Advertisement
Advertisement
TOPIC

Electric & new energy vehicles

Electric & new energy vehicles
Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on electric & new energy vehicles, with a particular focus on China.
Chinese ride-hailing company CaoCao, backed by Geely, is betting on a heavy-asset strategy to emerge as a leading robotaxi operator. Photo: Handout
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.

Tesla

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

China energy security

Strait of Hormuz crisis

Automotive industry

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.

A Leapmotor C10 model car is displayed at a showroom in its headquarters in Hangzhou. Photo: Getty Images
China manufacturing

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.

SCMP Highlights

China’s electric cars and Iran war, VW pulls Skoda: 7 EV reads

From some Chinese carmakers raising prices to Xiaomi’s fresh fight with Tesla, here are seven EV stories you may have missed.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Business of climate change

Ganfeng Lithium sees surge in battery demand amid China-US energy rivalry

Executives project an ‘explosive growth’ in energy storage, with Chinese firms extending their lead amid AI and data centre demand.

AI computing and data centre demand are new power consumption drivers, according to Ganfeng Lithium. Photo: Getty Images
Mainland China

Middle East oil shock jolts EV demand, putting Chinese exports in fast lane

Orders for Chinese NEVs are rising along with footfalls at EV dealerships both at home and overseas, according to Nomura analyst.

Energy

Video | Thai undertaker brings corpse to petrol station to prove he’s not hoarding

After being denied fuel, a Thai man live-streamed the moment he showed station staff an occupied coffin to prove his urgent need.

BYD

BYD’s four-year profit run ends, eyes global markets as next engine of growth

Earnings at China’s EV leader fall short of expectations amid intense domestic competition.

The Shenzhen-based company reported a net profit of 32.6 billion yuan (US$4.72 billion) for 2025, down 18.97 per cent from a year earlier. Photo: Reuters
Future of transport

Pain at the pump fuels EV rush in China, driving a timely boost for carmakers

Brent crude above US$110 is pushing mainland buyers away from petrol cars, lifting China’s EV makers despite fading subsidies.

The oil price surge could offer timely relief for EV makers, which have been grappling with softer demand following the rollback of subsidies. Photo: Xinhua
China economy

Opinion | As oil-shocked world turns to renewables, China will reap the rewards

The biggest losers will be the Middle East and the US, as oil becomes less important and doubts grow about US might.

videocam
9
Autonomous vehicles

China’s Pony AI to launch robotaxi service in Europe with Uber, local start-up

Partners aim to operate thousands of robotaxis in various European cities over the next few years after starting in Zagreb, Croatia, ‘soon’.

Automotive industry

VW pulls Skoda brand from China after years of falling sales

Czech brand’s mainland sales declined from 341,000 in 2018 to around 15,000 last year as domestic carmakers’ EVs won market share.

A Skoda Peaq electric car is seen during the opening of a new battery assembly hall at the Skoda factory in Mlada Boleslav in the Czech Republic on February 27, 2026. Photo: AFP
Mainland China

Video | Will oil shocks trigger a Chinese EV buying spree?

Oil shock from the Iran war might speed up the global EV shift and boost China’s auto industry, analysts say.

Motorists queue to pump gasoline into their vehicle at a gas station in Hanoi on March 10, 2026. Vietnam announced on March 9 it was scrapping tariffs on fuel imports, as the US-Israeli war with Iran disrupts oil supplies and pushes prices to their highest level since 2022. (Photo by Nhac NGUYEN / AFP)
01:30
Robotics

China’s lidar giants pivot to robotics in boost supply chain dominance

Hesai will spend US$28.9 million this year to design and manufacture ‘eyes and muscles’ for robots, creating a new growth engine.

China exports

EVs lead China’s going global push

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers, led by BYD and Geely, dominate global sales, and demand may accelerate in 2026 as Middle Eastern instability pushes up fuel costs.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Hong Kong stock market

Memory costs ‘beyond imagination’ hurting smartphone makers: Xiaomi leader

Firms are being drawn into a price-raising cycle that could reshape the industry, executive says as company reports 27 per cent profit drop.

A man takes a picture of a Xiaomi phone at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on March 2, 2026. Photo: Reuters
China energy security

China EV makers gain as Iran war drives up fuel costs

Oil supply disruptions and higher fuel prices due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have bolstered the outlook for China’s world-leading electric-vehicle makers.

China exports

The Iran war could widen China’s EV lead over its global rivals. Here’s why

The ‘eye-watering’ surge in oil prices may push consumers around the world to switch to electric cars, boosting Chinese brands, analysts say.

videocam
9
Automotive industry

3 Chinese EV makers raise prices – but demand slowdown could force reversal

Xiaomi, Chery and FAW adjust prices amid surging chip and raw material costs, but analysts say soft sales could undermine gains.

Xiaomi is the latest EV maker to adjust pricing of some models. Photo: Reuters
China-EU relations

China and the Netherlands seek ‘pragmatic’ reset as Nexperia row rolls on

Wang Yi hails ‘positive signals’ from new Dutch minister as US pressure and EU de-risking leave The Hague juggling security and trade interests.

videocam
8
Chinese-owned Dutch semiconductor company Nexperia has been at the centre of a row between China and the Netherlands. Photo: Reuters
China stock market

Chinese stocks shake laggard image amid oil shock as green transition pays off

China’s push into renewables helps shield its markets from the latest oil turmoil, with analysts pointing to limited downside risks.

Xiaomi

Xiaomi’s new-generation SU7 launch sparks fresh EV fight with Tesla in China

Updated smart sedan debuts with improved safety and smart-driving features, intensifying competition with Tesla and domestic rivals.

Automotive industry

China presses EV makers to end price war and focus on innovation as demand cools

Oversight of China’s industry intensifies, with carmakers urged to move beyond discounts and focus on chips and self-driving systems.

Visitors look at a new-energy sports car at an expo in Tianjin. Photo: Xinhua
China manufacturing

Global EV uptake expected to accelerate as Iran war causes petrol price hikes

With more than half of Chinese new car sales being electric in 2025, the nation could save US$28 billion a year in avoided oil import costs.

videocam
Employees work on an electric vehicle (EV) production line at the Volkswagen Anhui factory in Hefei, Anhui province, China, as the Iran war pushes up petrol prices and global EV uptake is expected to accelerate. Photo: Reuters
SCMP Highlights

Geely speeds to the top, BYD’s quest for faster charging: 7 EV reads

From top Chinese carmakers selling more units overseas to Geely’s upper hand in local market, here are seven EV stories you may have missed.

Mainland China

Leapmotor’s Stellantis tie-up pays off as EV exports jump nearly 400% last year

The Hangzhou-based carmaker exported 67,052 units in 2025, up from 13,726 in 2024, according to an exchange filing.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement