Category: Industry News

Chinese LiDAR maker Hesai opens its 1st European office in Germany

This will help it further expand into the European market and accelerate its globalization, Hesai said.

Chinese LiDAR maker Hesai opens its 1st European office in Germany-CnEVPost

(Image credit: Hesai)

Hesai Group has opened its first European office in Stuttgart, Germany, which will help it expand further into the European market and accelerate its globalization, the Chinese LiDAR manufacturer announced today.

Stuttgart is the automotive capital of Europe, with more than 2,000 companies in the automotive chain and many top OEMs and large Tier 1 suppliers headquartered here, Hesai said.

More than 20 automotive industry-related universities and R&D institutions provide a large talent base for the automotive industry in the region, it said.

Hesai's European office will leverage local resources in automotive and component manufacturing to enhance the company's presence and overall competitiveness in the European market, Hesai said.

Chinese LiDAR maker Hesai opens its 1st European office in Germany-CnEVPost

(The building where Hesai's European office is located. Image credit: Hesai)

The company received the TISAX AL3 assessment label, the highest level of information security, this year, passing the European automotive supply chain access requirements and being able to serve European car OEM customers, it said.

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

Hesai opened an office in Palo Alto, Silicon Valley, at its inception and now operates in more than 40 countries and 90 cities worldwide.

The company went public on NASDAQ on February 9, becoming the first Chinese LiDAR manufacturer to go public in the US.

Hesai shipped 47,515 LiDAR units in the fourth quarter, up 739.2 percent from 5,662 units in the same period in 2021, it said in its earnings report on March 16.

The company shipped 80,462 LiDARs for the full year 2022, up 467.5 percent year-on-year.

Hesai's revenue in overseas markets over the past three years reached nearly RMB 1.19 billion ($170 million), accounting for more than half of the company's total revenue.

($1 = RMB 6.9520)

Hesai unveils ultra-thin LiDAR ET25 that can be placed behind windshield

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China NEV sales down 2.6% MoM to 636,000 in April, CAAM data show

Irrational promotions in China's auto market since March have led to consumer wait-and-see, so auto consumption is still in a slow recovery process, the CAAM said.

China NEV sales down 2.6% MoM to 636,000 in April, CAAM data show-CnEVPost

China's new energy vehicle (NEV) sales in April were 636,000 units, up 112.71 percent year-on-year, but down 2.6 percent from March, according to data released today by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

The CAAM's data are wholesale sales for automakers, where NEVs include battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and fuel cell vehicles.

China sold 471,000 BEVs in April, up 103.7 percent year-on-year but down 3.9 percent from March.

China NEV sales down 2.6% MoM to 636,000 in April, CAAM data show-CnEVPost

PHEV sales were 165,000 units, up 144.5 percent year-on-year. Sales of fuel cell vehicles were 300 units, up 222.3 percent year-on-year.

All vehicle sales in China were 2.159 million units in April, up 82.7 percent year-on-year but down 11.9 percent from March.

China NEV sales down 2.6% MoM to 636,000 in April, CAAM data show-CnEVPost

This means that China's NEVs had a penetration rate of 29.5 percent in April, up from 26.6 percent in March.

China NEV sales down 2.6% MoM to 636,000 in April, CAAM data show-CnEVPost

Production of NEVs in China was 640,000 units in April, up 110 percent year-on-year, but down 5 percent from 674,000 units in March.

Production of all vehicles in China was 2.133 million units in April, up 76.8 percent year-on-year and 17.5 percent lower than in March.

China's auto production and sales saw a significant year-on-year increase in April, but this was mainly due to a low base in the same month last year, the CAAM noted.

Irrational promotions in the Chinese auto market since March have led to consumer wait-and-see, so auto consumption is still in a slow recovery process, the CAAM said.

In addition, production and sales in China's auto industry fell in April compared to March amid adverse factors including a slower-than-expected recovery in the commercial vehicle industry, according to the CAAM.

With the current downward pressure on China's economy increasing and aggregate demand still insufficient, the stable operation of the auto industry needs the support of effective policies, the CAAM said.

In April, exports of vehicles from China were 376,000 units, up 170 percent from a year earlier up and 3.3 percent from March.

Among them, the export volume of NEVs was 100,000 units, up 840 percent year-on-year, down 28.6 percent from March.

In January-April, China's auto sales were 8.235 million units, up 7.1 percent from a year earlier.

NEVs sold 2.222 million units in January-April, up 42.8 percent year-on-year, with a market share of 27 percent.

NEV demand in China expected to pick up in Q2, analysts say

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Gotion becomes VW’s designated battery supplier for markets outside of China

The purchase order involves LFP Unified Cell products with the same design style and specifications as those for the Chinese market for Volkswagen's full range of NEVs.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

Gotion High-tech, a Chinese power battery manufacturer, has become a supplier to Volkswagen for the German automaker's overseas markets, furthering the partnership between the two.

Gotion's wholly-owned subsidiary Hefei Gotion High-tech Power Energy Co Ltd recently received a procurement letter from Volkswagen, making the company a designated supplier for the automaker's overseas markets, according to a stock exchange announcement on May 10.

This is the latest collaboration between Gotion and Volkswagen, which is its important backer, after becoming the designated production point for Volkswagen's NCM and LFP products in China in early 2022.

The purchase order relates to LFP Unified Cell products, which will be used in Volkswagen's models in markets outside of China.

These cells use the same design style and specifications as the Chinese market and are intended for use in Volkswagen's full range of NEVs, according to the announcement.

Volkswagen and Gotion have had a long-standing relationship, with a strategic cooperation framework agreement reached in July 2021 in which Gotion developed the first generation of Unified Cells for Volkswagen's regular production models in China.

In December 2021, Volkswagen China increased its stake in Gotion to 26.47 percent, making it the largest shareholder of the Chinese battery maker.

Unified Cells can significantly reduce costs by adopting a unified design standard and are expected to cover 80 percent of Volkswagen's models in the future, according to Gotion's press release.

In early 2022, Gotion was awarded the official production point for Volkswagen China's NCM and LFP Unified Cells. In February this year, the company won the Volkswagen Cell Test Lab qualification.

In addition, construction of a high-nickel NCM material project built by Volkswagen's private placement has begun in Lujiang, Hefei, and is expected to go into production this year, Gotion said in the press release.

The 20GWh Volkswagen Unified Cell project in Xinzhan, Hefei, has almost completed the main workshop and supporting buildings and is expected to start production in the second half of this year, Gotion said.

Gotion is one of the largest power battery makers, with 2.9 GWh installed in the first quarter, ranking 8th globally with a 2.2 percent share, according to data released earlier this month by South Korean market research firm SNE Research.

Global EV battery market share in Q1: CATL 35%, BYD 16.2%-CnEVPost

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SAIC-GM-Wuling takes page from NIO’s book to make its Mini EV even more affordable

SAIC-GM-Wuling is allowing consumers to pay only for the vehicle body and rent the battery when they buy the Mini EV, lowering the purchase threshold to RMB 19,800 ($2,860).

SAIC-GM-Wuling takes page from NIO's book to make its Mini EV even more affordable-CnEVPost

(Image credit: SAIC-GM-Wuling)

SAIC-GM-Wuling is taking a page from NIO's book by allowing consumers to buy only the vehicle body and rent the battery when they buy its hot-selling Hongguang Mini EV, even though the model doesn't support a simple battery swap like NIO models.

The automaker offers this purchase option for five versions of the Hongguang Mini EV, with the lowest-priced version costing consumers an initial payment of just RMB 19,800 ($2,860) and a monthly battery rental of RMB 198 for five years thereafter.

Under the regular purchase option, this version of the Hongguang Mini EV is priced at RMB 32,800.

Of the other four higher-priced versions, two of them have a vehicle body price of RMB 29,800 and the other two are RMB 33,800, with battery leasing prices ranging from RMB 198 to RMB 558.

Hongguang Mini EV price under battery rental

ModelHongguang Mini EV QingsongHongguang Mini EV Macaron ShishangHongguang Mini EV Macaron ZhenxiangGameboy WanleGameboy Wanle
Range120 km120 km170 km200 km300 km
Retail Price (RMB)32,80043,80049,80055,80067,800
Vehicle Body Price (RMB)19,80029,80029,80033,80033,800
Battery Rental (RMB)198198298358558
Battery Rental Term5 years5 years5 years5 years5 years
Final Payment (RMB)1,9800000

This is similar to the battery rental service BaaS (battery as a service) offered by NIO, except that NIO owners who choose to purchase a car based on BaaS do not get ownership of the battery unless they pay a one-time fee to buy it out.

The cheapest NIO model is currently the ET5 sedan, which costs RMB 328,000. For consumers who choose to purchase based on the BaaS plan, the price will start at RMB 258,000 and the monthly battery rental fee will start at RMB 980.

NIO initially did not allow battery buyouts for BaaS-based car owners, but launched the service in April 2022.

Under NIO's plan announced at the time, vehicle owners will be allowed to terminate their BaaS lease agreement if they decide to back out.

These users will be able to get a brand new battery at the NIO service center, and in the case of a standard range battery pack, they will have to pay RMB 70,000 for the pack and a service fee of RMB 3,000.

If it is a long-range battery pack, then the cost includes RMB 128,000 for the battery and RMB 3,000 for the service fee.

SAIC-GM-Wuling is a joint venture between SAIC Group, General Motors and Liuzhou Wuling Automobile, headquartered in Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, southwest China.

It sells vehicles based on the GSEV (Global Small Electric Vehicle) architecture in China, including the Mini EV, KiWi EV, Nano EV and Air EV. In addition to these pure electric models, SAIC-GM-Wuling also sells fuel-powered SUVs, MPVs and vans.

It is one of the largest NEV makers in China, but sales in the first four months were down from a year ago.

From January to April, SAIC-GM-Wuling sold 111,604 NEVs, down 15.9 percent from 132,658 units in the same period last year, according to data released yesterday by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

That makes SAIC-GM-Wuling the only one of the top five manufacturers of NEV sales in China to see a decline in sales of such models.

($1 = RMB 6.9338)

Full CPCA rankings: Top-selling models and automakers in China in Apr

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China allows 6-month sales extension for some ICE models based on existing emissions standard

China will implement the China 6b emissions standard on July 1, although some models will be given a six-month sales transition period.

China allows 6-month sales extension for some ICE models based on existing emissions standard-CnEVPost

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

Chinese authorities confirmed in an official document that a new emissions standard will go into effect on July 1 as scheduled, but provided an additional six-month sales period for some internal combustion engines (ICE) vehicles based on the existing standard.

In a joint announcement issued today, five ministries, including China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said that China will implement the China 6b emissions standard nationwide starting July 1, when the production, import and sales of vehicles that do not meet the standard will be banned.

For some of the models with "monitoring only" results in the Real Driving Emissions (RDE) test report, they will be given a six-month sales transition period until December 31, 2023, according to the announcement.

The move is to implement the requirements of the China 6 emissions standard, as well as China's policy to stabilize and expand vehicle consumption, the announcement said.

China released the final rule for Stage 6 light-duty vehicle emission limits and measurement methods (China 6 standard) in December 2016, a new standard that combines best practices from European and US regulatory requirements.

The standard is being implemented in two phases, with the 6a standard already taking effect on July 1, 2020, and the 6b standard coming into effect on July 1, 2023.

In March, price wars were the most talked about topic in China's auto industry, and the impending entry into force of the 6b standard was seen as an important factor.

On March 23, China's Auto Dealers Chamber of Commerce (CADCC) called on regulators to delay the start of implementation of the China 6b emissions standard.

Since the beginning of the year, the CADCC has received feedback from many auto dealer groups that they are under significant pressure to survive the impending full implementation of the China 6b emissions standard.

A study covering nearly 100 dealership groups showed that nearly 98.89 percent of them strongly recommended that China delay implementation of the China 6b emissions standard until January 1, 2024, the CADCC said at the time.

Notably, following the release of the latest announcement, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) said in an article on its website that the new policy would help the Chinese auto market recover steadily.

Since the release of the China 6 standard, most car companies have been developing and producing products in accordance with the standard, which amounts to an early implementation of the China 6b standard, the CAAM said, adding that to date, more than 95 percent of light-duty vehicles have met the China 6b standard.

As of the end of January, there were more than 1.89 million vehicles in stock in China that did not meet the RDE requirements, and if purchased parts are included, then there are more than 2 million such vehicles in stock, the CAAM said.

The CAAM submitted a proposal for a six-month sales transition period for light-duty vehicles with "monitoring only" RDE test results to ease the difficulties faced by China's auto industry, according to the article.

"We hope that after the release of the policy, companies will uphold the principle of fair market competition, plan their layout rationally and complete the switchover and sale of their products as soon as possible," the CAAM said.

China's transition to new emission standard: How will this affect auto market?

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China passenger NEV retail drops 3.6% MoM to 527,000 in Apr, CPCA data show

China's NEV penetration at retail was 32.3 percent in April, up 6.6 percentage points from 25.7 percent in April 2022 but lower than 34.2 percent in March.

Retail sales of new energy passenger vehicles (passenger NEVs) in China were 527,000 units in April, up 85.6 percent year-on-year but down 3.6 percent from March, according to data released today by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

This was lower than the CPCA's preliminary figure of 529,000 units released on May 6 and higher than its estimate of 500,000 units released on April 25.

Battery electric vehicle (BEV) retail sales in April were 370,000 units, accounting for 70.2 percent of all NEV retail sales. This represents a 73.5 percent year-on-year increase and a 4.3 percent decrease from March.

Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) retail sales in April were 157,000 units, contributing 29.8 percent of NEV retail sales, up 122.0 percent year-on-year and down 1.8 percent from March.

Retail sales of all passenger vehicles in China were 1.63 million units in April, up 55.5 percent year-on-year and up 2.5 percent from March.

Notably, this is the second time since 2010 that China's retail vehicle sales were higher in April than in March, the CPCA said.

The penetration of NEVs at retail in China was 32.3 percent in April, up 6.6 percentage points from 25.7 percent in April 2022 but down from 34.2 percent in March.

The penetration rate of NEVs was 56.5 percent for local brands, 23.8 percent for luxury brands and 4.4 percent for mainstream joint venture brands.

Wholesale sales of passenger NEVs in China were 607,000 units in April, up 115.6 percent year-on-year but down 1.7 percent from March.

This means that the penetration of NEVs at wholesale was 33.9 percent in April, up 5.9 percentage points from 28 percent penetration in April 2022 and up from 31 percent in March.

China's local brands had 49.5 percent penetration of NEVs at wholesale in April, compared to 35.5 percent for luxury brands and 4.1 percent for mainstream joint venture brands.

China exported 91,000 passenger NEVs in April, with BEVs accounting for 92.8 percent of the total. This represents a year-on-year increase of 1028.5 percent, up 29.4 percent from March, and contributes 31 percent of all passenger car exports.

China exported 35,886 units in April, SAIC passenger cars 21,450 units and BYD 14,827 units, the CPCA said.

Tesla delivers 39,956 vehicles in China in Apr, exports 35,886 units from Shanghai plant

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SAIC-GM-Wuling to launch new mini EV Baojun Yep on May 25

SAIC-GM-Wuling's Baojun brand has released several images of the Yep, showing the model somewhat similar to the Suzuki Jimny.

SAIC-GM-Wuling to launch new mini EV Baojun Yep on May 25-CnEVPost

(Image credit: Baojun)

SAIC-GM-Wuling will soon release a new model, as the mini electric vehicle (EV) specialist continues to deepen its expertise in the field.

The automaker's Baojun brand announced on Weibo today that it will launch a new mini EV model, the Baojun Yep, on May 25.

Baojun unveiled its new logo earlier today, saying that the Yep will be the first model to use the new logo.

SAIC-GM-Wuling to launch new mini EV Baojun Yep on May 25-CnEVPost

The brand began previewing the Baojun Yep last week, releasing several images of the car's exterior that show the model somewhat resembling the Suzuki Jimny.

The Baojun Yep has a length, width and height of 3,381 mm, 1,685 mm and 1,721 mm, respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,110 mm, previous regulatory filings showed.

SAIC-GM-Wuling to launch new mini EV Baojun Yep on May 25-CnEVPost

For comparison, SAIC-GM-Wuling's other model, the Hongguang Mini EV, has a length, width and height of 3,059 mm, 1,521 mm and 1,614 mm, respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,010 mm.

The Baojun Yep will be powered by a permanent magnet synchronous motor with a peak power of 50 kW and a peak torque of 140 Nm.

The model has a battery pack capacity of 28.1 kWh and a CLTC range of 303 km.

SAIC-GM-Wuling to launch new mini EV Baojun Yep on May 25-CnEVPost

In addition to the regular version, Baojun shared images of a two-door pickup version of the Yep on Weibo yesterday, a move similar to SAIC-GM-Wuling's launch of a convertible version of the Mini EV in September 2022.

SAIC-GM-Wuling to launch new mini EV Baojun Yep on May 25-CnEVPost

SAIC-GM-Wuling to launch new mini EV Baojun Yep on May 25-CnEVPost

SAIC-GM-Wuling is a joint venture between SAIC, General Motors and Liuzhou Wuling Automobile, headquartered in Liuzhou in southwestern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

It sells vehicles based on the GSEV (Global Small Electric Vehicle) architecture in China, including the Mini EV, KiWi EV, Nano EV and Air EV. In addition to these pure electric models, SAIC-GM-Wuling also sells fuel-powered SUVs, MPVs and vans.

In the small EV segment, in addition to the hot-selling Mini EV, SAIC-GM-Wuling launched the Air EV in China in December last year and the Binguo EV at the end of March this year.

SAIC-GM-Wuling sold 77,701 new energy vehicles (NEVs) in the first quarter, 69,842 of which were Mini EVs, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

SAIC-GM-Wuling launches new EV model, price from $8,680

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China Apr NEV retail down 3% from Mar, preliminary CPCA data show

China's retail sales of passenger NEVs in April were 529,000 units, up 87 percent year-on-year, but down 3 percent from March, according to the CPCA.

China Apr NEV retail down 3% from Mar, preliminary CPCA data show-CnEVPost

China's new energy passenger car retail sales in April were 529,000 units, up 87 percent year-on-year, but down 3 percent from March, according to preliminary data released today by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

Notably, the CPCA's estimate released on April 25 showed that retail sales of new energy passenger vehicles in China were expected to be around 500,000 units in April.

The higher figure released today means that the NEV market performed better in the last week of April than the CPCA expected at the time.

From January to April, retail sales of new energy passenger vehicles in China were 1.85 million units, up 37 percent year-on-year, the CPCA said.

Wholesale sales of new energy passenger vehicles in China were 600,000 units in April, up 105 percent year-on-year but down 4 percent from the previous month.

From January to April, wholesale sales of new energy passenger vehicles in China were 2.1 million units, up 42 percent year-on-year.

Retail sales of all passenger vehicles in China were 1.65 million units in April, up 58 percent year-on-year and up 4 percent from March, according to the CPCA.

This means that the penetration of new energy passenger vehicles at retail in April was 32 percent, down from 34.2 percent in March.

From January to April, retail sales of all passenger vehicles in China were 5.94 million units, unchanged from the same period last year.

Wholesale sales of passenger vehicles in China were 1.78 million units in April, up 87 percent from a year ago but down 10 percent from March.

From January to April, China's wholesale sales of passenger cars were 6.85 million units, up 7 percent from a year ago.

This means that in the first four months, China's auto market performed largely in line with the same period last year. This is not a good result, considering the sporadic outbreak of Covid in the first quarter of last year and the impact of the lockdown in Shanghai in April on the sector.

April sales were low and the production pace slowed, largely because many car companies were waiting to see if vehicles based on older emissions standards would be allowed to be sold for an extended period of time, according to the CPCA.

The following is the CPCA's weekly retail sales performance for the Chinese passenger vehicle market in April, as announced today:

Average daily retail sales of passenger vehicles in the first week of April were 37,000 units, up 47 percent year-on-year and up 8 percent from the same period in March.

Average daily sales for the second week of April were 48,000 units, up 81 percent year-on-year and up 24 percent over the same period in March.

Average daily sales for the third week of April were 57,000 units, up 93 percent year-on-year and up 31 percent over the same period in March.

Average daily sales for the fourth week of April were 81,000 units, up 40 percent year-on-year but down 4 percent from the same period in March.

China to allow extended sales periods for ICE models based on existing emissions standard, report says

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China’s NEV wholesale in April at about 600,000 units, CPCA estimates show

China's auto industry price war faded in April, easing consumer wait-and-see sentiment and releasing suppressed demand, the CPCA said.

China's wholesale sales of new energy passenger vehicles are expected to be 600,000 units in April, basically unchanged from March and up 114 percent year-on-year, the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) said in a report today.

In March, the 11 manufacturers with more than 10,000 wholesale sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) contributed 80.7 percent of all wholesale sales, the CPCA said.

These companies are expected to sell 482,000 units in April, and the normal structure would put China's wholesale sales of new energy passenger vehicles in April at around 600,000 units, the CPCA said.

In January-April, China's wholesale sales of new energy passenger vehicles are estimated at 2.1 million units, up 43 percent year-on-year, according to the report.

The CPCA said the overall auto market continued the trend seen in late March as the price war in China's auto industry receded in April, easing consumer wait-and-see sentiment and releasing previously suppressed demand.

Due to the low base of last year and the recent continued strength of China's new energy passenger vehicle exports, car 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 NEV penetration is expected to reach 36 percent, the CPCA said, repeating its previous forecast.

China's new energy passenger vehicle sales were 6.5 million units in 2022, up 94 percent year-on-year, the CPCA noted.

Here are the CPCA's wholesale NEV sales for major car companies in April.

Tesla sells 75,842 China-made vehicles in Apr, CPCA data show

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

Smart delivered 4,390 vehicles in China in April, down 25.73 percent from 5,911 units in March.

(A Smart #1 on display at the Shanghai auto show in April 2023. Image credit: CnEVPost)

Chinese lithium giant Tianqi Lithium is considering buying a minority stake in Smart Automobile, a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Holding Group, as part of the latter's latest round of private funding, Bloomberg said today, citing people familiar with the matter.

Tianqi is in advanced talks to invest $100 million to $200 million in Smart in a deal that could value Smart at several billion dollars, people familiar with the matter said, adding that an agreement could be reached as soon as the next few weeks.

Shenzhen-listed Tianqi, one of China's largest lithium producers, raised about HK$13 billion in a Hong Kong IPO on July 13, 2022.

Mercedes first launched Smart in Germany in 1998 and brought the brand to the US a decade later, with the original two-seat model aimed at urban buyers with crowded parking spaces, the Bloomberg report noted.

Geely and Mercedes-Benz officially announced a 5.4 billion yuan ($783 million) Smart joint venture in Hangzhou Bay, Ningbo, in early 2020.

As part of the agreement, Mercedes-Benz designers will design the Smart cars and Geely will engineer them.

Smart has been considering raising capital as part of its effort to revive the compact car as an all-electric brand. The company was initially aiming to raise between $500 million and $1 billion in fresh funds, according to a Bloomberg report last year.

Smart delivered 4,390 vehicles in China in April, down 25.73 percent from 5,911 units in March, according to data monitored by CnEVPost.

The brand currently has only one model on sale in China, the Smart #1, which 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.

On April 17, Smart unveiled its new Smart #3, its second product since its electrification transition, on the eve of the Shanghai auto show.

($1 = RMB 6.8964)

Regulatory filing: Smart's second EV, Smart #3, coming soon

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