Li Auto’s autonomous driving chief will become head of hardware operations, primarily overseeing robotics development.
Li Auto’s autonomous driving team will be integrated into the software team.
Category: CnEVPost
Tesla to discontinue flagship Model S and Model X, shifting focus to robotics
Tesla’s Fremont factory will transition its Model S and Model X production lines to the Optimus production line.
Tesla vehicles excluding the Model 3 and Model Y contributed only 2.78% to its delivery volume in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Avatr rolls off 1st right-hand drive Avatr 07 SUVs, to ship to Thailand
Avatr officially entered the Thai market in September 2024, launching the Avatr 11 SUV as its first model in the country.
The Avatr 07 currently starts at RMB 219,900 ($31,660) in China.
China issues 1st mandatory standard for driver assist systems, mandating AEB as standard in light vehicles
The standard takes effect January 1, 2028, requiring AEB systems to be standard in light vehicles rather than optional as before.
AEB systems continuously monitor the vehicle’s forward driving environment in real time, helping prevent collisions or mitigate their severity.
Demand for solid-state batteries in humanoid robots could reach 74 GWh by 2035, TrendForce says
TrendForce forecasts that demand for solid-state batteries in humanoid robots could grow thousands of times over the next decade.
Increasing requirements for long endurance and high-load operation in humanoid robots are likely to propel solid-state lithium batteries toward becoming the mainstream solution.
BYD mulls expanding India operations as orders surge, report says
Strong demand is prompting BYD to reassess ways to deploy more vehicles in India, where dealers currently have hundreds of bookings, according to Bloomberg.
BYD is considering assembling semi-knocked-down components in Indida.
Nio rolls out major update to NWM driver assist software in China, delivering more human-like driving experience
This marks Nio’s second major update to its NWM driver assist software since May 2025.
The latest update also introduces pilot-assisted driving between urban battery swap stations, supporting over 2,000 stations.
Dongfeng Voyah gets nod from Chinese securities regulator for planned Hong Kong listing
Voyah has secured approval from China’s securities regulator for its planned Hong Kong listing as Dongfeng reorganizes its financing channels.
Voyah will list on the Hong Kong stock market via an introductory listing, while Dongfeng will be privatized and delisted.
South Africa considers tariffs on vehicles from China and India
South Africa is considering imposing tariffs of up to 50% on vehicles from China and India, as policymakers said that imported goods are harming domestic manufacturing.
Over the past four years, South Africa’s imports of vehicles from China have surged by 368%.
BYD begins construction of Vietnam battery plant in partnership with local automaker
The battery plant involves a total investment of $130 million, with a combined annual capacity of 6 GWh across two phases.
Phase one has an annual capacity of 3 GWh, primarily supplying batteries for trucks, buses, vans, and other commercial vehicles.
BYD’s new flagship SUV in Tang series spotted in real life for 1st time
BYD will unveil the new flagship model of its Tang SUV series and the new flagship model of its Han sedan series in the first half of the year.
The new SUV is expected to target the premium market segment priced around RMB 400,000 ($57,510).
Nio brings in former Alibaba exec as part of efforts to ramp up AI push
Yang Sheng, a former algorithm expert at Alibaba’s DAMO Academy, has joined Nio for research on cutting-edge architecture and algorithm.
Yang previously served as director of Alibaba’s autonomous driving lab and launched the Robovan project for Cainiao, Alibaba’s logistics subsidiary.
Chery’s Rely brand launches R08 EV to tap China’s electric pickup market
The R08 EV starts at RMB 127,800 ($18,370) and is Rely’s first pure-electric pickup.
Pickups represent a niche market in China, with annual sales totaling 589,000 units in 2025.
Nio participates in large-scale V2G trial in Jiangsu, testing power supply to grid
Six Nio battery swap stations delivered a peak power output of 1,540 kW during the trial, contributing 15% of the total discharge share.
The trial involved 70 energy facilities in total, comprising 56 charging stations and 14 battery swap stations.
BYD aims to sell over 10,000 cars in South Korea in 2026
The target represents a 64% increase from BYD’s 2025 sales of 6,107 passenger vehicles in South Korea.
BYD plans to add three new models to its South Korean product lineup in 2026.
BYD’s European registrations surge 270% in 2025 while Tesla slips 27%
BYD achieved over 200% year-on-year growth in Europe during most months of 2025, whereas Tesla saw declines in every single month.
In December 2025, BYD’s registrations in Europe reached 27,678 units, marking a 229.7% year-on-year increase.
Rising metal and memory prices weigh on China’s EV industry, analysts say
If all cost increases are borne by automakers, they could completely erode profit margins, UBS said.
UBS estimates that the cost of a typical mid-sized smart EV could increase by RMB 4,000 ($575) to RMB 7,000.
Li Auto reaches 30,000th delivery of Mega electric MPV
Li Mega saw strong sales performance in the third quarter of 2025, but the momentum halted following a fire incident and subsequent recall in late October.
The milestone indicates that 661 Li Mega units have been delivered this month.
Nio opens 1st distributor store in Hungary as European expansion continues
Nio currently offers the ET5, ET5 Touring, ES6, and ES8 in Hungary.
Nio has commenced deliveries in Hungary, with the first vehicle being an ES8.
Chinese firm launches effort to send humanoid robot into space
Engine AI aims to make its PM01 robot the first humanoid astronaut.
Engine AI has partnered with Chinese commercial space company Interstellar to formally launch this initiative.
