May 26, 2025
With sales leveling off last year, Mazda Belgium remains on a steady course. The all-new, all-electric 6e is gaining traction and could reposition the brand in the fleet sector. But despite strong interest, the new model won’t drive up total sales, as key models are aging. Mazda Motor Corp. reported global sales of 1.3 million […]
May 23, 2025
On Xiaomi’s 15th anniversary, CEO Lei Jun introduced the company’s first electric SUV, the YU7, marking another step in its automotive transition following the SU7 sedan. Lei confirmed that Xiaomi has delivered over 258,000 units of the SU7. The YU7 is a fairly large electric SUV built on the company’s Modena platform. It measures 4999 […]
May 22, 2025
Chinese carmaker BYD is making another push into the European electric vehicle market, this time at the more affordable end of the spectrum. Its new compact model, the Dolphin Surf, launched this week in several continental markets, including Belgium, arrives with a promise that could rattle established players: fully electric motoring for just under €22,000. […]
May 22, 2025
It’s no secret that the global car industry is undergoing a power shift, but the numbers suggest that the United States are more severely on the back foot than generally assumed. A new benchmark report by Chinese manufacturing network RapidDirect places the U.S. a distant fifth among the world’s top automotive producers—well behind China, Germany, […]
May 19, 2025
The Chinese holding company Geely posted a sharp rise in first-quarter profit. Record sales and cost controls helped the automaker tighten its grip on its fast-moving domestic market. But in the near future, the Chinese car group, which owns Volvo, Polestar, and others, will face mounting export pressures and, consequently, push for a corporate restructuring. […]
May 16, 2025
Planet Earth is heading for more than 1.5 degrees of global warming. A disturbing new calculation shows that the rate of warming is now twice as fast as it was at the end of the 20th century. The climate goal the world set itself ten years ago in Paris was to limit global warming to […]
May 16, 2025
Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD will establish its European headquarters and a significant research and development hub in Budapest. The investment is part of a €248 million expansion into Hungary. It underlines the company’s growth ambitions and the Orban government’s close ties with Beijing. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and BYD’s chairman and chief executive, Wang […]
May 15, 2025
According to the latest report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), electric vehicle sales are on course to top 20 million globally in 2025, marking a significant milestone for the automotive sector. This figure translates to one in every four new cars sold this year being electric—a remarkable rise considering the lingering economic uncertainty and […]
May 14, 2025
Changan Mazda, the Japanese manufacturer’s Chinese joint venture, has signed a memorandum of cooperation with CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd.) to use the battery expert’s new CIIC (cell-to-chassis) skateboard platform. This will allow for high efficiency and a shorter development time for new electric cars. The skateboard chassis includes a base structure or a […]
May 13, 2025
Electrified cars have overtaken gasoline and diesel models in China’s vast passenger car market for the first time. In March, so-called new energy vehicles (NEVs), which include battery-electric and plug-in hybrid models, accounted for 51.1% of all retail car sales in the country. The milestone signals not just the rapid maturation of China’s electric vehicle […]
May 13, 2025
BYD’s latest all-electric saloon, the e7, has quietly begun arriving at dealerships across China after it was previously leaked. The e7 is expected to be priced very low, potentially starting at 70,000 yuan or under €10,000, making it one of the world’s most affordable full-sized EV sedans. The model offers a stripped-down but capable alternative […]
May 13, 2025
Chinese premier EV maker NIO has its flagship sedan, the ET9, certified for steer-by-wire (SWB), a first for Europe, after the regulator in its homeland did the same in December 2024. There is no longer a mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the turning wheels. Still, NIO claims its system is fully redundant, making […]
May 12, 2025
MG has opened the order books for its newest electric SUV in Europe: the MGS5 EV. This succeeds the ZS EV, which kicked off the nameplate’s renaissance in Europe. The MGS5 EV is still an electric SUV, but boasts improvements in pretty much all areas without touching the affordable price tag. MG, the former British […]
May 08, 2025
German carmaker BMW Group reported a 26.4% drop in first-quarter net profit to €2.2 billion, as weak demand in China weighed on earnings. Revenues fell 7.8% to €33.8 billion as global vehicle deliveries dropped 1.4% to 586,117 units, driven by a decline in China amid intense market competition. “Given the sustained demand for its attractive […]
May 08, 2025
The new Volvo XC70 mid-size SUV is Volvo Cars’ first extended-range plug-in hybrid. According to the Chinese CLTC standard, it provides a pure electric range of up to 200 kilometers, making it Volvo Cars’ longest-range plug-in hybrid. The new XC70 is designed to meet the demand for longer-range PHEVs in China, where it will be […]
May 07, 2025
Italian sports carmaker Ferrari is in roaring good health. Net revenues in the first three months of 2025 topped 1.79 billion, up 13.0% versus the prior year, and total shipments of 3,593 cars were 33 more than in the same period last year. Ferrari will announce six new models, which include the newly launched 296 […]
May 05, 2025
Lynk & Co, the Geely-Volvo-founded brand now operating under Zeekr, has officially launched its most ambitious product: the Lynk & Co 900. It’s a full-size plug-in hybrid SUV positioned to take on China’s fiercely competitive upper market. The 900, which was already unveiled at the beginning of the year, marks a bold step for the […]
April 30, 2025
Volvo Cars reports a group operating income (EBIT) of SEK 1.9 billion (€173 million) for the first quarter of 2025, following a drop in wholesales (-6%) and adverse currency effects. The result also reflects the current turbulence in the world and a challenging external environment for the automotive industry. To protect profitability, drive structural efficiencies […]
April 29, 2025
Chery’s Omoda grabs spotlights while the Shanghai Auto Show runs full steam. The brand took veils of one further model that is bound to be exported to Europe and Belgium. The Omoda 3 is a sharply styled compact crossover that targets younger buyers and competitors like the Kia EV3 and MG4. The Omoda 3 wasn’t […]
April 29, 2025
Omoda, a Chinese group Chery’s sub-brand, is expanding its range with the new flagship Omoda 9 SHS. The mid-sized SUV features a range-extended electric drivetrain with nearly 450 hp, a total driving range of over 1,100 km, and a luxurious interior, all for less than an entry-level BMW X3. Omoda was established as a brand […]
April 28, 2025
Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD extended its lead in the global EV race with a record-setting first-quarter profit. The carmaker solidified its dominance at home while advancing its global ambitions. But over in Europe, the brand shifted strategy as it struggled with its dealership footprint. The Shenzhen-based car maker’s net profit rose to 9.2 billion […]
April 25, 2025
In Shanghai, Chinese EV carmaker NIO has presented the flagship of its affordable sub-brand Onvo, the L90 large SUV. It’s pretty big, compared to its smaller sibling, the L60, with a length of 5,145 mm, a width of 1,998 mm, a height of 1,786 mm, and a wheelbase of 3,110 mm. Space and low price […]
April 24, 2025
Denza, BYD’s more premium-oriented brand, has unveiled a prototype of its latest model at Auto Shanghai: the Denza Z. It’s a two-door sports coupé with four seats and an all-electric drivetrain. It could compete with the Porsche 911, Maserati GranTurismo Folgore, and others for a much lower price than the BYD YangWang U9. Denza was […]
April 24, 2025
The Chery Group, one of China’s most important car exporters, didn’t fail to wow at the Shanghai Auto Show. As it stunned the local market with a flood of models, it also announced that it would bring two additional brands to Europe, aside from Jaecoo and Omoda. Lepas will compete with Dacia, while Jetour aims […]
April 24, 2025
Bad news for Chinese start-ups. As China’s electric vehicle market races toward saturation, industry insiders are sounding the alarm for the country’s well-known EV brands. Nio, Xpeng, and Li Auto, once hailed as the darlings of China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) boom, are now facing warnings from analysts and executives that their independent survival chances […]
April 23, 2025
On Wednesday, the Toyota bZ7 all-electric sedan debuted at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show as the first joint venture (GAC-Toyota) car equipped with Huawei’s HarmonyOS cockpit system, and developed specifically for the Chinese market. The official launch is expected to occur later this year. A Toyota bZ7 concept car previously appeared at the 2024 Guangzhou […]
April 23, 2025
Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its Vision V concept car, an electric van that showcases the future of the V-Class, which will be electrified and split into several models. The Vision V showcases the high-end option of the range, with a luxury interior filled to the brim with tech and comfort features. To recall, Mercedes-Benz is preparing […]
April 23, 2025
Volkswagen Group’s premium Audi brand is fighting back with a range of new, more extended versions of its models designed for the Chinese market, where wealthier consumers with chauffeurs often sit in the back of their cars. It also showcased the first vehicle of a new model line with a different logo from its famous […]
April 23, 2025
At the Shanghai Auto Show, currently the world’s biggest car exhibition, with over 1,000 exhibitors spread over 12 giant halls, more than a hundred world premieres are presented these days. One of the many remarkable is SAIC’s MG brand with a second car in the Cyber series after the Cyberster roadster: a boxy all-electric SUV […]
April 23, 2025
With no less than three concept cars from its three China joint ventures, VW provided a taste of the model offensive that will start in 2025 on the eve of Auto Shanghai. A total of 30 new vehicles are to be launched on the market by 2027. The three announced VW studies are the ID. […]
April 23, 2025
Is Europe’s light commercial vehicle market poised for disruption? Flynt, a Dutch-based startup with Chinese manufacturing muscle, unveils its first fully electric van. With its blend of European market insight and Chinese EV technology, the newcomer is betting big on clean urban logistics while meeting the hard-nosed demands of fleet operators. The company’s first model, […]
April 22, 2025
The world leader in EV batteries, Chinese CATL, which provides more than a third of the global needs, announced three innovations for the following months, with one that could change the industry drastically: it will be the first to start mass production of sodium-ion (Na+) batteries by the end of this year. Sodium is abundant […]
April 17, 2025
Leapmotor’s upcoming saloon, the B01, has been unveiled through its filing in China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s (MIIT) latest catalog. It is based on the B10 compact SUV and will get a similarly low price in China, but a European debut is not promised. Leapmotor is one of the more successful Chinese new-energy […]
April 17, 2025
China, a long time forerunner in autonomous driving features tested on public roads, is tightening the screws on that technology after an accident that shocked the nation. A dramatic accident in which three young female students were killed in a Xiaomi SU7 sedan that caught fire in March, apparently, was the last straw. Carmakers are […]
April 16, 2025
The Geely Panda Mini, the Chinese manufacturer’s cheapest electric vehicle, has been updated for 2025 with new exterior and interior styling. The two-seat microcar features a CLTC range of 210 km and is available in its domestic market from just €6,000. Geely, the parent company of several European car brands such as Volvo, Lotus, Polestar, […]
April 16, 2025
China has ordered its airlines to stop taking further deliveries from Boeing, the US manufacturer that, along with Airbus, ranks as one of the world’s largest aircraft producers. This reports news agency Bloomberg. This is a retaliatory measure in the trade war launched by US President Donald Trump. Beijing has also asked Chinese airlines to […]
April 16, 2025
Chinese electric car manufacturer Xpeng has unveiled its updated X9 for 2025, a luxury electric minivan with advanced comfort and driver assistance functions. The model has been on sale in China since 2024 but is now going international, with a European launch expected in the second half of 2025. Xpeng is already present in Europe, […]
April 16, 2025
As we wrote yesterday, the Zeekr 7X is launched in Europe as a trump card in the mid-size SUV segment. In China, the Geely daughter will also deliver this car’s shooting brake variant on the same 800V platform, the 007 GT, starting April 20th. In Europe, that one will be named simply Zeekr 7GT. Geely […]
April 15, 2025
Dongfeng has launched a new, affordable plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV in its home market of China: the Aeolus L7. It is available for less than €11,500 and features an official total driving range of up to 1,500 km, but the Chinese manufacturer has smashed the on-paper performance by achieving over 2,200 km in a real-world […]
April 11, 2025
Will the EU’s punitive tariffs on Chinese EVs soon end? The European Union and China have opened formal talks on setting minimum prices for Chinese electric vehicles sold in Europe as a potential replacement. Both sides confirmed the development in negotiations, signaling a possible escape route from the escalating trade dispute that has shaken the […]
April 10, 2025
BYD’s newest flagship models, the Han L and Tang L, have gone on sale in China for significantly cheaper than initially presumed. Both models are built on the Chinese manufacturer’s latest ‘Super e’ platform, which promises megawatt charging (1,000 kW) to recover up to 400 km of range in just 5 minutes. Even the fastest-charging […]
April 10, 2025
CATL, the world’s biggest battery maker for the last decade, is looking to take a controlling stake in NIO Power, the battery swapping and fast-charging business of Chinese premium EV maker NIO. CATL will not comment, but Reuters quotes four anonymous sources to back up the story. Last month, news broke that NIO, known for […]
April 07, 2025
Mazda has officially launched export production of the Mazda 6e, its China-built electric sedan aimed at global markets, including Europe and Southeast Asia. The first units rolled off the production line at the Changan Mazda plant in Nanjing last week. It signals the company’s renewed push into the international EV market, as the carmaker hasn’t […]
April 02, 2025
More or less a week after BYD lashed out with the news of its ts new electric car platform, called ‘Super e,’ which promises charging at one megawatt, Chinese-Swedish Geely daughter Zeekr parries with the announcement of a 1.2-megawatt charger. Just to be overtaken by Huawei bragging about a 1.5-megawatt charger. This battle of the […]
April 01, 2025
BYD’s off-road sub-brand, Fang Cheng Bao, has unveiled its newest entry-level model: the Tai 3. It’s a relatively compact SUV aimed at families, with an all-electric drivetrain, rugged looks, and a high-tech interior. The price for all of this? Under €18,000 in China. BYD introduced Fang Cheng Bao (also spelled Fangchengbao) in 2023, focusing on […]
March 31, 2025
BYD is riding a wave of new model releases. This time, the Chinese car and battery maker teases with pictures of the e7, a mid-size all-electric sedan that blends cost-efficiency with practicality. While official specs remain restricted, there’s a strong indication of the vehicle’s place in BYD’s growing lineup. The Chinese automaker revealed the e7 […]
March 31, 2025
China’s fourth-largest carmaker, state-owned Changan, set foot ashore in Mainz, Germany, last week for the debut of its European introduction. In its homeland, it has launched presales for a fourth model of its Avatr car brand, the 06 sedans. Avatr is backed by two other Chinese tech giants: CATL and Huawei. The Avatr 06 is […]
March 26, 2025
BYD has officially unveiled the Sealion 05 EV, a compact all-electric SUV aimed squarely at the mass market, strengthening its growing Ocean lineup and reinforcing its aggressive pricing strategy in the global EV race. Whether the model comes to Belgium remains a question mark. Officially launched in China yesterday, the Sealion 05 EV starts at […]
March 26, 2025
Geely brand and former Volvo sibling Lynk & Co, known in Europe for its monthly subscription model, is launching a new global flagship PHEV model: the six-seater SUV ‘009’. It’s opening for pre-sales now in China, with four trim levels offered and prices ranging from 330,000 to 435,000 yuan (42,105 – 55,500 euros). It is […]
March 25, 2025
BYD has surpassed Tesla in annual revenue for the first time, cementing its status as the new driving force in the global EV industry. The Chinese automaker reported a record revenue for 2024, up nearly 30 percent from the last year. Windfall was particularly advantageous in its home market. Where Tesla posted revenue of €90.5 […]
March 25, 2025
China’s fourth-largest carmaker, state-owned Changan, has set foot ashore in Mainz, Germany, last Friday as the first step in its ‘European invasion’ in ten markets to start on the Old Continent in the following years. Its EU parts headquarters will be in the Netherlands. The group showed its electric SUV, Deepal S07, as its first […]
March 21, 2025
Contract builder Magna Steyr, which today still builds cars like the Mercedes G-Class, Toyota GR Supra, and BMW Z4 that share the same platform at its plant in Graz, Austria, is, according to a new report, closing a deal with Chinese Xpeng and GAC to build EVs for the European market. It would work on […]
March 21, 2025
A few days before first deliveries on March 29th, Chinese premium EV maker NIO started customers tests in China with its new flagship ET9 sedan that is to take on the ‘crème de la crème’ of the German premium competition. With a starting price of 788,000 yuan (€100,340), including the battery pack, it is Nio’s […]
March 20, 2025
Surprisingly, SAIC Motor’s daughter MG will launch a completely new version of its MG4 EV. This car sells well overseas but has very low sales in China. The new version is larger than the previous one and has a brand-new design. This might signal that the company decided to start all over again with its […]
March 19, 2025
Scientists in China claim to have found a way to breathe new life into worn-out lithium-ion batteries. Researchers at Fudan University have developed a revolutionary lithium injection method that could restore degraded batteries to near-factory conditions. They say this breakthrough could dramatically extend battery lifespan and stabilize EV resale values. The findings, published in the […]
March 18, 2025
Chinese EV maker NIO, known for its pioneering role in battery swapping, is joining forces with CATL, its major supplier, to set up a worldwide car-swapping network. CATL, the world’s biggest battery maker, puts its money where its mouth is by investing 2.5 billion yuan (€316 million) in Nio Power. Both parties signed an agreement […]
March 17, 2025
Changan, a state-owned Chinese auto manufacturer known for its sub-brands Avatr and Deepal and its joint ventures for domestic production of Ford and Mazda models, is coming to Europe. The brand will hold a launch event in Mainz, Germany, where it will introduce the Deepal S07 to the European public, soon followed by other models. […]
March 17, 2025
Releasing its 2024 financial results, BMW’s net profit plummeted by over a third last year. The German automaker warns of continued headwinds from trade tariffs and sluggish demand in China. The Bavarian company reported a 36.9% drop in net profit to €7.68 billion ($8.32 billion), in line with market expectations and German competitors. However, geopolitical […]
March 13, 2025
According to communications from Wanfeng to investors, Chinese concern Wanfeng wants to acquire Volocopter, the German maker of flying cabs that take off vertically. Volocopter initiated bankruptcy proceedings late last year and hoped for a relaunch with new investors. Wanfeng wants to acquire the start-up for 10 million euros. Pioneer Volocopter makes vertically rising electric […]
March 12, 2025
Tesla shares tumbled more than 15% on Monday, suffering their worst single-day drop since 2020. The electric vehicle maker is grappling with plunging sales, and its valuation has been halved since December to roughly $700 billion (€640 billion). The trend marks a dramatic reversal from the optimism that followed Donald Trump’s election victory. To help […]
