Topic
News about the global automotive industry with a focus on developments that matter most for the China market.
US Tesla chief, who continues to respect Chinese makers of electric vehicles, not only met Premier Li Qiang but also came away with some good news.
Beijing accuses Brussels of protectionism over its threatened tariffs against imports of competitively priced quality cars, putting relations on an even rockier road.
- FAW becomes the biggest carmaker to support Nio’s battery-swapping technology as both aim to set industry standards
- Nio and EV battery producer CATL had already agreed to develop new batteries with twice the lifespan of current packs
New hotels in Tokyo’s Toranomon Hills and at Fuji Speedway offer guests a choice of stories: the first an entertainment hub, the second both something for nature-lovers and motorsport fans
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim wants 15 per cent of all vehicles on Malaysian roads to be EVs by 2030, but lack of cheaper models could hobble the target.
Washington has announced tariff hikes on a wide range of Chinese goods, while Brussels has taken actions to tackle Chinese subsidies to various industries.
Xpeng narrowed its losses last quarter as deliveries and vehicle margins improved. Technology licensing fees from Volkswagen also helped.
China’s leading EV makers are taking longer to settle payments with suppliers, indicating stress in the industry because of slowing sales and mounting discounts.
Gotion’s G-Current lithium-ion-phosphate battery offers a driving range of nearly 500km in under 10 minutes of charging. Deliveries are expected to start in 20025 when a new plant is ready.
Licensing of Xpeng’s technologies will allow the EV maker to further its research and development efforts and maintain its technological edge, vice-chairman and president Brian Gu says.
State-owned company plans to be first to use Gotion High-Tech’s solid-state batteries when they start mass production, chairman Yin Tongyue says.
France is Xpeng’s tenth European market and comes after launches in Spain and Portugal last month. It will market the G9 and G6 SUVs and will also set up a sales and service network with local distributors.
ByteDance’s aggressive pricing for its Doubao large language model family shows the increased opportunity in mainland China, where more firms are scrambling to adopt GenAI tools.
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has become the country’s eighth-largest EV upstart after selling more than 7,000 units of its SU7 sedan in April, according to industry data.
Fresh US tariffs targeting China’s new-energy sector are imminent, threatening to thwart export efforts aimed at alleviating a market oversupply.
The era of battery-powered cars has truly arrived, as EVs dominated the car show. While carmakers still displayed a lot of futuristic concepts, it was the ongoing price war that had people talking.
Geely Auto’s premium EV unit raised US$441 million by upsizing its IPO by 20 per cent to accommodate demand, according to two sources. The stock is due to debut in New York on Friday.
The potential launch of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system in China is expected to help widen domestic availability of such autonomous vehicle technology.
Guangzhou-based carmaker also aims to sell right-hand-drive models in Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, as an escalating price war in mainland China squeezes profit margins.
Expected granting of a licence follows CEO Elon Musk’s discussion with top Chinese officials last month, state-run newspaper China Daily reported.
The Austin-based senior vice-president had previously been based in China, heading the carmaker’s Asia-Pacific operations.
Global EV sales are expected to accelerate from next year onwards and grow at a compound annual rate of 23 per cent up to the end of the decade, according to estimates by the French bank.
The fierce price war sweeping China’s EV market is likely to persist for years, with the impact to be felt by foreign carmakers which will see their market share shrink, Leapmotor co-president Michael Wu says.
The autonomous driving start-up plans to launch the L4-capable FlashBot in Shanghai this year, followed by other tier-one mainland cities. It is also seeking tie-ups in Hong Kong, Europe and North America.
China’s overseas vehicle shipments are set to grow at a clip this year, bolstered by surging sales in markets like Southeast Asia and the Middle East, as the country’s heft in manufacturing electric cars goes from strength to strength.
Hefei, the capital of the eastern Anhui province, has placed a heavy focus on innovation and emerging industries, including new energy vehicles, with officials from across China eager to copy the formula for success.
China’s top three premium EV makers posted mixed sales last month, as companies remain entrenched in a price war in the world’s largest car market that shows no signs of ending.
To go to market with Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system, Elon Musk had no choice but to join a Chinese partner for a mapping licence on the mainland.
General Motors, Ford and other carmakers, which struck deals last year to give customers access to the network, said they are not changing their plans.
