Rheinmetall to supply technological upgrade to leading Chinese manufacturer of hybrid vehicles

Rheinmetall has won a significant order in the hybrid vehicle area from a leading Chinese car manufacturer of new energy vehicles (NEV). The order with a total value in the upper double-digit million euro range includes electronic throttle bodies and delta pressure valves. The order marks another major milestone in... Read more →


PowerCell expands strategic partnership with Bosch to accelerate fuel cell adoption in China and other markets

PowerCell Group is deepening its long-term collaboration with Robert Bosch GmbH (Bosch), through a series of initiatives aimed at accelerating the deployment of hydrogen fuel cell systems in mobility applications. Furthermore, both companies are jointly evaluating further possibilities for market entries in stationary applications. The partnership reflects a shared ambition... Read more →


Pony AI partners with Xihu Group for robotaxi deployment in Shenzhen

Pony AI announced a strategic partnership with Shenzhen Xihu Corporation Limited, the city’s largest taxi operator, jointly to deploy a fleet of more than 1,000 Pony.ai’s seventh-generation (Gen 7) Robotaxis in Shenzhen in the coming years. This partnership marks a significant milestone in integrating autonomous driving with local mobility networks... Read more →


Global cathode active material (CAM) production capacity is set to grow 178% between 2024 and 2030, as assessed by Benchmark. The bulk of this capacity is in China, with the country accounting for 87% of capacity in 2024, falling slightly to 84% by 2030. In China, the predominant cathode chemistry... Read more →


CATL raises $4.6B in secondary listing in Hong Kong

CATL raised $4.6 billion in a secondary listing in Hong Kong. This offering attracted a diverse range of investors from 15 countries and regions globally, including sovereign wealth funds, industrial capital, long-term institutions, insurance capital, and multi-strategy funds. CATL is not just a battery component manufacturer; we are a system... Read more →


China has a major role at each stage of the global battery supply chain and dominates interregional trade of minerals, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). China imported almost 12 million short tons of raw and processed battery minerals, accounting for 44% of interregional trade, and exported almost... Read more →


The new Volvo XC70 mid-size SUV is Volvo Cars’ first extended-range plug-in hybrid. It provides a pure electric range of up to 200 kilometers, based on China’s CLTC standard, making it Volvo Cars’ longest-range plug-in hybrid to date. Built on the new SMA (Scalable Modular Architecture) platform, a premium extended-range... Read more →


WeRide has launched a paid commercial service with its Level-4 robobus in central Guangzhou. This marks the city’s first fare-charging autonomous bus line in its downtown core—a step toward mass commercialization of WeRide’s Level-4 autonomous vehicles. This driverless robobus route covers 13.6km in a loop, starting and ending at Meidong... Read more →


Nikkei: Rare-earth prices triple to new records on China export curbs

The Nikkei reports that prices of rare-earth metals have reached record highs in the weeks since China clamped down on exports of the key materials used in electric vehicles, wind turbines and other items. The price of dysprosium in Europe—the benchmark for the material outside China—tripled from the start of... Read more →


China-based Pony AI announced a strategic partnership with Tencent Cloud and Smart Industries Group (CSIG), the cloud business of Tencent Holding Limited, to advance autonomous driving technology and accelerate the commercialization of Robotaxi services. This partnership will amplify Pony.ai’s autonomous driving technology by leveraging Tencent’s ecosystem—including Weixin, Tencent Maps and... Read more →


Nissan debuted the all-new Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid pickup truck at Auto Shanghai 2025. Alongside the Dongfeng Nissan N7, the all-new pickup represents the second of nine New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) Nissan plans to launch in China by summer 2027. When it goes on sale in China later this year,... Read more →


CATL unveils three new EV battery products: dual-power batteries; sodium-ion batteries; second-gen superfast charging batteries

On April 21, 2025, China-based battery giant CATL unveiled three new EV battery products at its inaugural Super Tech Day on 21 April: The Freevoy Dual-Power Battery; Naxtra—a mass produced sodium-ion battery; and the second-generation Shenxing Superfast Charging Battery, as well as an integrated 24V start/stop Naxtra battery for heavy-duty... Read more →


Toyota Motor Corporation will be expanding its battery electric vehicle (BEV) lineup in China as part of its multi-pathway approach toward achieving a carbon-neutral society. Toyota announced the new bZ7 BEV, which follows the bZ4X, bZ3, bZ3X, and bZ5, while Lexus announced the new ES BEV, which follows the UX... Read more →


Volkswagen is unveiling three new concept cars at Auto Shanghai together with its Chinese joint venture partners. The ID. AURA (from FAW-Volkswagen), the ID. ERA (from SAIC VOLKSWAGEN) and the ID. EVO (from Volkswagen Anhui) are representative of a new generation of smart electric vehicles and give a preview of... Read more →


China takes lead on EV battery safety with new GB38031-2025 standard

At the end of March, China published its new EV battery safety standard GB38031-2025, replacing the previously applicable version GB38031-2020. Mandatory implementation for new vehicles begins on 1 July 2026, while existing vehicles must provide proof of compliance by 1 July 2027. This results in a 12-month transition period to... Read more →


BASF investing €60M to establish a second Cellasto plant in China to support EV boom

BASF’s Cellasto, a global provider of Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) components, is investing roughly €60 million to establish a second plant in Shanghai, China. This production expansion aims to capitalize on China’s booming electric vehicle market. The new facility will feature advanced mold lines, resulting in a capacity increase... Read more →


VW’s three Chinese joint ventures will present three electric concept cars at Auto Shanghai

At this year’s Auto Shanghai (23 April to 2 May), VW’s three Chinese joint ventures will present three electric concept cars: an electric notchback model from FAW-Volkswagen; an electric SUV in the B segment with extended range due to range-extender technology (EREV) from SAIC VOLKSWAGEN; and an all-electric SUV from... Read more →


MAN and COSCO extend strategic cooperation to facilitate further retrofit projects

MAN Energy Solutions signed a framework agreement with COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. (CHI) regarding their future cooperation on decarbonization retrofit projects. The new framework agreement provides for the retrofitting of existing ships to operation on new alternative fuels such as methane, methanol and ammonia—all fuels that can be... Read more →


MAHLE has secured another order in the field of electrification in China, supplying a DC/DC converter to an international car manufacturer in China with its future battery-electric model range. The contract volume is €200 million. Series production at the MAHLE Changshu location will start in the middle of 2028. China... Read more →


CNOOC Limited announced a major oilfield discovery in the deep and ultra-deep plays of the South China Sea, which adds over one hundred million tons of oil equivalent in-place. The Huizhou 19-6 oilfield is located in the eastern South China Sea, with an average water depth of approximately 100 meters.... Read more →


Sales of zero-emission trucks and buses in China reached a historic high of more than 230,000 units in 2024, according to a new analysis by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). The sales boom, primarily recorded in the last quarter of 2024, was driven by a strong macroeconomic stimulus... Read more →


Lotus Robotics and CaoCao Mobility launch autonomous driving platform for robotaxis

Lotus Robotics, the self-driving technology unit of Lotus, is partnering with CaoCao Mobility, the ride-hailing unit strategically invested in by Geely Holding that will accelerate the deployment of its autonomous driving solutions globally. Together, the brands have launched China’s first fully comprehensive autonomous driving system, powered by Lotus Robotics. This... Read more →


As the global EV market has expanded, in 2024 more than 17 million units were sold, with Chinese manufacturers aggressively pursuing international opportunities, offering affordable vehicles that often undercut local competitors. As a result, according to rho motion, China holds 62% of the global EV market. Market access for China... Read more →


Researchers from Sichuan University have encapsulated bismuth particles in plate-like carbon shells to enhance structural stability and improve ion transport rates, ultimately achieving a high-performance sodium storage anode with nearly no capacity decay during charge-discharge cycles. A paper on their work is published in the Journal of Power Sources. Li... Read more →


Pony AI offering robotaxi operations connecting Guangzhou’s city center to key transportation hubs

Pony AI has launched paid robotaxi services from multiple locations in Guangzhou’s city center to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and Guangzhou South Railway Station. Pony.ai is the first and so-far only company approved to provide robotaxi services on these high-demand routes. Riders can book a Pony.ai vehicle using the PonyPilot... Read more →


MAN Energy Solutions reports that its MAN 7L21/31DF-M (Dual Fuel-Methanol) GenSet has successfully passed its Type Approval Test (TAT) in China. The TAT was carried out in close cooperation with CSSC Marine Power (CMP)—the MAN Energy Solutions licensee—at CMP’s production facility in Zhenjiang and received approval from all major classification... Read more →


Toyota to partner with Shanghai on carbon neutrality and establish a company to develop and produce BEVs and batteries

Toyota Motor Corporation will sign a comprehensive partnership agreement with the Shanghai municipal government in China regarding carbon neutrality. In addition, Toyota has decided to establish a new wholly-owned company in Jinshan District in southwest Shanghai to develop and produce BEVs and batteries. Under this partnership with the Shanghai municipal... Read more →


BloombergNEF: global investment in the energy transition exceeded $2T for the first time in 2024; China leads, while pace of growth slows

Investment in the low-carbon energy transition worldwide grew 11% to hit a record $2.1 trillion in 2024, according to Energy Transition Investment Trends 2025, an annual report released by research provider BloombergNEF (BNEF). Growth was driven by electrified transport, renewable energy, and power grids, which all reached new highs last... Read more →


The Meng Xiang, China’s first domestically designed and built deep-ocean drilling vessel with a maximum drilling depth of 11 kilometers, was officially commissioned in the southern Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou in November 2024, according to a Xinhua report. China’s largest scientific research vessel, the Meng Xiang measures 179.8 meters in... Read more →


Pony AI first company in China approved for autonomous truck platooning tests

Pony AI is the first company in China to receive approval for robotruck platooning tests on cross-provincial highways connecting Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei Province, marking a major milestone in the company’s pursuit of large-scale commercialization of autonomous trucking. This approval enables Pony.ai to operate robotrucks in a “1+N” platoon, with... Read more →


China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) has completed China’s first factory-based seawater hydrogen production research project at its Qingdao Refinery. The project integrates direct seawater electrolysis with renewable energy-powered green hydrogen production, achieving an hourly output of 20 cubic meters of green hydrogen. This approach not only offers a new... Read more →


Recently, the first batch of 30 hydrogen fuel cell heavy-duty trucks jointly developed by GWM HYDROGEN-FTXT and China's well-known commercial vehicle manufacturer Yutong was officially delivered and put into operation in Anyang, Henan. The aim is to provide coke transportation services for the important coal chemical enterprise Liyuan Group and... Read more →


Volkswagen Group and SAIC Motor extend joint venture agreement until 2040; focus on accelerating electrification strategy

The Volkswagen Group is strengthening its successful 40-year partnership with SAIC Motor for the long term. In Shanghai, both companies signed an extension of their joint venture agreement until the year 2040. The original joint venture agreement was valid until 2030. By extending the agreement, the partners are creating early... Read more →


US Geological Survey researchers have developed a new model to assess how disruptions of critical mineral supplies may affect the US economy. Using the model, the researchers estimate there could be a $3.4 billion decrease in US GDP if China implements a total ban on exports of gallium and germanium,... Read more →


The Audi Q6L e-tron was presented at the FAW stand at Auto Guangzhou (15-18 Nov) in southern China shortly before its market launch as the first locally produced vehicle based on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE). Starting at the end of December it will be produced exclusively for the Chinese... Read more →


Dongfeng Nissan unveiled the all-new N7 electric sedan at Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition (Auto Guangzhou). The vehicle is set to go on sale in China in the first half of 2025. The N7 is the first model built on Dongfeng Nissan’s new modular architecture, designed exclusively for electrified vehicles. Previewed... Read more →


The first 100,000-ton demonstration phase of a 500,000-ton green methanol production project in Alxa was recently launched in Inner Mongolia. The green methanol project is China’s first 500,000-ton-level project that synthesizes green methanol by using wind and solar power for the electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen and combining it... Read more →


Dongfeng Honda opens new energy vehicle production plant in China; Honda’s first dedicated EV plant in world

Dongfeng Honda, a Honda automobile production and sales joint venture in China, has opened its new energy vehicle (NEV) production plant in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. The 4-billion RMB (US$566-million) plant has a production capacity of approximately 120,000 units/year. The Dongfeng Honda NEV production plant is the first dedicated... Read more →


China is a major natural gas importer by pipeline and the world’s largest importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG). In the last 10 years, the Chinese government has actively supported the development of unconventional natural gas resources to reduce import dependence and enhance energy security, notes the US Energy Information... Read more →


NIO announces US$470M cash investment in NIO China from strategic investors

China-based NIO Inc. has entered into definitive agreements for investment in NIO Holding Co., Ltd., a PRC subsidiary in which it holds 92.1% controlling equity interest (NIO China), with Hefei Jianheng New Energy Automobile Investment Fund Partnership (Limited Partnership), Anhui Provincial Emerging Industry Investment Co., Ltd. and CS Capital Co.,... Read more →


ZF to become a full system supplier to Farizon for the development of its range of new energy vehicles; methanol-hydrogen and electric

ZF and Farizon announced an expansion of their strategic partnership upon signing a Memorandum of Understanding at the IAA Transportation 2024. Under the theme of “Safe, Smart and Sustainable Journey to Farther Horizons”, this agreement aims to accelerate the industrialization of ZF’s advanced technologies for Farizon’s new energy vehicles. This... Read more →


ZF and Foton signed a Letter of Intent to strengthen their strategic cooperation. Building on the success of their joint venture setup to deliver the TraXon automatic transmission and electric drives in China, ZF and Foton have now agreed for the joint venture to introduce ZF’s new hybrid transmission for... Read more →


Tula Technology expands DMD into China; testing shows 0.6% increased efficiency for full-size SUV PHEV

Tula Technology, Inc., a leader in propulsion efficiency, along with a leading global automotive supplier, has developed a Dynamic Motor Drive (DMD) demonstration vehicle for the Chinese market based on a domestic premium full-size SUV. DMD is a high-value, software-only technology that addresses key challenges facing the EV transition: range,... Read more →


Rho Motion: China first country to sell more than 1M EVs in a month

China sold more than one million EVs in August 2024, breaking the previous record set in December 2023 by 70,000 vehicles, according to research-house Rho Motion. The European market is down 4% so far this year compared to the same period last year; the first-time sales growth has turned negative... Read more →


China-based Geely Auto showcased its new global model, the Geely EX5, at 2024 Automechanika Frankfurt. Designed to cater to diverse international markets, the EX5 is built on the Geely Electric Architecture (GEA) and features a minimalist design to appeal to users worldwide. It is available in both left-hand and right-hand... Read more →


Rho Motion: EV tariffs forcing Chinese manufacturers to ramp-up local supply chains

Chinese car manufacturers have been forced to accelerate plans and build local facilities to localize their supply chain in light of various EV tariffs announced this year, according to EV research-house, Rho Motion. This comes as Canada announces a 100% import tariff on Chinese EVs, in line with its trade... Read more →


Beijing E-Town accelerates the development of an integrated robotics industry ecosystem

The first comprehensive robot exhibition center in Beijing—Robot World—has established a permanent exhibition hall. The National Robot Testing and Evaluation Center (Headquarters) Beijing Evaluation Center provides authoritative domestic and world-class testing and certification services. The Beijing Embodied Intelligence Robot Innovation Center focuses on solving common industry challenges in the development... Read more →


SES AI’s 100 Ah Li-metal first to pass China EV safety standard test GB38031-2020

SES AI Corporation, a global leader in the development and manufacturing of high-performance Li-Metal batteries, announced a major step in its commercialization of this next-generation battery technology. The company’s 100 Ah Li-Metal cells for automotive applications are the first in the industry to pass safety tests required by China’s GB38031-2020... Read more →


China imposing export controls on antimony

China’s Ministry of Commerce announced export controls on antimony and related items as well as on items related to super-hard materials. Antimony is used in products from lead-acid batteries to weapons. (Antimony-lead alloys improve the strength and castability of the grids in batteries.) Operators seeking to export antimony and related... Read more →


Intel unveis first discrete graphics processing unit (dGPU) for automotive

Intel unveiled its first discrete graphics processing unit (dGPU), the Intel Arc Graphics for Automotive, at its AI Cockpit Innovation Experience event in Shenzhen. The product will be commercially deployed in vehicles as soon as 2025, accelerating automobile technology and unlocking a new era of AI-driven cockpit experiences and enhanced... Read more →