry officials and analysts. “Finally, foreign OEMs [original equipment... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340887/major-foreign-carmakers-set-stage-comeback-china-year-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340887/major-foreign-carmakers-set-stage-comeback-china-year-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 02:00:24 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk As Japanese employers search for new ways to retain workers amid the country’s labour shortages and declining birth rate, some are embracing an unconventional addition to their benefits packages: corporate-only dating apps. The services, which allow employees to meet partners from other vetted companies, are being presented less as lifestyle perks than as tools to address long-standing imbalances in the workplace, where single staff often shoulder heavier and less visible burdens. “Single... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3338918/japans-fix-shrinking-workforce-corporate-dating-apps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3338918/japans-fix-shrinking-workforce-corporate-dating-apps?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 09:04:22 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese autonomous-driving technology firm Pony.ai is betting on an “asset-light” strategy and newer generations of low-cost driverless cars to drive growth for its robotaxi operation as the company expects to break even by 2030. Under the asset-light model, Pony.ai would team up with third-party companies – such as taxi operators or ride-hailing platforms – that would fund the deployment of its robotaxi fleet, according to Leo Wang Haojun, chief financial officer. Instead of taking on the full... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336235/chinese-robotaxi-firm-ponyai-bets-asset-light-strategy-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336235/chinese-robotaxi-firm-ponyai-bets-asset-light-strategy-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 12:00:11 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japan has often prided itself on its orderly, low-crime society, but cracks in that image are widening amid rising car thefts and home intrusions fuelled by export markets and public complacency. At a seminar in May on car theft held by the Aichi prefectural police in central Japan, a man in his fifties listened intently – he was twice targeted in the past. When he woke up one morning in 2011, his prized Toyota Land Cruiser had vanished. Then, one night in 2015, he found a bicycle blocking his... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3334660/japan-still-safe-rising-car-theft-burglary-figures-challenge-nations-orderly-image?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3334660/japan-still-safe-rising-car-theft-burglary-figures-challenge-nations-orderly-image?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Nov 2025 06:46:48 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Volkswagen Group has ramped up its “all in” strategy for China, banking on local development capabilities and a new electric vehicle (EV) architecture to fight back against domestic rivals and regain its leading position in the world’s largest vehicle market. The German carmaker’s China operations are now able to design and validate new models without going through approvals from headquarters, reducing development time and costs to respond quickly to local needs. On Tuesday, the company... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3334159/volkswagen-revs-designed-china-approach-catch-local-rivals-ev-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3334159/volkswagen-revs-designed-china-approach-catch-local-rivals-ev-market?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 01:54:17 +0000 Ni Tao Ni Tao For years, many foreign companies treated China as a vast consumer base or a low-cost manufacturing hub. Now that paradigm is shifting dramatically. China is not just where multinationals scale production or sell at volume; it is increasingly where they make strategic decisions, engage in serious research and development and innovate in ways that will have a global impact. For example, take Toyota’s R&D centre in Changshu, Jiangsu province. Led by local engineers, it has helped develop electric... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3333238/chinas-tech-rises-companies-must-rethink-their-rd-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3333238/chinas-tech-rises-companies-must-rethink-their-rd-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Nov 2025 21:30:09 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li Hong Kong police have arrested three people in connection with a knife attack on three customs officers during an anti-drug operation, including the assailant’s mother, who allegedly provided misleading information to the force, the Post has learned. Two men, arrested in Mong Kok at 12.45am and in Kowloon City at 3am on Friday, were believed to have aided in the escape of the wanted attacker. A 66-year-old woman, identified as the attacker’s mother, was arrested at 2.45pm on Friday in Wong Tai... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3331859/pair-arrested-after-3-hong-kong-customs-officers-slashed-drug-raid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3331859/pair-arrested-after-3-hong-kong-customs-officers-slashed-drug-raid?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 02:49:33 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Mainland China’s commercial and financial hub Shanghai has pledged to remove all regulatory hurdles for foreign investors to set up manufacturing businesses, as authorities move to shore up confidence in the local and national economies despite rising US-China trade tensions. Mayor Gong Zheng said on Sunday that deepened reforms had been carried out to grant overseas companies in the fields of electric vehicles, value-added telecommunications services, biotechnology and hospitals full access to... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3328710/shanghai-scrap-all-foreign-investment-limits-manufacturing-facilities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3328710/shanghai-scrap-all-foreign-investment-limits-manufacturing-facilities?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 12:30:10 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Chinese carmaker BYD inaugurated what it describes as its largest electric vehicle plant outside Asia on Thursday, highlighting Brazil’s bid to lead South America’s shift towards clean mobility while drawing renewed scrutiny of Beijing’s expanding industrial footprint. The opening of the vast Camacari complex in Bahia state brought together President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin, state and local officials and dozens of industry figures. It coincided with the roll-out... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3328433/byd-opens-massive-brazil-plant-its-biggest-investment-outside-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3328433/byd-opens-massive-brazil-plant-its-biggest-investment-outside-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Oct 2025 17:15:50 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers, from bellwether BYD to start-up Dreame, have stepped up efforts to crack overseas markets as earnings prospects at home look dim amid vicious price competition. They are choosing to either assemble vehicles overseas or open more showrooms abroad to promote their smart EVs fitted with sophisticated in-car entertainment systems and high-performance battery packs, in hopes of taking market share from international marques like Volkswagen and Toyota. “Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3328074/chinese-ev-makers-go-global-bid-boost-profits-amid-price-war-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3328074/chinese-ev-makers-go-global-bid-boost-profits-amid-price-war-home?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 23:30:07 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg More than two years after BYD began a high-profile foray into the Japanese market, the Chinese electric-vehicle (EV) maker is still struggling to win over drivers. The carmaker sold just 5,300 vehicles between January 2023 and June this year despite opening its 45th sales location in Japan, introducing a fourth EV model and touting plans to debut an electric kei car – a popular style of street-legal microcar – in late 2026. The moves have done little to ignite demand, and BYD is now turning to... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3327212/chinese-ev-maker-byd-brings-price-war-japan-bid-ignite-demand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3327212/chinese-ev-maker-byd-brings-price-war-japan-bid-ignite-demand?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Sep 2025 06:37:12 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Pony.ai will deploy robotaxis in Singapore in the coming months, as the Chinese autonomous driving technology company takes a tentative step to expand into Southeast Asia’s mass transport market. The Guangzhou-based company, one of mainland China’s top three robotaxi operators, said on Saturday that it would team up with Singapore’s taxi fleet operator ComfortDelGro to introduce autonomous mobility services to the city state “in the coming months”. “By delivering safe, comfortable and efficient... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3326229/ponyai-roll-out-autonomous-robotaxis-comfortdelgro-singapores-punggol-area?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3326229/ponyai-roll-out-autonomous-robotaxis-comfortdelgro-singapores-punggol-area?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Sep 2025 04:00:19 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov Chinese autonomous driving technology firm Pony.ai expects to deploy a fleet of robotaxis in Hong Kong after completing regulatory hurdles, while downplaying potential competition from Tesla. “We have already set a footprint in Guangzhou and we are eyeing Hong Kong,” chief financial officer Leo Wang said at a media event in the city on Tuesday. He said Pony.ai needed to work with local authorities and partners to explore the best way forward. On working with the city’s Transport Department, Wang... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3323243/chinas-ponyai-eyes-sizeable-fleet-hong-kong-unfazed-tesla-robotaxi-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3323243/chinas-ponyai-eyes-sizeable-fleet-hong-kong-unfazed-tesla-robotaxi-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Aug 2025 23:00:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Stocks are drifting on Wall Street Thursday after US President Donald Trump’s latest tariffs took effect on dozens of countries. The S&P 500 added 0.2 per cent after climbing earlier to within a whisper of its record, which was set late last month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 147 points, or 0.3 per cent, as of 10.45am Eastern, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.7 per cent higher. Worries are still high that Trump’s tariffs are damaging the economy, particularly after last week’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3321137/wall-street-rises-global-stock-markets-take-trumps-new-tariffs-stride?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3321137/wall-street-rises-global-stock-markets-take-trumps-new-tariffs-stride?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Aug 2025 14:00:13 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Brazil announced a compromise in a dispute between Chinese EV maker BYD and traditional carmakers on Thursday, granting the company a short-term tariff break while moving forward with hikes that will hit it more aggressively in the long run. The decision was reached in a closed-door session of the Chamber of Foreign Trade (Camex) on Wednesday but not released publicly until Thursday. It follows weeks of heavy lobbying on both sides, with carmakers warning of mass lay-offs and BYD accusing rivals... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3320341/brazil-grants-byd-exemption-ev-tariff-hike-not-long-sought?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3320341/brazil-grants-byd-exemption-ev-tariff-hike-not-long-sought?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Jul 2025 17:46:20 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Residents and visitors in Japan were advised to remain on alert on Thursday after tsunami waves triggered by a magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka peninsula reached the Pacific coast the previous day. While all warnings were downgraded to advisories on Wednesday night, they remained in place for many areas, with the Japan Meteorological Agency to make an assessment on Thursday evening on whether to lift them. The quake, which occurred at 8.24am Japan time, was measured at magnitude... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3320223/japan-stays-alert-tsunami-waves-day-after-massive-quake?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3320223/japan-stays-alert-tsunami-waves-day-after-massive-quake?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Jul 2025 03:20:42 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Brazil’s government is facing mounting pressure as it decides on a request from Chinese carmaker BYD to reduce import tariffs for a year on semi-assembled electric and hybrid vehicles. The proposal, now under review by the Chamber of Foreign Trade, or Camex, has sparked a wave of opposition from global carmakers and regional governors who warn it could undermine Brazil’s industrial base and lead to job losses. The Camex panel, which was meeting on Wednesday, was expected to render a decision... https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3320197/brazil-debates-tariff-break-byd-opponents-warning-lay-offs-and-investment-freeze?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3320197/brazil-debates-tariff-break-byd-opponents-warning-lay-offs-and-investment-freeze?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Jul 2025 19:37:02 +0000 Andrew Frank,Jacob J. Puthenparambil Andrew Frank,Jacob J. Puthenparambil For all the continued dizzying headlines about global tariffs and strategic pauses, one thing remains true: the United States is deploying trade policy not just as economic leverage but as a tool of diplomacy and power. The August 1 deadline for countries, including several in Asia, to negotiate a trade deal or face steep tariffs is no exception. Markets throughout Asia – a region home to some of the most export-reliant economies in the world – are in the crosshairs of US President Donald... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3319227/why-asian-exporters-cant-afford-passive-approach-us-politics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3319227/why-asian-exporters-cant-afford-passive-approach-us-politics?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Jul 2025 12:30:07 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Chinese autonomous driving technology firm Pony.ai is gearing up to mass produce driverless cabs to make its robotaxis widely available and more affordable, as technological advancement helps shorten its path to commercialisation. The Guangzhou-based company – the only firm with approval to operate robotaxi services on the mainland's four most developed cities – is banking on an accelerated pace of commercialisation at home and abroad to achieve cost efficiency, according to Lou Tiancheng,... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3319871/robotaxis-ponyai-sets-mass-production-target-eye-overseas-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3319871/robotaxis-ponyai-sets-mass-production-target-eye-overseas-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jul 2025 23:30:15 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Hong Kong’s major natural gas company is looking to produce hydrogen for application in other industries, showing commitment to the market at a time when companies and governments are cancelling or scaling back plans amid cost challenges. Hong Kong and China Gas, or Towngas as the sole natural gas producer is known, will start work on building the city’s first public electric vehicle (EV) charging station powered by hydrogen, it said on Friday. The venture was expected to commence operations... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3319649/towngas-build-hydrogen-powered-ev-charging-stations-amid-mixed-industry-signals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3319649/towngas-build-hydrogen-powered-ev-charging-stations-amid-mixed-industry-signals?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Jul 2025 06:00:13 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue BYD scored the most new electric vehicle (EV) registrations in Hong Kong in the first half of 2025, beating Tesla and BMW, as mainland Chinese carmakers increased their focus on the city to serve as a launch pad for their global ambitions. The Shenzhen-based carmaker accounted for 27 per cent, or 4,902, of the 18,356 private EVs that were registered in the first half, data from the city’s Transport Department showed this week. BYD’s bestseller with 3,676 units was the Sealion 07, a pure... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3319131/byd-outsells-tesla-hong-kong-ev-market-mainland-firms-eye-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3319131/byd-outsells-tesla-hong-kong-ev-market-mainland-firms-eye-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2025 09:00:18 +0000 Matthew Marsh Matthew Marsh “The first night session couldn’t have been more stressful if there were snakes in the car and meteorites falling from the sky.” Antares Au isn’t new to 24-hour racing – he’s won his class at Belgium’s Spa and Germany’s Nürburgring – but nothing, he says, quite prepares you for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Last month marked his debut at France’s legendary endurance race, alongside fellow Hongkonger Jonathan Hui Kin-tak. They were two drivers on the 62 teams competing at this year’s race, and for a... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3317839/meet-one-track-minds-behind-le-mans-24-hour-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3317839/meet-one-track-minds-behind-le-mans-24-hour-race?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Jul 2025 22:15:07 +0000 Winston Mok Winston Mok Just ahead of the July 9 deadline to reach an agreement on tariffs, US President Donald Trump announced his decision on the tariffs levels for 14 countries – including a rate of 25 per cent on Japan and South Korea – effective August 1. Trump accused Japan of not buying enough rice and cars from the US. It’s worth noting that the American car industry is simply not competitive in Japan. Germany, Japan and China are the top three auto exporters. Those countries, along with South Korea, have... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3317197/how-china-japan-and-south-korea-can-be-titans-tech-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3317197/how-china-japan-and-south-korea-can-be-titans-tech-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 08:30:06 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren A commercial-vehicle subsidiary of China’s state-owned carmaker GAC Group has its sights set on Europe, where it hopes its electric vans can lure corporate buyers away from petroleum-powered models built by the likes of Ford and Stellantis. Xiao Ning, CEO of Miraco Motor, told the Post that the company would launch its first model in Europe next year. It aims to grab 10 per cent of the European market, where more than 1.7 million vehicles of this type are sold each year for public transport,... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3314398/chinese-carmaker-gacs-electric-van-unit-takes-aim-ford-and-stellantis-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3314398/chinese-carmaker-gacs-electric-van-unit-takes-aim-ford-and-stellantis-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Jun 2025 23:30:11 +0000 Zhou Xin Zhou Xin China’s five-year plan has evolved beyond a command-economy production schedule. It now represents a comprehensive vision for the country’s economic future, accompanied by strategies and policy guidelines. As Beijing’s planners draft the next five-year plan for 2026-2030, a general consensus is emerging: development and economic growth remain paramount. In particular, China is seizing the opportunity to bolster its “hard power” through manufacturing capabilities and advances in artificial... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3313692/ai-and-robotics-expected-play-big-role-chinas-next-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3313692/ai-and-robotics-expected-play-big-role-chinas-next-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Jun 2025 23:00:14 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The head of one of Japan’s largest investment banks used the Tokyo Pride parade to strike a rare public stance on pushing ahead with diversity initiatives, as US President Donald Trump seeks to abolish such policies. Few Japanese corporate executives have taken a clear position on US efforts to roll back the diversity, equity and inclusion policies that had become common at global corporations, though many firms appear to have quietly maintained their initiatives. “Even if the US has adopted an... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3313534/top-banker-tells-japan-keep-diversity-policies-trumps-crackdown-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3313534/top-banker-tells-japan-keep-diversity-policies-trumps-crackdown-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jun 2025 07:21:28 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg In the rural suburbs of Hiroshima, a Japanese start-up is trying to kick start the nation’s electric vehicle (EV) market with the smallest, cheapest car it can possibly make. KG Motors has developed a battery-powered one-seater that more resembles a futuristic golf cart than it does a modern EV, much less a traditional car. And yet well over half of the 3,300 units it plans to deliver by March 2027 have already been pre-sold to customers. Incidentally, that puts it on track to sell more EVs in... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3312269/can-us7000-single-seat-ev-spark-revolution-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3312269/can-us7000-single-seat-ev-spark-revolution-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 May 2025 06:58:25 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba accepted the resignation of his agriculture minister on Wednesday over a tone-deaf remark about rice donations – a political blunder that analysts say could further erode public trust in his leadership ahead of two make-or-break elections this summer. Taku Eto stepped down less than 24 hours after Ishiba insisted he would not dismiss him, following public outcry over comments in which the minister boasted that he never needed to buy rice because supporters... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3311227/can-japans-ishiba-weather-political-storm-after-rice-remark-buries-farm-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3311227/can-japans-ishiba-weather-political-storm-after-rice-remark-buries-farm-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 May 2025 09:20:50 +0000 Reuters Reuters China’s BYD has become the most popular vehicle brand in Singapore so far this year, outselling Toyota for the first time, government data showed on Wednesday, as the fast-growing electric vehicle maker steps up efforts to boost overseas sales. In the first four months of 2025, BYD sold 3,002 cars, or 20 per cent of total vehicle sales in Singapore. Toyota and BYD’s main EV rival Tesla sold 2,050 and 535 units each during the same period. Toyota used to hold the crown in the wealthy Asian... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3310280/chinas-byd-becomes-singapores-favourite-car-brand-outselling-toyota-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3310280/chinas-byd-becomes-singapores-favourite-car-brand-outselling-toyota-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 May 2025 07:20:38 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage on electric and new energy vehicles from the past two weeks to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. BMW, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz recall nearly 70,000 vehicles in China Carmakers including BMW, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz are recalling a total of 69,793 vehicles in China due to potential safety risks, according to the market regulator, as authorities heighten safety oversight in the... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3310272/bmw-toyota-mercedes-benz-recall-cars-china-geely-offers-buy-zeekr-7-ev-reads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3310272/bmw-toyota-mercedes-benz-recall-cars-china-geely-offers-buy-zeekr-7-ev-reads?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 May 2025 07:00:09 +0000 Robert Delaney Robert Delaney Many Americans who came of age in the 1980s will remember when Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys became the preferred family vehicles, quietly replacing US models. When quality, reliability and price were factored in, patriotism was the only remaining reason to keep an American-made car on the driveway. Two high-school friends and I each got well-worn hand-me-down cars when we started commuting to college. Dave got a Ford Fairmont estate car, which he called “the hearse”. Gary got a Buick Skylark... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3309961/how-trumps-erratic-tariffs-could-crash-his-us-car-production-goals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3309961/how-trumps-erratic-tariffs-could-crash-his-us-car-production-goals?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 May 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Carmakers including BMW, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz are recalling a total of 69,793 vehicles in China due to potential safety risks, according to the market regulator, as authorities heighten safety oversight in the industry following a recent fatal crash involving a Xiaomi electric vehicle (EV). From June 25, BMW’s China unit would recall 26,766 domestically produced vehicles and 80 imported cars due to a defect in the power connector that could pose a fire hazard, the State Administration for... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3309861/bmw-toyota-mercedes-benz-recall-nearly-70000-vehicles-china-over-safety-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3309861/bmw-toyota-mercedes-benz-recall-nearly-70000-vehicles-china-over-safety-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 May 2025 11:30:05 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Toyota Motor is bracing itself for a bumpy year, with the Japanese carmaker warning of a slump in profit as global manufacturers scramble to shield themselves from US President Donald Trump’s tariff turmoil. The company forecasts operating income of ¥3.8 trillion (US$26 billion) for the year ending March 31, 2026, it said Thursday, falling far short analyst expectations of ¥4.7 trillion. The figure compares with ¥4.8 trillion a year earlier and a record ¥5.35 trillion during the 2024 financial... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3309534/toyota-warns-possible-drop-2025-profit-trumps-chaotic-tariffs-threaten-carmakers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3309534/toyota-warns-possible-drop-2025-profit-trumps-chaotic-tariffs-threaten-carmakers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 May 2025 06:24:48 +0000 Daniel Ren,Yujie Xue Daniel Ren,Yujie Xue Foreign carmakers from Volkswagen to General Motors (GM) and Nissan are fighting back in mainland China as they unveiled new electric vehicle (EV) models at the Auto Shanghai trade show, after losing their share to local rivals in the world’s largest automotive market. The carmakers are banking on Chinese EV technologies to make their products “more electric and intelligent” so they can ramp up deliveries and catch up with indigenous brands that have seized more than 90 per cent of the EV... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3308575/volkswagen-gm-nissan-adopt-chinese-technology-they-strive-win-back-ev-market-share?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3308575/volkswagen-gm-nissan-adopt-chinese-technology-they-strive-win-back-ev-market-share?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 May 2025 00:30:16 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Japan’s export-reliant car sector will be forced to consolidate to combat competition in an environment roiled by tariffs, according to a portfolio manager at the world’s largest publicly traded hedge fund firm. Man Group’s Stephen Harget said Japan’s carmakers are being pushed to combine their resources to counter Chinese auto firms’ aggressive business plans and rapid expansion. “When an industry is really under pressure, consolidation is often a very good answer to that,” Harget said in an... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3308468/japans-carmakers-face-pressure-consolidate-chinese-rivals-rise-and-tariffs-bite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3308468/japans-carmakers-face-pressure-consolidate-chinese-rivals-rise-and-tariffs-bite?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Apr 2025 03:56:23 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese robotaxi firm Pony.ai is gaining momentum through a new partnership with tech giant Tencent Holdings, as it accelerates the commercialisation of autonomous driving amid intense domestic competition in the sector. Shares of Nasdaq-listed Pony.ai, which holds permits to test robotaxi services in Beijing and Guangzhou, surged 47 per cent on Monday after the announcement of its strategic partnership with Tencent’s cloud computing unit. The collaboration is expected to provide Pony.ai with a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3308357/chinese-robotaxi-firm-ponyai-gets-boost-tencent-tie-offering-services-wechat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3308357/chinese-robotaxi-firm-ponyai-gets-boost-tencent-tie-offering-services-wechat?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Apr 2025 12:00:14 +0000 Frank Chen,Alice Li Frank Chen,Alice Li They represent those bucking the trend – bold multinationals braving mounting complexities and vowing to ramp up investments in China, even as the prevailing sentiment among foreign firms is to wait and see amid a worrisome trade environment. On Tuesday, Toyota, the world’s largest carmaker, made inroads into Shanghai with the signing of a 14.6 billion yuan (US$2 billion) deal for a plant to manufacture electric vehicles (EVs) under its Lexus marque in the Chinese megacity. This is one of the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3307800/multinationals-vow-big-china-investments-defying-tariffs-and-bucking-wait-and-see-trend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3307800/multinationals-vow-big-china-investments-defying-tariffs-and-bucking-wait-and-see-trend?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Apr 2025 22:00:15 +0000 Daniel Ren,Yujie Xue Daniel Ren,Yujie Xue At least 15 companies did not show up at this year’s Shanghai Auto Show, adding to evidence that cutthroat competition and rapid consumer movement toward electric vehicles (EVs) are edging more players out of the world’s largest car market. International marques including Hyundai and Lamborghini as well as Chinese EV start-ups Hozon Auto and Jiyue did not participate in the world’s largest auto event, which started on Wednesday. The absences suggest that these companies may be grappling with... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3307649/no-shows-shanghai-car-expo-reflect-brutal-competition-mainland-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3307649/no-shows-shanghai-car-expo-reflect-brutal-competition-mainland-market?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Apr 2025 13:45:54 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Chinese autonomous-driving firm Pony.ai said it plans to expand its robotaxi services globally, taking advantage of the lower cost of production enabled by the nation’s leadership in the automotive industry. James Peng, chairman and CEO of Pony.ai, said the company’s robotaxis were 20 to 30 per cent cheaper than those from US rival Alphabet’s self-driving unit Waymo. “Our biggest advantage compared with companies like Waymo is that we’re much more integrated,” Peng told the Post during an... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3307623/chinese-robotaxi-firm-ponyai-eyes-global-expansion-unveils-3-models-shanghai-car-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3307623/chinese-robotaxi-firm-ponyai-eyes-global-expansion-unveils-3-models-shanghai-car-show?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Apr 2025 10:30:16 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Chinese premium electric vehicle (EV) maker Xpeng introduced the latest version of its X9 multipurpose vehicle for the local market and aimed to launch it in Europe from July as part of its drive to quadruple its sales in export markets. The all-electric seven-seater vehicle will enter the mainland market with a starting price of 359,800 yuan (US$49,200), equipped with autonomous driving capabilities powered by its own artificial intelligence (AI) chip. Xpeng plans to take orders in Europe from... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3306665/xpeng-unveils-new-x9-aims-sell-mpv-europe-july-ceo-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3306665/xpeng-unveils-new-x9-aims-sell-mpv-europe-july-ceo-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Apr 2025 23:30:14 +0000