Tag: Zeekr

Categories
China Electric eMobility eV MPV XPeng XPeng X9

XPeng CEO teases MPV model called X9

will open up the MPV market to a younger demographic with the X9, said He Xiaopeng, chairman and CEO of the EV maker.

XPeng (NYSE: XPEV) is starting to warm up for the company's first MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) model, after previously mentioning plans to build such a model.

In addition to the G6, XPeng has recently been building a new MPV, the X9, the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker's chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng said today on Weibo.

"We will open up the MPV market for the younger demographic with this product," Mr. He said.

Mr. He's Weibo didn't mention anything more, but was accompanied by a picture showing the logo of the MPV's name.

XPeng had mentioned last year that the company would launch its first MPV in 2023, and provided more details during its earnings call on May 24.

XPeng will launch a 7-seat all-electric MPV, internally codenamed X9, in the fourth quarter of this year, the company's management said in the call.

Mr. He's Weibo today implies that the model is being finally named X9.

XPeng is defining the 7-seat MPV thinking about how young people associate with MPVs and will go into more detail about the logic of young people buying MPVs at its launch at the end of the year, the company said.

In the second half of the year, gross margin levels will steadily improve with deliveries of the G6, P7i and the MPV, the company said in the Wednesday call.

There are few good MPVs to choose from in the Chinese market before 2022, with the most well-known being the Buick GL8 and the Toyota Alphard. There are even fewer new-energy MPVs.

Dongfeng Motor's EV subsidiary Voyah launched its MPV model Voyah Dreamer in China on May 7, 2022.

's premium brand Denza launched its D9 MPV on May 16, 2022, and launched its Zeekr 009 MPV on November 2.

(NASDAQ: LI) is also expected to roll out its first MPV by the end of the year, though (NYSE: NIO) has stressed several times that it has no plans to build such a model in the near future.

It's worth noting that the MPV market has been a niche segment in China.

Retail sales of passenger cars in China in April were 1,623,568 units, with 779,511 sedans, 748,503 SUVs and 95,554 MPVs, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

This means that MPVs contributed only 5.9 percent of China's passenger car sales in April.

China Apr auto sales breakdown: Sedan 779,511, SUV 748,503, MPV 95,554

The post XPeng CEO teases MPV model called X9 appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
Astroinno Battery Battery News Battery Tech China Electric eMobility eV Gotion

Gotion unveils new battery based on LMFP chemistry with range up to 1,000 km

The pack is based on Gotion's new L600 LMFP cells with an energy density of 240 Wh/kg and will be in mass production in 2024.

(Astroinno Battery. Image credit: Gotion High-tech)

Several Chinese power battery makers have previously announced batteries with ranges of up to 1,000 km, but all are based on nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) ternary materials.

Now Gotion High-tech has unveiled a new battery technology, which claims to be able to achieve a range of 1,000 km even without the use of expensive ternary materials.

Hefei, Anhui-based Gotion unveiled its L600 LMFP battery cells based on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry and a battery pack called Astroinno Battery at its 12th technology conference today.

The L600 LMFP cells have an energy density of 240 Wh/kg, or 525 Wh/L. The cells support 4,000 cycles at room temperature and 1,800 cycles at high temperature, according to the company.

A battery system based on the L600 LMFP cell could have an energy density of 190 Wh/kg, which is higher than the energy density of packs based on ternary chemistry systems that are in mass production now, Gotion said, adding that the new cell will be in mass production in 2024.

The energy density growth of mass-produced LFP cells has faced a bottleneck, and further improvements require chemical system improvements, so the LFP solution with manganese addition was born, said Cheng Qian, Gotion's executive president of international operations.

Gotion unveiled the Astroinno Battery based on L600 LMFP cells, saying that the pack uses a sandwich structure with double-sided liquid cooling technology and minimalist design, resulting in a 45 percent reduction in the number of structural components and a 32 percent reduction in the weight of structural components.

The minimalist electrical design thinking makes the pack's wiring harness length only 26 percent of the previous one, from the original 303-meter harness down to 80 meters, with a volumetric grouping efficiency of 76 percent, according to the company.

The pack has an energy density of 190 Wh/kg, surpassing the energy density of ternary batteries currently on the market, Gotion said.

Gotion is not the first manufacturer to release a 1,000-km range battery pack, but it is the first to achieve that range based on the LFP chemistry system.

, China's largest power battery maker, unveiled Qilin Battery, or CTP (cell to pack) 3.0, on June 23, 2022, claiming an energy density of up to 255 Wh/kg to support a vehicle with a 1,000km range.

The Qilin Battery is an innovation in battery structure, not a chemical system, and a 1,000 km range battery pack requires NCM chemistry.

The first Qilin Battery with a 1,000 km range is the 001 of Zeekr, a premium electric vehicle brand of , and deliveries of the model with this range have already started on May 16.

On April 21, Svolt Energy, which was spun off from Great Wall Motor, made the real-life debut of its Dragon Armor Battery at the Shanghai auto show.

Dragon Armor is also an innovation in battery pack structure without involving battery chemistry.

Svolt Energy said that the Dragon Armor Battery with LFP cells could have a range of more than 800 kilometers, while such batteries with ternary cells could have a range of more than 1,000 kilometers.

Gotion installed 1.18 GWh of power batteries in China in April, ranking fifth with a 4.68 percent share, according to the China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance (CABIA).

In the LFP market, Gotion ranked fourth with a 6.17 percent share in April.

Gotion posts 135% year-on-year profit growth in Q1, site for US battery plant nears finalization

The post Gotion unveils new battery based on LMFP chemistry with range up to 1,000 km appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
China Electric eMobility eV Nio NIO ET5 Nio ET5 Touring

NIO ET5 touring spotted in real life in China uncamouflaged

The NIO ET5 touring with a green exterior is seen for the first time. Yellow and blue versions of the model have already been seen in Europe, while the black version appeared in a regulatory filing in China.

The NIO ET5 touring is on the streets of China without camouflage, after the model was seen in Europe in recent days.

A WeChat user shared three images of the NIO ET5 touring without camouflage in a group chat where CnEVPost is present, showing a green version of the model.

This is the first time the NIO ET5 touring with a green exterior has been seen. Yellow and blue versions of the model have already been seen in Europe, while the black version appeared in a regulatory filing in China.

It is not clear in which Chinese city the NIO ET5 touring was photographed, and the temporary number plate affixed to its rear window is illegible.

On March 9, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced the latest batch of models that will be allowed to be sold in China, and the NIO ET5 touring was included.

The model in the catalog was in black exterior and has a length, width and height of 4,790 mm, 1,960 mm and 1,499 mm, respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,888 mm, in line with the regular ET5 sedan.

The NIO ET5 touring 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.

On May 9, CnEVPost obtained two spy shots of the NIO ET5 touring, showing the model on the streets of Europe, with the yellow color exclusive to the ET5 sedan sold in China.

On May 12, auto blogger Delu shared multiple images of a blue NIO ET5 touring on the NIO App, saying that NIO was filming a promotional video for the model in Norway.

The NIO ET5 touring is expected to make its official debut in Europe in June, with the launch in China likely to come a little later.

NIO co-founder and president Qin Lihong said in January that this variant of the ET5 would debut in Europe, where the model was developed primarily for European consumers.

Derivatives of sedans have been a niche market in China, and few car companies have tried to tap into it before.

's electric vehicle (EV) brand unveiled its first model, the Zeekr 001, on April 15, 2021, the first such model released by a local brand, with deliveries starting in October 2021.

The Zeekr 001 was an unexpected success in China, with 71,941 units delivered in the full year 2022.

Zeekr positions the Zeekr 001 as a shooting brake sedan, while NIO emphasizes that this NIO ET5 variant is a touring model.

NIO filming ET5 touring promo in Norway, more images revealed

The post NIO ET5 touring spotted in real life in China uncamouflaged appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
China Electric eMobility eV Nio NIO ET5 Nio ET5 Touring

NIO ET5 touring spotted in real life in China uncamouflaged

The NIO ET5 touring with a green exterior is seen for the first time. Yellow and blue versions of the model have already been seen in Europe, while the black version appeared in a regulatory filing in China.

The NIO ET5 touring is on the streets of China without camouflage, after the model was seen in Europe in recent days.

A WeChat user shared three images of the NIO ET5 touring without camouflage in a group chat where CnEVPost is present, showing a green version of the model.

This is the first time the NIO ET5 touring with a green exterior has been seen. Yellow and blue versions of the model have already been seen in Europe, while the black version appeared in a regulatory filing in China.

It is not clear in which Chinese city the NIO ET5 touring was photographed, and the temporary number plate affixed to its rear window is illegible.

On March 9, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced the latest batch of models that will be allowed to be sold in China, and the NIO ET5 touring was included.

The model in the catalog was in black exterior and has a length, width and height of 4,790 mm, 1,960 mm and 1,499 mm, respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,888 mm, in line with the regular ET5 sedan.

The NIO ET5 touring 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.

On May 9, CnEVPost obtained two spy shots of the NIO ET5 touring, showing the model on the streets of Europe, with the yellow color exclusive to the ET5 sedan sold in China.

On May 12, auto blogger Delu shared multiple images of a blue NIO ET5 touring on the NIO App, saying that NIO was filming a promotional video for the model in Norway.

The NIO ET5 touring is expected to make its official debut in Europe in June, with the launch in China likely to come a little later.

NIO co-founder and president Qin Lihong said in January that this variant of the ET5 would debut in Europe, where the model was developed primarily for European consumers.

Derivatives of sedans have been a niche market in China, and few car companies have tried to tap into it before.

's electric vehicle (EV) brand unveiled its first model, the Zeekr 001, on April 15, 2021, the first such model released by a local brand, with deliveries starting in October 2021.

The Zeekr 001 was an unexpected success in China, with 71,941 units delivered in the full year 2022.

Zeekr positions the Zeekr 001 as a shooting brake sedan, while NIO emphasizes that this NIO ET5 variant is a touring model.

NIO filming ET5 touring promo in Norway, more images revealed

The post NIO ET5 touring spotted in real life in China uncamouflaged appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
China China Holidays Denza Electric eMobility eV Li Auto Nio Tesla Zeekr

Labor Day holiday: How do NIO, Tesla and Li Auto’s user travel reports compare?

Between April 28 and May 4, NIO owners drove a total of about 140 million km and 4.48 million hours.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

Only a few electric vehicle (EV) makers, including NIO (NYSE: NIO), have previously published reports on their owners' travel data during the holiday season. Now, more and more players are doing so.

This year's Labor Day holiday in China ran from April 29 to May 3. As the holiday ended, several EV makers, including NIO, (NASDAQ: TSLA), (NASDAQ: LI), , and Denza, released their data.

NIO

Between April 28 and May 4, NIO owners accumulated about 140 million kilometers and drove about 4.48 million hours, according to an article posted Saturday on the company's mobile app.

By traveling in purely electric vehicles, NIO users' trips during the holiday equated to a reduction of 9,211 tons of carbon emissions, according to the company.

The largest number of users traveling in NIO vehicles came from Shanghai, followed by Hangzhou and Beijing. Among their travel destinations, Shanghai's neighboring city of Suzhou, Jiangsu, ranked first, followed by Jiaxing, Zhejiang, and Shaoxing, Zhejiang.

NIO users traveled a total of 18.1 million kilometers with assisted driving feature and used it for 226,143 hours, according to the article.

The total mileage of NIO's Navigate on Pilot (NOP) system was 6.3 million kilometers, and the more powerful NOP+ was 4.34 million kilometers.

NIO's battery swap stations provided 432,191 services during this period, with a maximum of 68,748 services in a single day.

The battery swap stations along the highways provided 138,552 free services, saving vehicle owners 104,087 hours of highway travel time, according to NIO.

These stations along highways saw a peak of 23,632 services on May 2.

NIO's 15,137 charging piles accumulated 315,455 services during that holiday, with 79.5 percent of those deliveries going to other brands of electric vehicles.

By the end of April, NIO had accumulated 327,255 deliveries.

Tesla

Between April 29 and May 3, Tesla owners drove 170 million kilometers by using the EV maker's charging network in China, it said on Weibo yesterday.

That mileage represents a carbon reduction of 10,860 tons, Tesla said.

Tesla's Supercharger stations in China are available to owners 24 hours a day and maintain an availability rate of more than 99 percent throughout the year, it said.

To date, Tesla has more than 5,000 Supercharger stations worldwide. The company has more than 1,600 Supercharger stations in the Chinese mainland, offering more than 10,000 Superchargers.

Tesla also has more than 700 destination charging stations in the Chinese mainland, offering more than 2,000 charging piles, it said.

Li Auto

Between April 29 and May 3, Li Auto owners racked up 144 million kilometers, the company said in a WeChat post on Saturday.

Of the total, 72.29 million kilometers were powered by gasoline, up 147 percent from regular days and 372 percent from the holiday last year.

Battery-powered mileage was 71.78 million kilometers, an increase of 11.9 percent over regular days.

Li Auto owners visited 368 cities during the holiday, with the most popular cities being Chengdu, Hangzhou and Shanghai.

Li Auto's AD assisted driving system drove a total of 16.47 million kilometers, or 11 percent of the milage driven.

More than 36 percent of owners of the company's discontinued Li ONE used assisted driving, and 53 percent of owners of the currently available L series used assisted driving, according to the company.

More than 69,000 owners used the more powerful navigation-assisted driving feature and drove more than 7.8 million kilometers, an increase of 186 percent compared to the usual rate.

Li Auto owners used the company's charging map to find charging piles and charge more than 680,000 kWh using fast charging.

Li Auto's supercharging stations began trial operations on April 20, with seven stations charging more than 1,000 NEVs, covering several major brands including BYD and Tesla, the company said.

By the end of April, Li Auto's cumulative deliveries stood at 335,599 units.

Zeekr

Between April 28 and May 4, Zeekr owners accumulated 54.1 million kilometers, with the longest traveled vehicle covering 5,481 kilometers, according to an article published by the company yesterday.

Eighty-seven percent of Zeekr owners drove less than 1,000 kilometers in that period, 11.2 percent drove between 1,000 and 2,000 kilometers, and 1.53 percent drove between 2,000 and 3,000 kilometers.

Zeekr owners used nearly 3.7 million kWh of energy from the company's charging piles on its charging map, and to date, Zeekr has built nearly 690 of its own charging stations, covering more than 120 cities in China.

As of the end of April, Zeekr's cumulative deliveries stood at 101,283 units.

Denza

Between April 29 and May 3, Denza D9 owners drove a total of 11.12 million kilometers and logged 292,974 hours, it said in an article published Saturday.

Of that total, 4.92 million kilometers were driven on fuel and 6.2 million kilometers on electric power.

Denza D9 owners have used assisted driving system a total of 32,493 times during the period, according to the article.

Denza currently has only one model, the D9 MPV, on sale, and it already started pre-sales of the new SUV N7 at the Shanghai auto show last month.

As of the end of April, Denza's cumulative deliveries since the rebranding stood at 44,491 units.

NIO sees over 430,000 battery swap services during Labor Day holiday in China

The post Labor Day holiday: How do NIO, Tesla and Li Auto's user travel reports compare? appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
China Deliveries Electric eMobility eV EV Data Insurance Registrations Li Auto Neta Nio Tesla Weekly Data XPeng

Insurance registrations for week ending Apr 30: Tesla 11,500, Li Auto 8,100, NIO 2,600

shared the numbers, saying its sales last week far outpaced those of other local new car-making brands.

Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI) today shared sales figures for the major new car makers as well as luxury car companies in China for the last week of April, which is worth a look, even though many automakers have already announced deliveries for last month.

For the week ending April 24 to April 30, Li Auto sold 8,100 units, far more than any other new carmaker brand, it said today on Weibo.

Li Auto continues to be in the top five luxury brands selling in China, the highest-ranking Chinese brand on the list, outpacing other traditional luxury brands besides Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi in weekly sales, it said.

Li L7 delivered more than 10,000 units in its first full delivery month, making it one of the preferred luxury five-seat SUVs for more families, Li Auto said.

Li Auto didn't specify what statistic that sales figure was based on, though apparently it was insurance registrations. Its figures for the first three weeks of April were 7,200, 6,300 and 4,177.

Previously, we had access to those numbers every Tuesday, and it was Li Auto's practice to share some of them later to show off that it was leading the pack among car-making newcomers.

The major third-party providers of Chinese auto insurance registrations data, as well as Weibo bloggers, stopped sharing them in April, though Li Auto continues to share some of them.

Li Auto delivered 25,681 vehicles in April, another monthly high while surpassing the 20,000-delivery mark for the second consecutive month, according to data it released on May 1.

vehicles sold 11,500 units in China last week, according to a table shared by Li Auto. The figure for Tesla was 10,300, 12,500 and 6,973 units in the previous three weeks.

The US electric vehicle maker sold 75,842 China-made vehicles in April, including exports, according to data released earlier today by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

The sales include sales in China as well as exports, and the breakdown is expected to be available in the coming days.

NIO (NYSE: NIO) sold 2,600 units last week, according to Li Auto. The company sold 2,000, 700 and 1,316 units in the first three weeks of April, according to the previous data.

NIO's deliveries in April fell further to 6,658 units, as its product switchover continues, according to data released on May 1.

(NYSE: XPEV) saw sales of 2,500 units last week. It sold 1,900, 1,300 and 904 units in the first three weeks of April.

XPeng delivered 7,079 vehicles in April, down 21.36 percent from 9,002 a year ago, but up 1.1 percent from 7,002 in March.

sold 2,300 units last week, a figure that was 2,100, 1,600 and 1,476 units in the first three weeks of April.

, Denza, and sold 3,200, 2,700, and 2,600 units last week, respectively.

Among the luxury brands, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi had the highest sales last week with 19,400, 15,700 and 14,500 respectively, according to data shared by Li Auto.

The post Insurance registrations for week ending Apr 30: Tesla 11,500, Li Auto 8,100, NIO 2,600 appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
China China EV Market Insight Electric eMobility eV EV Data Insights Monthly Data Nio Research Note

Deutsche Bank on Apr China EV sales: Li Auto shines while NIO struggles

Edison Yu's team continues to expect most automakers to be aggressive, as market share is a top priority.

China's major electric vehicle (EV) makers announced their April deliveries yesterday, and Deutsche Bank analyst Edison Yu's team provided their take, as usual.

"April sales were generally better than feared for most OEMs we track with the exception of NIO who is struggling at the moment from both weak demand for its sedans and a major production platform transition for its SUVs," the team said in a note sent to investors yesterday.

continues to impress, setting a monthly delivery record and showing continued strong traction for its three models in the premium SUV segment, the team said.

As a backdrop, Li Auto delivered a record 25,681 vehicles in April, surpassing the 20,000-delivery mark for the second consecutive month.

NIO deliveries fell further to 6,658 in April as the product switch continued. XPeng delivered 7,079 vehicles in April, essentially unchanged from March, and the company appears to be on the cusp of emerging from the mire of weak sales that lasted about one year.

Here is the full text of Yu's team's note.

April sales were generally better than feared for most OEMs we track with the exception of NIO who is struggling at the moment from both weak demand for its sedans and a major production platform transition for its SUVs.

Li Auto continues to impress, setting a record for monthly deliveries, demonstrating continued robust traction in the premium SUV segment with its 3 models.

's volume held in about flat MoM as new P7i ramps up.

Overall, we continue to expect most OEMs to be aggressive as market share is the #1 priority. Although there were no big price cuts announced at the Shanghai Auto Show, our view is that there is likely another wave of price cuts to come as industry demand remains soft.

Moreover, the price of lithium carbonate has dropped dramatically this year which provides more cushion on the gross margin side.

April OEM recap

Li Auto delivered 25,681 vehicles (+23% MoM, +516% YoY), beating our forecast and setting a new monthly record. This includes >10,000 units of the L7 in its first full month of deliveries (vs. 7,702 in March).

XPeng delivered 7,079 vehicles (+17% MoM; -55% YoY), slightly below our expectations. The P7i mid-cycle face-lift should help volume in May/June as management expressed confidence in the order book.

XPeng officially revealed the G6 at the Shanghai Auto Show last month and this will be the most important product for the company this year to grow sales (double current monthly sales by end of 3Q), set for late June deliveries.

NIO delivered only 6,658 vehicles (-36% MoM, +31% YoY), below our forecast. Demand for ET5 and ES7 appear to be getting weaker sequentially while the rest of the portfolio is undergoing a platform transition (except for ET7 getting an interior upgrade this month).

Deliveries of the new EC7 began on 4/28, a few weeks earlier than anticipated, suggesting operational execution is on track. The new ES6 is expected to begin deliveries toward end of May (NIO's best selling SUV model).

delivered sales of 8,101 vehicles (+22% MoM; +279% YoY). The average order value for 001 shooting break sedan is 336k RMB and 009 luxury MPV is 527k. Zeekr's upcoming X model is expected to garner higher relative volumes with starting price of just 190k (deliver in June, targeting 40,000 units for 2023).

NIO deliveries fall further to 6,658 in Apr as product switch continues

The post Deutsche Bank on Apr China EV sales: Li Auto shines while NIO struggles appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
China Electric eMobility eV Fund Raising Nio NIO Capital

NIO Capital invests in Chinese SiC chip maker

Qingchun was founded in March 2021, and the core team members have been involved in SiC semiconductor technology for over 20 years, according to NIO Capital.

(Image credit: NIO Capital)

NIO Capital has invested in a local Chinese silicon carbide (SiC) chip maker as it continues to expand its investments in the new energy vehicle (NEV) industry chain.

The company recently co-led a several hundred million yuan Series A+ round of financing for Qingchun Semiconductor (or SICHAIN), which will be used to improve the SiC chip maker's supply chain layout, expand its team and build mass production labs, according to a press release today.

Founded in March 2021, Qingchun's core team members have been involved in SiC semiconductor technology for more than 20 years and are one of the few companies in China currently capable of achieving world-class performance and reliability of SiC devices, according to NIO Capital.

The SiC chip maker is also one of the companies able to mass produce automotive SiC MOSFETs based on its production line in China, and its products have been used in new energy power generation and NEVs, according to the release.

Since its inception, Qingchun has made a series of significant advances in SiC device technology and product development, including the maturation of its 1200V SiC MOSFET platform technology and the mass production of multiple products.

The company launched the first 15V drive SiC MOSFET to be mass-produced in China, shipping nearly one million units to various industries, particularly photovoltaics and energy storage, according to the release.

Qingchun also launched the 1200V 14mΩ SiC MOSFET, which has the lowest on-resistance and is currently being validated by several vehicle companies, according to NIO Capital.

The SiC market is spacious and growing fast, with a wide range of application scenarios in areas such as NEVs, and Qingchun is one of the best startups in China for that, said Ian Zhu, managing partner of NIO Capital.

Earlier today, 's electric vehicle brand announced a long-term supply agreement with US chip maker Onsemi involving silicon carbide power devices.

Zeekr will use Onsemi's M3E 1200V EliteSiC MOSFET products to complement its expanding lineup of high-performance all-electric models, according to a press release.

The SiC module is an upgrade to the IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor chip) module, a third-generation power semiconductor with higher efficiency, higher temperature resistance and higher voltage characteristics.

The module will help upgrade the electrical architecture of NEVs from 400V to 800V and enable NEVs to charge from 0 to 80 percent in 10 minutes.

NIO Capital leads latest funding round in US-based suspension startup ClearMotion

The post NIO Capital invests in Chinese SiC chip maker appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
China Electric eMobility eV Fund Raising Nio NIO Capital

NIO Capital invests in Chinese SiC chip maker

Qingchun was founded in March 2021, and the core team members have been involved in SiC semiconductor technology for over 20 years, according to NIO Capital.

(Image credit: NIO Capital)

NIO Capital has invested in a local Chinese silicon carbide (SiC) chip maker as it continues to expand its investments in the new energy vehicle (NEV) industry chain.

The company recently co-led a several hundred million yuan Series A+ round of financing for Qingchun Semiconductor (or SICHAIN), which will be used to improve the SiC chip maker's supply chain layout, expand its team and build mass production labs, according to a press release today.

Founded in March 2021, Qingchun's core team members have been involved in SiC semiconductor technology for more than 20 years and are one of the few companies in China currently capable of achieving world-class performance and reliability of SiC devices, according to NIO Capital.

The SiC chip maker is also one of the companies able to mass produce automotive SiC MOSFETs based on its production line in China, and its products have been used in new energy power generation and NEVs, according to the release.

Since its inception, Qingchun has made a series of significant advances in SiC device technology and product development, including the maturation of its 1200V SiC MOSFET platform technology and the mass production of multiple products.

The company launched the first 15V drive SiC MOSFET to be mass-produced in China, shipping nearly one million units to various industries, particularly photovoltaics and energy storage, according to the release.

Qingchun also launched the 1200V 14mΩ SiC MOSFET, which has the lowest on-resistance and is currently being validated by several vehicle companies, according to NIO Capital.

The SiC market is spacious and growing fast, with a wide range of application scenarios in areas such as NEVs, and Qingchun is one of the best startups in China for that, said Ian Zhu, managing partner of NIO Capital.

Earlier today, 's electric vehicle brand announced a long-term supply agreement with US chip maker Onsemi involving silicon carbide power devices.

Zeekr will use Onsemi's M3E 1200V EliteSiC MOSFET products to complement its expanding lineup of high-performance all-electric models, according to a press release.

The SiC module is an upgrade to the IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor chip) module, a third-generation power semiconductor with higher efficiency, higher temperature resistance and higher voltage characteristics.

The module will help upgrade the electrical architecture of NEVs from 400V to 800V and enable NEVs to charge from 0 to 80 percent in 10 minutes.

NIO Capital leads latest funding round in US-based suspension startup ClearMotion

The post NIO Capital invests in Chinese SiC chip maker appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
China Deliveries Electric eMobility eV EV Data Insurance Registrations Li Auto Neta Nio Tesla Weekly Data XPeng

Insurance registrations for week ending Apr 23: Tesla 10,300, Li Auto 7,200, NIO 2,000

NIO sold 2,000 units last week, up from 700 the week before and 1,316 in the first week of April.

(NASDAQ: LI) maintained strong sales last week, and NIO (NYSE: NIO) saw a significant rebound, the latest data show.

With 7,200 units sold in the week ending April 23, Li Auto far outpaced other new car-making brands, the automaker said today on Weibo.

With deliveries of the Air versions of the Li L8 and Li L7, Li Auto's weekly sales hit another record high, it said.

Li Auto didn't specify what statistic that sales figure was based on, though apparently, it was insurance registrations. Previously, we had access to those numbers every Tuesday, and Li Auto's practice was to share some of them on Wednesdays.

The main third-party agencies and Weibo bloggers that provide data on auto insurance registrations in China stopped sharing the data this month, but Li Auto continues to share some of it.

This is the first time Li Auto has shared those numbers on a Tuesday, though they weren't taken down to single digits.

(NASDAQ: TSLA) sold 10,300 units last week, according to the table shared by Li Auto. That was down from 12,500 units the week before and up from 6,973 units in the first week of April.

NIO sold 2,000 units last week, up from 700 the week before and 1,316 in the first week of April.

(NYSE: XPEV) sold 1,900 units last week, up from 1,300 units and 904 units in the previous two weeks.

sold 2,100 units last week, up from 1,600 units the previous week and 1,476 units in the first week of April.

Among luxury brands, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi had the highest sales last week with 15,800, 15,600 and 14,800 respectively, according to data shared by Li Auto.

Insurance registrations for week ending Apr 16: Tesla 12,500, Li Auto 6,300, NIO 700

The post Insurance registrations for week ending Apr 23: Tesla 10,300, Li Auto 7,200, NIO 2,000 appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.