Category: Industry News

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

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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

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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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Great Wall Motor sells record 23,755 NEVs in May, up 60% from Apr

The Lanshan DHT-PHEV, which competes with 's Li L8, sold 5,136 units in its first full month of sales, and its production capacity is climbing, Great Wall Motor said.

Great Wall Motor's new energy vehicle (NEV) sales saw significant growth last month as the auto giant ramps up its efforts to make the transition to electrification.

Great Wall Motor sold a record 23,755 NEVs in May, up 104.13 percent from a year earlier and up 59.83 percent from 14,863 units in April, data released yesterday showed.

Including conventional fuel vehicles, Great Wall Motor's total sales in May were 101,020 units, up 26.18 percent year-on-year and up 8.49 percent from 93,107 units in April.

This means that NEVs contributed 23.5 percent of Great Wall Motor's sales in May.

From January to May, Great Wall Motor's NEV sales were 66,426 units, up 30.48 percent year-on-year, contributing 16 percent of all vehicle sales of 414,095 units.

Although Great Wall Motor saw significant growth in NEV sales, it still lags far behind (OTCMKTS: BYDDY) in the segment.

BYD sold 240,220 NEVs in May, up 108.99 percent year-on-year and up 14.23 percent from April.

BYD ceased production and sales of vehicles powered entirely by internal combustion engines in March 2022, shifting its focus to plug-in hybrids and pure electric vehicles.

On May 25, Great Wall Motor accused two BYD hybrid models of failing to meet pollutant emissions standards.

Great Wall Motor's battery electric vehicle-focused brand, , sold 10,616 units in May, up 19.27 percent from 8,901 units in April.

Its premium Wey brand sold 5,770 units in May, up 128.97 percent year-on-year and up 142.95 percent from April.

The Wey brand launched the six-seat Lanshan DHT-PHEV on April 13 with a starting price of RMB 273,800 to compete with Li Auto's Li L8. Deliveries of the model began on April 25.

The Lanshan DHT-PHEV sold 5,136 units in its first full sales month, and its production capacity is currently climbing with more orders to be delivered, Great Wall Motor said yesterday.

On May 25, Great Wall Motor's Haval brand launched the Haval Xiaolong and Haval Xiaolong Max, two hybrid SUVs with a starting price of RMB 139,800.

The Haval Xiaolong and Haval Xiaolong Max sold 3,088 units in May, Great Wall Motor said.

On June 1, the Wey brand launched the Mocca DHT-PHEV, a 5-seat SUV with a starting price of RMB 231,800,000.

Great Wall Motor sold a record 25,131 units overseas in May, up 15.21 percent from April and 104.04 percent year-on-year.

Its cumulative overseas sales from January to May were 98,920 units, up 100.36 percent year-on-year.

Great Wall Motor accuses 2 BYD hybrids of failing to meet pollutant emissions standards as competition intensifies

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China NEV wholesale in May at about 670,000 units, CPCA estimates show

From January to May, China's wholesale sales of passenger NEVs are expected to be 2.78 million units, up 46 percent year-on-year, the CPCA said.

China's wholesale sales of passenger new energy vehicles (NEVs) are expected to be 670,000 units in May, up 11 percent from April and up 59 percent year-on-year, the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) said in a report today.

In April, the 11 manufacturers with more than 10,000 wholesale sales of NEVs contributed 81.1 percent of all wholesale sales, the CPCA said.

These companies are expected to sell 542,000 units in May, and the normal structure would put China's wholesale sales of passenger NEVs in May at around 650,000 units, the CPCA said.

The CPCA gave a higher estimated figure of 670,000 wholesale sales as the development of China's NEV industry continues to consolidate this year, the report said.

In the January-May period, China's wholesale sales of passenger NEVs are expected to be 2.78 million units, up 46 percent year-on-year, according to the report.

NEVs include battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), and fuel cell vehicles.

China's new energy passenger vehicle market returned to stronger growth in May, with sales hitting a new high this year, the CPCA said.

As a result of last year's low base and the recent continued strength of China's passenger NEV exports, vehicle companies in the core regions of the NEV industry chain, including Shanghai, performed well, the CPCA said.

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

In 2022, wholesale sales of passenger NEVs in China were 6.5 million units, up 96.3 percent year-on-year.

Here are the wholesale NEV sales of major automakers in May, as published by the CPCA.

Tesla sells 77,695 China-made vehicles in May, up 2.44% from Apr

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Wuling mulls post-delivery fuel-engine option for Baojun Yep

Wuling is considering offering a range-extender option for the Baojun Yep, which would provide the mini EV with the ability to get an extra 80 kilometers of range by refueling.

(Image credit: Baojun)

SAIC-GM-Wuling is considering a range-extender option for the Baojun Yep mini electric vehicle (EV), which went on sale only last month, highlighting a new approach to trying to address range anxiety among EV consumers.

Baojun will not offer an official extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) version of the Yep, but will consider offering a post-delivery range-extender option for the model, Zhou Xing, vice president of SAIC Wuling's brand division, said on Weibo yesterday.

"Because of the call from everyone, the team is looking into the possibility of putting a small generator in the engine compartment," Zhou wrote.

The option, which could cost about 2,000 yuan ($280), could hold four liters of gasoline and thus provide an additional 80 kilometers of range, according to a supplier proposal, he said.

The option is similar to a power bank for a cell phone and would additionally allow the vehicle to support external discharge capability, according to Zhou.

Zhou asked his followers on Weibo if they really wanted the option and if so, they would speed up the rollout process.

Consumers expecting the option can still buy the Baojun Yep now, as it can be installed after delivery, Zhou said.

It's not clear if Wuling's planned option complies with China's vehicle modification regulations.

SAIC-GM-Wuling officially launched the Baojun Yep on May 25, offering it in two versions with starting prices of RMB 79,800 and RMB 89,800, respectively.

Both versions of the model have a battery pack capacity of 28.1 kWh and a combined CLTC range of 303 km.

Baojun's idea to offer a range-extender option for the Yep underscores the appeal of plug-in hybrid or quasi-plug-in hybrid models at a time of transition to electrification in the Chinese automotive industry.

Among Chinese EV startups, (NASDAQ: LI) is known for its EREVs, which delivered a record 28,277 vehicles in May.

For comparison, (NYSE: NIO) and (NYSE: XPEV), which only offers battery electric vehicles (BEVs), have had weak deliveries over the past few months, delivering 6,155 and 7,506 units in May, respectively.

Their peer Leapmotor has abandoned its insistence on offering only BEVs, attracted by the larger market space.

On February 1, Leapmotor unveiled its first EREV model -- an EREV variant of its flagship SUV, the C11. The Leapmotor C11 EREV went on sale on March 1 and deliveries began in mid-March.

In May, Leapmotor delivered 12,058 vehicles, the fourth consecutive month of growth and well above the 1,139 units delivered in January.

($1 = RMB 7.1061)

Leapmotor delivers 12,058 units in May, higher-priced C-series dominate-CnEVPost

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BMW recalls 99 EVs in China for risk of power output interruption

The recall involves the locally produced i3 and iX3, as well as the imported i4, i7 and iX EVs.

BMW recalls 99 EVs in China for risk of power output interruption-CnEVPost

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

BMW has carried out another electric vehicle (EV) recall in China, albeit in small numbers.

The German luxury carmaker is recalling a total of 99 EVs in China from June 2, involving locally produced i3 and iX3, as well as imported i4, i7 and iX, according to a Friday announcement on China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) website.

Specifically, this includes 42 China-made i3 EVs with production dates from May 3, 2022 to April 12, 2023, and 47 China-made iX3 EVs with production dates from September 22, 2021 to March 2, 2023.

The recall of these EVs is being conducted by BMW Brilliance, BMW's joint venture in China.

The recall of imported vehicles includes five i4 EVs with production dates from December 15, 2021 to October 6, 2022, one imported i7 EV with production date on September 20, 2022, and four imported iX EVs with production dates from February 4, 2022 to September 27, 2022.

The recall of these imported EVs is being conducted by BMW China Automotive Trading Ltd.

The cable bridge of the high-voltage battery monitoring electronics cell supervision circuits (CSC) in the vehicles covered by the recall is not properly locked into place, and in extreme cases, the CSC is unable to effectively monitor the high-voltage battery, the announcement said.

In the event of such a situation, the CSC will perform fail-safe measures to stop the power output of the high-voltage battery, resulting in a possible power interruption in the moving vehicle, according to the announcement.

BMW Brilliance and BMW China will replace the high-voltage battery monitoring electronics for the vehicles free of charge to eliminate the safety hazard.

BMW last recalled EVs in China on March 29, when one locally produced i3 and 136 imported i4 EVs were involved.

BMW Brilliance retail sales in China rose 8.4 percent to 217,636 vehicles in January-April, ranking ninth with a 3.7 percent share, according to China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) rankings last month.

BMW's EV sales did not make it into any of the CPCA's rankings.

BMW recalls over 90,000 EVs in China due to software issues

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China to extend and optimize NEV purchase tax exemption policy, says State Council meeting

China will further stabilize market expectations, optimize the consumption environment, and release the consumption potential of NEVs to a greater extent, the meeting also mentioned.

China to extend and optimize NEV purchase tax exemption policy, says State Council meeting-CnEVPost

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

China is expected to extend the tax incentives for new energy vehicles (NEVs), which will expire at the end of the year, to continue supporting the fast-growing industry.

China will extend and optimize the NEV purchase tax exemption policy, to build a high-quality charging infrastructure system, according to an executive meeting of the State Council hosted by Premier Li Qiang today.

The meeting studied policy measures to promote the high-quality development of the NEV industry, according to the content of the meeting released today by state broadcaster CCTV.

China will further stabilize market expectations, optimize the consumption environment, and release the potential of NEV consumption, according to the meeting.

NEVs are the main direction of transformation and upgrading of the automotive industry, and the development space is very broad, the meeting mentioned.

China should consolidate and expand the advantages of NEV development, further optimize the industrial layout, and strengthen key core technologies in key areas such as power battery systems, new chassis architecture, intelligent driving systems, according to the meeting.

The country will coordinate the development of domestic and international resources to improve the power battery recycling system, according to the meeting.

The foundation of China's recovery so far this year is not yet solid, and China should further stabilize expectations, boost confidence in development, stimulate market vitality and promote a sustained rebound in economic operation, the meeting mentioned.

The CCTV report did not mention what specific support measures for the NEV industry were examined at the meeting, or how long the NEV tax exemption would be extended. A Bloomberg report earlier today said China is considering extending the tax exemption for cheaper NEVs for another four years.

One of those measures could be an extension of the purchase tax break for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles priced below RMB 300,000 yuan ($42,510), according to the Bloomberg report.

To support the development of energy-efficient vehicles, China first began exempting NEVs from purchase tax in 2014.

The policy originally expired at the end of 2017, but was renewed before it expired until the end of 2020. In March 2020, China renewed the policy again until the end of 2022.

On September 26, 2022, several Chinese government departments jointly announced that the purchase tax exemption for NEVs would continue until the end of 2023.

China mulls extending tax exemption on cheaper NEVs for another 4 years, report says

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Smart #3 launched in China, starting at $29,600

The Smart #3 is available in three regular versions and a limited edition, with a price range of RMB 209,900 to 289,900.

(Image credit: Smart)

Smart Automobile, 's joint venture with Mercedes-Benz, is making its second model since its electrification transition available in China, as it ramps up its efforts in the world's largest electric vehicle (EV) market.

Smart officially launched the Smart #3 in China at an event Thursday evening, with first deliveries set to begin this month.

The car is available in three regular versions -- Pro+, Pulse, and Premium -- with starting prices of RMB 209,900 ($29,586), RMB 239,900, and RMB 255,900, respectively.

In addition to these three versions, the Smart #3 is also available in a Brabus Performance version for RMB 289,900, but is limited to only 1,999 units.

The Smart #3 is a coupe SUV with a length, width and height of 4,400/4,542 mm, 1,844 mm and 1,556 mm respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,785 mm.

For reference, the Smart #1, the first production model after the electrification of the Smart brand, measures 4,270 mm in length, 1,822 mm in width and 1,636 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,750 mm.

This means that the Smart #3 will be longer and wider than the Smart #1, but lower.

The Smart #3 has two powertrain options, a single-motor version with 200 kW of peak motor power and a dual-motor version with 115 kW and 200 kW of peak front and rear motor power, respectively.

Acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h is 5.4 seconds for the single-motor version and 4.3 seconds for the dual-motor version, and 3.6 seconds for the Brabus Performance version.

There are three range versions, with CLTC ranges of 520 km, 555 km and 580 km. The battery pack is a ternary lithium battery from CALB and Sunwoda.

The Smart #1 went on sale in China on April 25, 2022, with deliveries starting on September 24.

The model was designed by Mercedes-Benz, with the Smart R&D team leading the engineering development, and is based on Geely's SEA (Sustainable Experience Architecture) architecture.

Smart delivered 2,624 vehicles in China in May, down 40.23 percent from 4,390 in April, according to data it released yesterday.

Smart has delivered a total of 28,923 electric vehicles in China since last September, according to data monitored by CnEVPost.

($1 = 7.0945 yuan)

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China mulls extending tax exemption on cheaper NEVs for another 4 years, report says

China is considering extending the tax exemption for NEVs priced below 300,000 yuan for another four years to spur consumer demand, Bloomberg reported.

China mulls extending tax exemption on cheaper NEVs for another 4 years, report says-CnEVPost

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

China is considering extending the tax holiday for some NEVs for another four years, the latest report said, adding that the policy was originally set to expire at the end of this year.

China's State Council is considering extending tax exemption for some clean cars for another four years as the government seeks to spur consumer demand for new energy vehicles (NEVs), a Bloomberg report today said, citing people familiar with the matter.

China's chief administrative body will meet Friday to discuss a series of policy measures aimed at boosting economic development, the report said.

One of those measures may be extending the purchase tax break for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles that cost less than RMB 300,000 yuan ($42,510), one of the people said, according to the Bloomberg report.

To support the development of fuel-efficient vehicles, China first began exempting NEVs from purchase tax in 2014, allowing most consumers who buy such models to save about RMB 10,000 relative to those who buy conventional fuel vehicles.

The policy originally expired at the end of 2017, but was extended until the end of 2020, and in March 2020, China renewed the policy until the end of 2022.

On September 26, 2022, several Chinese government departments said in an official announcement that the purchase tax exemption for NEVs will continue until the end of 2023.

As of November 10, China had exempted RMB 68.6 billion in purchase tax on NEVs in 2022, up 101.2 percent year-on-year, Wang Daoshu, deputy head of the State Taxation Administration, said in a November 16 news release last year.

China also previously provided subsidies for the purchase of NEVs, but they were not renewed when they expired at the end of last year.

Growth in China's NEV industry slowed significantly early this year after the subsidy policy was withdrawn.

From January to April, retail sales of NEVs in China were 1,841,079 units, up 36.16 percent year-on-year, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). For comparison, the growth rate for the same period last year was 124.23 percent.

($1 = RMB 7.0571)

China extends NEV purchase tax exemption until end of 2023 in official announcement

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