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Drawing the Line China is set to impose the world's first hard cap on electric-vehicle energy consumption beginning next year. According to CarNewsChina, newly produced EVs weighing around two tonnes (about 4,400 pounds) will be limited to 15.1 kWh per 100 km, which translates to roughly 139 MPGe under Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) metrics. That efficiency target places the rule in roughly the same territory as the Tesla Model Y. Officially titled Energy Consumption Limits for Electric V

It’s been around two years since the AUDI brand (stylized in all caps) was launched in China. Co-owned by Audi (the luxury brand we know well) and SAIC Motor, the AUDI’s vehicles are based on SAIC’s technology but have a unique design not shared with traditional Audis. They also don’t have the traditional four-ring logo.  It was a curious branding exercise, and it seems as if Chinese customers haven’t warmed up to it, either. AUDI’s first car, the E5 Sportback, has failed to match the sales figu

Tesla, Chevrolet, Ford, and Hyundai dominate the EV conversation in the US, yet they all rely on lithium-ion battery technology that's more than three decades old. The industry knows its limits, which is why the race to crack solid-state batteries has become so intense, with Toyota aiming to launch the world’s first solid-state EVs by 2027. China, however, is moving on a different timeline and with a different strategy. The real story is not simply about building a better battery, but about who

Chery has launched its first battery electric pickup in China under its Rely pickup brand, with pricing starting at 127,800 yuan, about $18,300, and running up to 158,800 yuan for higher trims. The truck is positioned as a work-ready electric option with mainstream sizing, multiple drivetrains, and a tech-heavy cabin, arriving as new energy pickups become one of the fastest-growing niches in China. A

Cheaper LiDAR Makes Mass Adoption Possible A decade ago, LiDAR was mostly limited to experimental autonomous vehicles. Early systems, such as those mounted on Waymo robotaxis, could cost as much as $50,000 per unit. These sensors were large and were often installed on the vehicle's roof. They also required significant computing power to process the detailed data they produced. At the time, lidar was considered essential for autonomy research but far too expensive for production vehicles. China c

Back to Basics Previously, China announced a ban on flush-style door handles popularized by Tesla electric vehicles. Now, a report from Autohome says regulators are essentially telling automakers, “Don’t reinvent the wheel,” as the country also moves to ban yoke-style steering wheels – another design feature made famous by Tesla. China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has published a draft outlining a new standard aimed at preventing injuries caused by steering mechanisms

The Battery Gap Widens With little to no surprise, most electric vehicle batteries produced last year came from China. According to Nikkei Asia, Chinese EV battery makers accounted for around 70 percent of the global market in 2025 – a sharp increase from less than 50 percent in 2021. China's Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL) – which has supplied batteries for Ford EVs like the Mustang Mach-E – remained the industry leader and reported a record net profit of 72.2 billion yuan (abou

A National Tech Pivot AI, like agriculture and electricity, belongs among the human inventions that have reshaped the world, and China is moving to capitalize on it. Reuters reports that the country’s latest five-year plan includes a blueprint for “AI Plus,” which seeks to integrate AI systems into nearly every sector, including automotive. One notable goal is to reduce dependence on high-end semiconductors, a trade chokepoint described as dominated by the U.S. It essentially means China is rein

Ford’s Emissions Dilemma Ford is in a strong spot in Australia, but things are getting complicated. The Ranger still tops the sales charts, but most buyers pick diesel or gasoline versions – exactly the ones that push past Australia’s tightening emissions limits. With the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard now in play in the Land Down Under, brands that depend on high-CO2 models are feeling the squeeze. Right now, only the plug-in hybrid Ranger stays under the emissions cap. Every other version jus

China spent the better part of a decade making the internal combustion engine look obsolete. Government subsidies, aggressive production targets, and a homegrown battery supply chain turned the country into the world's dominant EV force. China now commands roughly 70 percent of the global EV battery market. So, it’s more than a little surprising that two of its biggest automakers, Geely and Chery, are pouring serious money into making the gasoline engine smarter, cleaner, and more competitive th

Meet BAIC’s Most Hardcore SUV Yet The BJ81 from Beijing Automotive Group Co., Ltd. (BAIC) is shaping up to be the brand’s boldest, most purpose-built SUV, but with far more military grit and off-road seriousness baked in from day one. According to Autohome, it is scheduled for its full unveiling on August 1, 2026. The BJ81 was introduced earlier this year as a tactical all-terrain vehicle designed for military units, hardcore off-roaders, and anyone who thinks “civilian spec” is just a polite s

For the first time ever, Chinese automaker BYD has overtaken Ford Motor Company in global sales in 2025, edging the U.S. carmaker out by 200,000 vehicles for a total of 4.6 million units sold. This has pushed BYD up to sixth place among the world's largest automakers, while Ford dropped to seventh as its global sales fell by nearly 2% to 4.4 million units, Bloomberg reports. The ranking continues to be dominated by Toyota Motor Corporation, with record global sales of 11.3 million vehicles, fol

Halo Products Promote Aspirations Performance divisions aren’t about moving huge volumes. They exist to give brands a bit of an edge – something that signals they know what makes driving fun, even if most buyers never go near the flagship models. Toyota has Gazoo Racing, Nissanhas Nismo, and Hyundai’s N division has built a real following. These sub-brands add credibility to the lineup, showing that the company cares about more than just getting from A to B. Chinese brands have mostly skipped th

The Swap Economy The U.S. continues to trail China in certain EV technologies, and a new benchmark from Chinese EV maker Nio underscores that gap. China's Autohome said that on February 15, Nio logged a record 146,649 battery swaps in a single day, the most the company has ever processed. For the uninitiated, a battery swap station allows EVs to pull in and have their depleted batteries replaced with fully charged ones. This allows owners to skip the extended wait typically associated with conve

Two years ago at Auto China, electric carmaker BYD showed off the Denza Z9 GT, a luxurious model with a shooting brake body style. Denza was formed as a luxury branch of BYD in a joint venture with Mercedes-Benz, although the German company has since reduced its stake in Denza. The Z9 GT is one of the models to come from Denza’s restructuring, and it has just achieved an impressive feat, if proven: This is now the EV with the longest range on a full charge. Denza claims it can cover a remarkable

A Range Anxiety Solution That Makes Sense BYD quietly launched the Atto 2 DM-i PHEV in Europe, a remarkable plug-in hybrid crossover also available as a pure electric. It promises over 620 miles of combined range, from both a battery and a 1.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine working together. The WLTP testing cycle rates it for up to 56 miles of pure electric range in the top Boost trim before the combustion engine kicks in to generate power. Most PHEVs targeting American buyers sit in premium se

A Benchmark Worth Chasing The Honda Civic Type R TCR (Touring Car Racing) is a good reference point for turnkey race cars for this segment. Built off the road-going Civic Type R, it won TCR Model of the Year in 2024 and remains a staple across regional TCR series worldwide. It hasn't lacked competition, though. Hyundai's Elantra N TCR and its i30 N TCR twin have carved out their own success, while Volkswagen's Golf GTI TCR has long been a familiar sight on grids. Now, there's another rival, and

Honda Recentralizes Auto R&D Honda will shift its automobile development operations back under its R&D subsidiary, Honda R&D Co., Ltd., effective April 1, 2026. The move reverses a 2020 reorganization that placed mass-production vehicle development within the parent company to streamline efficiency during a downturn. Honda is now prioritizing speed, integration, and creative autonomy as competition from Chinese automakers intensifies and next-generation technologies reshape the indus

Chinese automakers keep pushing into segments that used to be dominated by familiar names. One upcoming pickup concept, just shown off in Sydney, could shake up the midsize truck space in a way few expected. It’s called the KP31, and Chery is pitching something the segment hasn’t really seen before: a diesel-powered plug-in hybrid. And as Americans warm up to the idea of Chinese cars, the chances of Chinese automakers coming to the US are increasing by the day. Perhaps the KP31 will have the opp

China Gets the Nicer Nissan Sedans China is now a key market for global carmakers, and, surprisingly, buyers there are shifting back to sedans that offer serious tech. Automakers are pushing boundaries to get noticed, and Nissan is one of them. The brand launched two new electrified sedans and a refreshed Teana late last year – the latter being the more premium take on the Altima sold in the US. The new Teana, built by Dongfeng Nissan, puts a big emphasis on tech and interior quality. It looks a

The End of Hidden Door Handles? The sleek, flush door handles that Tesla popularized have become automotive design's equivalent of form over function, taken too far. China's new safety regulations explicitly prohibit these hidden mechanisms, marking the first time a major market has drawn a regulatory line in the sand, with more markets likely to follow.  It’s not hard to see why there’s backlash against hidden door handles. In certain crash scenarios involving power loss, these mechanisms may f

When the Road Doesn’t Wait We’ve all been there: stuck in highway traffic, nowhere to stop, and suddenly nature calls – sometimes not just for a quick pit stop. Now, a Chinese automaker thinks it has found a fix, though it’s definitely not your usual car feature. Chinese automaker Seres, the company behind Aito vehicles, has officially been granted a utility model patent for what it calls an “in-vehicle toilet and vehicle.” The patent, carrying authorization number CN224104011U, was filed on Apr

China Dominates Parts Supply Chains "Made in China" may be one of the most common pieces of printed literature in the world right now. Even if it was assembled in the good ol' U.S.A., what about the sum of its parts? What about Chinese-made American-branded cars from General Motors' portfolio? Or perhaps the OEM or replacement parts that come from China that are circulating all over the globe? American, Japanese, Korean, and European cars are in the U.S., but Chinese cars aren't, at least not

Chinese automaker Leapmotor is expanding its presence in Europe's largest auto market thanks to its partnership with Stellantis, with a highly competitive electric vehicle lease program. Starting at just 49 Euros, or $58, the Leapmotor T03 City Car leverages Germany's new EV subsidies to hit the market cheaper than some phones. Despite the low price tag, the vehicle comes equipped with standard perks including a rear-view camera, six airbags, and a panoramic sunroof. By combining Chinese compone

BYD’s Racing Ambition Formula 1 is set to hold the second race of the 2026 season at the Shanghai International Circuit in China this weekend. But even for those who couldn’t care less about the race itself, a Bloomberg report points to an interesting development. According to unnamed sources cited by the publication, BYD is exploring the possibility of joining the sport, something no Chinese automaker has accomplished before. BYD lining up on the same grid as Ferrari and McLaren sounds a little