Category: Industry News

LiDAR maker RoboSense files for HK listing

In 2022, RoboSense had 953 customers, including , , Great Wall Motor, , Lotus and Lucid.

(Image credit: RoboSense)

RoboSense Technology has filed for a Hong Kong IPO and is expected to become the second Chinese LiDAR maker to go public after Hesai Group.

RoboSense's prospectus was made public on the HKEX website today, with JPMorgan and China Renaissances as co-sponsors.

The number of shares RoboSense plans to issue or the amount of capital it plans to raise has not been announced, but the prospectus provides details about its business.

RoboSense was founded in 2014 and its RS-LiDAR-M1 was the world's first mass-produced solid-state LiDAR, with mass production and delivery beginning in June 2021.

In 2022, RS-LiDAR-M1P, an upgraded version of RS-LiDAR-M1, achieves mass production.

Sales of RS-LiDAR-M1 and RS-LiDAR-M1P were 36,600 units and 4,300 units respectively in 2022.

RoboSense demonstrated the new product RS-LiDAR-E1 at its Tech Day event on November 7, 2022, and will begin mass production in the second half of 2023.

As of March 31, RoboSense has received expected orders for 52 models of LiDAR from 21 car companies and Tier 1 suppliers, of which 9 models have already started production, according to its prospectus.

In 2022, RoboSense has 953 customers, including primarily Geely, GAC Aion, Great Wall Motor, Xpeng, Lotus, and Lucid.

Since inception, RoboSense has delivered more than 100,000 LiDARs cumulatively as of the end of the first quarter.

RoboSense's revenues for 2020 to 2022 were RMB171 million ($23.5 million), RMB331 million, and RMB530 million, respectively.

Like many other tech startups, RoboSense is still in the red.

From 2020 to 2022, RoboSense recorded net losses of RMB 220 million, RMB 1.65 billion, and RMB 2.09 billion, respectively.

Its adjusted net losses for these three years were RMB 59.9 million, RMB 108 million, and RMB 563 million, respectively. These adjustments include the exclusion of share-based compensation, changes in the value of financial instruments issued to investors, and listing expenses.

RoboSense entered into a supply partnership with at the end of 2021 and announced on February 6 this year a supply partnership agreement with Toyota to supply LiDARs for a number of the latter's models.

RoboSense is set to become the second Chinese LiDAR maker to go public, after its local counterpart Hesai was listed in the US on February 10.

Hesai, also founded in Shanghai in late 2014, initially focused on developing high-performance laser sensors and has been exploring driverless LiDAR products since 2016.

($1 = RMB 7.2689)

Shanghai auto show: EVs take center stage, nearly 40 models equipped with LiDARs

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China NEV retail in Jun 1-25 at 500,000, up 15% from same period last month, CPCA data show

Retail penetration of NEVs in China was 36.92 percent from June 1 to June 25, and 32.50 percent year-to-date.

China NEV retail in Jun 1-25 at 500,000, up 15% from same period last month, CPCA data show-CnEVPost

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

From June 1 to June 25, retail sales of passenger new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China were 500,000 units, up 13 percent year-on-year and up 15 percent from the same period last month, according to data released today by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

So far this year, retail sales of passenger NEVs in China were 2.92 million units, up 35 percent year-on-year.

From June 1 to June 25, wholesale sales of passenger NEVs in China were 534,000 units, up 14 percent year-on-year and up 14 percent from the same period last month, according to the CPCA.

Wholesale sales of passenger NEVs so far this year were 3,317,000 units, up 40 percent year-on-year.

Between June 1 and June 25, retail sales of all passenger vehicles in China were 1.35 million units, down 1 percent year-on-year while up 9 percent from the same period last month, the CPCA said.

So far this year, cumulative retail sales of passenger cars in China were up 3 percent to 8.986 million units.

This means that from June 1 to June 25, the penetration of NEVs at retail in China was 36.92 percent, and 32.50 percent year-to-date.

In the first week of June -- June 1-4 -- the average daily retail sales of passenger cars in China were 31,000 units, down 9 percent from a year ago and 42 percent lower than the same period last month.

In the second week of June -- June 5 to 11 -- average daily retail sales of passenger cars were 43,000 units, down 10 percent year-on-year and down 14 percent compared to the same period in May.

In the third week of June -- June 12 to 18 -- average daily retail sales of passenger cars were 58,000 units, down 2 percent year-on-year, but up 21 percent compared to the same period in May.

In the fourth week of June -- June 19-25 -- average daily retail sales of passenger cars were 75,000 units, up 9 percent year-on-year and up 53 percent compared to the same period in May.

China began halving purchase taxes on mainstream internal combustion engine vehicles last June, causing sales to shift toward the beginning of the month, the CPCA said. The policy was not renewed when it expired at the end of last year.

By comparison, June is a normal sales month this year, so a dip at the beginning of the month is normal, the CPCA said.

Notably, China saw campaigns to promote auto consumption during this month, which, combined with dealers facing semi-annual performance reviews, is helping support June auto sales, according to the CPCA.

Data Table: China auto sales in Jun 1-25

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Kia starts accepting pre-orders for EV6 in China, limited to 1,000 units

Kia has not yet announced pricing for the EV6 in China, which starts at $42,600 in the US.

Kia starts accepting pre-orders for EV6 in China, limited to 1,000 units-CnEVPost

(Image credit: Kia)

Kia Motors, an affiliate of Hyundai Motor Co, is accepting pre-orders in China for its first all-electric model, the EV6.

Starting June 28, Chinese consumers can pre-order the EV6 by paying RMB 666 ($92) for the model, which will be imported into China but is limited to 1,000 units, Kia announced today.

Kia has not yet announced the prices for the EV6 in China; the model has a starting price of $42,600 in the US, according to its website.

The car is based on Kia's EV-specific platform E-GMP and has a wheelbase of 2,900 mm.

The vehicle offers a variety of all-electric, zero-emission powertrain options, including a long-range version with a 77.4 kWh battery pack and a standard-range version with a 58-kWh battery pack.

The Kia EV6 has a maximum power of 125 kW and a maximum torque of 350 Nm in the standard range rear-wheel drive version and a maximum power of 173 kW and a maximum torque of 605 Nm in the standard range four-wheel drive version, which can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.2 seconds.

The EV6 long-range rear-wheel drive version has a maximum power of 168 kW and a maximum torque of 350 Nm. Its long-range 4WD version has a maximum power of 239 kW and a maximum torque of 605 Nm, and can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 5.2 seconds.

The car supports 800 V charging and takes only 18 minutes to charge from 10 percent to 80 percent. For the long-range 2WD version, a 4.5-minute charge adds 100 km of range, the company said.

Kia announced its official entry into the Chinese EV market at an event on March 20, unveiling the EV5 concept, EV9 concept and EV6 GT.

Kia plans to launch its flagship electric SUV EV9 in 2024, an entry-level all-electric SUV in 2025, a premium electric sedan based on a next-generation EV-specific platform in 2026 and a mid-size all-electric SUV in 2027.

The EV9 concept car has a length of over 5000 mm and a wheelbase of 3100 mm, with a 3-row, 6-seat interior design.

In China, Kia is aiming for 450,000 units by 2030, with new energy models accounting for 40 percent of the total, according to its previously announced plans.

Kia enters China's crowded EV market, 1st model expected to launch in Aug

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China’s Ministry of Finance explains in detail how consumers will enjoy NEV tax breaks in 2024-2027

For a NEV with a pre-tax price of RMB 300,000, consumers will continue to be exempt from purchase tax from 2024-2025, while they will be subject to RMB 15,000 in purchase tax from 2026-2027.

China's Ministry of Finance explains in detail how consumers will enjoy NEV tax breaks in 2024-2027-CnEVPost

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

China's Ministry of Finance (MOF) has provided a more detailed explanation of its future purchase tax policy for NEVs (NEVs), after announcing the policy for the next four years last week.

In a Q&A posted on its website today, the MOF provided details on how the NEV purchase tax will be levied over the next four years.

In short, for a NEV with a pre-tax price of RMB 300,000 ($41,600), there will continue to be no purchase tax in 2024-2025, while in 2026-2027 there will be a purchase tax of RMB 15,000.

On June 21, the MOF announced that NEVs with a purchase date between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2025, will continue to be exempt from vehicle purchase tax. Still, the exemption amount will not exceed RMB 30,000 per vehicle.

For NEVs with a purchase date between January 1, 2026, and December 31, 2027, the vehicle purchase tax will be levied at half the normal rate, with the tax reduction not exceeding RMB 15,000 per vehicle.

When consumers purchase a NEV, if the invoice for the car and the battery are separate, the taxable price is the price of the body before tax.

In today's Q&A, the MOF provided examples of how the NEV purchase tax will be calculated over the next four years:

For the years 2024-2025, NEV purchase tax continues to be exempted, but the tax exemption amount for each vehicle will not exceed RMB 30,000.

For example, Mr. Li purchases a new energy passenger vehicle that meets the tax exemption criteria on February 5, 2024.

If the sales price of the vehicle is RMB 300,000 (excluding VAT, same below), then the normal vehicle purchase tax rate is 10 percent and his tax amount is RMB 30,000 (30 x 10 percent).

According to the tax exemption policy at this time, the amount of tax exemption he can enjoy is RMB 30,000. Since the vehicle does not exceed the RMB 30,000 tax exemption limit, Mr. Li is not required to pay vehicle purchase tax.

For a new energy passenger car with a sales price of RMB 500,000, the normal tax amount is RMB 50,000 (50×10 percent). According to the tax exemption policy, Mr. Li is entitled to a tax exemption of RMB 30,000 and needs to pay vehicle purchase tax of RMB 20,000.

In 2026-2027, the vehicle purchase tax will be reduced by half, while the tax reduction will not exceed RMB 15,000 per vehicle.

For example, on March 1, 2026, Mr. Zhang purchases a new energy passenger car that meets the tax reduction criteria.

If the sales price of the vehicle is RMB 300,000 and the vehicle purchase tax rate is 10 percent, then the normal tax amount is RMB 30,000 (30 x 10 percent).

According to the policy of 50 percent reduction in purchase tax, the tax reduction is RMB 15,000 (3×50 percent). As the vehicle does not exceed the RMB 15,000 tax reduction limit, Mr. Zhang is entitled to a RMB 15,000 tax reduction and is required to pay RMB 15,000 vehicle purchase tax.

If the sales price of the vehicle is RMB 500,000, then the tax payable is RMB 50,000 (50 x 10 percent). Under the 50 percent reduction policy, the tax reduction is RMB 25,000 (5 x 50 percent), which exceeds the RMB 15,000 tax reduction limit.

According to the policy at that time, Mr. Zhang is entitled to RMB 15,000 tax reduction and needs to pay RMB 35,000 vehicle purchase tax.

CnEVPost would like to remind that the prices of the vehicles in the above examples are all prices excluding VAT.

In China, the basic VAT rate is 13 percent. The prices that car companies are showing to consumers are the prices including VAT.

($1 = RMB 7.2119)

BREAKING: China extends NEV purchase tax breaks for 4 years

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Changan teases electric sedan under new brand

The Qiyuan A07 is a mid to large-size sedan that will be offered in BEV and EREV versions, a previous regulatory filing shows.

(Image credit: Changan Qiyuan)

Chinese auto giant Changan Automobile is upping its bets in the electric vehicle (EV) segment, starting the warm-up for a new sub-brand and its first model.

The Changan sub-brand, called Qiyuan (启源), today posted several images on Weibo about the Qiyuan A07, showing exterior and interior design details of the sedan.

It is worth noting that Changan has not yet officially launched the Qiyuan brand, which has recently registered accounts on several social media platforms.

Yesterday, Qiyuan posted its first Weibo post, a preview video of the Qiyuan A07.

 

Qiyuan did not reveal more information about the A07, although the model previously entered a filing catalog of the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

The Qiyuan A07 is a mid to large-size sedan with a length, width and height of 4,905 mm, 1,910 mm and 1,480 mm, respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,900 mm, according to the filing.

The dimensions are slightly smaller than 's flagship sedan, the Han EV, which measures 4,995 mm in length, 1,910 mm in width and 1,495 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,920 mm.

Similar to Changan's other sub-brand Deepal, the Qiyuan A07 will be available in battery electric vehicle (BEV) and extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) versions.

The Qiyuan A07 BEV has an electric motor with a peak power of 190 kW, the same as the Deepal SL03 BEV. The Qiyuan A07 EREV has a peak electric motor of 160 kW, the same range-extender as the Deepal SL03, and a displacement of 1.5L with a power of 70 kW.

The Qiyuan A07 BEV is equipped with battery packs with capacities of 58.1 kWh and 79.97 kWh, respectively, with CLTC ranges of 515 km and 710 km. The Qiyuan A07 EREV is equipped with a 28.39 kWh battery pack with a battery range of 170 km.

Changan sold 244,996 units in May, including joint venture brands, with new energy vehicles (NEVs) contributing 35,934 units, or 14.7 percent, according to figures it announced earlier this month.

Deepal sold 7,021 units in May, bringing January-May sales to 33,585 units.

Changan's EV brand Deepal launches S7 SUV at about half price of Tesla Model Y

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Great Wall Motor steps up electrification transition as Tank brand launches 1st NEV model

The Tank brand has launched its first NEV model, the Tank 500 Hi4-T. The brand has sold more than 10,000 fuel-powered vehicles in most months of the past year.

(Image credit: Great Wall Motor)

Great Wall Motor is continuing its electrification transition, though it has fallen significantly behind major rivals, including (OTCMKTS: BYDDY).

The automaker's personalized brand Tank officially launched the Tank 500 Hi4-T, the brand's first new energy vehicle (NEV) model, at an event yesterday, with only one version available and a starting price of RMB 335,000 ($46,290).

The Tank 500 Hi4-T is the plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) version of the fuel-powered Tank 500 which is offered in nine versions with a starting price range of RMB 335,000 to RMB 395,000.

The Tank 500 Hi4-T's starting price of RMB 335,000 means that Tank is essentially phasing out the lower-trim versions of the Tank 500 with this PHEV model in order to gain a larger presence in the NEV market.

Tank's current models are all off-road SUVs, including the Tank 500 and the less expensive Tank 300.

The Tank 500 Hi4-T measures 5,078 mm in length, 1,934 mm in width and 1,905 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,850 mm, which are essentially the same dimensions as the fuel-powered Tank 500, except for a slightly longer length than the latter's 5,070 mm.

The Tank 500 Hi4-T is powered by a 2.0T engine with a maximum power of 180 kW and a peak torque of 380 Nm, and an electric motor with a maximum power of 120 kW and a maximum torque of 400 Nm.

The Tank 500 Hi4-T has a combined power of 300 kW and 750 Nm of peak torque, and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds.

The model is equipped with a ternary lithium-ion battery pack with a capacity of 37.1 kWh and has a pure electric range of 120 km in NEDC and 110 km in WLTC.

It supports fast charging, taking 24 minutes to charge from 30 percent to 80 percent and 42 minutes to recharge from 30 percent to 100 percent.

The Tank 500 Hi4-T has a fuel tank of 70 L and consumes 9.55 L per 100 km at the lowest charge under WLTC standards.

Powered by this powertrain, the Tank 500 Hi4-T has a combined WLTC fuel consumption of 2.2 L per 100 km.

Like the current mainstream NEV models, the Tank 500 Hi4-T is equipped with L2 driving assistance system with functions including smart parking, adaptive cruise control, lane assist, collision warning and automatic braking.

The Tank 500 Hi4-T show cars and vehicles used for test drives are already available at Great Wall Motor's stores.

Great Wall Motor is one of the most successful local car companies in China, but is clearly lagging behind in the NEV market.

In the past few months, Great Wall Motor has increased its efforts in the NEV market with the launch of several products including the Lanshan DHT-PHEV and the Haval Xiaolong.

Great Wall Motor sold a record 23,755 units of NEVs in May, up 104.13 percent year-on-year and up 59.83 percent from 14,863 units in April, according to data released earlier this month.

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.

As a comparison, its main competitor BYD stopped production and sales of vehicles powered entirely by internal combustion engines in March 2022 and switched to focus on producing plug-in hybrids and pure electric vehicles.

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

The success of the Tank line of off-road SUVs over the past few years and the lesser competition they face may be one of the reasons for the brand's slow transition to electrification.

The Tank brand has sold more than 10,000 units per month over the past year, except for January and February of this year, when it sold 5,915 and 6,344 units, respectively.

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Great Wall Motor NEV sales in May: 23,755

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Changan’s EV brand Deepal launches S7 SUV at about half price of Tesla Model Y

The Deepal S7 is about the same size as the Model Y and is available in both BEV and EREV versions.

(Image credit: Deepal)

Changan Automobile's new energy vehicle (NEV) brand Deepal has launched an SUV that will compete with Tesla's (NASDAQ: TSLA) Model Y. Its first product is aimed at the Model 3 market.

Deepal officially rolled out the Deepal S7 at a launch event yesterday evening with a starting price of RMB 149,900 ($20,878), down RMB 20,000 from the pre-sale price announced on May 20 and well below the Model Y's RMB 263,900.

The Deepal S7 is available in two powertrain versions, including a battery electric vehicle (BEV) version, and an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) version similar to (NASDAQ: LI) vehicles. Deliveries of the new SUV are to begin on June 30.

The Deepal S7 EREV is available in three versions with starting prices of RMB 149,900, RMB 159,900 and RMB 169,900 respectively.

The Deepal S7 BEV is available in 2 versions with starting prices of RMB189,900 and RMB202,900 respectively.

The model's price range at the time of pre-sale was RMB 169,900 - RMB 239,900.

For comparison, the Tesla Model Y is currently offered in China in three versions -- an entry-level rear-wheel drive version, a dual-motor all-wheel drive long-range version, and a dual-motor all-wheel drive performance version -- with starting prices of RMB 263,900, RMB 313,900, and RMB 363,900, respectively.

The Deepal S7 is a mid-size SUV with a length, width and height of 4,750 mm, 1,930 mm and 1,625 mm, respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,900 mm.

The dimensions are similar to those of the Model Y, which measures 4,750 mm in length, 1,921 mm in width and 1,624 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,890 mm.

Both versions of the Deepal S7 BEV are rear-wheel drive and feature a single electric motor with a maximum power of 160 kW and 190 kW, respectively, and a maximum torque of 320 Nm. They can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds and 7.5 seconds, respectively.

These two BEV versions are equipped with a power battery capacity of 66.8 kWh and 79.97 kWh, providing a CLTC range of 520 km and 620 km, respectively.

All three versions of the Deepal S7 EREV are powered by a 1.5 L engine with a maximum power of 70 kW. They all have an electric motor with a peak power of 175 kW and a peak torque of 320 Nm.

All three versions can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds, 7.6 seconds and 7.7 seconds, respectively.

They have a battery pack capacity of 18.99 kWh, 18.99 kWh and 31.73 kWh, providing a battery range of 121 km, 121 km and 200 km, respectively.

At full fuel and full charge, the three versions of the Deepal S7 EREV have a CLTC range of 1,040 km, 1,040 km, and 1,120 km, respectively.

Deepal, Changan's NEV brand announced in 2022, officially launched the Deepal SL03 sedan on July 25 last year, a competitor to the Model 3.

Unlike the Tesla Model 3, the Deepal SL03 is available in three forms of power -- a BEV version, an EREV version, and a version with a hydrogen fuel cell.

In May, Deepal delivered 7,021 units, bringing January-May deliveries to 33,585, although last month's delivery was 9.48 percent lower than April's 7,756 units.

Deepal's goals for 2023 include selling 200,000 vehicles and making both the SL03 and S7 hot sellers, the brand's CEO Deng Chenghao said in an interview with Auto Home in April.

Price wars are short-term actions, and car companies ultimately need to compete on product competitiveness, technology, branding, channels and service capabilities, Deng said in that interview.

"I think the whole industry will be sustainable only if there is a value war," he said.

($1 = RMB7.1794)

Shenlan deliveries in Apr: 7,756

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CPCA expects China Jun NEV retail sales to grow 15.5% MoM to 670,000

This means that the penetration of NEVs at retail is expected to be 36.6 percent in June, up from 33.3 percent in May.

CPCA expects China Jun NEV retail sales to grow 15.5% MoM to 670,000-CnEVPost

Passenger vehicle sales in China are expected to decline this month compared to a year ago, but the performance of new energy vehicles (NEVs) remains strong.

In June, retail sales of NEVs in China are expected to be around 670,000 units, up 26 percent year-on-year and up 15.5 percent from May, according to estimates released today by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

Survey shows that automakers that contribute about 80 percent of passenger car sales are targeting retail sales growth of about 5 percent in June compared with May, the CPCA said.

According to preliminary projections, passenger vehicle sales in China were about 1.83 million units in June, up 5 percent from May but down 5.9 percent from a year earlier, the CPCA said.

The year-on-year decline was due to a high base in June last year, when China's auto market was recovering from the shock of Covid, according to the CPCA.

The CPCA had forecast several times this month that June passenger car sales would be lower than a year ago, one reason being China's halving of purchase taxes on mainstream internal combustion engine vehicles that began last June.

Today's latest estimate implies that NEVs had a penetration rate of about 36.6 percent at retail in June, up from 33.3 percent in May.

CPCA expects China Jun NEV retail sales to grow 15.5% MoM to 670,000-CnEVPost

Auto market demand dropped slightly in early June, but the market warmed up with the start of the June 18 shopping spree, the release of local government subsidies and the Dragon Boat Festival, the CPCA said.

The overall discount rate in China's passenger car market was about 17.8 percent in mid-June, expanding 0.6 percent from the end of May, according to the CPCA.

CPCA expects China Jun NEV retail sales to grow 15.5% MoM to 670,000-CnEVPost

Major carmakers averaged 31,100 daily retail sales in the first week of June, down 42 percent from the same period in May, mainly due to a high base of vehicle sales during last month's Labor Day holiday, the CPCA said.

Their average daily retail sales in the second week of June were 42,900 units, down 14 percent from the second week of May.

As promotions kicked off in mid-June, the car market picked up in the third week, with average daily retail sales of 57,500 units, up 21 percent from the same week in May.

In the fourth week, with the arrival of the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, average daily retail sales are expected to be 62,000 units, an increase of 26 percent over the same period in May.

In week five, average daily retail is expected to be 113,700 units, up 32 percent from the same period in May, due to the pulse of the quarter-end sales, according to the CPCA.

BREAKING: China extends NEV purchase tax breaks for 4 years

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Seres, Huawei’s auto partner, delivers 1st vehicles in Europe

Seres delivered Seres 5 vehicles to the first European owners in Norway in cooperation with a local dealer.

(Image credit: Seres)

Seres Group -- one of 's key partners in the automotive sector -- has started vehicle deliveries in Europe.

On June 21, Seres delivered Seres 5 vehicles to the first European owners in Bergen, Norway, according to an announcement made by the company based in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing on June 23.

Unlike (NYSE: NIO), which follows a direct sales model overseas, Seres delivered the first vehicles in Norway in partnership with local dealer Sandven AS.

Sandven will work with Seres to bring more new energy vehicle (NEV) offerings to Norwegian consumers for the European market, said Trond Sandven, the dealership's founder.

The Seres 5 appears to be the Aito M5 sold in China, a model jointly designed by Huawei and Aito, a brand jointly launched by Huawei and Seres.

The Seres Chinese website currently shows only the Aito series of models, including the Aito M5 series and the Aito M7 series.

The four-wheel drive version of the Seres 5 has a total output of 430 kW and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds, according to Seres.

The model is available in battery electric vehicle (BEV) and extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) versions to meet the diverse mobility needs of customers worldwide, Seres said.

(Seres rotating chairman and president Zhang Zhengping delivered the vehicle to the first Seres 5 owner in Norway.)

The Seres 5 BEV has a WLTP range of 500 kilometers for the two-wheel drive version and 530 kilometers for the four-wheel drive flagship version, the company said.

On full fuel and power, the Seres 5 EREV has a combined range of more than 1,000 kilometers, it said.

Seres did not reveal whether the first vehicles it delivered in Europe were the Seres 5 BEV or the Seres 5 EREV, though its announcement features a model with a front face that matches the all-electric version of the Aito M5.

This is the latest development in Seres' efforts to reach overseas markets.

Seres unveiled the Landian brand on March 30 and made its first model, the plug-in hybrid E5, available.

Equipped with technology from Huawei and , the Landian E5 is a mid-size SUV available in 5- and 7-seat versions, with a starting price of RMB 139,900 ($18,490) in China.

On May 25, Landian shipped the first 500 Landian E5 vehicles to overseas markets.

Huawei officially announced on April 20, 2021 that it would start selling cars in its flagship stores, with the first model being the Seres SF5 SUV, which uses extended-range technology. This model is no longer available in China.

On December 2, 2021, Seres and Huawei jointly launched a premium NEV brand called Aito, followed by the M5 EREV, M5 BEV and M7 EREV.

Originally known as Chongqing Sokon Industrial Group, Seres Group changed its name in August 2022, with Seres as one of its brands.

Seres Group sold 8,562 NEVs in May, down 18.08 percent year-on-year but up 23.78 percent from April, according to data released earlier this month.

($1 = RMB 7.1795)

Seres' sub-brand Landian sends 1st 500 cars to overseas markets

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Smart begins Smart #3 deliveries in China 20 days after launch

The first Smart #3 vehicles were delivered in 41 cities. To date, Smart has completed 164 offline stores in China.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

The tight pace of new models from launch to delivery is one of the most important features of the highly competitive Chinese electric vehicle (EV) market.

Smart Automobile, a joint venture between and Mercedes-Benz, began deliveries of the Smart #3 in China yesterday, just 20 days after the model's official launch.

Smart announced on Wednesday that the first Smart #3 vehicles were delivered in 41 cities, including Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing, Chengdu and Xi'an, without disclosing the exact number of vehicles delivered.

(Image credit: Smart)

Smart officially launched the Smart #3 in China at an event on June 1, its second model after the Smart #1 following its electrification transition.

The Smart #3 is available in three regular versions -- Pro+, Pulse and Premium -- starting at RMB 209,900 ($29,240), RMB 239,900 and RMB 255,900 respectively.

The model is also available in a limited edition Brabus Performance version of only 1,999 units at RMB 289,900.

The car is positioned as 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.

The Smart #1 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 is longer and wider than the Smart #1, but lower.

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

It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds for the single-motor version and 4.3 seconds for the dual-motor version, and from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds for the Brabus Performance version.

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

On June 18, Smart announced the opening of its flagship experience center in Shanghai, its fifth after Chengdu, Hangzhou, Guangzhou and Beijing.

Smart now has 17 stores in Shanghai, including one brand flagship center, four service centers and 12 retail showrooms. This year, Smart will add an additional eight stores in East China, it said.

To date, Smart has built 164 offline outlets in China, and the number is expected to exceed 200 by the end of this year, covering more than 60 first-tier, new first-tier and second-tier cities, it said.

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

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

($1 =RMB 7.1795)

Chinese Lithium giant Tianqi reportedly mulling stake in Mercedes-Geely JV Smart

The post Smart begins Smart #3 deliveries in China 20 days after launch appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

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