Category: China

CATL to supply CTP battery pack production line to Thailand’s Arun Plus

and Arun Plus have entered into a CTP partnership agreement to provide the Thai company with a CTP production line and share CTP production technology.

(Image credit: CATL)

Chinese power battery giant CATL has entered into a new agreement with Thailand's Arun Plus, following the signing of a CTP (cell to pack) technology licensing agreement between the two a year ago.

CATL recently entered into a CTP partnership agreement with Arun Plus to provide the Thai company with a CTP production line and share CTP production technology, according to a press release yesterday.

The two parties will work to meet local demand for electric vehicle (EV) production in Thailand and help Thailand become a battery production hub in Southeast Asia, according to the release.

Arun Plus, the EV subsidiary of Thai state energy group PTT, has well-established energy infrastructure in Thailand.

In November 2022, Arun Plus established an EV manufacturing subsidiary to capitalize on the growing demand for electric vehicles in Thailand and Southeast Asia.

The latest partnership will help enhance Arun Plus' EV production capacity and drive the building of a power battery ecosystem in Thailand and Southeast Asia, CATL said.

It is also an important step in CATL's efforts to improve its global footprint and will help the company explore diverse partnership models in markets including Southeast Asia to accelerate the global electrification and clean energy transition, the power battery giant said.

On May 13, 2022, CATL announced that it had signed a strategic partnership memorandum with Arun Plus, licensing the latter to use CTP technology.

Arun Plus and CATL will supply battery products to Horizon Plus, a joint venture between Arun Plus and Foxconn that plans to produce EVs in Thailand in 2024, and other EV brands, according to last year's press release.

CTP is a technology that integrates cells into battery packs without modules, increasing the system energy density of packs, simplifying manufacturing processes and saving costs, CATL previously said.

On October 27, 2021, CATL announced an agreement with Hyundai Mobis, the parts division of Hyundai Motor, to license its CTP technology.

CATL will support Hyundai Mobis in the supply of CTP-related battery products in South Korea and globally, it said at the time.

Thailand in talks with CATL over potential battery plant

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China NEV sales up 12.74% MoM to 717,000 in May, CAAM data show

China's auto industry still needs to further recover and expand demand, and the release of consumption potential needs to be accelerated, the CAAM said.

China NEV sales up 12.74% MoM to 717,000 in May, CAAM data show-CnEVPost

China's new energy vehicle (NEV) sales in May were 717,000 units, up 60.2 percent year-on-year and up 12.74 percent from April, according to data released today by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

The CAAM released data on wholesale sales by automakers, where NEVs include battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) and fuel cell vehicles.

China sold 522,000 BEVs in May, up 50.43 percent year-on-year and up 10.83 percent from April.

China NEV sales up 12.74% MoM to 717,000 in May, CAAM data show-CnEVPost

PHEV sales were 194,000 units in May, up 94.4 percent year-on-year. Sales of fuel cell vehicles were 400 units, up 310.7 percent year-on-year.

All vehicle sales in China were 2,382,000 in May, up 27.9 percent year-on-year and up 10.3 percent from April.

China NEV sales up 12.74% MoM to 717,000 in May, CAAM data show-CnEVPost

This means that China's NEVs had a penetration rate of 30.1 percent in May, up from 29.5 percent in April.

China NEV sales up 12.74% MoM to 717,000 in May, CAAM data show-CnEVPost

Production of NEVs in China was 713,000 units in May, up 53 percent year-on-year and 11.4 percent from 640,000 units in April.

Production of all vehicles in China was 2.333 million units in May, up 21.1 percent year-on-year and up 9.4 percent from May.

Both auto production and sales in China saw year-on-year growth in May, with NEVs continuing their rapid growth, the CAAM said.

However, the auto industry is still operating under great pressure, and the profitability of industry enterprises is at a low level, the CAAM noted.

From the current perspective, China's auto industry still needs to further recover and expand demand, and the release of consumption potential needs to be accelerated to drive steady growth in the industry, the CAAM said.

In May, 389,000 vehicles were exported from China, up 58.7 percent year-on-year and up 3.4 percent from April.

Among them, exports of NEVs were 108,000 units, up 150 percent year-on-year and up 7.9 percent from April.

In January-May, China's auto sales were 10.617 million units, an increase of 11.1 percent from the same period last year.

NEVs sold 2.94 million units in January-May, up 46.8 percent year-on-year, with a market share of 27.7 percent.

China contributes 56% of global EV sales in Q1, Counterpoint says

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NIO offers new options for ET5, ES7 and new ES8

ET5 and ES7 add gold exterior option, ET5, ES7 and new ES8 all add front wiper defrost feature.

(Image credit: )

NIO (NYSE: NIO) today began offering more options for three models in an attempt to increase their appeal.

Both the ET5 sedan and ES7 SUV are adding a gold exterior option effective immediately, with the option both priced at RMB 10,000 ($1,400), according to an article posted today by the NIO App.

ET5, ES7 and the new ES8 all have a new front wiper defrost function, all priced at RMB 1,000.

In cold weather, the front wiper defrost feature helps the wipers return to normal operation more quickly to clear snow and maintain clear visibility, the article said.

Vehicles with the optional front wiper defrost feature will receive an OTA update to get the software that works with it.

NIO has also updated the ET5 with optional wheel and tire combinations. The 19-inch five-spoke wheels are standard on the model, while other options are available for a fee ranging from RMB 3,500 to RMB 9,500.

The NIO ET5 was launched on NIO Day 2021 in December 2021, with the first delivery on September 30, 2022.

NIO ES7 was launched on June 15, 2022, with the first delivery on August 28, 2022.

The new ES8 was launched on NIO Day 2022, December 24, 2022, with deliveries to begin later this month.

NIO will report first-quarter earnings later today and hold an analyst call afterward.

The company delivered 31,041 vehicles in the first quarter, slightly above the lower end of its guidance range of 31,000 to 33,000 vehicles.

($1 = RMB 7.1248)

NIO to launch 'brand new NIO models' in Europe on Jun 15

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XPeng surges in HK as investors seem to like G6’s pre-sale price

's stock traded in Hong Kong continues to rally after the announcement of the G6's pre-sale price, currently up about 5 percent.

XPeng (NYSE: XPEV) shares traded in Hong Kong rallied quickly after pre-sales of the new SUV G6 began, suggesting investors may be bullish on the pricing.

At press time, XPeng was up 5.03 percent to HK$34.45 in Hong Kong.

XPeng's local peer (NYSE: NIO) is now down about 0.08 percent in Hong Kong, while (NASDAQ: LI) is up 0.8 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index is up 0.58 percent.

XPeng opened up more than 2 percent in Hong Kong, but then fell quickly, giving back all of its gains at about 10:20 am.

The company announced at 10:16 am today that the G6 was up for pre-sale, with a starting pre-sale price of 225,000 yuan ($31,610). Its stock price continued to move higher after that.

The pre-sale starting price for the XPeng G6 is RMB 38,900 less than its direct competitor, the Model Y, and RMB 84,900 less than the RMB 309,900 starting price for XPeng's flagship SUV, the G9.

It is important to note that the pre-sale price is not the final price and XPeng may provide new pricing based on consumer feedback when the G6 is officially launched.

G6 show cars are already available at XPeng stores, and the model will be officially launched on June 29, with deliveries starting in July, the company said.

Analysts believe the G6 will be critical for XPeng as the company continues to face weak sales and financial performance.

"With margins and cash burn looking materially worse following 1Q earnings, we believe management may be making its last stand with the G6," Deutsche Bank analyst Edison Yu's team said in a May 30 research note.

The team's previous view assumed XPeng could see stable natural margin improvement from the sharp drop in battery input prices, but those savings were mostly offset by incremental promotional activity and a poor mix.

" Therefore, the importance of the upcoming G6 has become even GREATER," the team wrote.

Weak delivery performance over the past year has dampened XPeng shares, and they are down about 11 percent year to date.

XPeng begins pre-sales of G6 with starting price significantly lower than Tesla Model Y

($1 = RMB 7.1187)

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Analysts list 2 major issues Tesla must address before bringing FSD to China

While the overall trend is for FSD to enter China, there are still two major issues before it becomes a reality -- data collection eligibility and supercomputing centers, according to CITIC Securities.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

A Chinese official's remarks a month ago sparked much anticipation for to bring FSD (Full Self-Driving) to China.

However, Tesla still has a lot of work to do if it makes this a reality. A team of local analysts shared their views in a new research note.

The trend of Tesla FSD entering China is becoming clearer, which is expected to accelerate the progress of intelligence in local electric vehicles (EVs), said a team of CITIC Securities analyst Lian Yixi in a research note today.

While the overall trend is for FSD to enter China, it is still two major issues away from becoming a reality -- data collection eligibility and supercomputing centers, according to the team.

Under China's current regulations, high-precision map mapping can only be conducted by qualified entities, and only 19 currently hold the qualification, the team noted.

Moreover, the compilation of electronic maps for navigation is currently open only to local companies, and the transmission of mapping data outside of China must also be approved in advance, the team said.

Map data is highly sensitive and related to national security, and exactly how Tesla should obtain the qualification is still unknown, the team said.

Viable options for Tesla include forming a joint venture with a Chinese company or moving the process forward in Shanghai on a pilot basis, but it would be difficult for it to roll out the effort on a large scale any time soon, according to the team.

In addition to map-related qualifications, Tesla would need to build a supercomputing center in China.

The pure vision route for autonomous driving relies more on massive data collection and model training for image processing, so Tesla built Dojo, a supercomputing center in the US, and developed its own D1 chip to improve the training efficiency of FSD, CITIC Securities noted.

And in China, even if Tesla obtains the data acquisition qualification, the probability is that it can only train the model locally in China and the data may not be allowed to be transmitted back to the US, the team said.

This means that to achieve the same training efficiency as in the US, Tesla would need to establish a supercomputing center in China similar to Dojo, which would require a certain development cycle and cost, according to the team.

Despite these two major issues, CITIC Securities believes that if Tesla succeeds in bringing FSD to China, it will benefit the overall intelligence of China's EVs, helping to strengthen consumer education, expand the market, and accelerate the process of letting the best win out.

The entry of FSD into China is likely to significantly strengthen consumers' awareness of the intelligence of cars and develop their daily needs and habits for smart driving, which is expected to allow the market to expand significantly in China, the team said.

It is also important to note that if Tesla introduces the highly profitable FSD to China, it has the potential to further reduce the prices of its vehicles and could launch a lower-priced Model 2/Q, with pricing likely in the RMB 150,000 ($21,070) to RMB 200,000 range, according to the team.

If such a scenario emerges, cost pressures on local low- and mid-range models would be further exacerbated, when obtaining a low-priced but qualified smart driving software from a third-party supplier could become a mainstream option for car companies with weaker R&D capabilities, the team said.

($1 = RMB 7.1213)

Shanghai official hints at support for Tesla's FSD rollout in China

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XPeng begins pre-sales of G6 with starting price significantly lower than Tesla Model Y

The G6's pre-sale starting price is RMB 38,900 lower than the Model Y and RMB 84,900 lower than 's flagship SUV, the G9.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

XPeng (NYSE: XPEV) has begun pre-sales of its highly anticipated new SUV, the G6, at a price significantly lower than the rival Tesla Model Y.

Pre-sales for the G6 start at RMB 225,000 ($31,610), XPeng announced today on Weibo.

For comparison, the model's direct competitor, the Tesla Model Y, is currently offered in China in three versions starting at RMB 263,900, RMB 313,900, and RMB 363,900 respectively.

This means that the XPeng G6 starts at RMB 38,900 less than the Model Y. The G6 is also RMB 84,900 less than the XPeng flagship SUV, the G9, which starts at RMB 309,900.

It is important to note that the pre-sale price is not the final price and XPeng may offer new pricing based on consumer feedback when the G6 is officially launched.

Consumers who pay RMB 2,000 to reserve the XPeng G6 now will receive an RMB 5,000 discount when they pay for the car.

The XPeng G6 will be officially launched in June, with volume deliveries starting in July, and production capacity will climb rapidly, its management said in a May 24 analyst call after announcing first-quarter earnings.

The G6 will be a hot seller in China's new energy SUV market priced in the RMB 200,000 to 300,000 range, and will enable XPeng's total deliveries to grow well above the industry's pace in the third quarter, the company said.

The G6 has been set aside about two months from the start of production to delivery, and XPeng expects the model to reach more than double the sales of the P7i, its management said.

That means XPeng management expects monthly sales of the G6 to reach 6,000-8,000 units, Deutsche Bank analyst Edison Yu's team said in a research note sent to investors on May 30.

XPeng will likely price the G6 significantly lower than the Model Y, hoping to attract consumers with a sleeker design and updated interior, the team said, adding that the X is already taking that approach with a starting price of just RMB 190,000.

XPeng unveiled an architecture called SEPA (Smart Electric Platform Architecture) 2.0 at a technology conference in Shanghai on April 16, saying the G6 will be the first model built on it.

On April 18, XPeng officially unveiled the G6 on the first day of the Shanghai auto show, saying that the G6 is the ultimate form of car before fully autonomous driving is achieved.

The model is based on the 800 V high-voltage platform and can get a 300-kilometer range in as little as 10 minutes on a charge, XPeng said at the time. The company's other 800 V-based model is the G9.

XPeng cites the Tesla Model Y as its main competitor to the G6. The vehicle is positioned as an all-electric midsize SUV with a length, width and height of 4,753 mm, 1,920 mm and 1,650 mm, respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,890 mm, a regulatory filing in March showed.

For comparison, the Tesla Model Y has a length, width and height of 4,750 mm, 1,921 mm and 1,624 mm and a wheelbase of 2,890 mm.

($1 = RMB 7.1187)

XPeng making its last stand with G6, says Deutsche Bank

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

Fang Cheng Bao's model lineup ranges from off-road vehicles to sports cars, and its initial model, a hardcore SUV codenamed SF, is expected to be launched this year.

(OTCMKTS: BYDDY) unveiled the official name of its F brand, with its first model to be launched within the year.

BYD officially announced its new sub-brand Fang Cheng Bao, the fifth in its brand matrix following the Dynasty series, Ocean series, Denza and Yangwang, according to a press release today.

The sub-brand will meet the increasingly personalized needs of consumers by offering a series of unique and professional-grade new energy vehicle (NEV) models, BYD said.

Fang Cheng Bao's model lineup ranges from off-road vehicles to sports cars, and its initial model, a hardcore SUV codenamed SF, is expected to launch this year, according to the release.

Fang Cheng Bao's brand name literally translates to "Formula" and "Leopard," symbolizing the pursuit of a transformative rise and exploration of digital realms, according to BYD.

It blends the standards and rules of Formula with the agility and wild versatility of the Leopard, bringing out the distinctive essence of the brand and BYD's vision of the future of cars and lifestyles, the company said.

"Many people think that the global e-mobility transition is a revolution in the automobile industry, where vehicles powered by fossil fuels get replaced by electric cars. However, from BYD, we believe this is only a minor part of the whole transition, and a greater realm is unfolding," said BYD chairman and president Wang Chuanfu.

BYD envisions the Fang Cheng Bao as a prelude to a revolution.

With the attitude of always being ahead of the curve, Fang Cheng Bao and its users will decode the future of personalized automotive life through its diverse NEV offerings, BYD said.

BYD did not provide more information about Fang Cheng Bao's first model, though CnEVPost previously learned that the model codenamed SF will target a market with a price range of RMB 400,000 ($56,240) to RMB 600,000.

Xiong Tianbo, former head of BYD auto sales research institute, will be the general manager of the brand's sales division, leading the brand's product planning, channel sales and brand building, a company insider previously told CnEVPost.

Judging from the outline of the SF model, it is expected to compete with the Mercedes-Benz G-Class at a lower price.

Fang Cheng Bao is the latest important piece of BYD's brand map.

BYD Group currently has the BYD Seagull, which starts at just 73,800 yuan, and the Yangwang U8, which has a pre-sale price of RMB 1,098,000, for sale and for consumers to reserve.

The company officially opened its first brand experience center on May 20, occupying five floors with a total area of 6,550 square meters.

Its model display area showcases models including the BYD Frigate 07, BYD Seagull, Denza D9 and Yangwang U8.

The experience center building's facade leaves an area in between the BYD and Yangwang logos, which appears to be its reserved spot for the Fang Cheng Bao logo.

Here are more explanations from BYD about the Fang Cheng Bao brand, as well as more pictures of the SF model.

BYD F brand to use new powertrain, targeting market with price above RMB 400,000

($1 = RMB 7.1123)

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NIO to launch ‘brand new NIO models’ in Europe on Jun 15

could bring the ET5 Touring and the new ES6 to European customers at a launch event next week.

NIO (NYSE: NIO) will launch new models in Europe next week, and the latest information suggests it may be more than just the ET5 Touring.

"Brand new NIO models are coming. June 15, 19:00 CEST," reads the text of a picture on the front page of NIO's English-language website.

"Join us online and get a preview experience of the brand new NIO models www.nio.com #inspiredbylife," NIO says in the text included in the "Add to Calendar" button on its website.

The event's European start time corresponds to June 15 at 1:00 pm US Eastern Time, or June 16 at 1:00 am Beijing Time.

Recent information indicates that NIO is expected to launch the ET5 Touring at the event, a model that has been seen frequently in Europe as well as China over the past two months.

The ET5 Touring has been quietly arriving at NIO stores in China, longtime NIO follower and car blogger @肉肉爸比ev said on Weibo yesterday.

The model will enter NIO's showrooms on the evening of June 9, and those interested can check it out on June 10, the blogger said, without providing any further information.

NIO will report first-quarter earnings before the US stock market opens on June 9 and then hold an analyst call.

NIO's management had previously mentioned that this variant of the ET5 would debut in Europe, and the model was developed primarily for European customers.

It's not clear if NIO will hold a separate launch for the model in China, as the company said on June 1 that the ET5 Touring will be launched globally in June and start its delivery with Chinese market.

NIO used the word "models" instead of "model" in the event preview on its English website, suggesting that it will launch more than one model at next week's event.

In addition to the ET5 Touring, NIO may also launch the new ES6 to local customers at the European event.

NIO launched the new ES6 in China on May 24, and deliveries began that night.

The new ES6 has a starting price in China of RMB 368,000 ($51,740) including batteries, making it the cheapest NIO SUV.

NIO last held a launch event in Europe on October 8, 2022, when the company introduced the ET7, EL7 and ET5 to European customers.

The EL7 is the ES7 sold in China, and that new name is due to NIO's lawsuit with Audi. The ES6 is expected to be similarly known as the EL6 in international markets.

($1 = RMB 7.1122)

ET5 Touring said to be available at NIO showrooms in China starting Jun 10

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