Author: Lei Kang/CnEVPost

NIO testing new EC6 as its product changeover continues

Post author By Lei Kang/CnEVPost
Post date June 19, 2023

The EC6 is the last remaining piece of the puzzle as NIO switches models from the NT 1.0 platform to the NT 2.0 platform.

(Image credit: Weibo @肉肉爸比ev)

The EC6 is the last remaining piece of the puzzle as NIO (NYSE: NIO) switches models from the NT 1.0 platform to the NT 2.0 platform. Now, the revamped version of the coupe SUV may not be far from being available.

Long-time NIO follower and car blogger @肉肉爸比ev shared several pictures of the new EC6 on Weibo yesterday, saying that the model is undergoing testing.

The daytime running lights on the front of the new EC6 are the biggest difference between it and other models, the blogger noted.

On February 13, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced a new batch of catalogs of models that will be allowed to be sold in China, and the new EC6 was included.

The page for the new EC6 shows that it uses the same LiDAR and camera setup on the roof as the rest of the NT 2.0-based platform, and the front and taillight designs are similar to the other latest models.

The model is 4,849 mm long, 1,995 mm wide, 1,697 mm high and has a wheelbase of 2,915 mm.

For comparison, the old EC6, based on the NT 1.0 platform, is 4,850 mm long, 1,965 mm wide and 1,731/1,714 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2,900 mm.

The old EC6 was previously offered in three versions, priced at RMB 396,000 ($55,566), 436,000 and 496,000 respectively.

The new EC6 is equipped with dual motors produced by NIO's electric drive systems division in Hefei, Anhui province, with a maximum power of 150 kW and 210 kW, respectively, and can support a top speed of 200 km/h, according to the regulatory filing in February.

The two lower-priced versions of the EC6 on the NT 1.0 platform carry dual motors both with a maximum power of 160 kW, while the highest-priced version carries a maximum power of 160 kW for the front motor and 240 kW for the rear motor.

The new EC6 will support the option of retractable electric tow hooks and will be equipped with an electric rear wing.

NIO is launching new models at a very tight pace this year. The company unveiled the EC7 and new ES8 on NIO Day 2022 on December 24, 2022, with deliveries of the former already starting on April 28 and the latter due to begin later this month.

The EC7 is also a coupe SUV and is currently offered in two versions with starting prices of RMB 458,000 and RMB 548,000 respectively.

The EC7 is not the NT 2.0 version of the EC6, which is expected to offer a lower price point to meet the needs of the group that prefers this type of vehicle.

On April 18, NIO launched the 2023 ET7 and unveiled the new ES6 on the NT 2.0 platform on the first day of the Shanghai auto show.

Deliveries of the 2023 ET7 began on May 20, and the new ES6 was officially launched on May 24 and deliveries began that night.

On June 15, NIO launched the ET5 Touring in China and its deliveries started on June 16.

($1 = RMB 7.1265)

Regulatory filing: NIO's new EC6 coming

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Aito AITO M9 China Electric eMobility eV Huawei Richard Yu

Huawei-backed AITO to launch flagship SUV M9 in Q4

Post author By Lei Kang/CnEVPost
Post date June 16, 2023

The AITO M9 will be built on a new 800 V high-voltage platform, on which Huawei will place its new technologies in the cockpit and smart driving areas, according to Richard Yu.

AITO, the car brand backed by Chinese tech giant Huawei, will launch its flagship SUV, the M9, later this year, which will be its third model after the M5 and M7.

The AITO M9 will hit the market in the fourth quarter and will go beyond expectations in terms of luxury, comfort, quietness and intelligence, Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei's intelligent vehicle solutions business, said in a speech at an automotive industry conference in Shenzhen today.

"We have confidence that the M9 will be the most luxurious, highest-end and smartest car in the entire market," he claimed.

The AITO M9 will be built on a new 800 V high-voltage platform on which Huawei will place its new technologies in the cockpit and smart driving areas, according to Yu.

The model will be available in both an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) version and a battery electric vehicle (BEV) version, he said.

The AITO M5 is currently available in both EREV and BEV versions, while the M7 is only available in an EREV version.

The M9 will be a mobile smart home, office, and mobile smart bedroom, he said, adding that Huawei has very new technologies and experiences to bring to consumers.

AITO is the premium car brand that Huawei and Seres launched on December 2, 2021. It announced the AITO M5 on December 23, 2021, and the AITO M7 on July 4, 2022.

Deliveries of the AITO M5 begin in March 2022 and the first deliveries of the AITO M7 took place on August 24, 2022.

The M5 currently has a starting price range of RMB 259,800 ($36,530) to RMB 331,800 and the M7 is RMB 289,800 to RMB 379,800.

The brand saw strong deliveries in the second half of last year, but this year has been weak.

AITO delivered 5,629 vehicles in May, up 22.77 percent from April. From January to May, it delivered 21,873 vehicles.

In his speech today, Yu gave his view of the Chinese auto industry, saying that competition will become more intense and there will be a big reshuffle in the future.

(1 $= RMB 7.1118)

AITO deliveries in May: 5,629

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BYD BYD Europe BYD Global BYD Italy China Electric eMobility eV

BYD rolls out 4 models in Italy as it expands presence in European passenger car market

Post author By Lei Kang/CnEVPost
Post date June 16, 2023

BYD held a brand and product launch event in Italy, introducing the BYD Atto 3, Han, Dolphin and Seal to local consumers.

(Image credit: BYD)

BYD (OTCMKTS: BYDDY) has officially entered the Italian passenger car market, as it expands its presence in Europe.

The Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) giant held a brand and product launch event in Italy on June 13, introducing the BYD Atto 3, Han, Dolphin and Seal to local consumers, according to a press release today.

Italy is an important European automotive market and holds a significant position in BYD's efforts to enter overseas markets, BYD said, adding that it introduced new energy commercial vehicles to Italy in 2013.

In the passenger car segment, BYD will work with a number of core local dealers, with the first five stores opening in cities including Milan, Turin and Florence, it said.

The Atto 3, BYD's first global model, is known in China as the Yuan Plus and is already available in multiple overseas markets.

At the Monza Motor Show in Milan, to be held in mid-June, the Atto 3 will be open to the Italian public for test drives, BYD said.

In the future, BYD will continue to increase its localization investment in the Italian market and expand its passenger car model matrix, the company said.

BYD, China's largest NEV maker, stopped production and sales of vehicles powered entirely by internal combustion engines last March to focus on plug-in hybrids and pure electric vehicles.

The company sold 240,220 NEVs in May, up 108.99 percent from 114,943 units a year earlier and up 14.23 percent from 210,295 units in April, according to figures it announced earlier this month.

In May, BYD sold 10,203 NEVs in overseas markets, down 31.19 percent from 14,827 units in April.

In Europe, BYD entered the passenger car markets including Germany, Sweden and Denmark last year and came into the UK in March this year.

BYD officially names F brand Fang Cheng Bao, initial model to be launched this year

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China Electric eMobility eV Li Auto Li l9 Regulatory Filing

Li Auto files for Li L9 variant without LiDAR

Post author By Lei Kang/CnEVPost
Post date June 16, 2023

The price of the Li L9 without LiDAR could be at least RMB 40,000 less than the Li L9 Max at RMB 459,800.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

When Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI) launched its flagship SUV, the Li L9, a year ago, it was only offered in the Max variant. Now, a lower-priced version may not be far off from release.

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced on June 15 the latest batch of models that will soon be allowed to be sold, as well as details on configuration changes to some existing models, with a Li Auto model included in the latter.

The public can submit feedback between June 16 and June 25.

The model number for the Li Auto vehicle is LXA6520SHEVX4, which is the same as the model number in the previous filing for the Li L9.

In the model's latest filing, LiDAR becomes optional, while other information remains the same.

Li Auto's naming of its models is similar to Apple's naming of the iPhone, using Max, Pro, and Air to distinguish different versions of the same model.

On June 21, 2022, Li Auto launched the Li L9, the company's second model after the Li ONE SUV.

Li Auto founder, chairman and CEO Li Xiang mentioned the model name Li L9 Max at the end of the launch event at the time when announcing the price, implying that the company could launch other variants based on it in the future, a report by CnEVPost at the time noted.

The other two Li Auto models currently on sale are the Li L8 and Li L7, both offered in Max, Pro and Air versions, with only the Max version equipped with a roof-mounted LiDAR supplied by Hesai Technology.

Both the Max version of the Li L8 and Li L7 cost RMB 40,000 ($5,620) more than the Pro version, while the Pro version is RMB 20,000 more expensive than both Air versions.

This means that the Li L9 without LiDAR, which may be launched in the future, will cost at least RMB 40,000 less than the Max version at RMB 459,800.

The current Max version of Li Auto vehicles use two Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chips as the cockpit chip, while its assisted driving system is based on two Nvidia Orin X chips, with a total computing power of 508 TOPS.

The Li L8 Pro's cockpit uses two Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chips and uses one Horizon Robotics Journey 5 chip in the assisted driving system.

The cockpits of the Li L8 Air, Li L7 Pro, and Li L7 Air all use one Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip for the cockpit and one Journey 5 chip for the assisted driving system.

Li Auto says confident it will outsell German luxury brands in China in 2024

($1 = RMB 7.1233)

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China Electric eMobility eV Tesla Tesla Benefits Tesla Model 3

Tesla starts offering insurance subsidies for car purchases in China again

Post author By Lei Kang/CnEVPost
Post date June 16, 2023

From June 16 to June 30, Chinese consumers can receive an RMB 8,000 insurance subsidy if they purchase a rear-wheel drive version of the Model 3 that has already been produced.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) first started offering insurance subsidies in China last September, and cut its prices about a month later.

Now the electric vehicle (EV) maker is offering the subsidy again, but this time the situation may be more complicated.

From June 16 to June 30, Chinese consumers who buy and complete delivery of an already produced rear-wheel drive version of the Model 3 will be eligible for an insurance subsidy of RMB 8,000 ($1,120), according to a poster by Tesla on Weibo today.

Tesla has a factory in Shanghai that produces the Model 3 sedan and the Model Y SUV. The Model 3 is available in two versions -- a rear-wheel drive version and a dual-motor all-wheel drive Model 3 Performance, starting at RMB 231,900 and RMB 331,900 respectively.

For customized vehicles, the expected delivery dates for both versions of the Model 3 are 1-4 weeks, consistent with previous information on Tesla's China website.

In addition to the RMB 8,000 insurance subsidy, Chinese consumers who purchase the Model 3 rear-wheel drive version in stock now can also receive a loan option with a lower interest rate, Tesla's poster shows, without providing details.

On September 16, 2022, Tesla began offering subsidies for owners to purchase vehicle insurance in China after the wait times for Model 3 and Model Y custom vehicles saw multiple reductions in the previous two months.

At that time, the subsidy was valid from September 16 to September 30, and consumers who chose to purchase insurance in a Tesla store could receive a subsidy of RMB 8,000 for new Model 3 and Model Y vehicles.

On October 1, 2022, as the subsidy expired, Tesla extended it to the end of last year.

On October 24, 2022, Tesla cut the prices of the entire Model 3 and Model Y lineup in China, with the entry-level Model Y dropping below RMB 300,000 to take advantage of the then-available state subsidy.

It is worth noting that the latest move by Tesla may involve the upcoming launch of an improved version of the model.

On March 1, Reuters reported that Tesla was 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 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.

On May 16, a Bloomberg report cited people familiar with the matter as saying that Tesla was nearing the final stages before starting trial production of its updated Model 3 sedan in Shanghai.

Tesla sold 42,508 units at retail in China in May, ranking third in the country's new energy vehicle market with a 7.3 percent share, according to data released by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) on June 9.

Model 3 retail sales in China in May were 11,454 units, up 189.97 percent year-on-year, but down 13.20 percent from April.

Model Y retail sales in China in May were 31,054 units, up 428.58 percent year-on-year and up 16.05 percent from April.

The Model Y was the best-selling SUV in China in May, ahead of the second-place BYD Yuan Plus with 26,072 units and the third-place BYD Song Plus with 22,079 units.

Tesla Model Y best-selling SUV in China in May with 31,054 units sold

($1 = RMB 7.1301)

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Tags BYD, Tesla

Battery Swap CATL China Electric eMobility eV Industry News Research Note Tesla Trucks

Analysts expect 16% of heavy trucks sold in China to be electric by 2025

Post author By Lei Kang/CnEVPost
Post date June 15, 2023

At present, 89 percent of the new energy heavy trucks are pure electric models, and half of them support battery swap.

(Image: Screenshot from a CATL video)

China's electrification transition involves not only regular passenger cars, but heavy trucks as well.

By 2025, sales of electric heavy trucks in China are expected to reach 190,000 units, with a penetration rate of about 16 percent, said CITIC Securities analyst Yuan Jiancong's team in a research note today.

In China, the singularity for accelerated penetration of electric heavy trucks has arrived, with penetration expected to reach 35 percent by 2030, the team said.

The acceleration of new energy heavy truck penetration in China from 2021 onward was largely driven by China's restrictions on carbon emissions from high-emitting companies, according to the team.

In 2022, retail sales of new energy heavy trucks in China were 25,000 units, up 142 percent year-on-year, with a penetration rate of about 5 percent, CITIC Securities said, citing data from China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC).

At present, 89 percent of new energy heavy trucks are pure electric models, and half of them support battery swap, according to the team.

Heavy-duty trucks have larger batteries and take longer to recharge at the same charging rate, and battery swap meets the efficiency requirements of these models, the team said.

From 2021 to 2022, the percentage of battery swap-enabled heavy-duty trucks ramped up, the team said, adding that they expect such electric heavy-duty trucks to become the industry's dominant product form in the near term.

On June 12, CATL unveiled Qiji Energy, a battery swap solution for heavy-duty trucks. Similar to the Chinese power battery giant's EVOGO solution for passenger cars released last year, Qiji Energy supports flexible use of the number of batteries.

With a capacity of 171 kWh in a single battery block, heavy trucks can choose to use 1-3 blocks, and the entire battery replacement process takes only a few minutes, CATL said.

In the vehicle-battery separation model, a heavy truck can save RMB 30,000 ($4,190) to RMB 60,000 in annual costs, CATL said.

CATL's move is expected to further boost the electrification of heavy trucks, CITIC Securities said in the research note today.

The penetration of electric heavy trucks is expected to accelerate in areas with higher requirements for range and economy, the team said.

The note also said that Tesla's first electric heavy truck, the Semi, which began deliveries on December 2, 2022, has a range of 800 km at 37 tons fully loaded and has met the criteria for wide-scale commercial operation.

Electric heavy-duty trucks have shown good economic performance in both the US and China, and the Tesla Semi could help the industry grow more rapidly in the US, the team said.

In China, electric heavy-duty trucks will be adopted preferentially in the short term in scenarios including coal industrial parks, steel industrial parks, and sanitation trucks, driven by policy.

By 2025-2030, market forces will drive more growth in the sector as electric heavy trucks improve in economy and range, according to the team.

($1 = RMB 7.1551)

CATL launches battery swap solution Qiji Energy for heavy-duty trucks

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Tags CATL, Tesla

Buick Buick Electra E4 China Electric eMobility eV Industry News

Buick to launch Electra E4 coupe SUV in China on Jun 19

Post author By Lei Kang/CnEVPost
Post date June 15, 2023

Only about 2 months ago on April 13, Buick launched the Electra E5 SUV -- its first model based on GM's Ultium platform -- in China.

(Image credit: Buick)

General Motors' Buick brand is probably the most aggressive of the foreign brands when it comes to tapping into the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) market, with a second model coming two months after launching its first model based on the Ultium platform two months ago.

The Buick Electra E4 -- an all-electric coupe SUV -- will go on sale in China on June 19, the brand announced on its social media accounts yesterday.

Notably, Buick launched the Electra E5 SUV, its first model based on GM's Ultium platform, in China only about 2 months ago, on April 13.

Buick was already warming up for the Electra E4's launch earlier this month, sharing exterior images of the model as well as its core specs.

The Electra E4 entered the Chinese industry regulator's list of new models that will be allowed to be sold in China two months ago.

The model has a length, width and height of 4,818 mm, 1,912 mm and 1,581 mm, respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,954 mm, according to the regulatory filing dated April 11.

For comparison, Buick's first model based on the Ultium platform, the Electra E5, has a length, width and height of 4,892 mm, 1,905 mm and 1,655 mm, respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,954 mm.

The model has two power versions, the dual-motor version with a maximum output of 143 kW for the front motor and 68 kW for the rear motor. Its single-motor version has a front motor with a maximum output of 150 kW. The model supports a top speed of 180 km/h.

The Buick Electra E4 is powered by a ternary lithium-ion battery supplied by a joint venture between CATL and GM's local car-making partner SAIC, with a 65-kWh pack for a CLTC range of 530 km in the standard range version and a 79.7-kWh pack for a CLTC range of 620 km in the long-range version.

Buick is one of the most aggressive in embracing the transition to electrification in the Chinese auto industry. It launched the Electra E5 on April 13, offering five versions with starting prices of RMB 208,900 ($29,100), RMB 222,900, RMB 225,900, RMB 239,900 and RMB 278,900, respectively.

On April 25, Buick announced that the Electra E5 received more than 8,000 orders after 12 days on the market.

On May 29, SAIC Motor, a joint venture between GM and SAIC, said the first deliveries of Electra E5 vehicles had begun, but did not announce the number of deliveries.

($1 = RMB 7.1780)

Buick begins delivery of Electra E5 electric SUV in China

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China China Auto Market CPCA Electric eMobility eV Industry News Tesla Weekly Data

China NEV retail sales in Jun 1-11 at 160,000, down 4% from same period last month, CPCA data show

Post author By Lei Kang/CnEVPost
Post date June 14, 2023

From June 1 to June 11, retail sales of all passenger vehicles in China were 425,000 units, down 10 percent year-on-year and down 25 percent from the same period last month.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

The Chinese passenger car market was weak in the first two weeks of June, while the new energy vehicle (NEV) market performed slightly better.

From June 1 to June 11, retail sales of passenger NEVs in China were 160,000 units, up 18 percent year-on-year but down 4 percent from the same period last month, according to data released today by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

So far this year, China's retail sales of passenger NEVs were 2,581,000 units, up 39 percent year-on-year.

From June 1 to June 11, wholesale sales of passenger NEVs in China were 144,000 units, up 18 percent year-on-year and up 3 percent from the same period last month, according to the CPCA.

Wholesale sales of passenger NEVs so far this year were 2,927,000 units, up 45 percent year-on-year.

From June 1 to June 11, retail sales of all passenger vehicles in China were 425,000 units, down 10 percent year-on-year and down 25 percent from the same period last month, the CPCA said.

So far this year, cumulative retail sales of passenger cars in China were up 3 percent year-on-year to 8.057 million units.

This means that from June 1 to June 11, the penetration of NEVs at retail in China was 37.6 percent, and 32.03 percent so far this year.

In the first week of June -- June 1-4 -- the average daily retail sales of passenger cars in China were 31,000 units, down 9 percent from a year ago and 42 percent lower than the same period last month.

In the second week of June -- June 5 to 11- - average daily retail sales of passenger cars were 43,000 units, down 10 percent year-on-year and down 14 percent compared to the same period in May.

The decline in sales in early June was mainly due to a high base from last year brought about by stimulus policies.

On May 31, 2022, China announced a 50 percent reduction in vehicle purchase tax for passenger vehicles of 2.0 liter and below displacement with a purchase date between June 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022 and with a vehicle price not exceeding RMB 300,000 ($ 41,900).

Before the policy took effect, China's purchase tax rate for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles was 10 percent, while the purchase of NEVs was exempt from purchase tax.

The stimulus policy left car sales high at the beginning of June last year, while the same period this year was a normal sales time, so a decline in sales is natural, the CPCA said today.

The CPCA did not release sales figures for specific car companies, but Li Auto shared some numbers yesterday.

Li Auto sold 11,900 units from June 1 to June 11, figures shared yesterday by the extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) showed. The company did not specify, though the figures are based on vehicle insurance registrations.

Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) sold 26,000 units in China from June 1-11, while NIO (NYSE: NIO) had 2,800 and XPeng (NYSE: XPEV) had 2,200, according to Li Auto.

($1 = RMB 7.1573)

Data table: China auto sales in 1st 2 weeks of Jun

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Tags Li Auto, NIO, Tesla, XPeng

China China Auto Market CPCA Electric eMobility eV Industry News Tesla Weekly Data

China NEV retail sales in Jun 1-11 at 160,000, down 4% from same period last month, CPCA data show

Post author By Lei Kang/CnEVPost
Post date June 14, 2023