Author: Lei Kang/CnEVPost

Categories
China Electric eMobility eV Evergrande Industry News

Evergrande NEV’s plant restarts production after 1-month pause

Evergrande NEV will accelerate production and deliveries of the Hengchi 5 and advance the development and production of subsequent models, an executive said.

Evergrande NEV's plant restarts production after 1-month pause-CnEVPost

The plant of Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group (Evergrande NEV), the electric vehicle unit of China's Evergrande Group, has resumed production after a month-long hiatus.

Evergrande NEV's Hengchi Auto plant in Tianjin resumed full production on May 23, according to an article posted by Hengchi on its official WeChat account today.

Officials from Tianjin Binhai New Area visited the plant on May 29, where production lines are running normally and thousands of workers are working, Hengchi said.

Hengchi president Liu Yongzhuo said the company will speed up the production and delivery of Hengchi 5 and push forward the development and production of subsequent models.

Here is a video accompanying Hengchi's article.

 

Hengchi's Tianjin plant had previously suspended production for a month because of financial difficulties.

On March 23, Evergrande NEV said in a Hong Kong Stock Exchange announcement that it had continued its cost-saving initiatives to focus its financial resources on supporting mass production of the Hengchi 5, with job cuts at its Swedish subsidiary National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB.

However, Evergrande NEV will be at risk of shutting down production if it is unable to secure additional liquidity, the announcement said.

In a new HKEX announcement on April 24, Evergrande NEV said it had already delivered more than 900 Hengchi 5 units to consumers, but would suspend production of the model at its Tianjin plant due to a lack of funds.

The group plans to resume production of the model in May, the announcement added.

The Hengchi 5 is the first model of Hengchi Auto to be mass-produced, and it started deliveries on October 29, 2022.

The model is currently available in only one version with a starting price of RMB 179,000 ($25,240).

Trading of Evergrande NEV's shares traded in Hong Kong has been suspended since April 1, 2022, and a date for restarting trading has not yet been set.

($1 = RMB 7.0914)

Evergrande NEV puts Hengchi 5 production on hold due to lack of funds

The post Evergrande NEV's plant restarts production after 1-month pause appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
Buick Buick Electra E5 China Deliveries Electric eMobility eV Industry News Tesla

Buick begins delivery of Electra E5 electric SUV in China

The Electra E5 received more than 8,000 orders after 12 days on the market, Buick previously said.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

Buick Electra E5 -- the brand's first model based on GM's Ultium platform -- has begun deliveries in China, where the electric SUV's aggressive pricing previously gave it a good initial reception.

SAIC-GM, a joint venture between GM and SAIC, said on Monday that the first deliveries of the Electra E5 have begun, but did not announce the number of vehicles delivered.

Buick will improve its energy replenishment system by adding nearly 1,000 Ultium supercharging terminals by the end of this year, and is on track to reach more than 400,000 charging posts provided by mainstream operators, SAIC said.

(Image credit: SAIC-GM)

Orders for the Electra E5 have continued to grow in different regions since its launch, and SAIC-GM's Ultium plant in Wuhan will optimize production scheduling to meet more consumer demand, the company said.

The model, officially launched in China on April 13, is a mid-to-large-size five-seat SUV with a length of 4,892 mm, a width of 1,905 mm and a height of 1,655 mm, respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,954 mm.

The Electra E5 is available in five versions with starting prices of RMB 208,900 ($29,530), 222,900, 225,900, 239,900 and 278,900 respectively.

That pricing is very aggressive for an electric SUV of that size.

's Tang EV starts at RMB 282,800 and measures 4,900 mm in length, 1,950 mm in width and 1,725 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,820 mm.

The Model Y, the best-selling electric SUV in China, measures 4,750 mm in length, 1,921 mm in width, 1,624 mm in height and has a wheelbase of 2,890 mm, and it currently has a starting price of RMB 261,900.

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

Of those who ordered the Electra E5, 78 percent opted for versions priced at RMB 225,900 and 239,900, Buick said at the time.

($1 = RMB 7.0739)

Buick Electra E5 gets over 8,000 orders in less than 2 weeks after launch in China

The post Buick begins delivery of Electra E5 electric SUV in China appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
China Deals Didi Chuxing Electric eMobility eV Self-driving Valeo

French auto parts maker Valeo to invest in Didi’s autonomous driving unit

Valeo and Didi Autonomous Driving will set up a joint R&D team to work on safety systems for L4 robotaxis.

French auto parts maker Valeo to invest in Didi's autonomous driving unit-CnEVPost

(Image credit: Didi)

French auto parts maker Valeo will invest in Didi Global's autonomous driving division to bet on the fast-growing segment in China.

On May 29, Valeo and Didi Autonomous Driving entered into a strategic partnership and investment agreement in which Valeo intends to invest in the latter and will jointly develop safety solutions for L4 robotaxis.

Valeo and Didi revealed the development in their respective press releases but did not mention the amount of the planned investment.

"Today, we are proud to sign this agreement to invest in DiDi Autonomous Driving and join our R&D efforts to develop safety solutions," Geoffrey BOUQUOT, Valeo Executive Vice President Strategy and CTO, said.

Valeo and Didi Autonomous Driving will form a joint R&D team to work on safety systems for L4 robotaxis.

To provide additional safety to users, Valeo and Didi Autonomous Driving will complement the main system of L4 standard technology with another set of hardware and software that will enable robotaxi to navigate autonomously and safely, according to their press releases.

This Automated Safety Pilot will provide redundancy for the primary system in the event of a sudden failure, as well as customized safety features designed for specific operating scenarios.

The customized intelligent safety solution will be able to take over and control the robotaxi to perform actions that ensure the safety of passengers and other road users.

This intelligent safety solution will initially be deployed on Didi Autonomous Driving's L4 robotaxis, according to their press releases.

Didi's autonomous driving team was founded in 2016, and the ride-hailing giant opened its first overseas AI lab in California in March 2017.

In 2019, Didi began ramping up its bet on autonomous driving, upgrading its autonomous driving division to a standalone company on August 5, 2019.

On April 13, Didi unveiled its driverless concept vehicle Didi Neuron at its autonomous driving open day event, eliminating the driver's seat and expanding the passenger space compared to Didi's first custom car, the D1, which was released in 2020.

Didi's autonomous driving team reached nearly 1,000 people, which is a threefold increase from 2020, Didi Autonomous Driving COO Meng Xing said at the time.

French auto parts maker Valeo to invest in Didi's autonomous driving unit-CnEVPost

The post French auto parts maker Valeo to invest in Didi's autonomous driving unit appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
China Electric eMobility eV Neta

Neta opens global headquarters in Shanghai

delivered 11,080 vehicles in April and is targeting sales of 300,000 units in 2023.

(Image credit: Neta)

Neta Auto, Hozon Auto's electric vehicle (EV) brand, has opened its global headquarters in Shanghai as it attempts to create a more premium brand image.

Neta's global headquarters in Shanghai's Putuo district has officially opened with functions including strategy planning, resourcing, decision-making, and coordination of the company's global operations, according to a press release today.

The facility is also Neta's flagship experience center, research and development center, data center, and service center, it said.

Models including the Neta S, Neta GT, Neta U-II, and Neta V are being showcased at the facility.

Neta was founded in 2014 and previously had a Shanghai headquarters in the city's Minhang district, but no global headquarters, according to its website. The company has a design center in Beijing and a factory in Tongxiang, Zhejiang province.

Neta has been seen as a budget EV maker since its inception, as its vehicles are priced primarily at the lower end of the market, with the Neta V and Neta U priced at around 100,000 yuan ($14,130).

Neta's flagship sedan, the Neta S, is its first effort at the premium end of the market, with the model primarily targeting the RMB 200,000 to 300,000 price range.

The Neta GT sports car was launched on April 18 with a starting price of RMB 178,800 to RMB 227,800.

Neta delivered 11,080 vehicles in April, which was up 25.72 percent from 8,813 units in the same month last year and up 9.84 percent from 10,087 units in March, according to data released by the company on May 1.

Neta S delivered 2,237 units in April, up 1.41 percent from 2,206 units in March, according to the company.

Neta has a sales target of 300,000 units in 2023, local media China Securities Journal reported on February 7.

The EV maker has sales of 152,073 units in 2022, up 118 percent year-on-year, including 3,456 units delivered overseas, according to data it previously announced.

($1 = RMB 7.0768)

Neta GT sports car officially launched, priced from $26,000

The post Neta opens global headquarters in Shanghai appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
China China Car Exports China NEV export Electric eMobility eV Industry News Landian Landian E5 Seres

Seres’ sub-brand Landian sends 1st 500 cars to overseas markets

Seres officially launched the Landian brand on March 30 and made its first model, the plug-in hybrid E5, available with technology from and .

Landian, the new energy vehicle (NEV) sub-brand of the Seres Group, began exporting vehicles, even though the new brand was officially launched only two months ago.

On May 25, Landian shipped the first 500 units of its midsize hybrid SUV Landian E5 to overseas markets, according to a press release from the brand on Sunday.

The vehicles will arrive in two weeks in markets along the "Belt and Road", Landian said.

Seres -- a key automotive partner of Chinese tech giant Huawei -- officially launched the Landian brand on March 30 and made its first model, the plug-in hybrid E5, available.

Equipped with technology from Huawei and BYD, the Landian E5 is a mid-size SUV available in 5- and 7-seat versions with a starting price of RMB 139,900 ($18,940).

The model uses the F31A 1.5L PHEV-specific engine and DHT300 electric hybrid system from BYD's FinDreams Power.

The Landian E5 also comes with Huawei's HiCar 3.0 system, a lite version of HarmonyOS for cars, but supports features including seamless connectivity with cell phones.

The Landian E5 drew strong interest from dealer partners during online presentations with overseas dealers, Landian said yesterday.

Landian literally means blue electricity in Chinese, and the brand is positioned as a builder of the Internet of Everything ecosystem in the "E era," where the letter E refers to Electric, according to Seres.

In 2023, the Landian brand will build 340 experience stores and 160 delivery centers, Seres previously said.

Seres Group sold 6,917 NEVs in April, down 19.12 percent year-on-year and 18.73 percent from March, according to data it released earlier this month.

That includes 2,953 vehicles for the Seres brand, according to the group, which did not release NEV sales for its other brands.

($1 = RMB 7.0756)

Seres unveils new NEV brand Landian and 1st model E5 with BYD, Huawei technology

The post Seres' sub-brand Landian sends 1st 500 cars to overseas markets appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
China Electric eMobility eV Industry News Mercedes Benz Mercedes-Benz EQE Product Launch

Mercedes-Benz launches EQE SUV in China, prices start at $68,660

The EQE SUV is priced at about half the price of the EQS SUV that Mercedes-Benz launched in China on February 21.

Mercedes-Benz launches EQE SUV in China, prices start at $68,660-CnEVPost

(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)

Mercedes-Benz has launched a new electric SUV in China that is about half the price of the more expensive EQS SUV it launched earlier this year, trying to capitalize on the opportunities presented by the rapid growth of the world's largest electric vehicle (EV) market.

Mercedes-Benz's joint venture in China, Beijing Benz, let the EQE SUV go on sale on May 27, based on the EVA all-electric platform, the 12th model produced by the German luxury carmaker in China.

The vehicle is available in four versions in China, with starting prices of RMB 486,000 ($68,660), RMB 510,000, RMB 564,600 and RMB 630,600 respectively.

That price is roughly half that of the EQS SUV that Mercedes-Benz launched in China on February 21, which was offered in two versions starting at RMB 910,500 and RMB 1,100,500 at launch.

The EQE SUV measures 4,880 mm in length, 2,032 mm in width and 1,679 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,030 mm.

Mercedes-Benz launches EQE SUV in China, prices start at $68,660-CnEVPost

In terms of powertrain, the model is available in two versions, 350 4MATIC and 500 4MATIC, with electric motors of 215 kW and 300 kW respectively, and they accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds and 5.1 seconds respectively.

The EQE SUV comes standard with a battery pack with a capacity of 96.1 kWh and a maximum CLTC range of 613 km.

The vehicle supports a maximum charging power of 128 kW, and the minimum time required to increase the range from 10 percent to 80 percent is 48 minutes.

The vehicle supports the Adaptive Damping System Plus (ADS+) and AIRMATIC options.

Mercedes-Benz launches EQE SUV in China, prices start at $68,660-CnEVPost

For comparison, the EQS SUV measures 5,137 mm in length, 1,965 mm in width and 1,721 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 3,210 mm. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.2 seconds.

The launch of the EQE SUV comes at a time when Mercedes-Benz's performance in the Chinese EV market has been lukewarm.

In the China Passenger Car Association's (CPCA) ranking of car companies' new energy vehicle (NEV) sales in China, Mercedes-Benz never made it.

On November 15, 2022, Mercedes-Benz announced a reduction in the suggested retail prices of some EQ series models by up to RMB 237,600 to boost sales.

($1 = RMB 7.0782)

Mercedes-Benz slashes EQ series prices in China by up to $33,740

Mercedes-Benz launches EQE SUV in China, prices start at $68,660-CnEVPost

The post Mercedes-Benz launches EQE SUV in China, prices start at $68,660 appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
China Electric eMobility eV Pony.ai Self-driving

Pony.ai launches robotaxi service with no safety officer on board in Shenzhen after Guangzhou

Pony.ai has previously been approved to provide robotaxi service without a driver in the car in Beijing and Guangzhou.

(Image credit: Pony.ai)

Pony.ai, a Chinese startup backed by Toyota Motor and Capital, has brought its fully unmanned robotaxi service to yet another Chinese mega-city as it continues to advance its self-driving ambitions.

On May 29, Pony.ai received a permit in Shenzhen to conduct robotaxi services without a safety officer in the vehicle in the city's core areas, the only one to receive the permit in the city so far, according to a press release today.

Founded in late 2016, Pony.ai has established R&D centers in Silicon Valley, Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai, and is running robotaxi operations locally.

In late 2019, NIO Capital said it invested in Pony.ai for an undisclosed amount when it announced the completion of a more than $200 million fundraising. In February 2020, Pony.ai announced it had raised $400 million from Toyota.

Pony.ai launched the robotaxi app PonyPilot in December 2018 and received a permit to operate the robotaxi service for a fee in Beijing in November 2021.

On March 17, Pony.ai announced that it received a license in Beijing to operate fully unmanned robotaxi services within a 60-square-kilometer area in the Yizhuang Economic Development Zone.

On April 26, the company said it was granted permission to offer robotaxi service without a safety officer in the vehicle in Guangzhou, when it put 17 robotaxis into operation.

The expansion of the driverless footprint to Shenzhen confirms Pony.ai's ability to quickly roll out self-driving technology in different cities, it said.

Driverless vehicles need to undergo rigorous testing before hitting the road, including remote scenarios, extreme scenarios, safety management, network and data security, risk response, and a comprehensive assessment by experts and government departments, Pony.ai said.

Successfully passing these tests proves Pony.ai's technical prowess, it said.

To date, Pony.ai has more than 1 million kilometers of fully unmanned testing and nearly 200,000 paid travel orders, the company said.

Pony.ai starts offering robotaxi service in Guangzhou without safety officer in vehicles

The post Pony.ai launches robotaxi service with no safety officer on board in Shenzhen after Guangzhou appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
BYD China Electric Elon Musk eMobility eV Tesla

Musk once laughed at BYD, but now thinks ‘their cars are highly competitive’

"That was many years ago. Their cars are highly competitive these days," Musk said.

A video of (NASDAQ: TSLA) CEO Elon Musk laughing when asked about (OTCMKTS: BYDDY) in an interview has sparked widespread discussion on social media from time to time.

Now, as the video has sparked renewed buzz on Twitter, Musk has responded.

"That was many years ago. Their cars are highly competitive these days," Musk said in a May 27 reply below a video shared by Tesla Owners Silicon Valley on Twitter.

In a 2011 interview, a Bloomberg host mentioned that Tesla began to have competitors, such as BYD, which was ramping up.

Musk laughed at those words and asked the host if she had seen BYD's cars.

Musk's reaction at the time was understandable; after all, BYD was just a Chinese car company targeting the lower end of the market in 2011 and was far less well-known than it is now.

Even in 2019, BYD's annual sales of only 461,400 units across all models are nowhere near the 2 million sales of SAIC Volkswagen in the same year.

BYD saw explosive sales growth in 2021 and stopped production and sales of vehicles powered entirely by internal combustion engines in March 2021.

BYD sold 1,863,494 new energy vehicles (NEVs) in 2022, up 208.64 percent from 603,783 in 2021.

For comparison, Tesla delivered 1,313,851 vehicles worldwide in 2022, up 40.38 percent from 935,950 in 2021.

In the first quarter of the year, BYD sold 547,917 passenger NEVs, up 92.81 percent year-on-year, including 264,647 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and 283,270 plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs).

Tesla's vehicles were all BEVs, delivering 422,875 units in the first quarter, up 36.39 percent year-on-year.

Ford CEO Jim Farley expressed similar opinions on May 26, calling Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers its main competitors in the segment.

Farley said that China has some of the best battery technology and is dominating EV production at the Morgan Stanley Sustainable Finance Summit.

He used BYD as a prime example of a Chinese automaker that has successfully developed and sold EVs, first in China and now in Europe.

"I like BYD. Totally vertically integrated, aggressive … very, very impressive company. And they were always committed to electric," Farley said when asked which company was doing the right thing in making EVs.

Tesla delivers 39,956 vehicles in China in Apr, exports 35,886 units from Shanghai plant

The post Musk once laughed at BYD, but now thinks 'their cars are highly competitive' appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

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

China NEV retail up 13% MoM to 372,000 in 1st 3 weeks of May, CPCA data show

Retail penetration of NEVs in China was 35.6 percent in the first three weeks of May.

China NEV retail up 13% MoM to 372,000 in 1st 3 weeks of May, CPCA data show-CnEVPost

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

In the first three weeks of May -- May 1 to May 21 -- retail sales of new energy passenger vehicles in China were 372,000 units, up 109 percent year-on-year and up 13 percent from the same period last month, according to data released yesterday by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

So far this year, China's retail sales of new energy passenger cars were 2.125 million units, up 44 percent year-on-year.

Wholesale sales of new energy passenger cars in China from May 1 to 21 were 361,000 units, up 81 percent year-on-year and up 10 percent from the same period in April, according to the CPCA.

So far this year, China's wholesale sales of new energy passenger vehicles are 2.469 million units, up 47 percent year-on-year.

In the first three weeks of May, retail sales of all passenger vehicles in China were 1.046 million units, up 41 percent year-on-year and up 10 percent from the same period last month, the CPCA said.

So far this year, cumulative retail sales of passenger cars in China are up 3 percent to 6.941 million units.

This means that in the first three weeks of May, China's penetration of new energy vehicles (NEVs) at retail was 35.6 percent, and the year-to-date penetration of NEVs was 31.9 percent.

In the first week of May, May 1-7, the average daily retail sales of passenger cars in China were 54,000 units, up 67 percent from the same period last May and up 46 percent from the same period in April.

In the second week of May, May 8- 14, the average daily retail sales of passenger cars in China were 48,000 units, up 44 percent over the same period last May and up 6 percent over the same period in April.

In the third week of May, May 15-21, the average daily retail sales of passenger cars in China were 48,000 units, up 17 percent from the same period last May but down 11 percent compared to the same period last month.

As price wars faded, dealers' mindsets stabilized and consumers returned to rational consumption, the CPCA said, adding that this eased wait-and-see sentiment and released pent-up demand.

Data table: China auto sales from May 1-21

The post China NEV retail up 13% MoM to 372,000 in 1st 3 weeks of May, CPCA data show appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
BYD BYD Song China Electric eMobility eV Product Launch

BYD launches 2023 Song Pro DM-i with lower prices and longer battery range

The 2023 Song Pro DM-i starts at RMB 5,000 less than the model's 2022 counterpart, but the two lower-priced versions come with larger battery packs.

(Image: video screenshot)

BYD (OTCMKTS: BYDDY) today launched yet another model facelift, and as it has been doing for past few months, it's making some specification upgrades while pricing them lower.

The model, called Song Pro DM-i Champion Edition, is offered in four versions starting at RMB 135,800 ($19,200), RMB 142,800, RMB 149,800 and RMB 159,800 respectively.

It has a battery range of 71 km for the lower-priced two versions and 110 km for the other two versions, with battery packs of 12.9 kWh and 18.3 kWh respectively.

For comparison, the previously on-sale BYD Song Pro DM-i has five versions with starting prices of RMB 140,800, 147,800, 154,800, 157,800 and 165,800 respectively, according to data monitored by CnEVPost.

The 2022 Song Pro DM-i includes three versions with a battery range of 51 km, and two versions with a battery range of 110 km, and they have a battery pack capacity of 8.3 kWh, 18.3 kWh respectively.

This means that the starting price of the 2023 BYD Song Pro DM-i has been reduced by RMB 5,000 and the battery range of the version with the smaller battery pack has been increased.

The BYD Song Pro DM-i Champion Edition measures 4,738 mm in length, 1,860 mm in width and 1,710 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,712 mm.

The 2022 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 Song Pro DM-i Champion is powered by a 1.5L engine with a maximum power of 81 kW and a maximum torque of 135 Nm. It has an electric motor with a maximum power of 145 kW and a maximum torque of 325 Nm.

The time from 0 to 100 km/h is 8.3 seconds for the two less expensive versions and 7.9 seconds for the other two more expensive versions.

Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) makers have generally faced weaker consumer demand so far this year, with the withdrawal of state purchase subsidies at the end of last year.

BYD has continued to roll out facelifts and offer lower starting prices in the past few months.

On March 16, BYD made the 2023 Han EV available for a starting price of RMB 209,800, down from RMB 219,800 for the model's 2022 version.

On May 10, BYD launched a revamped version of its all-electric Seal sedan, with a starting price of RMB 23,000 lower than the previously available model.

On May 18, the 2023 Han DM-i and Han DM-p models were launched in China with starting prices reduced by RMB 28,000 and RMB 32,000 respectively compared to the 2022 model.

BYD sold 210,295 NEVs in April, up 98.31 percent from 106,042 units in the same month last year and up 1.55 percent from 207,080 units in March.

BYD aims to sell at least 3 million vehicles this year and strives for 3.6 million, Wang Chuanfu, the company's chairman and president, said at a March 29 investor conference.

($1 = RMB 7.0719)

BYD aims to sell at least 3 million vehicles this year

The post BYD launches 2023 Song Pro DM-i with lower prices and longer battery range appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.