Overview
- At Friday’s Beijing auto show, Chinese brands put premium, software-heavy models front and center as BYD said its new Great Tang three-row SUV drew more than 30,000 pre-orders at a starting price near $36,460.
- Li Auto moved to scale overseas sales after Saturday’s deals with distributors in the UAE and Saudi Arabia for its high-end SUVs.
- Battery makers raised the stakes as CATL claimed its Shenxing pack can charge from 10% to 98% in 6 minutes 27 seconds with production expected by year-end, and BYD showed rapid charging in a chamber cooled below minus 30°C.
- China-made EVs have seized a larger regional foothold, with about one in three new EV registrations in South Korea now built in China, led by Shanghai-made Teslas and rising Chinese brands.
- Europe’s shift to cleaner fleets is amplifying Chinese gains, with BYD over-compliant on EU CO2 targets as rivals adjust, including Kia cutting EU prices and legacy automakers like Volkswagen and Nissan adopting China-developed platforms and software to speed launches.