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Plus, stay tuned because later in the show I’ll tell you why Nissan is hoping that bigger is better in China.
Welcome to EV News China — the podcast dedicated to the world’s largest electric vehicle market. Each day, I bring you the latest headlines, insights, and analysis from the heart of China’s booming EV industry — and decode how fast-moving developments in the east are shaping the global EV landscape.
MG LINES UP NEW ELECTRIC COUPE
MG has revealed sketches of an electric fastback coupe featuring roof-mounted lidar and “07” badging, likely previewing a battery-electric MG7. Expected pricing between 150,000–200,000 yuan would position it above the fuel-powered 2026 MG7 that launched January 6th from 137,900 yuan.
The electric coupe is part of MG’s plan to launch 13 new-energy vehicles between 2026 and 2028, spanning 80,000 to 300,000 yuan. This push follows strong 2025 momentum, with Chinese domestic sales reaching 137,000 units—up 59% from 86,000 in 2024—while new-energy sales surged 476%.
MG’s international performance proved even stronger, delivering 591,000 units overseas in 2025. Europe and Britain alone accounted for over 300,000 sales, marking MG’s 11th consecutive year as Europe’s best-selling Chinese marque and surpassing Tesla’s 153,000 European sales in the first half of 2025.
The new coupe will compete against SAIC’s Huawei-backed Z7, Xiaomi’s SU7, and Porsche’s Taycan in the four-door electric fastback segment. After design controversy surrounding similarities between the SU7, Z7, and Taycan, observers hope MG’s entry will carve its own visual identity while bringing the lidar-equipped coupe formula to a broader price point.
GWM’S V9X KICKS OFF NEW ONE PLATFORM ERA
Great Wall Motor chairman Jack Wey unveiled the V9X on January 28th as WEY’s new six-seat flagship SUV and the first production model on GWM’s ONE platform. This modular architecture will underpin over 50 global models across SUVs, saloons, MPVs and pick-ups, supporting five powertrain types: plug-in hybrid, hybrid, battery-electric, fuel-cell and petrol.
The V9X measures over 5.3 metres long with a 3.1-metre wheelbase, accommodating six seats in an upright Alpine-series silhouette. Design elements include a closed front with matrix headlights, vertical turn signals, full-width light bars, a floating three-dimensional logo and roof-mounted lidar.
Reference performance data from a D-segment ONE platform SUV indicates 0–100km/h in 4.4 seconds, 1,300km WLTC range, 363km pure electric range and 6.3 litres per 100km fuel consumption when charge-sustaining. Fast energy replenishment is standard.
The ONE platform centres on “vehicle-wide AI” that integrates cockpit, driver assistance, chassis, powertrain and safety systems. Demonstrated capabilities include high-speed cornering blowout stability control and road-preview functions requiring coordinated cross-system responses.
The V9X serves dual purposes: establishing WEY’s technological credentials in China’s premium SUV segment while proving the ONE platform’s viability before GWM scales it across its planned 50-model global rollout.
https://bit.ly/4bw0Sbf
BYD BACKS VIETNAM BATTERY PLANT FOR COMMERCIAL EV PUSH
Kim Long Motor plans a $130m battery plant in central Vietnam on 4.4 hectares, targeting 3 gigawatt-hours annual output for buses, trucks and minibuses. BYD will provide full technical support, giving Vietnam access to proven cell technology as it builds supply-chain capacity beyond VinFast’s assembly operations.
The factory focuses initially on commercial vehicles, with operations starting soon. Phase two expands the site to 10 hectares and doubles capacity to 6 gigawatt-hours yearly, adding passenger car batteries while maintaining commercial focus.
VinFast currently dominates Vietnam’s fast-growing electric vehicle market and recently entered commercial segments with its EC Van electric cargo model. Local battery production would enable new entrants to compete on cost and secure supplies across bus, truck, minibus and passenger car segments.
The partnership signals Vietnam’s diversification strategy: foreign technology partnered with local capital, prioritizing commercial fleets before mass-market cars. For BYD, the arrangement establishes deeper presence in South-East Asia’s emerging electric vehicle hub without deploying capital or facing scrutiny associated with full manufacturing operations.
The plant represents Vietnam’s first significant battery production capacity, positioning the country to capture more electric vehicle supply-chain value as regional demand accelerates beyond final assembly into core component manufacturing.
https://reut.rs/4pV2FtH
BYD DATANG TARGETS CHINA’S PREMIUM SUV ELITE
BYD’s next flagship SUV, the Datang, leaked online in undisguised form ahead of its first quarter 2026 launch. The large SUV sits above the Tang L in BYD’s Dynasty lineup, targeting prices above 300,000 yuan ($43,000) to compete directly with the AITO M9 and Li Auto L9 in China’s premium family hauler segment.
The Datang retains BYD’s Dragon Face design language with refined split headlamps—slim LED daytime running lights spanning the nose, with main beams positioned lower in air-curtain inlets. Styling includes 21-inch multi-spoke wheels, a full-width rear light bar, large roof spoiler and elevated tailgate number plate.
Expected to exceed 5.2 metres and potentially reach 5.3-metre class dimensions, the Datang appeared visibly larger than the AITO M9 when photographed side-by-side. The leaked images showed the vehicle charging during what appeared to be a promotional photo shoot.
BYD will equip the Datang with its Yi San Fang tri-motor independent drive system paired with rear-wheel steering, first deployed on the Denza Z9GT, to enhance maneuverability despite the SUV’s size. The Yunian body-control system and megawatt-level fast-charging capability are also expected.
The Datang tests whether BYD can capture premium buyers from AITO and Li Auto at China’s upper market frontier, leveraging over 5.2 metres of presence and advanced electric powertrain technology.
ONVO AIMS HIGH IN CHINA’S CHEAP EV WAR
Nio’s budget offensive hinges on whether Chinese buyers will trade down from premium badges to capture value. The company’s Onvo sub-brand targets the 150,000–200,000 yuan segment with plans for two or three new models, aiming to seize 8–10% of China’s electric car market. Battery subscription could push effective entry prices below 150,000 yuan to roughly $21,600, dragging the brand into mass-market territory.
The L60 five-seat SUV opened the campaign in May 2024 at 219,900 yuan ($31,600), undercutting Tesla’s Model Y by 12%. Deliveries began in September. Production ramped swiftly, but order cancellations in late 2024 dented volumes entering 2025. Nio replaced Onvo’s leader Alan Ai with company veteran Fei Shen.
The three-row L90 SUV followed with over 20,000 pre-built units at 265,800 yuan ($38,200), or 179,800 yuan ($25,800) with battery rental. Deliveries that began on 1 August hit 30,000 units within three months, peaking at 11,722 in October before slowing through year-end.
Shen’s roadmap commits to annual facelifts for both the L60 and L90. A LiDAR-equipped L90 arrives in Q2. The delayed L80 SUV lands this year in pure-vision and LiDAR variants. A trunk freezer option for the L90 appears before June. Nio Radio integrates with Onvo’s infotainment system in June. A major pure-vision driver-assistance software update rolls out after Chinese New Year.
CHINA’S CARMAKERS TEST THE LIMITS OF THIN MARGINS
China’s carmakers pocketed $660 billion in 2025 on sales of 34.78 million vehicles. December told a different story: monthly profit cratered 57% to $3.0 billion as costs climbed and rivals slashed prices. At 4.1% margins, the industry has no cushion.
This matters beyond China’s borders. The country sets global price benchmarks for EVs while controlling battery and component supply chains. When the world’s largest car market bleeds profit, investment in new platforms, software and production capacity stalls. Electrification demands capital precisely when margins vanish.
The squeeze has three sources: surging battery and materials costs, ferocious domestic price wars, and expanded consumer subsidies. The structural problem runs deeper. Legacy combustion models bankroll the transition, yet electric vehicles demand vast upfront investment before delivering returns that remain uncertain.
Global rivals confront an uncomfortable calculation. Chinese manufacturers operate at 4.1% margins while churning out 34.78 million units annually. Competitors must either match Chinese pricing and accept thinner profits, or cede market share at home and abroad.
December’s $3.0 billion result shows how swiftly growth buckles when margins narrow. The $660 billion annual haul confirms the industry remains solvent. The trajectory, however, is unmistakable: the shift to electric vehicles demands both capital discipline and relentless scale to maintain profitability through the transformation. China’s carmakers have neither margin for error nor room to retreat.
AUDI DEALERSHIPS IN CHINA SWITCH OFF THE LIGHTS
Audi dealership staff in China are suing employers for unpaid wages after multiple showrooms closed abruptly. Local reports cite falling sales and compressed margins as domestic electric vehicle makers erode both volume and pricing power for premium combustion brands.
China long served as Audi’s key profit engine, but battery-electric transition, aggressive discounting and proliferating local marques have diminished German badge premiums. Dealers caught between factory volume targets and rising costs now struggle to profit per unit, triggering closures when economics fail.
Staff legal action for unpaid wages demonstrates how market strain reaches frontline workers. Dealers carry inventory risk with minimal influence over strategy, model timing or software, absorbing first impact when sales slow and margins shrink.
The sudden closures offer clear evidence of broader shake-out as China’s market electrifies. Legacy brands delaying deep local partnerships, realistic pricing and coherent EV portfolios risk more than declining showroom traffic—they face retail network disintegration, one locked dealership at a time.
BYD HUNTS TAX BREAKS AS TESLA CUTS PRICES
BYD’s full manufacturing plans for India were rejected, so the company now pivots to semi-knocked-down assembly, a compromise that trades ambition for market access while senior management prepares a visit to settle the manufacturing strategy.
The shift matters for the tariff schedule. SKD assembly slashes import duty from 70% to 30%, transforming the economics of each vehicle sold. Current rules hammer the Atto 3 with 70% duty on its INR 2.5 million ($27,255) pre-tax price while capping complete vehicle imports at 2,500 units per model annually. BYD sold roughly 5,500 vehicles in India last year, up 88% year-on-year, clearing most December quarter stock across four models: Atto 3, eMax7, Sealion 7 and Seal.
The Sealion 7 moved about 2,200 units in 2025 at INR 4.9–5.5 million ($53,400–$59,900). That undercuts Tesla’s Model Y, which starts near INR 6 million ($65,300). BYD now races to secure local safety and regulatory approvals for additional models while navigating a government wary of Chinese investment.
The SKD route delivers lower import costs and more affordable vehicles for Indian buyers. It also signals retreat: BYD wanted a factory and got an assembly line instead. India’s premium electric vehicle segment expands, but on terms set by New Delhi, not Beijing.
CHINA’S EV MAKERS LIFT PRICES AND DISCOUNTS TOGETHER
China’s carmakers raised December 2025 prices while expanding discounts simultaneously. Average passenger car transaction prices reached RMB 166,200 ($23,900), up RMB 8,277 ($1,190) or 5.24% month-on-month, while discounts widened to RMB 28,500 ($4,100), up RMB 2,775 ($400) or 10.8%.
New-energy vehicles led price increases after years of margin compression. The NEV price change index jumped to 7.68, with average transaction prices rising to RMB 175,500 ($25,200), up RMB 13,863 ($1,993) or 8.58%, while the NEV discount index climbed to 0.81.
Sedans showed strongest rebound at 8.05%, with SUVs and MPVs up 1.4% and 3.38%. NEV sedans reached RMB 118,300 ($17,010), up RMB 11,325 ($1,628) or 10.58%, while NEV SUV and MPV prices rose 2.6% and 2.9%.
The market-wide discount index reached 0.45, with sedan, SUV and MPV cuts deepening 15.8%, 6.3% and 21.7%. NEV discounts averaged RMB 11,300 ($1,625), up RMB 1,531 ($220) or 15.74%, with NEV MPVs pushed hardest at RMB 17,200 ($2,473), up 35.4%.
The data signals strategic repositioning beyond year-end clearance, as low-priced models lose share and product structures adjust toward higher-value electric vehicles capable of supporting stronger pricing despite competitive pressure.
NISSAN BETS ON BIG EV IN CHINA’S TOUGHEST MARKET
Dongfeng Nissan’s NX8 electric SUV began production January 27th, marking rare foreign brand expansion in China’s competitive EV market. The mid-to-large SUV arrives first half of 2026 in all-electric and range-extender versions as the third N Series model following the N7 and N6.
Built on Tianyàn Architecture, the NX8 measures 4,870mm long with a 2,917mm wheelbase in five-seat configuration. Design includes closed front fascia, floating roof, hidden door handles and full-width rear light bar using 2,064 OLED units enabling custom patterns.
The 800V platform pairs with CATL’s 5C ultra-fast charging. Roof-mounted lidar, 8-megapixel front camera and surround-view cameras feed Momenta co-developed autonomous driving covering highway NOA, urban NOA and full-scenario automated parking.
Nissan sold 653,000 vehicles in China during 2025, with stronger N6 and N7 demand limiting sales decline to 6% versus 12% in 2024. Dongfeng Nissan targets five new energy models by end-2026 spanning SUVs and saloons across all-electric, plug-in hybrid and range-extender powertrains.
The NX8 demonstrates foreign manufacturers can compete in China’s electric vehicle market through locally developed products, advanced charging infrastructure and comprehensive autonomous driving features tailored to domestic road conditions.
https://bit.ly/3LFEBgD
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