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Electric & new energy vehicles

Electric & new energy vehicles
Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on electric & new energy vehicles, with a particular focus on China.
A BYD Sealion 7 on display at the Baltic Motor Show in Riga, Latvia, on April 24. Photo: EPA
Automotive industry

Chinese EV makers hunt for idled plants in Europe as they expand global influence

BYD, the world’s largest electric car maker, says it is in talks with Stellantis about using European marques’ idled assembly facilities.

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US-China relations

Xi-Trump summit: Ford-CATL plant shows how global carmakers need China

Mainland China

Oil shock fuels BEVs to 9 of top 10 in sales, with China brands overtaking Tesla

Tesla

Tesla lures budget-conscious Chinese buyers ahead of state visit by Trump

US President Donald Trump’s entourage for his three-day trip to China includes Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Tim Cook of Apple.

People walk past a Tesla showroom inside a shopping mall in Chongqing, China, on June 23, 2025. Photo: Getty Images
SCMP Highlights

Chinese brands eye Europe; Geely joins Chery, BYD profit slide: 7 EV reads

From Malaysia’s import curbs to film-projecting headlights, here are seven EV stories you may have missed.

2026 Xi-Trump summit

Musk joins Trump’s Beijing delegation as a ‘natural bridge’ for trade

Gigafactory stakes and a push for self-driving software approval cast the billionaire as a key US envoy while seemingly sealing a reconciliation with Trump.

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BYD

Chinese smart cars set to control 20% of western European market by 2028: JPMorgan

Amid surging demand for electrification and a worldwide energy crisis, domestic carmakers can benefit from the stepped-up ‘go-global’ drive.

MG electric cars before being loaded onto a ship for export at the port in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province on April 29. Photo: CN-STR / AFP
Malaysia

‘Spare us’: Malaysians sneer at ex-Proton CEO’s self-reliance sermon

The man who once presided over one of Malaysia’s most heavily protected companies has told Malays to stop relying on the state.

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Automotive industry

Tech and pricing edge behind China’s SUV surge against BMW, Mercedes and Audi

Chinese SUVs storm the premium segment with fresh momentum, giving German marques their toughest test in years.

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Americas and the Caribbean

EVs surge in Bolivia amid fuel shortages, ‘junk gas’ scandal

The number of electric vehicles in Bolivia climbed from 500 to 3,352 in the last five years, and is set to triple again as broad appeal rises.

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An electrician installs a home electric vehicle charging station in La Paz, Bolivia, on April 21. Photo: AP
Mainland China

KFC, McDonald’s drive-throughs in China get EV charging, upgraded smart systems

KFC now operates over 7,000 drive-through restaurants nationwide, including kerbside pickups, according to Yum China.

A KFC restaurant in Shanghai, January 22, 2026. Photo: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images
China trade

China defies Strait of Hormuz crisis with record monthly export value in April

Export value rose 14.1 per cent year on year, well above market forecasts.

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Automotive industry

Chinese EV maker Leapmotor taps Stellantis’ Spanish plant for EU production

Hangzhou carmaker’s overseas strategy highlights how Chinese brands are leveraging idle plants to scale globally while easing trade barriers.

Malaysia

Malaysia’s EV import curbs to protect local sector criticised for inconsistency

The move contradicts the country’s aim to grow the EV sector and use more renewable energy sources, analysts say.

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Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim touches the first locally made electric vehicle, Proton’s e.MAS 7, at its launch in Kuala Lumpur on December 16, 2024. Photo: AFP
Tesla

Tesla China posts 36% sales rise, as local rivals nip at heels

April sales rose on a year-on-year basis but dropped from the previous month, indicating fiercer competition from domestic brands.

An employee works in Tesla’s Gigafactory in Shanghai on April 14. Photo: EPA
China-Latin America relations

Lula won’t sideline China on rare earths, tells Trump refining stays in Brazil

In a three-hour White House meeting on Thursday, Brazil’s president pitched his country’s minerals to all comers.

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Automotive industry

China’s move to cut EV payment cycles may push weaker carmakers out: S&P

China’s weaker EV makers may soon be running on fumes as tighter payment cycles squeeze cash flow and curb price wars.

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China-Latin America relations

China pours US$6.1b into Brazil, making it Beijing’s top global investment

Chinese miners, carmakers and tech firms are fanned out across 20 states, putting a dent in Washington’s own push throughout the region.

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A BYD vehicle is seen on the production line at the Chinese company’s new electric-vehicle factory in Brazil in October 2025. Photo: Reuters
Automotive industry

China’s EV battery giants thrive while carmakers’ profits shrink amid price wars

Carmakers’ profit margin stood at 3.2 per cent in the first quarter, versus 6 per cent for downstream industrial firms, according to CPCA.

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Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong to ban new EVs with only electronic door handles

Move aligns with mainland China’s decision following concerns that concealed door handles, which are usually electronic, pose safety risks.

Middle East

From Beijing to Berlin: Chinese EVs turn heads as brands eye European markets

BYD, Geely and Xpeng showcase eye-catching EVs at Beijing auto show as they build momentum in Europe and target more discerning buyers.

A humanoid robot poses at a BYD booth beside an electric vehicle at the Beijing auto show. Photo: Kyodo
Hong Kong economy

Letters | Support for Hong Kong business should not stop at fuel subsidies

Readers call for more relief measures to help SMEs cushion the energy price shock, dismiss talk of a fur comeback, and highlight the income inequalities in climate adaptation.

A motorcycle drives past the petrol price display board outside a petrol station in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, on April 10. Photo: Jelly Tse
Diplomacy

Opinion | How China-Gulf ties can turn energy vulnerability into sustainability

Hormuz tensions are a reminder to start building a better, more sustainable energy order before the next crisis hits; Hong Kong can help.

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Autonomous vehicles

Chinese start-up ZYT eyes semi-autonomous truck production this year

DJI spin-off is providing autopilot systems to six manufacturers, as fuel-saving abilities gain importance amid oil supply shock.

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US-China relations

Exiting China market a ‘self-inflicted wound’ for US tech, think tank warns

ITIF argues that regional sales help finance domestic R&D and block local rivals, while warning that a full exit would be a self-inflicted wound to innovation leadership.

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Visitors take pictures and videos of a human-like robot head on display at the Humanoid Robots Industry Base in Beijing’s Shougang Park on April 28. Photo: AP
China-EU relations

Opinion | ‘Made in Europe’ law sets stage for an economic showdown with China

The proposed legislation is seen as discriminatory to China and could also hurt Chinese interests in non-EU European states.

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks at a press conference in Brussels, Belgium, on April 13. Photo: Reuters
Automotive industry

BYD, Geely benefit from overseas orders amid Middle East energy shock

Retail sales of EVs fall 11 per cent year on year in April to 614,000 units – but foreign markets are providing a boost.

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Xiaomi

Full charge: Xiaomi shares surge on EV sales boost

Xiaomi’s EV unit gathers pace with April deliveries topping 30,000, but analysts say profits may lag as subsidies and costs weigh.

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