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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.
Customers check out an EV at a shopping center in Wuhan, in central China’s Hubei province, on January 14, 2026. Photo: Xinhua
Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s subsidy change adds to EV makers’ stress, while petrol cars gain

Typical subsidy on an EV drops by around US$1,150, changing buyer calculations and exacerbating the sector’s profitability woes.

Tencent

Uber’s WeChat tie-up pays off as demand from Chinese tourists rises overseas

Electric & new energy vehicles

Xpeng’s flying car unit readies Hong Kong IPO for take-off

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Tesla

Nvidia, Tesla chase same self-driving goal via different paths

Tesla is betting on winning autonomy as a specialist, while Nvidia is positioning itself as an arms dealer, selling tools to the entire industry.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang used his speech at CES to extol the virtues of Alpamayo, an open-source AI model designed to speed development of level 4 self-driving cars. Photo: AFP
Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s Xpeng unveils hybrid SUV boasting world’s longest driving distance

Launch of new G7 edition underscores Xpeng’s go-global push and rising competition with Tesla and BYD.

US-China trade war

BYD’s win, Tesla’s defeat, Ford’s pivot: the widening gap in US-China EV markets

From wavering policy to cost gaps, analysts say decades of state backing have given China a decisive edge over US rivals.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

Xiaomi’s refreshed SU7 turns up the heat on Tesla in China’s EV race

Updated SU7 model offers longer range – more than 900km (560 miles) on a single charge – and other advanced features.

A refreshed version of Xiaomi’s SU7 will be launched in April. Photo: AFP
Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s CATL, Nio deepen partnership to develop extended-life EV batteries

Joint effort highlights urgency as industry – including 40 million EV owners – braces for costly replacements.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Nvidia chooses China’s Hesai for lidar in Hyperion autonomous driving platform

Hesai will supply lidar sensors for Nvidia’s Drive Hyperion, targeting L4 self-driving, as the firm accelerates global expansion.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Tesla’s China sales hit record as EV buyers race to beat tax increase

US carmaker’s share of world’s biggest EV market declines to slightly more then 4 per cent amid stern challenge from local rivals.

Tesla cars are displayed in a showroom in Beijing on April 4, 2025. Photo: Simon Song
Infrastructure

China plans 19% high-speed rail expansion by 2030 amid global dominance

Beijing aims to expand the nation’s entire rail network to about 180,000km as part of 2026-2030 infrastructure push, boosting connectivity nationwide.

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A high-speed train leaves the Yichang North Railway Station in China’s Hubei province on December 26. Photo: Xinhua
Semiconductors

Chinese chipmaker Black Sesame’s Huashan A2000 clears US review hurdle

The chip has passed relevant reviews following nearly a year of technical clarifications and communications with US authorities.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Weak year-end sales cloud China’s EV outlook, keeping price-war fears alive

A weaker-than-expected year-end rush and falling deliveries at major brands are stoking fears of another price war.

United States

China’s BYD dethrones Tesla as world’s top electric vehicle maker

A customer revolt against Musk’s right-wing politics contributed to a 9 per cent sales drop, allowing BYD to overtake Tesla as the top EV maker.

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Chinese car brand BYD is showcased during the Auto World Show in Kuwait in September 2025. Photo: Xinhua
Autonomous vehicles

How Chinese robotaxi giants are steering Middle East towards a driverless future

WeRide, Baidu and Pony.ai expand operations in the Middle East as UAE promotes clean energy and reduces dependence on oil and gas.

A WeRide robotaxi in Abu Dhabi on December 7, 2025. Chinese robotaxi developers see the Middle East as one of their starting points for global expansion. Photo: Coco Feng
Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s oldest carmaker FAW buys US$534 million stake in EV assembler Leapmotor

‘Leapmotor aims to achieve annual deliveries of 4 million units a year in 10 years’ time,’ founder and CEO Zhu Jiangming says.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Dozens of Chinese EV makers under pressure to fold or trim operations: analysts

Grappling with expiring cash subsidies and tax incentives, China’s car market is forecast to see deliveries slump next year.

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China’s C919 passenger plane

China’s Comac to team up with China Eastern for bigger C919 variant, sources say

Comac’s stretched model, expected to be dubbed the C919-800, could target lucrative Asian routes and seat more than 200 passengers.

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A C919 jet operated by China Eastern Airlines takes off from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport on January 1. Photo: Xinhua
Electric & new energy vehicles

CATL poised to bring Yichun lithium output back online after licence lapse

With battery costs again under the spotlight, regulators are set to green light CATL’s restart of the Yichun mine in eastern China.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese SUV maker Jetour pushes localised offerings to hasten go-global drive

Jetour is already present in more than 100 countries and regions after seven years in operation.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Luxury EV built with Huawei tops Porsche’s Panamera and BMW’s 7 Series in China

Chinese carmakers gain confidence in the premium segment as Maextro S800 – developed by Huawei and JAC Group – tops sales above US$100,000.

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The Maextro S800 recorded more than 2,100 deliveries in mainland China last month. Photo: Getty Images
Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s approval for L3 self-driving cars to stimulate slowing mainland market

Chinese carmakers could sell about 270,000 semi-autonomous vehicles next year, representing 1 per cent of the total market, Daiwa says.

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Semi-autonomous cars with L3 technology are likely to spur sales on the mainland next year. Photo: Reuters
Electric & new energy vehicles

BYD ups the ante on L3 autonomous cars, begins testing for mass production

BYD has pinned its hopes on preliminary self-driving technologies to bolster its sales in mainland China.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Xpeng, Li Auto given approval to test ‘hands-off’ L3 cars amid slowing market

Deregulation to legalise L3 technology represents a leap forward in commercialising autonomous driving systems in China.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Beijing approves first L3 autonomous cars in leap towards ‘hands-off’ driving

The cars, both pure EVs, can only navigate urban streets and highways in designated areas, according to the ministry.

The Baidu-BAIC Arcfox robotaxi is seen on the road. Photo: Shutterstock Images
Hong Kong economy

Opinion | Hong Kong is stepping up its competitiveness in aviation

By funding upgrades to the airport and signing international aviation deals, the city is proactively working to expand its global reach.

A Cathay Pacific jet takes off from Hong Kong International Airport in Chek Lap Kok on November 28, 2024, the day the third runway was inaugurated. Photo: Dickson Lee
Electric & new energy vehicles

Xpeng steps up ‘go global’ drive with Malaysian assembly hub for Southeast Asia

The Guangzhou-based company said it would partner with Malaysia’s EP Manufacturing to locally assemble intelligent EVs.

Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s Geely Auto raises bar on car safety with world’s largest test centre

Carmaker expands testing to 27 categories at Ningbo facility to prioritise safety over discounts in a crowded market.

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