How BYD’s Yangwang U9 Xtreme prevents going airborne at 496.22 km/h

September 22, 2025

BYD’s latest version of its luxury sports car, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme, has set a new record as the world’s fastest production car, clocking a top speed of 496.22 km per hour (308.34 mph) at the ATP test facility, an independent automotive proving ground in Papenburg, Germany. Many passenger planes lift the nose for takeoff […]

Two Xpeng ‘flying cars’ collide at air show in China

September 18, 2025

Two Xpeng AeroHT eVTOLs collided at an air show in Changchun, China, according to various Chinese and American media reports. At least one passenger was taken to the hospital with injuries, but these are not believed to be life-threatening. The cause of the accident is still unclear. There have been relatively few incidents involving eVTOLs, […]

China prepares to outlaw retractable car door handles over safety fears

September 17, 2025

China is poised to ban retractable car door handles by 2027, following a series of fatal crashes that have exposed the dangers of a feature once hailed as a marker of futuristic design. Flush-mounted handles, popularized by Tesla and copied by numerous electric vehicle makers, are designed to sit flat against the car body until […]

AUDI’s China-only E5 Sportback wins +10,000 orders in thirty minutes

September 17, 2025

Volkswagen Group’s premium Audi brand is fighting back in the world’s largest car market with a range of new, more extended versions of its models under the joint SAIC-AUDI (styled in all capitals) brand. And the first of the line-up for mass production, the E5 Sportback is hot: 10,153 orders within 30 minutes of launch […]

First EU-assembled XPeng G6 and G9 roll off Magna Steyr line in Austria

September 16, 2025

In Graz, Austria, the first European-assembled models of the Chinese Xpeng G6 and G9 have rolled off the production line. The factory will initially assemble the two SUV models, but additional Xpeng vehicles are in the planning for the future. For Xpeng, which started selling in Norway in 2021 and has since expanded to over […]

‘Chinese Dyson’ to challenge Bugatti with vacuum cleaner tech (update)

September 12, 2025

After announcing it at the end of August, Chinese Dreame Technology has unveiled the first render images of the electric supercar it wants to build to challenge other supercars like Bugatti. And you might even see ‘some resemblance’ to the actual Bugatti Chiron, successor to the Veyron. Dreame has ambitions to build this car even […]

Hongqi unveils Model Y rival and promises 15 new EU models by 2028

September 11, 2025

Chinese luxury carmaker Hongqi has announced that its latest electric SUV, the EHS5, will come to Europe as part of an ambitious plan to launch 15 new electric and hybrid models by 2028. The brand, known in China as the ‘Red Flag’, hopes the car will help it break into a crowded market dominated by […]

GAC officially enters Europe with Aion V

September 11, 2025

Chinese state-owned automaker Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) has officially entered the European market with the launch of its first global model, the Aion V electric SUV. The debut took place at the IAA Mobility show in Munich, where the company presented five models. The Aion V had previously been unveiled at the Paris Motor Show […]

Are the Chinese carmakers invading Europe?

September 10, 2025

At the IAA Mobility show in Munich, we can see an avalanche of Chinese carmakers expanding their European offer and/or preparing themselves to expand into the European market. On the other hand, we saw the leading German brands pull out all the stops in their efforts to counter the ‘Chinese invasion’. There are a lot […]

Changan shows Deepal S05 SUV at IAA Mobility

September 10, 2025

Following the Deepal S07, the Chinese car manufacturer Changan is now also introducing the smaller electric SUV Deepal S05 in Europe. The European Deepal S05, which was just unveiled at the IAA trade show in Munich, will start at a list price of €38,990 in Germany. The Deepal S07 was introduced in Europe in March […]

Seres-Huawei to unleash three ‘premium’ Aito crossovers on Europe

September 10, 2025

Some analysts say IAA Munich looks more like a Shanghai auto show extension these days, as Chinese brands are all competing for European customers’ favor. The Seres-Huawei joint venture adds some more heat by unleashing three Aito-rebranded crossovers on the Old Continent. Contrary to the low-budget Seres 3 we know in Belgium today, Aito is […]

Leapmotor B05: electric hatchback made for and in Europe?

September 09, 2025

Leapmotor, the Chinese manufacturer distributed internationally by Stellantis, has unveiled its latest European model at the IAA Mobility in Munich. The Leapmotor B05 is a compact electric hatchback, based on the same platform as the B10 SUV. It’s not only aimed at European customers, but will also be produced in Spain. The Leapmotor B05 will […]

Renault-Geely’s Horse shows ultra compact C15 range extender

September 08, 2025

Horse Powertrain, the Renault-Geely joint venture founded in 2023-2024 to develop next-generation low-emission powertrains, has presented a new ultra-compact range extender system at IAA Mobility 2025, the Horse C15. Why does it matter? REEVs (Range-Extended EVs) offer a pragmatic middle ground between battery-only and hybrid drives, with a gasoline engine used as a generator only […]

Driving Xpeng’s G9: amazingly ‘blistering’ and generous for its price

September 04, 2025

It definitely sounds Chinese in Western ears: Xpeng. Still, it’s steadily making a name for itself, with G9 SUV, G6 SUV, and P7 sedan in over 20 European countries, with aggressive expansion plans aiming to enter 60 global markets by the end of 2025. We drove two of them on German roads, the refreshed midsize […]

Volvo sets date for EX60 reveal, targets longest range yet

September 04, 2025

Volvo is preparing to launch what could become its most important EV yet. The EX60, a midsize electric SUV set to debut January 21st, 2026, in Stockholm, will deliver the most extended range of any Volvo to date and go head-to-head with the Tesla Model Y, Porsche Macan EV, and Mercedes-Benz GLC with EG Technology […]

China installs twice as much solar energy capacity as rest of world combined

September 02, 2025

According to a recent report from energy thin tank Ember, China has installed 256 gigawatts of additional solar capacity in the first half of this year – more than two-thirds of the global total and more than double the amount installed in the first half of 2024. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Chinese […]

Leapmotor finally picks Spain over Poland for European production 

September 01, 2025

Chinese electric vehicle maker Leapmotor has selected Stellantis’ assembly plant in Zaragoza to establish its first European manufacturing base. While the car group’s Tychy plant had already produced some vehicles from Leapmotor, Poland has politically fallen out of favour and seems to have lost its assembly slot to Spain. The rumors were growing over Leapmotor’s […]

VW’s Chinese subsidiary Jetta to develop EVs

September 01, 2025

The Jetta brand, VW’s brand for China and part of Volkswagen’s joint venture with FAW, wants to launch five new models by 2028, including four New Energy Vehicles. The first model is expected to launch in 2026, reportedly for a price equivalent to less than €12,000. In China, Jetta is no longer the Golf-format sedan […]

BYD rides sales surge but margins shrink in price war

September 01, 2025

BYD, the world’s biggest maker of electric vehicles, is selling record numbers of cars but has reported its first fall in profits in more than two years. The toll of a fierce price war in China’s car industry turns BYD’s strategy into a balancing act. The Shenzhen-based carmaker sold almost 2.2 million vehicles in the […]

Volvo confirms XC70 plug-in hybrid SUV coming to Europe after China debut

August 28, 2025

Volvo Cars’ new XC70 plug-in hybrid SUV will not be limited to China after all. The automaker has confirmed that the long-range model, originally unveiled with a focus on the Chinese market, will also be offered in Europe, expanding its role within the brand’s global electrification strategy. The XC70 revives one of the most familiar […]

BYD’s 3,000-hp YangWang U9 Track Edition hits 472 km/h

August 27, 2025

BYD’s overclocked electric hypercar has set a top speed record in Germany. The 3,000-hp YangWang U9 Track Edition, which was leaked only a few weeks ago, reached a top speed of 472 km/h at the ATP test track in Papenburg. And even faster seemed possible, were it not for some stability issues. The electric performance […]

BYD ships first Thai-made EVs to Europe in bid to dodge tariffs

August 27, 2025

China’s BYD has started exporting electric cars from its Thai factory to Europe. In anticipation of the start of its production site in Hungary, the Chinese EV maker uses this bypass to skip its 17.4% excess tariffs. As products imported from Thailand into the EU are exempt from import levies, the new route is expected […]

Survey: ‘One out of three Dutch favors Chinese car over American’

August 26, 2025

A new online survey by the market research access panel, PanelWizzard, with 1,010 drivers, shows that one in three Dutch people prefers driving a Chinese car over an American car like Tesla or Ford to date. “Chinese brands are on the rise in Europe. We see that in our showrooms as well, and to be […]

Nio slashes next-gen flagship ES8’s price by 25% ‘to survive’ (update)

August 26, 2025

Chinese premium EV maker Nio has revealed the new price of the third-generation flagship SUV ES8 (sold as the EL8 in Europe), the biggest electric SUV on the market, and while the car is bigger and supposed to be better on the new 900-volt platform, the price is cut by 101,800 yuan (€12,155) or 25% […]

Buick shows electric future with Electra Orbit Concept

August 25, 2025

A few weeks ago, General Motors unveiled the brand-new Buick Electra Orbit Concept globally, “a new design exploration that fuses Buick heritage with futuristic EV technology”. The automaker unveiled the Buick Electra Orbit Concept in early August in Shanghai, where the concept prototype was conceived and developed by GM China’s Advanced Design Center to inspire […]

Hyundai & Kia unite with South-Korean battery makers to counter China

August 25, 2025

Hyundai and sister brand Kia have forged an unprecedented alliance with South Korea’s three largest battery producers in a bid to strengthen electric vehicle safety and restore the nation’s competitive edge against China’s growing dominance. At Hyundai’s Namyang R&D Center, both automakers signed a memorandum of understanding with LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, and SK […]

Is Antwerp-based e-truckmaker Windrose facing bankruptcy? 

August 22, 2025

Windrose Technology, the Chinese electric truck developer headquartered in Antwerp, might face insolvency. One of its senior executives publicly accused the company of failing to pay employees, while staging misleading announcements. Windrose’s Director of Customer Success and Operations, Kyle Maki, wrote on LinkedIn that the company is now 90 days behind on payroll and has […]

Is buying EVs straight from China delivered to your door a smart move?

August 22, 2025

Chinese electric cars tend to be sold at half the price in their homeland than in Europe. If a company like China EV Marketplace announces it is launching a new door-to-door service for European customers, enabling them to purchase road-legal EVs directly from China, and handling most of the annoying stuff for you, is it […]

Tesla backtracks on turn signal stalk removal and retrofits it

August 20, 2025

Tesla is reversing one of its most controversial design decisions. Two years after stripping the Model 3 of its traditional steering column stalks in the Highland refresh, the automaker is now reintroducing the turn signal lever—at least in China. The decision is not about giving customers options, but instead admitting a design flaw due to […]

Farizon expands SV range with double cab and taxi variants

August 19, 2025

Farizon’s SuperVan, or SV, is getting two new model variants. The mid-sized van is now able to accommodate up to seven passengers in the Taxi configuration, or up to six people in the Combi spec, which still retains a functional cargo space of up to 5 m³. Both variants were introduced in Hong Kong and […]

From Belgian comics to cars: Geely debuts the Smurf micro-EV

August 18, 2025

Geely Group’s Livan Automotive has pulled the covers off its latest entry in China’s booming micro-EV segment. It bears a name that is all too familiar to the Belgian public: the Livan Smurf, named after the beloved comic characters from Peyo, is a compact, four-seat hatchback priced to compete directly with bestsellers like the Wuling […]

VW and Xpeng expand cooperation, now also for ICE cars

August 18, 2025

Volkswagen and its Chinese partner Xpeng have been developing a joint E/E architecture, set to be integrated into the Wolfsburg-based carmaker’s EV platforms CMP and MEB. Now, both companies have decided to extend the partnership to include plug-in hybrids and internal combustion engine models. These will be plug-in hybrid and ICE models sold exclusively in […]

Mercedes CEO sees three big challenges in the car industry

August 12, 2025

The head of German carmaker Mercedes-Benz has highlighted the challenges facing the company in an interview with the German business newspaper Handelsblatt. CEO Ola Källenius, also the current President of ACEA, warns of a European car market collapse if the ban on ICE vehicles in 2035 is implemented. Källenius proposes to drop an actual date […]

BYD kicks off production of rugged Fang Cheng Bao Ti7

August 12, 2025

BYD’s latest model in the Fang Cheng Bao range, which produces rugged-looking SUVs, has started production in China. The Fang Cheng Bao Ti7 is the second-largest model in the range and sports a plug-in hybrid drivetrain. It may also come to Europe under the Denza umbrella. The Fang Cheng Bao Ti7 takes over the same […]

Lithium prices soar after CATL suspending major Chinese mine

August 12, 2025

Global lithium markets are surging after the world’s largest battery manufacturer, China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), suspended operations at one of the country’s biggest mines. The shutdown followed after the Beijing administration blocked the mine’s permit to curb industrial overcapacity. The Jianxiawo mine is no small working field. It accounts for an estimated 5-6% of […]

BYD’s 3,000 hp Yangwang U9 Track Edition shatters horsepower record

August 11, 2025

BYD’s luxury performance brand Yangwang is preparing to unleash one of the most powerful electric cars ever built. New regulatory filings in China reveal a Track Edition of its U9 supercar boasting more than 3,000 hp. Lotus Evija and Rimac Nevera: beware! China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) regularly discloses models ahead of […]

Hyundai launches first EV specially for China

August 11, 2025

As part of its 2024 joint venture with BAIC, Beijing Hyundai will launch the EO in September, its first EV developed specifically for China. The production model of the electric SUV, formerly known as the Elexio, will be called the EO and is scheduled to hit the Chinese market in September 2025. Beijing Hyundai reportedly […]

Xpeng’s new P7 surges: 10,000 orders in under seven minutes

August 07, 2025

Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng has set a new internal sales record with the launch of its new-generation P7 saloon, drawing more than 10,000 pre-orders just 6 minutes and 37 seconds after bookings opened. The response marks the fastest uptake for any Xpeng model to date. It highlights Xpeng as a new force to be […]

Market exit in China looms for Polestar

August 06, 2025

Polestar’s presence in China, once considered a crucial pillar of its global electric vehicle ambitions, is rapidly eroding. The Swedish-Chinese brand has seen its retail footprint in the country shrink to a single store in Shanghai, while online sales have been suspended and test drives are only available by phone appointment. For many observers, this […]

EV sales rebound globally says PwC

July 29, 2025

Global sales of electric cars are picking up speed again, driven by strong growth in China and renewed momentum in Europe, according to a new analysis by consulting firm PwC. In the first half of the year, more than 5.9 million battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were registered worldwide, a 37% increase compared to the same […]

New MG4 debuts semi-solid state batteries but don’t expect miracles

July 22, 2025

The all-new MG4, the Chinese brand’s new budget electric hatchback, will debut a new type of battery technology that bridges the gap between current technology and the highly anticipated solid-state batteries. However, the numbers of the MG4’s ‘semi-solid’ state batteries aren’t as impressive as you might think. MG promised last year that it would debut […]

BMW’s Neue Klasse gets Momenta’s China-specific smart driving tech

July 15, 2025

According to Chinese media, BMW has signed a deal with leading Chinese autonomous-driving technology company Momenta for its Neue Klasse smart driving systems (ADAS). Momenta will provide localized L2/L3 smart driving software, including city and highway navigation systems trained on Chinese roads with specific infrastructure. It’s not uncommon for a Western carmaker to work with a […]

Volkswagen closes Nanjing factory in China

July 14, 2025

Volkswagen and SAIC close their joint plant in Nanjing, China. Production has already come to a standstill. In Nanjing, the partners had mainly built combustion models such as the VW Passat and Skoda Superb. Production is now moving to a nearby plant. There had already been rumors last year about the closure of the plant […]

All-new MG4 has entered production

July 14, 2025

MG has started producing the second-generation MG4 electric hatchback in SAIC’s Nanjing factory. The new MG4 falls in line with the design of the Cyberster and is a collaboration with tech expert Oppo, which supplies the in-car infotainment system. The MG4 will launch in China in August and will likely come to European shores as […]

In China BYD lets your car park itself and pays if it hits another one

July 10, 2025

Chinese top EV maker BYD has announced that its cars, equipped with God’s Eye ADAS systems, will be able to park themselves completely autonomously without the need for a driver. BYD is so confident that it says it will pay for any damages the car may cause, including hitting other vehicles. On the Chinese Weibo […]

Not Ghent but Slovakia will build Polestar’s mass-market model 7

July 03, 2025

Polestar is staking its European future on a new production strategy that focuses on local manufacturing for regional markets. The Swedish electric performance brand, owned by China’s Geely, confirmed this week that its upcoming Polestar 7 will roll off the lines at Volvo Cars’ under-construction factory in Košice, Slovakia.  The 7 marks the premium brand’s […]

BNEF expects 22 million passenger EV sales this year, up 25%

July 03, 2025

The American research organization BloombergNEF (BNEF), widely regarded as an authority in global analyses across various domains, including electric mobility and clean energy, expects EV sales to surge this year like never before, with a 25% increase to 22 million vehicles. Nearly two-thirds of those 22 million will be sold in China, 17% in Europe—a […]

Political party MR wants to relaunch mining in Belgium

July 02, 2025

The French-speaking liberal party MR wants to relaunch mining in Belgium. They advocate rebuilding a full value chain, from mine to recycling. After all, the energy transition is driving up demand for metals, and Europe needs to reduce its dependence on China in particular, according to the party’s study center. “If we have an idea […]

Leapmotor B01 launched in China: mid-size EV saloon for €12,500

June 30, 2025

Leapmotor has launched its latest model in China: the B01 electric saloon. The 4.77-meter-long EV has a CLTC range of up to 650 km, is available with LiDAR-assisted semi-autonomous driving technology, and can be purchased in China for 105,800 RMB, or just under €12,600. Leapmotor is one of the more successful Chinese new-energy vehicle (NEV) […]

Rush on Tesla Y-killer Xiaomi YU7: 200.000 sold in three minutes

June 27, 2025

It was announced as China’s latest Tesla Y-killer, and it lives up to the expectations, creating a virtual ‘stampede’ within minutes of its official launch on Thursday. Xiaomi claims to have received over 200,000 confirmed orders in three minutes for its newest YU7 electric SUV, a vehicle that resembles a Ferrari Purosangue and nearly outperforms […]

Global EV sales in 2024: China by far in the lead

June 26, 2025

The financial analysis platform TradingPedia analyzed global sales of electrified vehicles worldwide in 2024 by examining new car registration data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) and the International Energy Agency (IEA). The fact that China is by far the leading country in EV sales is confirmed here. According to TradingPedia research, China led […]

BYD levels up the game with 700-km B13.b electric intercity bus

June 25, 2025

BYD is leveling up the game for electric buses once again. After presenting the B12 at Busworld Europe 2023 in Brussels, the first model with a Blade Battery integrated into the chassis, the Chinese manufacturer has now unveiled the B13.b at the UITP Summit in Hamburg. This low-entry 13-meter electric intercity bus surpasses the B12 […]

NIO’s sub-brand Firefly launches Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) rental

June 25, 2025

Firefly, Chinese premium EV maker NIO’s sub-brand, launches its own ‘BaaS’ offer in China, allowing customers to buy an EV and rent the battery instead of purchasing it. This ‘Battery-as-a-Service’, already offered by NIO and its other brand, Onvo,  reduces the initial purchase price by more than 30%. The starting price of its – for […]

De Lijn’s first Chinese e-buses from BYD hit the streets

June 24, 2025

Since Monday, June 23rd, the Flemish public transport company De Lijn has officially put its first electric buses, manufactured by the Chinese company BYD, into service. These are the first of 92 e-buses ordered. At Jacob Autocars, which is part of Hansea, one of the largest private bus companies in Belgium that also provides transport […]

Another Chinese EV, Voyah Courage comes to Belgium

June 23, 2025

The Voyah Courage, a “premium” electric SUV built by Chinese conglomerate Dongfeng Motor, is coming to Belgium this summer. The brand is distributed by the Ghistelinck group, with one dealership currently located near Ghent. And while the specs seem decent, we still don’t know the price. Voyah is part of Dongfeng Motor’s plan to conquer […]

Chery introduces Omoda 9 SHS PHEV in Belgium and Netherlands

June 23, 2025

Chery Group—China’s largest vehicle exporter—announces a second model, alongside the Omoda 5 (ICE and EV), the flagship SUV, the Omoda 9 SHS. This one isn’t fully electric, but it is a plug-in hybrid with an electric range of 145 km, and it is offered for €52,900. The Omoda 9 is known in China as the […]

Autonomous braking at 130 km/h: Xpeng G7 shows how

June 19, 2025

Having your car braking automatically in an emergency at 130 km per hour and coming to a complete standstill without hitting the obstacle. Some cars can do that today, and Xpeng shows how to do it with its newest G7 SUV equipped with a Turing AI chip, even at night. Xpeng shared a video on […]

Huawei’s bet on 3000 km range solid state battery

June 18, 2025

A sulfide-based solid-state battery that promises a range of over 3,000 kilometers and can be charged in as little as five minutes? It’s hard to believe, given that we’ve been hearing for years that solid-state batteries are still a decade away, but when a giant like Huawei files a patent for it, there’s no smoke […]

290 extra e-buses for De Lijn, fifty ‘made in Belgium’

June 13, 2025

After a year of dragging its feet on greening its fleet, the Flemish public transport company now seems to be reaching full cruising speed in terms of curbing its CO2. On top of the 230 new buses currently being delivered, De Lijn is ordering another 290 electric buses. This investment of 185 million euros aligns […]

Xpeng starts pre-sales of its mid-size fully electric G7 SUV in China

June 13, 2025

Chinese carmaker Xpeng has launched its G7 SUV in China, anticipating future models, including a sleeker, sportier successor to the original P7 flagship sedan, in Q3 2025. With 4,892 mm in length, 1,925 mm in width, and 1,655 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,890 mm, it sits neatly in between the G6 and G9 […]

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