Category: China

Svolt Energy plans to build battery plant in Thailand, report says

Svolt Energy is planning to invest $30 million to build a battery module pack plant in Thailand, according to local media.

(Image credit: Svolt Energy)

Svolt Energy, a battery maker that spun off from Great Wall Motor, is said to be planning to build a battery factory in Thailand as manufacturers in China's new energy vehicle industry chain target Southeast Asian markets.

Svolt Energy is planning to invest $30 million to build a battery module pack plant in Thailand, local media Cailian reported today, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Svolt Energy has incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary, Svolt Energy Technology (Thailand) Co Ltd, in Thailand and is currently planning the construction of the new plant, the report said, without providing further details.

Svolt Energy was originally the power battery division of Great Wall Motor, which began research and development of batteries in 2012.

It became independent from Great Wall Motor in February 2018 to work on next-generation battery materials, cells, modules, PACKs, BMS, and energy storage technologies.

The battery maker currently has 11 production sites in China and one overseas production site in Heusweiler, Saarland, Germany, according to its website.

On September 9, 2022, Svolt Energy said it will build a cell factory for the European market in Lauchhammer, Brandenburg, Germany, which will be its second factory overseas.

Svolt Energy plans to produce the cells at its Lauchhammer facility and process them into packs at its Heusweiler facility, the company said at the time.

In 2019, Svolt Energy said it was aiming to build 120 GWh of power battery capacity globally by 2025.

It made several subsequent increases to that target and raised it to 600 GWh in December 2021.

In April, Svolt Energy installed 0.42 GWh of power batteries in China, ranking 8th with a 1.66 percent share, according to the China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance (CABIA).

and had 10.26 GWh and 7.32 GWh of batteries installed in April, ranking first and second with 40.83 percent and 29.11 percent shares respectively.

Svolt Energy's Dragon Armor Battery makes real-life debut at Shanghai auto show

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BYD sees cumulative sales of Han and Tang family models exceed 1 million

Cumulative sales of Han family models reached 505,062 units and Tang family reached 501,662 units.

(Image credit: )

BYD's (OTCMKTS: BYDDY) two flagship models have both sold more than 500,000 units since their launch, putting combined sales over the 1 million mark.

Cumulative sales of BYD's flagship Han family of sedan models reached 505,062 units and cumulative sales of its flagship Tang family of SUVs reached 501,662 units, bringing total sales of the two models to more than 1 million units, the new energy vehicle (NEV) maker announced today.

The BYD brand's product array includes the Dynasty and Ocean series, with the Han and Tang being models in the Dynasty lineup, which includes both plug-in hybrid and pure electric versions.

The company launched the first-generation Han model in July 2020 and they see cumulative sales of more than 100,000 units in July 2021, according to data monitored by CnEVPost.

On March 16, BYD made the 2023 Han EV available, and on May 18, the hybrid Han DM-i and Han DM-p variants were launched.

BYD sold 240,220 NEVs in May, with Han family models contributing 20,387 units, down 14.82 percent year-on-year but up 42.28 percent from April.

From January to May, the Han family of models sold 71,784 units, up 63.72 percent year-on-year.

The BYD Tang originally debuted at the 2014 Beijing auto show and began production in 2015.

The Tang family of models sold 11,871 units in May, up 40.50 percent year-on-year and up 0.95 percent from April.

From January to May, Tang sold 56,682 units, an increase of 18.85 percent year-on-year.

BYD made the 2023 Tang DM-i available on March 16.

Both BYD Han and Tang family models target the mainstream market in the price range of RMB 200,000 ($28,090) - 300,000.

($1 = RMB 7.1197)

BYD NEV sales in May: 240,220

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CATL shares plunge after Morgan Stanley downgrades rating to underweight

Second-tier battery makers may adopt a more aggressive pricing strategy to gain market share in the second half of the year, and could face increasing risks to its market share and margins in the domestic market, Morgan Stanley said.

Morgan Stanley downgraded its rating on CATL, citing market share risks, sending shares of the Chinese power battery giant tumbling in morning trading.

"We downgrade CATL to UW as we think second-tier battery makers may adopt more aggressive pricing strategies to gain market share in 2H23," analyst Jack Lu's team said in a research note sent to investors earlier today.

As of press time, CATL shares traded in Shenzhen were down about 6 percent to near their lowest point of the year.

Earlier this year, Morgan Stanley upgraded CATL to equal weight, while being bearish on most battery material makers, as it believes CATL is better able to respond to slowing demand and leverage its cost advantages and bargaining power across the broader value chain.

Now, Lu's team believes that the dual-sourcing battery strategy of local EV companies may help the Tier 2 battery makers achieve their goals, while CATL may face increasing risks in terms of market share and margins in the domestic market.

In February, CATL launched a lithium rebate program to trade cheap lithium resources for market share. However, the subsequent plunge in lithium prices to below RMB 200,000 per ton has led to significant uncertainty about the program, the team said, adding that they have not received any further news about the program.

Meanwhile, battery makers have been offering fairly significant price cuts against the backdrop of falling lithium prices in the second quarter, the team noted.

"Our checks with tier-two battery makers indicate that the price cuts could be in the range of 10-20% during the quarter, with some battery makers likely offering more aggressive cuts than others," the team wrote.

Such actions could threaten CATL's market share in its domestic market, and market share potential is an important stock price driver, the team said.

CATL's power battery installed base in China was 10.26 GWh in April, ranking first with a 40.83 percent share, but down from 44.95 percent in March, China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance (CABIA) data from last month showed. Data for May is Expected to be available in a few days.

(NYSE: NIO) and (NASDAQ: LI) are bringing in new battery suppliers instead of making CATL their sole supplier, Lu's team noted.

"With many new models being launched in the domestic EV market, we think CATL's domestic market share could come under pressure," the team said.

As background, since late last year, regulatory filings for NIO's new NT 2.0-based models have shown battery suppliers that include the smaller CALB in addition to CATL.

Last month, NIO filed to use semi-solid-state batteries from Beijing WeLion New Energy Technology in its models.

On February 8, Li Auto officially launched its first five-seat SUV, the Li L7, and announced the introduction of Sunwoda Electric Vehicle Battery and Svolt Energy as new battery suppliers.

More and more Tier 2 companies are adopting increasingly aggressive pricing strategies, and CATL may have to do the same, according to Lu's team.

Despite a short-term recovery in value chain orders, there will still be excess battery capacity in the short term and price competition is inevitable, the team said.

In addition to the market share pressure it faces domestically, Lu's team believes CATL's overseas path is increasingly uncertain.

"Some investors have argued that CATL's market share overseas is yet to see signs of decline; however, in our view CATL's overseas market is under increasing scrutiny and becoming more and uncertain, limiting visibility," the team wrote.

CATL has tried to penetrate overseas markets through exports and localization of production, but both pathways are increasingly at risk due to geopolitical tensions, particularly in the US, the team said.

Notably, Lu's team stressed that if the cost of battery materials and minerals continues to fall, this could give car companies more room to pursue new technologies and other battery performance metrics.

"If this is the case, CATL could regain any lost market share and continue to dominate the global battery market, leveraging its strong R&D capabilities and bargaining power over the supply chain. Our bull case scenario assumes 60% global market share in the long term," the team wrote.

Global EV battery market share in Jan-April: CATL 35.9%, BYD 16.1%

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Neta shipping new batch of 4,000 EVs to overseas markets

is actively preparing for entry into the European market and will release a heavyweight global model, it said.

(Image credit: Neta)

Neta Auto, the electric vehicle (EV) brand of Hozon Auto, is sending a new shipment of thousands of EVs to overseas markets for the second time in three months.

A total of 4,000 Neta EVs are being sent abroad, the latest new batch after 3,600 vehicles were sent to overseas markets in March, the company said yesterday in a WeChat post.

Neta did not mention which countries the vehicles will be sent to, although it's possible they will still be in Southeast Asia. A total of 3,600 of the compact SUV Neta V vehicles were sent to Thailand on March 21.

Thailand is Neta's home base for expanding into the ASEAN market, and the Neta V is trusted and loved by local consumers, Neta said yesterday.

From January to April, Neta V ranked second in Thailand with a 16.5 percent share of all-electric vehicle license plate registrations, Neta said, citing data from Thai website AutoLife.

Neta is now actively preparing for its entry into the European market and will participate in the Munich auto show in Germany later this year, and the Neta GT sports car will be launched in overseas markets in the near future, it said.

Neta will also release a heavyweight global model that will accelerate bringing high-quality electric smart cars within reach, it said, without giving further details.

Neta has been seen as a budget EV maker since its inception in October 2014, as its vehicles are priced primarily to target the lower end of the market. The company is trying to create a higher-end image with its flagship sedan, the Neta S, and its sports car, the Neta GT.

As the EV market in China becomes more competitive, local car companies including Neta and (NYSE: NIO) are starting to make more efforts to expand overseas.

Unlike NIO, which is targeting the more developed European market, Neta is focusing its initial efforts on overseas expansion in Southeast Asia.

On August 24, 2022, the right-hand drive version of the Neta V was launched in Thailand as its first model to be offered there.

On March 10, 2023 Neta laid the foundation stone for its factory in Bangkok, Thailand, which will be its main manufacturing base for building right-hand drive electric vehicles for export to ASEAN.

On May 11, Neta announced its entry into Malaysia, officially launching the right-hand drive version of the Neta V for local consumers at the largest auto show in the region.

Neta delivered 13,029 units in May, up 18.35 percent from 13,029 units in the same month last year and up 17.59 percent from 11,080 units in April, according to data released by the company on June 1.

From January to May this year, Neta delivered 50,285 vehicles, up 0.62 percent from 49,974 in the same period last year, data monitored by CnEVPost showed.

Neta deliveries up 18% MoM in May, denies HK IPO plan

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China NEV insurance registrations for week ending Jun 4: Tesla 14,500, Li Auto 6,600, NIO 1,700

launched the new ES6 on May 24, though the model is likely still in the process of climbing capacity and not contributing much to sales.

(NASDAQ: LI) kept sales strong last week, while its two local peers, NIO (NYSE: NIO) and (NYSE: XPEV), remained weak.

With 6,600 units sold in the week of May 29 to June 4, Li Auto continues to lead the pack among China's new car-making brands, the company said today on Weibo.

That's far more than other new car brands and more than the second and third places combined, Li Auto said.

Li Auto has delivered more than 20,000 units for three consecutive months, and this month the company will aim to reach its 30,000-unit monthly sales target, it added.

Li Auto didn't explain what the weekly sales are based on, but apparently, they are insurance registrations. The company had suspended sharing those numbers in May, but has now resumed sharing them.

All of Li Auto's models currently on sale are extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs), essentially plug-in hybrids that are targeting a broader market, including the five-seat Li L7 and the six-seat Li L9 and Li L8.

NIO and XPeng, on the other hand, offer only purely electric models and face a growing but much smaller market space.

NIO sold 1,700 units last week, according to figures shared by Li Auto. This is slightly higher than the previous week's 1,600 units.

Last week included the last three days of May and the first four days of June. The insurance data represents the number of vehicles registered in China.

NIO launched the new ES6 on May 24, although the model is likely still in the process of climbing capacity and thus still not contributing much to sales.

The electric vehicle (EV) maker delivered 6,155 vehicles in May, down 7.55 percent from April and down 12.37 percent year-on-year, according to data released on June 1.

NIO will finish climbing capacity for the new ES6 in June to deliver vehicles as early as possible, Jim Wei, the company's senior vice president of user operations, said in announcing May delivery figures on the NIO App on June 1.

In a research note sent to investors yesterday, Morgan Stanley analyst Tim Hsiao's team said that NIO's overall new order intake hit a year-to-date high thanks to the launch of the new ES6.

(NASDAQ: TSLA) sold 14,500 units last week, up from 12,800 the week before, according to figures shared by Li Auto.

Tesla sold 77,695 China-made vehicles in May, including those exported, data released yesterday by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) showed.

This was up 2.44 percent from 75,842 vehicles in April and up 141.55 percent from 32,165 vehicles in the same month last year.

XPeng (NYSE: XPEV) sold 2,100 units last week, unchanged from the previous week.

The company delivered 7,506 vehicles in May, down 25.87 percent year-on-year, but up 6.03 percent from April.

XPeng will begin pre-sales of the G6, the new SUV designed to compete with Tesla's Model Y, on June 9.

sold 2,100 units last week, up from 1,900 units the week before.

The company delivered 8,678 vehicles in May, up 100.42 percent from 4,330 in the same month last year and up 7.12 percent from 8,101 in April.

This is the fourth consecutive increase in monthly deliveries for Zeekr, which will begin deliveries of its third model, the Zeekr X, later this month.

Leapmotor sales were 3,400 units last week, down from 3,600 the week before. was 2,900 units last week, up from 2,100 the week before.

https://cnevdata.com/2023/06/06/china-nev-weekly-insurance-registrations-0606/

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NIO’s new order intake hits year-to-date high with launch of new ES6, Morgan Stanley says

Confirmed orders for the ES6 accounted for 35-40 percent of new orders in May, meaning inflows since the model's launch in the last week of May have been quite meaningful, Morgan Stanley said.  |  US | NIO HK | NIO SG

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

The new ES6 is critical for NIO (NYSE: NIO) to turn around its weak sales performance. So what has the model contributed to NIO since its launch? A new research note from Morgan Stanley provides a good reference.

NIO's overall new order intake hit a year-to-date high, boosted by the launch of the new ES6, analyst Tim Hsiao's team said in a research note sent to investors on June 5.

The team said they have been tracking some feedback from startups' major sales channels in major Chinese cities since early last year to better understand the latest market dynamics.

The team shared their key findings in their research note while noting the limitations of their sampling methodology.

Confirmed orders for the ES6 accounted for 35-40 percent of new orders in May, implying quite a meaningful inflow since the model hit the market in the last week of May, the team said.

As background, NIO officially launched the new ES6 on May 24 and delivered it to its first owners the same night, the fastest from launch to delivery in the company's history.

Including the battery, the new ES6 has a starting price of RMB 368,000 ($51,680), making it NIO's least expensive SUV.

NIO saw overall traffic at its flagship stores in Tier 1 cities increase 30-40 percent month-on-month in May and continued that momentum in early June after the company brought the new ES6 to market, Hsiao's team said, citing their latest checks.

"Overall store traffic at the stores we track is back to the level seen this February but still 20% below last September's level, when the company rolled out ET5," the team said.

NIO stores' retail conversion rate -- the ratio of orders to traffic -- remained largely steady at 5 percent in May, the team said, adding that consumers need more time to get a closer and deeper look at the new model and they expect conversion rates to climb gradually with broader test drives.

Hsiao's team believes the starting price for the new ES6 looks a bit conservative, but their checks last week at major NIO flagship stores in Tier 1 cities suggest that order momentum has been picking up.

"Certain stores we talked to further suggest that NIO's orders as a whole exceeded 9k units in May. Within this, ES6 basically dominated order inflow after taking confirmed orders from last week of May," the team said.

On a full-month basis, the new ES6 accounted for more than 35 percent of total orders, which suggests a quite meaningful turnaround at the end of the month, the team said.

Orders for NIO look a bit overly concentrated at the moment, Hsiao's team said, adding that some salespeople they interviewed suspended order intake for the ES8 and EC6 during the model changeover.

NIO's sedan models, such as the ET7, saw orders drop by about 20 percent in May from a year earlier, according to the team.

"ET5 and the all-new ES6 contribute about 80% of new orders, implying likely greater volatility if other high-margin models fail to catch up," the team said.

Notably, NIO is still in the process of getting the new ES6 capacity to climb, and the model contributed very little to deliveries last month.

The EV maker delivered 6,155 vehicles in May, down 7.55 percent from April and down 12.37 percent year-on-year, according to data released June 1.

The deliveries included 2,396 SUVs and 3,759 sedans, NIO said.

NIO will complete the capacity ramp for the new ES6 in June to deliver vehicles as soon as possible, Jim Wei, the company's senior vice president of customer operations, said in a June 1 announcement of May delivery figures on the NIO App.

($1 = RMB 7.1212)

NIO Q1 earnings preview: Struggling along for another quarter

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China’s NEV ownership exceeds 15 million

As of June 4, China's NEV ownership had exceeded 15 million units, achieving the goal of its 14th five-year plan ahead of schedule, an academician said.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

As of June 4, China's new energy vehicle (NEV) ownership had exceeded 15 million units, reaching the goal of the 14th five-year plan ahead of schedule, according to an academician.

Sun Fengchun, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and professor at the Beijing Institute of Technology, mentioned the figure in a speech at an event hosted by bus maker Yutong on June 5.

Global sales of NEVs were around 10.82 million in 2022, up 62 percent from a year earlier, with a penetration rate of 13.9 percent, he said.

For comparison, more than 6.887 million NEVs were sold in China in 2022, up 93.4 percent year-on-year, for a penetration rate of 25.6 percent, Sun said.

As the electrification change comes, the Chinese auto industry moves ahead of the curve for the first time, he said.

By the end of 2022, China had 13.1 million NEVs, or 4.1 percent of the total 319 million vehicles in its fleet, according to data released on January 11 by the Traffic Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security of China.

From January to May, wholesale sales of new energy passenger vehicles in China are expected to be 2.78 million units, up 46 percent year-on-year, the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) said on June 5.

Passenger car sales in China are expected to be 23.5 million units in 2023, including 8.5 million NEVs, with penetration expected to reach 36 percent, the CPCA said, repeating its previous forecast.

Policy support has been a major reason for the rapid growth of China's NEV industry over the past several years.

Prior to this year, those policies included purchase subsidies, which were not renewed after expiring at the end of last year, and purchase tax exemptions, which were renewed through the end of this year.

China will extend and optimize its NEV purchase tax exemption policy and build a high-quality charging infrastructure system, as mentioned in a State Council executive meeting on June 2.

BYD sells record 240,220 NEVs in May, surpasses 1 million for the year

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