China

The global wind industry installed 117 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity in 2023, making it the best year ever for new wind energy – here’s what happened and where. 

China has been heavily subsidizing its green tech sectors, but homegrown EV company BYD is a favorite child of the bunch, receiving subsidies to the tune of “at least” $3.7 billion, according to a new German study.

Chinese automakers are looking to export electric vehicles by the hundreds of thousands around the globe, but they need a lot more car-carrying vessels to make that happen. Demand is so high that the country is on track to amass what will be the world’s fourth-largest fleet in a few short years, with new trade routes being created especially for Chinese cars.

Chinese automaker Chery is planning to make cars in Spain, where the EV market is at just 12%, half that of Portugal and France. This would be Chery’s first manufacturing site in Europe.

Just weeks after teasing the launch of its fourth all-electric model and promising some impressive specs, China’s IM Motors has officially opened pre-orders for its L6 Sedan. The automaker confirmed earlier today that the L6 will be powered by semi-solid-state batteries, offer a range of over 1,000km (620 miles), and deliver unique maneuvers like crabwalk and an intelligent driving chassis.

A solid-state battery developer in China has unveiled a new cell that could help change the game for electric mobility. Tailan New Energy’s vehicle-grade all-solid-state lithium batteries offer energy density twice that of other cells in the segment, empowering the Chinese battery maker to hail the cells as a record-setter in the industry.

Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi seems to have hit the ball out of the park with the launch of its debut EV, the SU7, last week. The launch has pushed its market value up by $4 million, with the company now nearing valuations higher than GM and Ford.

Amid an intense price war and lost market share to BYD and Tesla, China’s state-owned automaker SAIC Motor is reportedly making drastic job cuts this year at its joint ventures with General Motors and Volkswagen and at its EV unit – with mass layoffs a rare move for a China-owned company.

China has filed a formal complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), claiming its subsidy policies discriminate against foreign automakers and disrupt the global goal of expediting EV adoption while distorting fair competition. A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce spoke to reporters and shared the details behind the filing.

Chinese EV automaker IM Motors is on the cusp of launching its fourth EV model and is touting some impressive specs to get the hype train going. The company’s co-CEO recently shared that the new L6 EV will be powered by a 900V platform equipped with solid-state batteries that can deliver over 1,000 km of range on a single charge.

Chinese EV automaker ZEEKR has confirmed its 5th EV model – a new van-like multi-purpose vehicle called the MIX. Designed for families with a traveling lifestyle, the ZEEKR MIX is the latest in China’s growing segment of all-electric family-size vehicles.

Leading Chinese EV automaker XPeng Motors has publicly shared plans for a new EV brand to deliver affordable, AI-driven smart cars to young consumers. Targeting China’s A-class segment of EVs priced between RMB 100,000-150,000, XPeng’s new brand could help pave the way for more affordable EVs around the globe.

China’s LONGi Group is laying off up to 30% of its workers to accelerate cost-cutting, according to Bloomberg.

Days after leaked spy images revealed a new EV nomenclature, NIO has publicly confirmed its upcoming sub-brand will be called “Onvo.” Previously codenamed “Alps,” Onvo EVs will be designed and targeted toward customers with families. We’ve also caught wind of the new brand’s official launch date.

Just as the EU is considering tariffs on Chinese EVs imported into Europe, three US Democratic senators are urging that the Biden administration hike import tariffs on Chinese EVs to address national security risks.

Five months after signing a proposed joint venture with EV automaker Leapmotor, Stellantis has reportedly gained regulatory approval in China to continue its stake. This deal is the first of its kind for a Western automaker and gives Stellantis the exclusive rights to build, export, and sell Leapmotor brand EVs outside of China, and it is already mulling some exciting markets for them.

After months of investigation, the European Commission says it has found evidence that China has been “unfairly” subsidizing the EVs it exports to Europe. Possible “remedies” on the table include retroactive tariffs on Chinese EVs.

Chinese EV automaker NIO shared its Q4 2023 report today, followed by an analyst call that included some interesting updates about its plans for the year, expansion to new global markets, and the launch of not one but two EV sub-brands, including Alps.

After recently reducing prices of its refreshed Han and Tang models, Build Your Dreams (BYD) just launched a new version of its top-selling EV Yuan Plus – known as the Atto 3 in overseas markets – to $16,644 in China, making it one of the lowest-priced EVs out there.

Li Auto has officially launched its first-ever battery EV, a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) called the Mega. Priced at over RMB 560,000 ($77,800), Li Auto expects the luxury minivan to be a top seller in its segment, contributing to its target of 800,000 vehicles sold this year.

Renewable energy costs in Asia last year were 13% cheaper than coal and are expected to be 32% cheaper by 2030, according to a new study.