Category: China

CATL extends coverage of its EVOGO battery swap service to Fuzhou

EVOGO's battery swap service was previously available in Xiamen, Hefei and Guiyang.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

EVOGO, the battery swap service brand of , China's largest power battery manufacturer, has brought its service to a new city.

EVOGO's battery swap service is now available in Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian province, with the first three battery swap stations already in operation, CATL said on June 6.

By the end of this year, EVOGO's service radius in the Fuzhou urban area is expected to narrow to 8 kilometers, said Ningde, Fujian-based CATL.

EVOGO's operating entity, CATL's subsidiary Contemporary Amperex Energy Service Technology (CAES), signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with the subsidiaries of Sinopec and State Grid in Fujian on June 6.

(Image credit: CATL)

CATL unveiled the EVOGO brand on January 22, 2022, which offers a battery swap solution consisting of battery blocks, fast battery swap stations, and an app.

The battery blocks, called Choco-SEB (swapping electric block) by CATL, are mass-produced batteries developed specifically to enable shared battery swaps, allowing consumers to pick and choose from one or more batteries to flexibly match their mileage needs.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

EVOGO's battery swap service was officially launched on April 18, 2022, with Xiamen, Fujian being the first city to see the service available.

On June 18 last year, Hefei, Anhui province in eastern China saw the launch of EVOGO's battery swap service, becoming the second city to be covered by the service.

On December 12, CATL announced the expansion of EVOGO's battery swap service to a third city -- Guiyang in southwestern China's Guizhou province.

The first vehicle to support EVOGO's battery swap service is the NAT (Next Automatic Taxi) model of FAW's Bestune brand, which is aimed at the shared mobility market.

On April 27 last year, CATL announced that it had signed a framework agreement with EV startup Aiways to develop a battery swap-enabled model based on the Aiways U5, the second EVOGO battery swap-enabled model. Aiways is currently facing financial difficulties.

Last October 25, CATL said that the Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën's Dongfeng Fukang ES600 sedan will have a variant capable of using EVOGO's battery swap service.

CATL officially unveils battery swap brand EVOGO, brings innovative battery block concept

The post CATL extends coverage of its EVOGO battery swap service to Fuzhou appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Lucid prepares for China entry, hires ex-NIO, Ford exec Zhu Jiang

Zhu Jiang, a former executive at , Ford and Auto, has joined Lucid to head up its China operations, and he said Lucid is starting to prepare for its entry into the country.

(Image credit: Lucid Motors)

US electric vehicle (EV) startup Lucid Motors (NASDAQ: LCID) has hired an auto industry veteran in China, as it began hiring for a slew of positions late last year.

Zhu Jiang, who previously served in executive roles at NIO (NYSE: NIO), Ford (NYSE: F) and Jidu Auto, the car-making arm of Baidu (NASDAQ: BIDU), has joined Lucid to head up its China operations, local media outlet Jiemian reported on June 7.

Lucid is just starting to prepare for its entry into the Chinese market, Zhu told the outlet.

Since April, Zhu has been sharing information about Lucid in the status of his personal WeChat account, according to the report.

Lucid said on May 31 that it was raising about $3 billion through a new stock offering, most of which came from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), which controls it.

The financing is aimed at allowing Lucid to accelerate bringing state-of-the-art EV technology and product experiences to users across the industry and around the world, and China is looking forward to it, Zhu said recently, according to Jiemian.

Zhu is a Chinese automotive industry veteran who joined BMW Brilliance in 2003 to head marketing activities and served as Mini brand director from November 2008 to 2012.

He left BMW to join Lexus in 2013 and helped the automaker achieve its first 100,000-vehicle annual sales in China in 2016.

Zhu joined NIO in 2017 as vice president of user development.

He left NIO in the first half of 2020 and joined Ford China on June 1, 2020, as chief operating officer of the EV business unit.

During his time at Ford, he led the team through the production and launch of Ford's first all-electric vehicle, the Mustang Mach-E, in China.

In November 2021, Zhu joined Jidu as vice president and head of user development and operations. Jidu was officially launched on March 2, 2021 and the first model has been unveiled but has not yet hit the market.

Lucid was co-founded in 2007 by Bernard Tse, former vice president and director of , and Sam Weng, a former Oracle executive. In December 2016, Lucid's first production car, the Lucid Air, was launched.

Lucid is targeting the high-end luxury EV market, with the Lucid Air starting at a current price of $87,400.

In July 2021, Lucid went public on NASDAQ through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) and currently has a market cap of $14.5 billion.

In November 2021, Lucid said in its first earnings report after listing that it planned to enter the Chinese market in 2023.

The company's CEO, Peter Rawlinson, said in a CNBC interview at the time that Lucid will build a factory in China by "mid-decade".

In December 2022, Lucid's website opened up 14 jobs in China, all of them in Shanghai, in areas including hardware engineering, supply chain, retail, logistics, digital, and legal.

Three of the 14 jobs were related to localization, implying that Lucid was launching preparations to enter China at that time.

US EV startup Lucid hiring for 14 jobs in China

The post Lucid prepares for China entry, hires ex-NIO, Ford exec Zhu Jiang appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Li Auto Beijing plant expected to start production in Aug, report says

's Beijing plant is expected to see its first vehicle roll off the line by September, a local media report said in March.  |  Li Auto US | Li Auto HK

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

Li Auto's (NASDAQ: LI) Beijing plant, which is expected to be used first to produce its first all-electric model, doesn't appear to be far from the start of production.

Li Auto's plant in Beijing's Shunyi district is expected to be ready for production in August, and the company's first all-electric model, internally codenamed W01, will be built there, local media outlet Meiren Auto reported today.

The extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) maker is conducting mass hiring for the plant, though many candidates will need to start work in August after the plant's production lines are installed, according to the report.

The plant currently has more than 50 people on the shop floor, including more than 20 welders and 30 final assembly workers, the report said, citing a person already on board.

Li Auto, when asked about the plant, did not deny the report, saying the company is indeed actively preparing for the plant, according to the National Business Daily report.

The plant was originally Hyundai's first factory in China, but production had been halted since April 2019.

Li Auto began building its own facility based on the plant in October 2021, with a total area of 270,000 square meters for conversion and expansion and a total project investment of more than 6 billion yuan ($843 million), with production scheduled to begin in late 2023, according to a government announcement at the time.

Upon reaching production, the plant will achieve an annual capacity of 100,000 units of pure-play electric vehicles, the Shunyi district government said in the announcement at the time.

On March 15, an article posted on a WeChat account owned by local media outlet Beijing Daily said the Li Auto Beijing plant is expected to see its first vehicle roll off the line by September this year.

The Beijing plant is used to produce all-electric models with a design capacity of 100,000 units per year, Li Auto management said in a call with analysts following the company's first-quarter earnings announcement on May 10, adding that the company will optimize its production lines and production efforts in the future in response to more model launches and demand.

Li Auto's plant in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, has two production lines, one of which is used to produce the Li L9 and Li L8, with a capacity of 20,000 to 25,000 vehicles per month in double-shift production, its management said during the call.

The other line, which produces the Li L7 and Li L8, is currently a single-shift line with a capacity of 10,000 to 12,000 per month. Further capacity can be ramped up later, depending on the demand for deliveries, the company said.

Li Auto delivered 28,277 vehicles in May, up 145.97 percent year-on-year and up 10.11 percent from April, the third consecutive month to exceed the 20,000-unit mark.

($1 = RMB 7.1183)

Li Auto delivers record 28,277 vehicles in May, surpassing RMB 10 billion in monthly revenue for 1st time

The post Li Auto Beijing plant expected to start production in Aug, report says appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

China NEV retail up 6% MoM to 557,000 in May, preliminary CPCA data show

The preliminary figure was below the CPCA's previous estimate of around 580,000 units, suggesting that the market performed below expectations in the last week of May.

China NEV retail up 6% MoM to 557,000 in May, preliminary CPCA data show-CnEVPost

The China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) today released preliminary figures for May retail sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) that were lower than previous estimates, suggesting that the market performed below expectations in the final week of May.

Retail sales of new energy passenger vehicles in China increased 55 percent in May to 557,000 units, up 6 percent from April, according to preliminary figures released today by the CPCA.

On May 23, the CPCA estimated in a report that China's estimated retail sales of new energy passenger vehicles in May would be around 580,000 units.

From January to May, retail sales of new energy passenger vehicles in China were 2.4 million units, up 40 percent year-on-year, the CPCA said today.

Wholesale sales of new energy passenger vehicles in China rose 59 percent to 671,000 units in May, up 11 percent from the previous month.

From January to May, wholesale sales of new energy passenger vehicles in China were 2.779 million units, up 47 percent year-on-year.

Retail sales of all passenger vehicles in China were 1.759 million units in May, up 30 percent year-on-year and up 8 percent from April, according to the CPCA.

This means that the penetration of new energy passenger vehicles at retail in May was 31.66 percent, down from 32.3 percent in April.

Retail sales of all passenger vehicles in China from January to May were 7.654 million units, up 4 percent year-on-year.

Wholesale sales of passenger vehicles in China were 2.015 million units in May, up 27 percent year-on-year and up 13 percent from April.

From January to May, wholesale sales of passenger cars in China were 8.857 million units, an increase of 11 percent year-on-year.

With the price war gradually receding, dealers are stabilizing their mindset and consumers are returning to rational consumption, easing the wait-and-see mood, the CPCA said.

The following is the CPCA's weekly retail sales data of the Chinese passenger vehicle market in May announced today:

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

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

In the third week of May, from May 15-21, the average daily retail sales of passenger cars were 48,000 units, up 15 percent year-on-year but down 12 percent from the same period in April.

In the fourth week of May, from May 22-28, the average daily retail sales of passenger cars were 50,000 units, down 17 percent year-on-year and 33 percent lower than the same period in April.

In the fifth week of May, May 29-31, the average daily retail sales of passenger cars were 122,000 units, up 94 percent year-on-year and up 57 percent from the same period in April.

Data table: China auto sales in May 1-31

The post China NEV retail up 6% MoM to 557,000 in May, preliminary CPCA data show appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Li Auto rumored to open larger stores in sales network expansion

is preparing to open so-called "central stores" in select Chinese cities, moving away from its current model of opening only experience stores in shopping malls, local media said.

(Image credit: Li Auto)

Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI) is said to be opening larger stores that resemble traditional dealership stores as part of an effort to expand its sales network.

The extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) maker is preparing to open so-called "central stores" in some Chinese cities, moving away from its existing model of opening only experience stores in shopping malls, local auto media outlet Yiche said in a report today.

These larger stores, similar to traditional car dealership stores, would offer a more comprehensive range of services, the report said, citing unnamed industry sources.

Li Auto is seeking proposals from supporters for sites to build such stores in 26 priority cities, including four first-tier cities -- Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen -- and smaller cities including Nantong, Xinyang and Yangzhou, according to an image in the report.

Li Auto's requirements for venues are to be located in automotive markets, with luxury brands in around them preferred, and an area of 700-1500 square meters, according to the image.

For Li Auto, its original stores located in shopping malls seem to be inadequate as more models become available.

The company currently sells three models -- the five-seat Li L7, the six-seat Li L8 and the Li L9 -- all of them SUVs. It is expected to launch its first all-electric model, which will be an MPV, by the end of the year.

In terms of its retail store network, Li Auto was continuing to add new retail centers as it launches multiple models, the company's management said in a May 10 analyst call following its first-quarter earnings announcement.

Li Auto is also working quickly on store upgrades, replacing stores that used to be small with larger stores that support multiple models, the company said at the time.

Since the launch of Li L9 last June, Li Auto has optimized a total of nearly 50 existing stores and added more than 50 new stores through location changes and space expansions, the company previously said.

Li Auto opened 16 new retail stores and expanded two stores in May, according to information it announced on June 5.

As of May 31, 2023, Li Auto had 314 retail centers in China, covering 124 cities. It has 319 after-sales repair centers and authorized sheet metal spray centers, covering 222 cities.

Li Auto delivers record 28,277 vehicles in May, surpassing RMB 10 billion in monthly revenue for 1st time

The post Li Auto rumored to open larger stores in sales network expansion appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

GAC-backed Greater Bay unveils Phoenix battery that claims to be able to charge from 0 to 80% in 6 minutes

The Phoenix battery will be in mass production next year and is expected to be used in production vehicles by the end of next year, Greater Bay said.

GAC-backed Greater Bay unveils Phoenix battery that claims to be able to charge from 0 to 80% in 6 minutes-CnEVPost

(Image credit: Greater Bay Technology)

Many Chinese companies have announced breakthroughs in battery technology this year, with GAC Group-backed Greater Bay Technology as the latest.

Greater Bay unveiled the Phoenix battery, which claims to be able to charge from zero to nearly full in less than 10 minutes, at a battery technology launch event on June 6.

The Phoenix battery integrates Greater Bay's latest innovations in materials, electrochemistry, structure, and controls to give electric vehicles the ability to run as usual in all-weather conditions, it said.

Phoenix battery-equipped electric vehicles can be charged at up to 8C at different voltage platforms from 300 volts to 1000 volts, with 0-80 percent charging in 6 minutes, it said.

GAC-backed Greater Bay unveils Phoenix battery that claims to be able to charge from 0 to 80% in 6 minutes-CnEVPost

In the battery world, C refers to the charging multiplier, and 8C means the battery can theoretically be fully charged in one-eighth of an hour -- 7.5 minutes.

At the same time, Phoenix batteries offer leading-edge advantages in safety, cycle life, range and cost to compete with fuel-powered vehicles, Greater Bay said, according to a WeChat article it posted today.

Greater Bay said its technology gives the battery 18 times more heat exchange area compared to conventional solutions, and allows the pack temperature to rise from -20°C to +25°C in five minutes even in winter.

GAC-backed Greater Bay unveils Phoenix battery that claims to be able to charge from 0 to 80% in 6 minutes-CnEVPost

Phoenix battery uses a new structural design, not only the thermal management of the battery sees great improvements, volume utilization can be as high as 75 percent, it claimed.

With extremely fast charging, the Phoenix battery also has an ultra-long life, with a cycle life of 10 years or 800,000 kilometers, the company said.

The battery system's highly integrated design allows for an energy density of 260 Wh/kg and a range of 1,000 kilometers on a single charge, it said.

GAC-backed Greater Bay unveils Phoenix battery that claims to be able to charge from 0 to 80% in 6 minutes-CnEVPost

Phoenix batteries will be in mass production next year and are expected to be used in production vehicles by the end of next year, according to the company.

Greater Bay, founded in September 2020, is a battery maker incubated by GAC, according to its website.

The company is building cell and pack production capacity, with a pack plant in Nansha, Guangzhou, already in operation.

Greater Bay plans to build a production base of about 500 mu (33 hectares) in Guangzhou, with the first phase of construction expected to be completed in 2023 and a capacity of 8 GWh, which could supply batteries for 120,000 vehicles, the information on its website reads.

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

The post GAC-backed Greater Bay unveils Phoenix battery that claims to be able to charge from 0 to 80% in 6 minutes appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

driive.com
All about Smart and Sustainable Mobility

Archives

November 2024
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930