Author: Phate Zhang/CnEVPost

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China Deliveries Electric eMobility eV Tesla Tesla Model S Tesla Model X

Tesla starts deliveries of new Model S and Model X in China

Deliveries of the new Model S and Model X have begun in the Chinese mainland, nine years after the first vehicle entered the country in 2014.  |  TSLA.US

Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) has started deliveries of the new Model S and Model X in China, although its China website shows expected delivery dates for both models in the second quarter.

Deliveries of the new Model S and Model X have begun in the Chinese mainland, nine years after the first Tesla vehicle entered the country in 2014, Tesla said today on Weibo.

Tesla did not provide any more information on Weibo, and its China website shows expected delivery dates for both models in the second quarter.

Here's a video Tesla shared on Weibo showing a large number of the new Model S and Model X being shipped to China.

On January 6, Tesla announced the prices of the new Model S and Model X, which are not produced locally, in China at the same time as it significantly reduced the prices of the Model 3 and Model Y.

The Tesla Model S is available in China in two versions, a regular version with dual motors and all-wheel drive, and a Plaid version with tri motors and all-wheel drive.

The Model S starts at RMB 789,900 ($114,790) and the Model S Plaid starts at RMB 1,009,900.

The Model X is also available in China in two versions, a regular version with dual-motor all-wheel drive and a Plaid version with tri-motor all-wheel drive.

The Model X starts at RMB 879,900 and the Model X Plaid starts at RMB 1,039,900.

On February 28, six imported Tesla pure electric vehicles, which were driven out of containers at the Nangang Terminal of Shanghai Yangshan Port, were inspected on site by customs officers, a previous report by Shanghai Securities News said.

On March 15, Tianjin Port Group said the latest batch of 867 Tesla new Model S and Model X vehicles arrived in Tianjin.

(1 $= RMB 6.8814)

Tesla Model Y ranks No. 2 in top-selling SUVs in China in Feb

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China Electric eMobility eV Smart Driving Tesla Tesla Autopilot

Tesla rumored to be pushing major Autopilot update in China soon

" China will soon push a major update to Autopilot," a well-known car blogger wrote on Weibo.  |  TSLA.US

Tesla's assisted driving software is seen as a mediocre performer in China. Now, a rumor that has inspired a lot of anticipation.

"Tesla China will push a major update to Autopilot soon," auto blogger Zheng Xiaokang, who has 532,000 followers on Weibo, said today.

The blogger, a longtime Tesla China follower, didn't mention any more information, and some speculated in the comments section of the Weibo post that the update might be Tesla's vision-only V11 software.

In 2021, Tesla begins the transition to a vision-only Tesla Vision by removing radar from the Model 3 and Model Y, followed by the Model S and Model X in 2022.

On the Model 3 page of its China website, Tesla says the Tesla Vision processing system detects nearby vehicles to reduce the risk of collisions and assists in parking.

With a 360-degree field of view from the vehicle's front, side and rear cameras, the system has powerful vision processing capabilities and can detect distances of up to 250 meters, according to the text on the page.

Tesla has a factory in Shanghai that produces the Model 3 and Model Y.

Today, in most parts of the world, the Model 3 and Model Y are already based on the Tesla Vision solution, which relies only on cameras. But both models currently being delivered by Tesla in China still come with radar.

Earlier this month, multiple regulatory filings revealed that Tesla declared the Model Y without radar in China, which may mean that the SUV may be the first Tesla model to remove radar in China.

Tesla is one of the world's most capable automakers in terms of autonomous driving, though its assisted driving software in China pales in comparison to some of its local peers.

Several local car companies, including (NYSE: XPEV) and (NYSE: NIO), are fast-tracking testing of their advanced assisted driving software and are getting many positive reviews on social media.

On March 16, XPeng announced that its P5 sedan will receive its seventh vehicle OTA upgrade, which will make its Tesla FSD-like City Navigation Guided Pilot (City NGP) feature available in Shenzhen after Guangzhou.

City NGP can achieve up to 90 percent of the efficiency of a human driver and can easily handle heavy traffic during peak commuting hours and complex road conditions, XPeng said.

At the end of last month, NIO began allowing owners of all its NT 2.0 platform vehicles to apply for a trial of NOP (Navigate on Pilot) Plus assisted driving software, which enables a point-to-point assisted driving experience on highways and urban expressway scenarios.

NIO begins allowing all NT 2.0 models to trial NOP+ assisted driving software

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China Die-casting Electric eMobility eV Nio NIO Suppliers Tesla Wencan

NIO signs deal with die-casting parts supplier Wencan

Wencan aims to supply products from near 's plants by 2025, and the two companies will work together to arrange capacity expansion plans.  |  NIO US | NIO HK | NIO SG

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

NIO (NYSE: NIO) has entered into a strategic partnership with yet another auto parts giant that will provide supply support near its plants.

One-piece die-casting parts supplier Wencan Group signed a five-year strategic cooperation framework agreement with NIO on March 26, according to an exchange announcement today from the Shanghai-listed company.

The two companies will collaborate on supply, low carbon, digitalization and globalization to achieve supply support around NIO's Hefei plants, according to the announcement.

Wencan and NIO will also collaborate in depth on lightweight research and development of integrated die-casting structural parts for the body and new material applications.

The two will also explore all-round cooperation in products including integrated battery boxes, core electric vehicle components and automotive chassis, according to the announcement.

Wencan aims to supply products near the NIO plants by 2025, and the two companies will work together to arrange capacity expansion plans, including investing in new production lines, or building new production sites, to ensure smooth production and delivery of NIO projects, the announcement said.

Wencan will also use its global presence to provide full support to NIO's international business and to provide full support to the electric vehicle company's global R&D and product validation, according to the announcement.

NIO will promote Wencan's casting business to its partners and will explore cooperation in other business areas, the announcement said.

The two will also cooperate deeply on business car purchases and employee car purchases.

Wencan is one of China's best-known suppliers of integrated die-casting parts and a core supplier of structural body parts to NIO, according to the team led by Cui Yan, an analyst at local brokerage firm Huaxi Securities.

Wencan's parts are used in NIO's entire lineup of models, and the average value of its parts used per NIO vehicle is more than RMB 3,000, Cui's team said in a March 17 research note.

Most automakers won't adopt 's model of using one-piece die-casting machines on their own because it requires a large investment and the scale effect is less than that of third-party suppliers, the team said.

On October 26, 2022, Wencan announced plans to raise up to RMB 3.5 billion through a private placement, of which RMB 1 billion will be used to build a parts manufacturing project in Anhui province.

Wencan plans to build a plant in Lu'an, Anhui province, which will help better serve customers including NIO and , Cui's team said.

The new agreement with Wencan is the second NIO has signed with the parts giant so far this month.

On March 16, Tesla's parts supplier Ningbo Tuopu Group announced that it had signed an agreement with NIO to establish a strategic partnership for the development, manufacture and supply of NEV parts and components.

One of the goals of the partnership between the two is for Ningbo Tuopu to provide parts supply near NIO's factories in Hefei, according to the announcement.

Tesla parts supplier Ningbo Tuopu signs cooperation deal with NIO

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China Deliveries Electric eMobility eV XPeng XPeng P7i

XPeng begins P7i deliveries in China

's store traffic and test drives have reached new highs in recent months following the launch of the P7i, the company's management said earlier this month.  |  XPeng US | XPeng HK

(Image credit: XPeng)

XPeng (NYSE: XPEV) has begun deliveries of the P7i in China, where the sedan was officially launched earlier this month.

XPeng recently began the first deliveries of the P7i, a facelift of its flagship P7 sedan, in seven cities, according to an article posted yesterday by the electric vehicle (EV) maker on its mobile app.

The seven cities are Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Chongqing, where XPeng held the P7i delivery ceremonies, according to the article.

XPeng did not disclose the number of P7i vehicles that were delivered in the first batch.

The P7i is the shortest time between the official launch and delivery of any XPeng model, as the company may be concerned that keeping consumers waiting too long could lead to lost orders.

XPeng officially launched the P7i in China on March 10, offering only four versions with a starting price of RMB 249,900 ($36,390).

The XPeng P7i continues to be built on the regular 400 V platform, rather than the 800 V high-voltage platform used by the G9.

However, the P7i's maximum charging power has been increased from its predecessor's 90 kW to 175 kW, and can be charged from 10 percent to 80 percent in 29 minutes.

The Pro version of the XPeng P7i comes standard with an Nvidia Orin-X Smart Drive chip with 254 TOPS of computing power. The Max version of the model comes standard with two Orin-X chips as well as two LiDARs.

The P7i's predecessor, the P7, was the XPeng's main seller for a long time, selling 59,066 units in 2022, contributing 49 percent of the XPeng's annual sales of 120,757 units, according to data monitored by CnEVPost.

Following the launch of the P7i, XPeng's store traffic and test drives have reached new highs in recent months, He Xiaopeng, the company's chairman and CEO, said during a March 17 analyst call after the company reported fourth-quarter earnings.

The P7i has been well received by customers for its smart features, styling and performance, as well as its other clear advantages against similar products, he said.

Amid the market's prevailing weakness in new order intake, XPeng outperformed the market with a 100 percent increase in new orders in February compared to the previous month, Mr. He said.

With the strong momentum in orders following the official launch of the P7i, XPeng expects total new orders in March to grow significantly month-on-month, he said, adding that this marks the company's initial success following a comprehensive transformation, which has also boosted morale.

($1 = 6.8680 RMB)

XPeng Q4 earnings call: Key points of transcript

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China CPCA CPCA Estimates Electric eMobility eV EV Data Expectations Industry News Monthly Data

CPCA expects China’s Mar NEV retail sales to rise 27.5% from Feb to 560,000 units

The overall market is recovering at a slower pace than previously expected due to increased consumer wait-and-see sentiment caused by big price cuts, the CPCA said.

The China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) expects China's new energy vehicle (NEV) sales to continue to recover this month from last month, although growth in the overall passenger car market remains slow.

Retail sales of passenger vehicles in China are expected to be 1.59 million units in March, flat from a year ago and up 14.5 percent from February, the CPCA said in a report late last night.

Among them, retail sales of NEVs are expected to be 560,000 units, up 25.8 percent from a year ago and up 27.5 percent from February, with a penetration rate of 35.2 percent, according to the report.

In mid-March, the overall market discount rate for passenger cars in China was about 14.4 percent, up from 13.9 percent at the end of February, indicating intense price competition in sales channels, the report said.

The Chinese car market performed poorly in January-February amid multiple unfavorable factors, and demand began to be released in March, the CPCA said.

However, the overall market recovered at a slower pace than previously expected due to increased consumer wait-and-see sentiment caused by car companies' price-cut marketing, the report said.

Large discounts offered by car companies in Hubei province in early March attracted a lot of consumer attention, but at the same time led to a wait-and-see mood among consumers in other provinces and cities, the CPCA said.

Other local governments have since introduced subsidy policies and car brands have followed suit with promotions, which have boosted store traffic but limited actual order conversion, the CPCA said.

Consumer wait-and-see sentiment further increased, negatively impacting the auto market, the report said.

Average daily retail sales for major Chinese automakers in the first and second weeks of March were 31,500 and 36,700, down 16 percent and 18 percent year-on-year, respectively, according to the report.

Average daily retail sales in the third week are expected to be 40,800, up 10 percent year-on-year, mainly due to a low base from last year as a result of the Covid outbreak in the same period last year.

Considering the upward pulse of car sales at the end of the quarter and promotional policies in some regions, the auto market is expected to maintain its rebound in the fourth and fifth weeks, the CPCA said.

The CPCA usually releases estimates of passenger vehicle sales at the end of the month, with preliminary data released early the following month, followed by final data.

It estimated February NEV retail sales in China at around 400,000 units on February 22, released a preliminary figure of 438,000 units on March 7, and released a final figure of 439,000 units on March 8.

CAAM calls for return to normal order in China's auto industry as price war disrupts sector

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China Electric eMobility eV Tesla

Tesla recalls 2,649 more imported Model S in China due to risk of frunk lid opening while driving

The frunk lid of the vehicles in the recall could suddenly open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of a crash.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

has expanded a late 2021 recall to cover more imported Model S electric vehicles due to the risk of their front trunks (frunks) opening unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion.

Tesla is recalling a total of 2,649 imported Model S vehicles with production dates between October 14, 2015, and August 23, 2020, effective immediately, according to an announcement on China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) website today.

The recall is an expansion of a recall issued on December 31, 2021, the announcement said.

Vehicles subject to this recall may have a slightly backward alignment of the front trunk latch to the buckle, which does not affect the locking of the primary latch, but may affect the locking of the secondary latch.

If the secondary latch is not locked when the primary latch is accidentally released, the frunk lid may suddenly open while the vehicle is in motion.

If this happens, it will affect the driver's view, increasing the risk of a crash and posing a safety hazard, the announcement said.

Tesla will inspect the secondary locking latch on the frunk lid for the recalled vehicles for free. If the frunk lid is found not to be properly locked by the secondary locking latch, the frunk latch will be repositioned and reinstalled to ensure it is properly positioned.

Owners should drive their vehicles with caution prior to the repair and contact the service center for service as soon as possible after the recall begins, the announcement said.

In the recall announced on December 31, 2021, Tesla recalled 19,697 imported Model S vehicles with production dates between January 21, 2015, and November 18, 2020, because of the risks described above.

In addition, Tesla recalled 35,836 imported Model 3s and 144,208 China-made Model 3s at that time because of the risk of excessive wear on the trunk wiring harness, which could cause the back-up camera to not work properly.

Tesla recalls 199,741 vehicles in China

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China Electric eMobility eV Tesla

Tesla recalls 2,649 more imported Model S in China due to risk of frunk lid opening while driving

The frunk lid of the vehicles in the recall could suddenly open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of a crash.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

has expanded a late 2021 recall to cover more imported Model S electric vehicles due to the risk of their front trunks (frunks) opening unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion.

Tesla is recalling a total of 2,649 imported Model S vehicles with production dates between October 14, 2015, and August 23, 2020, effective immediately, according to an announcement on China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) website today.

The recall is an expansion of a recall issued on December 31, 2021, the announcement said.

Vehicles subject to this recall may have a slightly backward alignment of the front trunk latch to the buckle, which does not affect the locking of the primary latch, but may affect the locking of the secondary latch.

If the secondary latch is not locked when the primary latch is accidentally released, the frunk lid may suddenly open while the vehicle is in motion.

If this happens, it will affect the driver's view, increasing the risk of a crash and posing a safety hazard, the announcement said.

Tesla will inspect the secondary locking latch on the frunk lid for the recalled vehicles for free. If the frunk lid is found not to be properly locked by the secondary locking latch, the frunk latch will be repositioned and reinstalled to ensure it is properly positioned.

Owners should drive their vehicles with caution prior to the repair and contact the service center for service as soon as possible after the recall begins, the announcement said.

In the recall announced on December 31, 2021, Tesla recalled 19,697 imported Model S vehicles with production dates between January 21, 2015, and November 18, 2020, because of the risks described above.

In addition, Tesla recalled 35,836 imported Model 3s and 144,208 China-made Model 3s at that time because of the risk of excessive wear on the trunk wiring harness, which could cause the back-up camera to not work properly.

Tesla recalls 199,741 vehicles in China

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China Electric eMobility eV Nio NIO Europe Nio House NIO Netherlands

First NIO House in Netherlands opens

co-founder and president Qin Lihong attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the NIO House in the Netherlands.  |  NIO US | NIO HK | NIO SG

(NIO co-founder and president Qin Lihong (first from left) attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the first NIO House in the Netherlands.)

NIO (NYSE: NIO) has opened its first flagship showroom in the Netherlands after the company teased the move earlier this week.

The first NIO House in the Netherlands opened on March 23, and it is located at Meent 80-84 in Rotterdam, the country's second-largest city, according to an article published yesterday in the European edition of the NIO App.

The NO House consists of seven main areas, including a vehicle display area, as well as areas for NIO users to relax and interact with the community.

In the vehicle display area, local visitors can experience NIO's three models, the ET7, EL7 and ET5. The EL7 is known as the ES7 in China.

The opening of the first NIO House in the Netherlands is an important moment for the company, which aims to be more than just electric driving; it welcomes everyone, said Ruben Keuter, general manager of NIO Netherlands.

The first image in the NIO App article shows the company's co-founder and president, Qin Lihong, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the NIO House.

The NIO Houses are NIO's flagship showrooms, which function to display and sell vehicles while providing a space for NIO owners to live a quality lifestyle. The company's showroom also includes the smaller NIO Spaces.

On October 1, 2021, NIO opened its first NIO House in Norway, its first such facility in Europe.

NIO released data on March 1 showing that as of the end of February, it had 101 NIO Houses worldwide, including 99 in China and two in Europe.

As of February 28, NIO had 296 NIO Spaces worldwide, including 290 in China and six overseas.

NIO's 2nd swap station in Netherlands comes online

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China Deliveries Electric eMobility eV Li Auto Milestones

Li Auto sees cumulative deliveries exceed 300,000 units

This means has seen more than 10,905 deliveries so far this month.

(Image credit: Li Auto)

Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI) saw cumulative vehicle deliveries top 300,000, meaning it has delivered more than 10,000 vehicles so far this month.

Li Auto delivered the Li L9, Li L8 and Li L7 to three owners at its Beijing delivery center on March 24, bringing cumulative deliveries to more than 300,000 vehicles, the company announced today.

Li Auto achieved its 300,000th vehicle delivery in 39 months since it officially began delivering vehicles in December 2019, the fastest among China's homegrown new luxury carmaker brands, it said.

Li Auto delivered 15,141 and 16,620 vehicles in January and February, respectively, for a cumulative total of 289,095 deliveries as of the end of February, according to data monitored by CnEVPost.

The latest development means that as of today, Li Auto has delivered more than 10,905 units so far this month. The company is expected to announce March's delivery figures on April 1.

Li Auto's local peer (NYSE: NIO) saw its 300,000th vehicle delivered in February, but did not publicly market it.

NIO delivered 12,157 vehicles in February, bringing cumulative deliveries through the end of February to 310,219.

Li Auto's models currently on sale have gained close to 20 percent market share in the RMB 300,000 ($43,810)-500,000 price range, making it the luxury SUV brand of choice for families, the company said.

Li Auto's current offerings are all extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) with an all-electric range of about 200 kilometers and the ability to refuel.

On March 22, William Li, founder, chairman and CEO of NIO, said at a forum that the company had delivered more than 310,000 units as of February this year, accounting for more than 66 percent of the premium EV market in January and February.

All of NIO's current models are pure electric models and are aimed at a market with a price tag of more than RMB 300,000.

Li Auto does not currently have any pure electric models and its first such model will be an MPV, which is expected to be released by the end of the year.

In terms of technology development, Li Auto continues to invest in R&D and has achieved in-house development and production of core components such as range-extender and XCU central domain controller, the company said today.

Li Auto insists on in-house R&D in assisted driving systems and makes models equipped with assisted driving systems as standard, it said.

As of March 23, Li Auto's in-house developed AD smart driving system has accumulated more than 550 million kilometers, including more than 100 million kilometers for the NOA navigation assisted driving system, it said.

($1 = RMB 6.8473)

Li Auto to build charging stations at 'NIO pace', report says

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China Electric eMobility eV Tesla XPeng XPeng G6

G6 will be swing factor for XPeng, says Deutsche Bank

The upcoming G6 will need to be successful to make to be truly relevant again in the market, said Edison Yu's team.  |  XPeng US | XPeng HK

(XPeng G6 shown in a regulatory filing.)

XPeng (NYSE: XPEV) will officially debut the G6 at next month's Shanghai auto show, and in Deutsche Bank's view, the new SUV's sales performance will be crucial for the electric vehicle maker.

The upcoming G6 will be the swing factor and the model will need to be successful to make XPeng truly relevant in the market again, Deutsche Bank analyst Edison Yu's team said in a research note sent to investors on Wednesday.

XPeng management said during an earnings call earlier this month that the G6 will be unveiled at the Shanghai auto show and will be officially launched and delivered by the end of the second quarter. The Shanghai auto show will be held from April 18 to April 27.

The model is a new energy SUV with a price range of RMB 200,000 ($29,250) - 300,000 and a monthly sales target of 2-3 times that of the P7, XPeng's management said.

That means at least 5,000 units per month of XPeng G6 sales, based on the trailing 6-month average, Yu's team noted.

XPeng will likely price the G6 similarly to the Model Y, hoping to attract consumers with its sleeker design and updated interior, the team said.

With increased G6 production, XPeng management believes total monthly deliveries could reach 15,000 units at some point in the third quarter, the team noted.

"This seems achievable and we model XPeng reaching this level in Sep," Yu's team wrote.

XPeng management said during a previous earnings call on August 23, 2022, that the company will launch a B-segment car in the first half of 2023 that will compete with the Tesla Model Y.

That model is the G6, and a regulatory filing earlier this month showed that it will come in three versions according to powertrain, including two single-motor versions as well as a dual-motor version. Its battery pack will have both lithium iron phosphate and lithium ternary batteries available.

The XPeng G6 measures 4,753 mm in length, 1,920 mm in width and 1,650 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,890 mm. For comparison, the Tesla Model Y measures 4,750 mm in length, 1,921 mm in width and 1,624 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,890 mm.

The G6 will have a significantly improved range that will exceed expectations and will have much more interior space than similar offerings from competitors, XPeng chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng said during the earnings call earlier this month.

($1 = RMB 6.8374)

XPeng Q4 earnings call: New order intake up 100% in Feb from Jan

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