It’s a bold move for a company that hires about 30,000 people per year.
Month: May 2023
Deliveries of the Zeekr 009 MPV with CATL Qilin Battery had begun on April 17.
(Image credit: Zeekr)
Zeekr, the premium electric vehicle (EV) brand of Geely, started the delivery of the Zeekr 001 shooting brake model with CATL Qilin Battery, after starting the delivery of the Zeekr 009 MPV with the battery pack a month ago.
Deliveries of the WE version of the Zeekr 001 with the optional 140 kWh Qilin Battery began today, and the 1,032 km CLTC range makes the model the longest production EV in the world, Zeekr said in a press release.
The Zeekr 001's range addresses the mileage anxiety that plagues users and will allow them to enjoy a hassle-free travel experience, Zeekr said.
Zeekr was officially launched as an independent company in March 2021, with its first model, the Zeekr 001, launched on April 15, 2021, and deliveries beginning in October 2021.
On November 1, 2022, Zeekr's second model, the Zeekr 009 MPV, was launched, and its deliveries began on January 15.
On April 12 of this year, Zeekr launched its third model, the Zeekr X, which it hopes will become the benchmark for luxury compact cars.
CATL launched the Qilin Battery, or CTP (cell to pack) 3.0 battery, on June 23rd last year, claiming that its energy density can reach 255Wh/kg and can support the vehicle to achieve a range of 1,000 km.
On August 27 last year, Zeekr and CATL announced that the Zeekr 009 will be the world's first vehicle to be equipped with the Qilin Battery, while the Zeekr 001 will use the ultra-long range version of the Qilin Battery and will be the world's first production vehicle to be equipped with the 1,000 km range Qilin Battery.
On January 1, Zeekr launched the 2023 Zeekr 001, offering four base versions, including two WE versions, one ME version and one YOU version.
Zeekr offers a 140-kWh Qilin Battery option for the single-motor WE version with a 100-kWh battery pack, allowing the CLTC range to reach 1,032 km.
However, the Qilin Battery option is limited to only 1,000 units, and consumers will have to pay an additional RMB 103,000 ($14,790), meaning the Zeekr 001 with a range of more than 1,000 km will start at RMB 403,000.
On April 17, Zeekr announced that deliveries of the Zeekr 009 MPV with the CATL Qilin Battery begun.
Zeekr delivered 8,101 vehicles in April, up 279.08 percent from 2,137 in the same month last year and up 21.58 percent from 6,663 in March, according to data released earlier this month.
($1 = RMB 6.9653)
Zeekr begins delivery of Zeekr 009 MPV powered by CATL Qilin Battery
The post Zeekr starts delivery of Zeekr 001 with CATL Qilin Battery, CLTC range up to 1,032 km appeared first on CnEVPost.
For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.
The castings are labeled with a big handwritten “C.”
The revamped Model 3 is slightly longer and sportier than earlier versions and has a sleeker interior design, according to Bloomberg.
(Image credit: CnEVPost)
Tesla is nearing the final stages before starting trial production of its revamped Model 3 sedan in Shanghai, a Bloomberg report today said, citing people familiar with the matter.
The revised Model 3 is slightly longer, sportier and has a sleeker interior design than earlier versions, the people said, according to the report.
Since the beginning of this month, some production staff at Tesla's Shanghai plant have been asked to keep their phones in special lockers outside the factory's production line to prevent potential photo leaks, one of the people said.
Production lines in the first phase of the factory could be shut down for a few days at the end of the month for adjustments, though those plans could still change, the report said.
On March 1, Reuters reported that Tesla had been working to retool its Shanghai assembly plant for a revamped version of the Model 3, a project codenamed Highland by Tesla.
The Highland version of the Model 3 is expected to go into production in Shanghai in September, the Reuters report said, citing a person familiar with the matter.
With the Highland, Tesla aims to cut production costs and boost the appeal of the electric sedan, which debuts in 2017, people involved in the project said.
Appearance and powertrain performance will also be changed, with a focus on production efficiency, they said, according to the report.
Giga Shanghai is Tesla's largest plant in the world, producing the Model 3 and Model Y, with an annual capacity of about 1.1 million vehicles.
Tesla sold 75,842 China-made vehicles in April, including 35,886 units exported, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
Model 3 sales in China in April were 13,196 units, up 2,290.58 percent from 552 units in the same month last year, but down 39.26 percent from 21,726 units in March.
Model Y sales in China in April were 26,760 units, up 2,687.50 percent from 960 units in the same month last year, but down 51.29 percent from 54,937 units in March.
This is due to the fact that Tesla's sales in China fell sharply last April due to the Covid lockdown in Shanghai, and its pattern of producing vehicles primarily for export in the first half of each monthly quarter.
The post Tesla's revamped Model 3 nears final trial production in Shanghai, report says appeared first on CnEVPost.
For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.
As Liebreich says, it will take until 2030 for the hype to die down, because that's how long it takes to deprogram a cult.
The Haval brand was for a long time the top-selling in the SUV market in China, but with the rapid growth of the NEV industry, it has lost its dominance to BYD.
(Haval Xiaolong Max. Image credit: Haval)
Great Wall Motor's Haval brand was the top-selling SUV brand in China for a long time. However, with the rapid development of the new energy vehicle (NEV) industry, its dominance was replaced by BYD.
Now, the auto giant based in Baoding, Hebei province, has launched two new plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in an attempt to regain its glory in the SUV market.
Haval launched the Xiaolong line of plug-in hybrid SUVs at an event yesterday, offering two models, the Haval Xiaolong and the Haval Xiaolong Max.
The Haval Xiaolong is a compact SUV with a length, width and height of 4,600 mm, 1,877 mm and 1,675 mm, respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,710 mm.
It is available in three versions starting at RMB 139,800 ($20,100), 149,800 and 156,800 respectively.
(Haval Xiaolong.)
The Haval Xiaolong is powered by an engine with a displacement of 1.5 L and a front-mounted electric motor. The drive system has a maximum power of 185 kW and a maximum torque of 375 Nm.
The three models are available in 2 pure electric range versions, the lowest priced version with an NEDC range of 52 km and the other two with 110 km. Their fuel consumption per 100 km at WLTC conditions is 2.4 L, 1.39 L and 1.39 L respectively.
The Haval Xiaolong Max is a mid-size SUV with a length, width and height of 4,758 mm, 1,895 mm and 1,725 mm, respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,800 mm.
The vehicle is also available in three versions, with starting prices of RMB 159,800, 169,800 and 179,800 respectively.
The Haval Xiaolong Max comes standard with Great Wall Motor's Hi4 hybrid system unveiled on March 10, powered by a 1.5 L engine and dual front and rear electric motors, with a combined maximum system power of 205 kW and maximum torque of 585 Nm.
The car has an NEDC pure electric range of 105 km, a WLTC range of 83 km and a fast charging power of 33 kW.
Both models seem to be aimed at competing with BYD's Song series, with the Haval Xiaolong targeting the market for the Song Pro DM-i series and the Haval Xiaolong Max for the Song Plus DM-i series.
For comparison, the BYD Song Pro DM-i has a length, width and height of 4,650 mm, 1,860 mm and 1,700 mm respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,712 mm.
The car is available in 2 battery range versions with NEDC electric range of 51 km and 110 km respectively, and the starting price is RMB 140,800.
The BYD Song Plus DM-i has a length, width and height of 4,705 mm, 1,890 mm and 1,680 mm respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,765 mm.
The car is available in 2 battery range versions with NEDC electric range of 55 km and 110 km respectively, and the starting price is RMB 154,600.
Haval was once the market leader in SUVs in China, with its Haval H6 being the best-selling SUV for many years.
But in the past couple of years, with the rapid growth of China's NEV industry, BYD's Song series has replaced the Haval H6 as the best-selling SUV.
With 174,422 retail sales in China from January to April, the BYD Song series was the best-selling SUV during that period, up 76.5 percent from 98,809 units in the same period last year, according to data released earlier this month by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
For comparison, the Haval H6 retailed 63,682 units from January to April, down 25.9 percent from 85,986 units a year ago, placing it fifth in the best-selling SUV sales rankings.
($1 = RMB 6.9525)
Full CPCA rankings: Top-selling models and automakers in China in Apr
The post Great Wall Motor's Haval brand launches 2 new PHEVs to regain lost ground in SUV market appeared first on CnEVPost.
For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.
While many Tesla fans are familiar with CEO Elon Musk’s unique management style, there is another executive who has helped implement his vision and keep the company moving forward. Since 2019, scaling electric vehicle production from a financial standpoint has been the work of Tesla’s Chief Financial Officer Zachary Kirkhorn. Kirkhorn has been Tesla’s CFO […]
The new ES6 will be officially launched on May 24, with test drives available on the same day and deliveries starting on May 25, NIO said today.
(Image credit: CnEVPost)
NIO (NYSE: NIO) will officially launch the new ES6 SUV in China next Wednesday, and deliveries will begin the next day, making it the fastest model from launch to delivery.
The new ES6 will be officially launched on May 24, with test drives available on the same day and deliveries starting on May 25, the company announced today on its mobile app.
The model is available for pre-order now, and consumers who pay a RMB 5,000 ($720) pre-order deposit before its official launch and convert those payments into a non-refundable deposit by July 31 will receive a Moon-themed exterior package and orange caliper worth RMB 8,000 and NOP+ two years free access worth RMB 9,120.
NIO has not announced any more information about the new ES6 based on its latest NT 2.0 platform, and its pricing is expected to be known on May 24.
It is not clear whether NIO will hold an offline launch of the new ES6 or whether the model will be launched only at an online event.
(Image credit: NIO)
NIO officially unveiled the 2023 ET7 sedan at a brief launch event on the first day of the Shanghai auto show on April 18, and allowed an improved version of the ES6 SUV based on the NT 2.0 platform to make its debut.
The older ES6 based on the NT 1.0 platform was previously offered in three versions -- Sport, Performance and Signature -- with starting prices of RMB 386,000, 426,000 and 496,000 respectively.
On May 11, NIO asked its community for opinions on the pricing of the new ES6, and a questionnaire at the time offered six options: under RMB 368,000, RMB 368,000, RMB 378,000, RMB 338,000, RMB 398,000, and above RMB 398,000.
For NIO, the new ES6 will be a model of strategic importance, as it will be the least expensive of NIO's SUVs. The move underscores the high hopes it has for the model's sales prospects.
From January to August 2022, 32,877 units of the ES6 were delivered, contributing 46 percent of NIO's total deliveries of 71,556 units for the period, according to figures monitored by CnEVPost from the company and the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
The new ES6 is now widely seen as being powerfully equipped and competitively priced, which has sparked discontent among some owners who previously purchased the ES7 SUV.
Last month, several ES7 owners formed a WeChat group to collectively express their dissatisfaction that the upcoming new ES6 means NIO has betrayed them.
NIO's announcement today of the launch date for the new ES6 confirms a rumor from earlier this month.
Local auto industry media D1EV reported on May 4 that the new ES6 will be officially launched on May 24, and that show cars of the model will be available in NIO stores starting on the launch day.
Compared to the old ES6, the new model will retain only the Sport version, and the previously available higher-priced Performance and Signature versions have been optimized to become the new ES7 model currently on sale, the report said.
($1 = RMB 6.9582)
The post NIO to officially launch new ES6 on May 24, delivery to start next day appeared first on CnEVPost.
For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.
Since October 2021, BYD has acquired five mega industrial sites in the Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone, with a combined area of more than 4.1 million square meters.
(Image credit: CnEVPost)
BYD (OTCMKTS: BYDDY) has secured a new land parcel in Guangdong to prepare for its construction of new projects.
On May 15, a plot of land of more than 520,000 square meters in Shenzhen's Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone was acquired by BYD for RMB 376 million ($5.4 million), according to an announcement by the local government yesterday.
This is the fifth mega industrial site BYD has acquired in the special cooperation zone, which will be used to build BYD's automotive industrial park projects, according to the announcement.
Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone is an enclave of Shenzhen, located in Shanwei city, Guangdong province, but managed by Shenzhen, the first special cooperation zone in China.
BYD has been granted a land area of 522,400 square meters, with a building area of 1.12 million square meters and a land use term of 30 years.
(The 5th plot of land acquired by BYD in Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone.)
Since October 2021, BYD has been granted five mega industrial sites in the Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone, with a combined area of over 4.1 million square meters.
These sites will all be used for BYD's automotive industrial park projects, which are important for the zone to create an industrial pattern with a new energy vehicle (NEV) industry as the main focus, complemented by new energy storage, new materials and intelligent manufacturing robots, the local government's announcement said.
The first and second phases of BYD's project here have a total investment of RMB 25 billion, and the annual output value is expected to exceed RMB 110 billion when all production is reached, according to the announcement.
In June last year, BYD acquired a plot of land with an area of over 554,500 square meters in the special cooperation zone for RMB 403 million, which will be used for the first phase of the local BYD industrial park.
The first phase of the project, with a planned total investment of RMB 5 billion, will mainly produce auto parts and is expected to have an annual output value of about RMB 10 billion and 18,000 employees after it goes into operation, according to a report by Shenzhen Economic Daily at the time.
($1= RMB 6.9525)
The post BYD secures new land in Guangdong for NEV projects appeared first on CnEVPost.
For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.
Wait times for the EC7 have changed from about 5 weeks to 5-7 weeks, and for the ET5 from about 2 weeks to 2-3 weeks.
(Image credit: CnEVPost)
NIO's (NYSE: NIO) EC7 coupe SUV and the ET5 sedan saw slightly longer wait times in China after the information for the ES7 SUV saw a similar change a week ago.
The EC7's current expected delivery date is 5-7 weeks, up from about 5 weeks previously, information from the NIO App monitored by CnEVPost shows.
The last change in the model's wait time information was on April 28, when it changed from about 4 weeks to about 5 weeks.
The EC7 was launched on NIO Day 2022, December 24, 2022, and NIO announced plans at the time that deliveries of the EC7 would begin in May.
On April 28, NIO EC7 started delivery, slightly ahead of the original plan.
The EC7 is NIO's second coupe SUV after the EC6, with a wind resistance coefficient of only 0.23 Cd, which NIO said is the lowest among mass-produced SUVs worldwide.
In addition to the EC7, the ET5 also has a slightly longer wait time.
The current expected delivery date for the ET5 is 2-3 weeks, slightly higher than the previous time of about 2 weeks. On April 10, the wait time for the sedan was reduced from about 3 weeks to about 2 weeks.
NIO's website and app currently showcase seven models -- the new ES8, ES7, new ES6, EC7, EC6, ET7, and ET5.
In the vehicle configurator of the NIO App, there are 5 models available -- new ES8, ES7, EC7, ET7, ET5. The configurator of the new ES6 and EC6 based on the NT 1.0 platform is not available.
Wait time information for all other NIO models remains unchanged, with the new ES8 still showing deliveries expected to begin in June, the ES7 wait time at about 4 weeks, and the ET7 at about 3 weeks.
The last change in wait times for NIO models was on May 9, when the expected delivery date for the ES7 went from about 3 weeks to about 4 weeks.
The post NIO EC7 and ET5 wait times get slightly longer appeared first on CnEVPost.
For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.