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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.
The Next P7, an electric vehicle from Xpeng, appears at the Indonesian International Motor Show in Jakarta on February 5, 2026. Photo: AP Photo
Electric & new energy vehicles

China should skip a step in self-driving cars, Xpeng CEO says

He Xiaopeng urges Beijing to clear way for a leap ahead in autonomous driving technology – a jump he promises to propose at the ‘two sessions’.

Two Sessions 2026

Chinese officials, car executives may discuss capping EV output

Hong Kong budget 2026-27

Editorial | EVs in Hong Kong must compete on their own merits

Hong Kong environmental issues

Opinion | The high price of Hong Kong’s slow switch to electric buses and taxis

Slow electrification undermines the city’s green ambitions and squanders a chance to secure its role as a Greater Bay Area innovation hub.

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Taxis and buses outside Tai Wai MTR station on July 14, 2024. Photo: Sam Tsang
Hong Kong budget 2026-27

Commercial EV use needs boost after car owner tax break ends, green groups say

Environmentalists back move to end first registration tax concessions for private electric cars, say focus must pivot to businesses.

Autonomous vehicles

Breakthrough or hype? How WeRide aims to edge rivals in crowded robotaxi field

WeRide says its world model has slashed costs to support global expansion, but investors question if it can deliver a lasting advantage.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s Geely bets on longer-range, faster-charging tech over fresh EV price war

‘We promise to compete based on technology, quality, brand, service and corporate ethics,’ Geely Auto CEO says.

Technicians are seen working at the assembly line of Geely Auto’s Changxing plant in Huzhou, eastern Zhejiang province. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
Hong Kong transport

Hong Kong autonomous vehicle tests move up a gear with longer routes

Routes on the North Lantau trial will cover up to 43.2km, with more vehicles allowed to operate at the same time.

Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s EV insurers move towards profitability on higher premiums, AI adoption

Chinese insurers are turning to AI as the technology cuts labour costs and enhances pricing accuracy.

Electric & new energy vehicles

China bets on electric ships in push to decarbonise waterways, expand EV success

Twin strengths, battery technology and shipbuilding, are being fused to electrify maritime transport, moving beyond short-haul passenger vessels to commercial cargo.

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China is building electric cargo ships to decarbonise the nation’s waterways. This December 2024 image shows the nation’s first “clean drift transfer” ship, which is a zero-emission vessel designed to collect floating debris and waste from rivers, lakes or coastal areas. Photo: Getty Images
China trade

As high-speed railways saturate China, how far can their global reach extend?

As Chinese giants eye Eurasia for new infrastructure, analysts speculate on what it will take to keep overseas projects from going off the rails in different host nations.

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A high-speed train leaves Tegalluar Station, located along the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway in Indonesia. Photo: Xinhua
Electric & new energy vehicles

Geely’s Zeekr shifts into Italy as China’s European EV push gathers speed

The carmaker is pressing ahead despite tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, betting on demand for high-spec models.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Speed bump ahead: rising battery costs nudge Chinese drivers towards hybrids

Higher lithium prices and the end of incentives are reshaping China’s EV market, with hybrids emerging as a more practical option for many.

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US-China trade war

Has Trump ceded EV market to China with latest string of policy shifts?

Analysts say rolling back regulations pushes US further towards petrol cars, discourages EV innovation, and gives China competitive edge.

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The BYD Explorer vessel docks at Yantai port in eastern China’s Shandong province as it awaits the loading of Chinese electric vehicles for export overseas. Photo: AFP
Artificial intelligence

Colour matters: how AI is changing car premiums and services in China

Car colour, driving habits and location influence insurance premiums, according to a digital solutions provider using ByteDance’s AI model.

Rush hour in Beijing. White vehicles are less likely to be involved in an accident, according to data from a digital solutions provider. Photo: AFP
Electric & new energy vehicles

Pony AI and Toyota roll out robotaxis in China’s autonomous drive push

Guangzhou-based Pony AI begins output of 1,000 autonomous cabs and targets a 3,000-unit fleet by the end of 2026 as it expands globally.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese EV maker Nio raises US$2.6 billion bet on battery swapping

Company touts 100 million swaps, but fast-charging batteries are eating into the technology’s speed advantage, analyst says.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

AutoFlight unveils world’s largest flying car as China races to lead the skies

CATL-backed AutoFlight debuts Matrix, targeting global expansion, as Beijing moves to set standards for domestic eVTOL makers and operators.

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AutoFlight describes eVTOL aircraft Matrix as the largest of its kind in the world. Photo: Handout
Electric & new energy vehicles

Tesla launches China AI training centre as self-driving race accelerates

US EV giant opens hub to advance its Full Self-Driving software, as Chinese carmakers step up their own L3 autonomous driving plans.

Hong Kong transport

New working group to push autonomous vehicle technology in Hong Kong

Transport Department’s strategy blueprint includes implementation of real-time adaptive traffic signals and smart motorway management system.

Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s turbocharged EV market hits a speed bump amid falling sales

After years at full throttle, China’s EV sector is slowing sharply, with sales sliding in January as tax breaks fade and costs rise.

China’s roughly 50 electric carmakers sold about 900,000 vehicles last month, down 42.3 per cent from 1.56 million units in December. Photo: Xinhua
Electric & new energy vehicles

Tesla, Xiaomi vie for Chinese EV buyers with cheaper, longer loans

Low interest rates and seven-year payback periods replace price discounts while EV sales drop and materials costs rise.

A potential buyer discusses a Tesla YL with a staff member in a showroom in Beijing on February 3, 2026. Photo: AFP
Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese EV makers’ shares skid as sales slide after tax incentive ends

Shares in Hong Kong-listed BYD, Xpeng, Li Auto and Nio plummet as tepid January sales underline pessimistic forecasts for the year.

Electric & new energy vehicles

How Tesla’s AI shift is prompting Chinese rivals to expand tech offerings

As Tesla diversifies into humanoid robots and self-driving cars, its Chinese competitors are also moving into flying cars, robots and chips.

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China jobs

With AI in the driving seat, China moves to rein in job displacement risks

China’s central government unveils plans for policy to reduce industrial labour pains caused by widespread use of artificial intelligence.

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Employees work on a Neolix X3 vehicle production line at a factory of Chinese autonomous delivery vehicle maker Neolix in Yancheng, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province. Photo: AFP
Electric & new energy vehicles

Tesla reports first ever annual revenue decline as China’s EV giants zoom ahead

Tesla’s vehicle production fell 7 per cent year on year in 2025, as Elon Musk signals company will pivot to humanoid robots.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks during a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum (WEF), in Davos, Switzerland. Tesla has reported that its annual revenues declined for the first time in the company’s history in 2025. Photo: EPA
Electric & new energy vehicles

Xpeng targets overseas sales surge in 2026 as China EV battle goes global

Guangzhou-based EV maker targets more than 90,000 overseas deliveries this year amid fierce competition at home.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese carmaker BYD chases 24% export growth with new models, more showrooms

Shenzhen-based company expects to sell 1.3 million cars this year outside mainland China.

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