China

The rumor mill is gaining momentum in China as two more sources have shared new details of Audi’s alleged plans to source its next EV platform from an OEM overseas. Chinese-state owned SAIC Motor appears to be the current frontrunner as discussions with Audi are reportedly advancing and pertain to the former’s luxury sub-brand IM Motors.

A huge solar power station in China is generating clean energy, producing salt from sunlight, and serving as a shrimp-breeding site.

Mere days after gathering over a dozen automakers building EVs in China to commit to a non-binding pledge to avoid further price wars, China’s Association of Automobile Manufacturers, at the advisement of the country’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, has retracted the pledge after quickly catching flack promoting potential monopolization.

After multiple development delays due to software issues internally and at parent company Volkswagen Group, Audi AG is reportedly exploring discussions in China to buy its next generation EV platform from another OEM, perhaps even a competitor overseas.

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced a revision to its long-running “dual-credit policy,” in which local automakers earn certain calculated credits for each EV they build. The Ministry is reducing said credit by 40%, putting certain automakers in jeopardy of non-compliance and risk of losing their ability to sell to the public.

A slew of automakers in China have banded together and pledged to regulate how they market their EVs and avoid further price wars to help stabilize a booming market for consumers. Chinese EV automakers like NIO, XPeng, and BYD have been joined by the likes of Tesla to promote healthy competition and less “bad blood” overseas.

SAIC Motor, a Chinese state-owned automaker, is doubling down on its EV strategy in Europe following encouraging sales so far this year. The massive automaker recently shared plans to erect a new EV production facility overseas, to help deliver models to its growing audience in the market.

Less than a month after rolling its first new coupe SUVs off its assembly lines in China, XPeng Motors has officially launched its latest model – the G6. Priced below $30,000, XPeng sees the G6 as a serious competitor to the Tesla Model Y and plenty of other EVs in China. The automaker has a lot riding on this one as it looks to bolster less-than-stellar sales in its native country as of late.

A 16-megawatt (MW) wind turbine – the world’s largest – is now in place off the southeastern coast of China.

Solar is growing at 33.7% year-on-year and is now at twice the capacity of coal power in China, according to a new report.

China’s Ministry of Finance has confirmed that tax exemptions for New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) scheduled to expire at the end of this year have been extended through 2027. Consumers in China will now be able to take advantage of EV tax breaks amounting to over $4,000 per vehicle to start, which will dwindle down over the next four years.

Just three days after hitting showrooms and opening pre-orders, XPeng Motors’ G6 SUV is garnering a lot of hype in China as over 25,000 customers have already reserved one. This is encouraging news for the automaker, which has put a lot of faith into its latest model as the EV that will compete with the Tesla Model Y and help boost its delivery numbers this year.

FinDreams, the battery unit of Chinese automotive conglomerate BYD, is establishing a joint venture with Huaihai Holding Group. Together, the two companies intend to establish themselves as the world’s largest supplier of sodium-ion batteries for small EVs.

Fisker Inc. announced that it will soon begin selling (and possibly producing) its flagship Ocean SUV in China. Executives from the American automaker recently visited Shanghai and discussed collaboration opportunities in the country, which has enabled plans for a delivery center opening this year followed by first Ocean deliveries in 2024.

Recovering demand in China’s booming EV market led to all major EV builders seeing a rise in sales over the last month. Although NIO was the exception, the EV startup began delivering its second-generation ES6 and is launching a new midsize electric tourer this month.

The construction of China’s first deep-sea floating wind power platform is ready to come online.

Autonomous robotaxi startup Pony.ai has garnered its latest permit in China – this time allowing rides in the city of Guangzhou without a safety officer present in the vehicle. The permit follows recent permissions awarded to the startup in Beijing, as it continues to expand through China and beyond.

NaaS Technology has unveiled this self-driving EV charging robot that finds your EV, smart charges it, and takes auto payments.

South Korean EV automaker Kia Motor announced its initial entry into the market of China, beginning with its super popular EV6 crossover. The automaker debuted several concepts overseas today, including the EV5, which will be its first global model built in China.

Maerdang hydropower station in China, the “highest-altitude facility of its kind,” is expected to begin operations in March 2024.

China’s CATL, the world’s largest EV battery maker, is reportedly offering significantly lower battery costs to some Chinese EV makers, according to CnEVPost today.