September 18, 2023
Xpeng will be the next Chinese manufacturer to launch an electric van on the domestic market from the end of this year. It will bear the model designation Xpeng X9 and will go on sale later this year. The first undisguised pictures and technical key data have now emerged from the Chinese Ministry of Industry […]
September 15, 2023
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s statement on Wednesday that the EU is to launch an investigation into China’s state support for makers of electric vehicles was brushed away by the Chinese government as ‘naked protectionist behavior.’ One that von der Leyen’s home car industry fears will backfire in a Chinese market they desperately […]
September 12, 2023
Smart is in a complete transformation phase. After recently launching its first SUV, the #1, the brand known for its city cars, has presented the #3, an even larger SUV-Coupé. However, Smart is rumored to return to the small, two-seater city car. It could be named #2 and should be presented as soon as 2025. […]
September 07, 2023
With six electric vehicles on the stand, a world debut for the Seal U, and the European launch of its new brand Denza, China’s largest EV maker, BYD wowed the crowds at the IAA Mobility in Munich. In the backyard of the German premium carmakers, the boss of BYD Europe also announced that the final […]
September 06, 2023
“We don’t partake in price wars; it is unsustainable,” said Thomas Schäfer, boss of the VW brand at the IAA Mobility 2023 in Munich. He bluntly forgot about his company’s operations in China. After a sales revival for the discounted ID.3, Volkswagen’s Chinese joint venture VW-FAW is repeating the move for its sibling ID.4. Today, […]
September 04, 2023
At IAA Münich, Smart has revealed more details about its second model, the #3. Though it shares much of its technology with the boxier #1, the coupé cross-over is the largest car the brand has ever launched and is similarly sized to the Volkswagen ID.5. Smart’s compact crossover will be available to order in the […]
August 31, 2023
South Korean carmaker Kia is launching its EV5 compact SUV in China at a record-low price of 159 800 yuan, some 20 000 euros, Korean media write. That’s way below Tesla’s budget Model Y, a ‘price breaker’ that starts at 263 900 yuan (€33 245). Kia said it would launch the EV5 first in China […]
August 29, 2023
BYD Co Ltd (Build Your Dreams), China’s best-selling EV brand, has tripled its net profit for the third quarter with a 6.82 billion yuan total (€0,86 billion) or a 144.7% increase. That’s impressive again, thanks to record deliveries but less than the first quarter, where profits fivefolded. BYD sold 612 425 battery-only EVs in the […]
August 24, 2023
China’s number one car brand, BYD, is bringing a sixth model to Europe. It is dubbed the Seal U and represents an SUV version of its compact sibling. The car must rival Europe’s best-selling EV, the Tesla Model Y, relying on cost-saving LFP batteries and an 800-volt onboard network for faster charging. The public premiere […]
August 23, 2023
In China, a car blogger has posted on microblogging website Weibo a series of pictures of a new heavily camouflaged NIO model that allegedly would be the first of the pristine sub-brand Alps. That brand is one of two – the other being Firefly – NIO wants to position in a price range under its […]
August 21, 2023
Sales keep troubling the German automotive giant Volkswagen Group. Its latest results published on Friday report encouraging growth for the Western European market, but registrations are further decreasing in the crucial Chinese marketplace. In July, Volkswagen delivered 770 000 vehicles, an increase of 12,8% compared to 2022, which was particularly cumbersome because of supply chain […]
August 21, 2023
California-based Faraday Future, a start-up with Chinese roots and describing itself as ‘a global shared intelligent electric mobility ecosystem company’ has finally delivered its first car, the ‘FF 91 2.0 Futurist Alliance’ to a luxury car dealership based in Costa Mesa, California, called PCM (Private Collection Motors). The first group of ‘distinguished users’ and Developer […]
August 17, 2023
The KIA EV5 will normally be revealed at China’s AutoChengdu on August 25, but as usual, the very first official pictures of the production version are already leaked via the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), picked up by CarNewsChina. Pictures of the final version show that the newcomer is very similar to the […]
August 17, 2023
On Monday, the major Chinese automotive group, Geely, officially announced the birth of another ‘daughter’, its new Ji Yue brand. Created in common with Baidu, China’s dominant internet search engine company, it’ll launch its first model by the end of this year. However, the Ji Yue 01, the new flagship model, isn’t new. We know […]
August 16, 2023
Less range and a lower price. In the United States, Tesla has reiterated the Standard versions of the Model S and Model X. Both versions cost more than 10 000 dollars less than the Long Range models, which were already discounted significantly this year as part of Tesla’s price war. Selling the more prominent models […]
August 14, 2023
Chinese tech company Huawei has released pictures of its second car, an all-electric coupé-sedan codenamed EH3. Huwai’s CEO, Chengdong Yu released the images. The EH3 is believed to experience its public debut at Chengdu Auto Show, opening doors on the 25th of August. As a well-known telecommunications and information technology provider, the car industry is a […]
August 10, 2023
Who can stop BYD on its impressive growth path? On Wednesday, the Chinese car and battery maker unveiled that it had produced its fifth million ‘new energy vehicle’. That is BEVs and PHEVs combined. The news shortly after the company crossed the three-million mark and surpassed Volkswagen as the number one brand in China. The […]
August 08, 2023
Denza, BYD’s premium branch and joint venture with Mercedes-Benz, is launching two new SUVs back-to-back for the Chinese market. The first is an electric SUV called N7, which should fight against the Tesla Model Y thanks to a 91,4-kWh battery and up to 700 km of range (Chinese CLTC standard). The second is the N8, […]
July 31, 2023
After announcing the electric car cooperation between VW and Audi with the Chinese manufacturers Xpeng and SAIC, Group CEO Oliver Blume gave more details. He spoke about the opportunities for the VW brand with the Xpeng cooperation and what Audi plans to do with the SAIC technology. VW’s own PPE and SPP platforms are not […]
July 28, 2023
Chinese premium carmaker NIO is to open on August 8th its first ‘NIO HUB’ in the Netherlands, at a central point in Breukelen (Utrecht) near the A2 highway where all sales, delivery & return services are bundled. As an attention-seeker, NIO is showing exclusively for Europe the EP9 sportscar that established the track record for […]
July 28, 2023
China exported 2,34 million vehicles in the first half of the year, up 73% from last year, according to data released Thursday by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). Exports of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in the first half of the year amounted to 800 000 units, up 105% year-on-year, accounting for 34% of all […]
July 27, 2023
The Volkswagen brand has concluded a technological framework agreement for long-term cooperation with the Chinese electric car start-up Xpeng. The Wolfsburg-based company is also taking a stake of about 5% in Xpeng, and the Audi deal with SAIC was also confirmed by the Group. With the new collaboration with Xpeng, Volkswagen wants to further advance […]
July 26, 2023
Mercedes-Benz is trying to improve its sluggish BEV sales, especially in China, but also in other markets. The answer of CEO Ola Kälenius and his management team is to heighten the investments. “Sales may be slow for the moment; changing strategy would be really dangerous,” he says in an interview with the German Handelsblatt. According […]
July 25, 2023
Alliance partner Mitsubishi is discontinuing its China business. The Japanese carmaker justifies withdrawing from the Chinese market by saying that the shift from internal combustion to electric vehicles in China has hit its existing range, and sales have fallen far short of expectations. Production at the Changsha plant in Hunan province was already halted in […]
July 25, 2023
For weeks already, there have been rumors that VW’s daughter Audi is considering buying an electric car platform from a competitor in China. This comes as the VW Group’s SSP platform accumulates delays, and Audi can’t (and does not want to) wait longer. The company Audi is talking to is the Chinese SAIC Motor Corp. […]
July 19, 2023
It has become somewhat common these days for the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MITT) to leak pictures of future vehicles. The latest is the future Cadillac Optiq, a new entry-level electric SUV that will take place under the Lyriq and be built in China. Expected to go on sale in 2024, it’ll […]
July 14, 2023
Sixteen carmakers committed at Shanghai Auto Forum to fend off the ongoing price war in China. Among the underwriters was also the brand that kickstarted the spiral: Tesla. The agreement was an intention of good faith, not legally binding. Two days later, the deal was withdrawn, without any publicity, by the Chinese Association of Automotive […]
July 05, 2023
Expanding on its European presence, Chinese EV maker Nio has opened an innovation center in Berlin. It will be the hub for five teams focusing on digital technology. Nio is on a roll, as it also starts offering semi-solid-state batteries of 150 kW in China. As the automotive industry is gearing up for software-defined vehicles […]
July 03, 2023
Announcing its production and delivery numbers for the second quarter of 2023, Tesla posted a new record, beating analysts’ predictions. The company is well on track to achieve its annual goal of deliveries by the end of the year, meaning it would globally outperform Audi. But over in China, BYD is in a fierce fight […]
June 28, 2023
Chinese luxury brand Zeekr, daughter of Geely Holding Group and sister brand to Volvo and Lynk & Co, among others, is starting its European offensive by opening preordering for the Zeekr 001 and Zeekr X in the Netherlands and Sweden. The latter is Zeekr’s second ‘homeland’, where the Global Design Center and European R&D are […]
June 22, 2023
As the Chinese economy shows signs of slowing down, the government has extended the tax exemption for hybrids and electric cars to 2027. Buyers of these so-called new energy vehicles (NEV) skip the purchase tax. Since 2014, the Chinese government doesn’t impose a ten percent purchase tax on electrified cars to support their adoption and […]
June 21, 2023
The ‘tsunami’ of Chinese EVs is reaching European shores with yet another brand, Human Horizon’s flagships HiPhi X and Z, available now in Norway and Germany. With prices above €100 000 euros, these are not your average budget cars, and they’re bluntly targeting the heart of Europe’s premium car market, armed with luxury and high-tech. […]
June 20, 2023
After launching the Han, Tang, and Atto 3 in Europe late last year, the Chinese EV leader BYD (Build Your Dreams) is expanding its European portfolio with two more models previously launched in China: the Dolphin hatchback and the Seal sedan. The Dolphin, the first to be deliverable from the fourth quarter of 2023, is […]
June 19, 2023
Chinese carmaker BYD eyes one-tenth of the electric vehicle market in Germany. The ambition was made public by its sales director Lars Pauly, who didn’t commit to timing for the target. BYD’s commercial start in dedicated markets in Europe is very fresh. But the brand obviously aims to make its mark. “We want to have […]
June 19, 2023
According to the European Court of Auditors, Europe’s plan of becoming a world leader in battery development and production is at risk. The stakes are high. If Europe fails in shaping up, the energy transition can falter, while it might also affect the 2035 ban on combustion engines. In 2018, the European Union issued the Battery […]
June 12, 2023
The Zeekr X is the first model from Geely’s young premium brand to journey to the European market soon. In China, the series production has started. The car will be ready for delivery at the end of this week. Later this year, Zeekr’s smallest will be launched in Europe, starting in Sweden and the Netherlands. […]
June 01, 2023
Chinese car manufacturer Great Wall Motor is looking into acquiring a European EV plant in order to support its international expansion. Building a new plant in Germany, Hungary or the Czech Republic would be an option, but the company is also looking to buy an existing plant. Great Wall Motor, known in Europe for the […]
May 31, 2023
Chinese car manufacturer Great Wall Motors has accused rival BYD of not complying with Chinese environmental standards with two of its hybrid models. According to Great Wall, the fuel tanks of these models were leaking noxious fumes. BYD has responded by denying these accusations, citing independent national certifications. The accusations come from testing performed by […]
May 23, 2023
Chinese car giant Geely is increasing its interest in iconic British sports car brands. The owner of Lotus has raised its share in Aston Martin to 17 percent, a little more than a half year after it stepped in, buying 7,6 percent in September last year. Geely is now the third-biggest shareholder of Aston Martin. […]
May 23, 2023
Chinese battery maker Gotion High-Tech, a company heavily backed by Volkswagen, has unveiled its L600 battery. Its cells use lithium manganese ferro phosphate chemistry capable of providing a range of 1 000 kilometers. Under the optimistic Chinese driving cycle, that is. Battery packs promising 1 000 kilometers of range aren’t new, but until today, these […]
May 12, 2023
French President, Emmanuel Macron, could announce a reform of the government’s EV bonus plan. The suggestion could be based on the vehicle’s carbon footprint, thus excluding cars produced in heavy-polluting countries such as China. However, it’s easier said than done. For a few months now, France has considered a way to exclude vehicles built far […]
May 11, 2023
BMW has promised a prototype by 2025. Toyota says it has developers working like ants to make it work. And specialist Dotstore says we shouldn’t expect them before the beginning of the next decade. And then there’s Chinese EV start-up Nio, who filed for three BEV models with assumed solid-state technology expected to hit the […]
May 03, 2023
Until now, Cupra has been absent in China because of the cost and the risk involved. But with the Tavascan being made in China, the VW Group is looking into launching a new EV sub-brand for its Chinese-built models, according to Automobilwoche. The Spanish SUV coupé would lead the charge for this unnamed sub-brand. The […]
April 28, 2023
On its home turf, Chinese car giant BYD has beaten Volkswagen and is currently the number one brand in sales. Also, the brand doubled its registrations worldwide, boosting its profit fivefold during the first quarter of 2023. At Auto Shanghai, Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume stated, “BYD is very, very strong”. Reporting on its sales for […]
April 27, 2023
The latest study from the International Energy Agency (IEA) reveals a significant jump in the adoption of electric cars around the globe. In a year-on-year comparison, the share has risen from 9% in 2021 to 14% in 2022, a new record. Expectations for this year are a further rise of 35%. In its yearly ‘Global […]
April 26, 2023
Maxus has filled the gap in its range between the compact eDeliver3 and the large (e)Deliver9 with the eDeliver 7, an electric 1-ton van set to compete with the likes of the Ford E-Transit Custom, Peugeot e-Expert, and the Mercedes eVito. Maxus, part of the SAIC group along with the new MG, is further expanding […]
April 21, 2023
Chinese premium carmaker Nio wants to move down the ladder. Under the codename Firefly, its CEO confirmed that a new subbrand is in the making, which will focus on Europe and aims at launching a small EV below the €25 000 mark to rival the forthcoming Volkswagen ID.2. Nio CEO Lihong Qin unveiled the plans […]
April 21, 2023
As the top-selling New Energy Vehicle brand in China, BYD didn’t miss out on its appointment at Auto Shanghai 2023. Instead, the brand showcased the concept car Song L, kickstarted pre-sales of the compact Seagull, and launched the Chaser 07. The latter is a plug-in hybrid, which applies to the NEV category. Starting with the […]
April 18, 2023
Polestar has thrown the rear window, well, out of the window on its latest addition to the range. Though the number in its nametag suggests otherwise, the cross-over coupé 4 slots exactly between the sedan 2 and the larger SUV 3. The new model was unveiled at the press day of Auto Shanghai. Swedish-Chinese EV […]
April 17, 2023
HiPhi, the young Chinese brand of the Human Horizons Group, is one step closer to launching in European markets. Its first model, the SUV called X, already for a while on sale in its homeland, completed TÜV SÜD testing in Germany successfully. The futuristic-looking Z sedan-GT and a compact SUV, called Y, just announced as […]
April 14, 2023
Images and preliminary info of MG’s all-electric roadster have been released before its official debut at the Chinese motor show Auto Shanghai later this month. The body type of a roadster is historically rooted in the back-then British brand, but this new version is in every sense a modern take on that old formula. Instead […]
April 11, 2023
Airbus Helicopters, the helicopter manufacturing division of the European aircraft giant Airbus, has signed a contract to supply 50 H160 helicopters to GDAT, one of China’s largest helicopter leasing and operating companies. The order is estimated to be worth between 750 million and 1 billion dollars. It is the most significant H160 order in the […]
April 03, 2023
It looks like, besides Zeekr, there is no end coming to Chinese EV brands that are targeting to land in Europe. HiPhi, the brand of the Human Horizons Group founded in 2018, will launch in some European markets later this year, a company executive told Reuters press agency. Today it sells the HiPhi X SUV […]
