The episode dives into the latest developments in China's electric vehicle market, highlighting the launch of the Audi E5 Sportback, which garnered over 10,000 orders in just 30 minutes. The discussion also covers the Voyah Dream MPV's impressive entry into the premium minivan segment and the BYD Seal 07 DMI's significant upgrades. Notably, the episode explores the competitive landscape, including the introduction of the Buick Electra L7 and the Stilato S9T station wagon, showcasing their advanced technology and market strategies. Insights into fast-charging infrastructure and LiDAR advancements further enrich the conversation.
Topics:audi e5 sportbackvoyah dream mpvbyd seal 07 dmibuick electra l7stilato s9tfast charginglidar technologymarket competitionelectric rangedriver assistance systems
"its entry price at about US$33,000 equivalent well below direct rivals, the NEO E5 Touring, Zika's 007 GT and the new Stilato S90. Built exclusively for China, the five-seat Fastback introduces a region-first brand identity."
"Competition remains strong. Denzer's D9 delivered over 100,000 units annually, Lee Auto's Mega secured up to 35% of the high-end MPV segment over the summer,"
"Lee Auto's Mega secured up to 35% of the high-end MPV segment over the summer, and Zika's 009 emphasises high tech compared to the likes of Tesla and BYD. The dream, though, from Voya does have momentum"
"if the EVs good enough, of course. The move comes as X-Peng's G6, G9 and P7 are seeing rapid adoption overseas."
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Welcome to EV News China, the podcast dedicated to the world's largest electric vehicle market.
Each day we bring you the latest headlines, expert insights and analysis from the heart of China's booming EV industry
and reveal how these developments are shaping the global EV landscape.
We'll kick off with news of a big first order day of the Audi E5 Sportback
drawing over 10,000 orders in the first half an hour of launch,
its entry price at about US$33,000 equivalent well below direct rivals, the NEO E5 Touring,
Zika's 007 GT and the new Stilato S90.
Built exclusively for China, the five-seat Fastback introduces a region-first brand identity.
It's got a sleek 0.252 drag coefficient, micro laser-cut LED lighting inspired by classic Audi models.
The lineup spans rear wheel and all-wheel drive, outputs from 220 kilowatts up to 579 kilowatts
and a quickest 0-62 miles an hour time of 3.4 seconds.
Buyers choose from three battery packs using LFP or NCM chemistries
with ranges up to 773 kilometers on CLTC.
Fast charging can restore 370 kilometers of range in 10 minutes,
underscoring Audi's push to be known for long-distance usability.
High trims add the adaptive air suspension and roof-mounted LiDAR,
supporting 27 driver-assist sensors powered by Memento's AI suite.
Inside, there's a 59-inch digital interface running Audi OS,
in case you think that's a typo, 59 inches, no, no, that's a six-foot across the front of the car.
Yes, I'll get onto that.
It's paired with Bose Audio, multi-zone voice control, Apple CarPlay and Huawei's Hi-Car.
So, the cabin uses what Audi call an ultra-wide display.
It's just the entire dashboard is glass.
So, you've got your fully digital instrument cluster, you've got your central control screen,
you've got the passenger entertainment screen, which is increasingly popular in Chinese cars,
and you have what are called ear flaps, which is on either side of the screen.
Well, that's the displays for the electronic side mirrors, which are obviously no longer mirrors
because they're cameras, but we still call them side mirrors.
And so, the whole thing just displays information, but the two outer parts are the screens to look backwards.
The vehicle on Audi OS with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 cabin chip,
in-car Audi Assistant is customised on Volcano Engine's large language model called Dubin,
providing semantic understanding, multi-round dialogue, vehicle control interaction.
Launched under Audi's new Audi brand with SAIC, the E5 Sportback,
reflects a shift towards a China-first strategy prioritising advanced connectivity,
tailored branding and competitive pricing to try and recover Audi's market share
in the country's fast-growing premium EV market.
Now, Akara told you about yesterday, I think it was an MPV, not so much a car,
but that's the Voya Dream MPV, Minivan People Carrier.
Made a really strong entrance yesterday into China's premium Minivan market.
Again, over 10,000 confirmed firm orders placed in the first 18 hours of its launch this week,
more than half for its Ultra Edition.
The model combines eight variants, there's five plug-in hybrids, there's three pure bevs,
starting at 329,000 RMB, up to 440,000.
Ultra Trims showcase the Huawei Harmony Space 5 smart cabin,
an ADS-4 driver assistance usually seen in flagship sedans and SUVs.
It has a 29-inch augmented reality head-up display, zero gravity seats in the second row,
heating-cooling massage, positioning it as a Voya's tech-luxury focus,
but also explaining why the plug-in hybrid versions have resonated,
because this could be used for, I don't know, airport transfer runs
or people who want to sit in the back but do long journeys.
Competition remains strong.
Denzer's D9 delivered over 100,000 units annually,
Lee Auto's Mega secured up to 35% of the high-end MPV segment over the summer,
and Zika's 009 emphasises high tech compared to the likes of Tesla and BYD.
The dream, though, from Voya does have momentum
with last year's Huawei-led refresh pushing total sales now to 85,500 units.
The new 2026 BYD Seal 07 DMI, that's what they use for their E-Revs cars with engines,
arrives with big upgrades in range, performance, same pricing,
and positioning it very strongly against rivals in sedans and hybrid markets.
So the new updated and upgraded BYD Seal 07 DMI has two battery choices.
It's now 17.6 kilowatt-hours, they say 135 kilometres electric range,
or a 30 kilowatt-hour pack for 230 kilometres,
both using the Blade Battery Electric Only range as doubles compared with the outgoing version.
All trims now benefit from the higher-range powertrains once reserved for the flagship models.
Even with these gains, the top variant has actually had a price reduction,
and it's brutal in China.
Performance has improved. The base trim combines the 1.5-litre engine with a 160 kilowatt motor,
0-62 miles an hour, 8 seconds.
Higher trims add the same engine, a 200 kilowatt motor for a 7-second 0-60.
The car has a slightly longer, wider stance, still 2.9-metre wheelbase.
Inside you get the new clean display from BYD with a 10.25-inch driver's display,
a 15.6-inch really big infotainment screen.
Only the entry-level model skips the advanced chassis control,
while driver assistance systems, depending on the spec you go for,
go everything from Dipilot 100 with God's IC to Dipilot 300 with a LiDAR on the range topper.
August sales for BYD and the seals have been rising.
August sales 15% over the summer up, totaling more than 53,000 units,
making the Seal lineup BYD's bestseller for the first time.
These results, alongside the launch of the European Seagull production
and the 1-megawatt chargers in Europe, highlight how BYD is reshaping perhaps our expectations
for what we expect for range and charging at this price point.
Very affordable.
Talking BYD, they've also upgraded their Tang DMI, again, plug-in hybrid,
but the Tang is the SUV, replacing the variants that are 115km with 175km range.
Again, very competitive pricing, starting at $179,000 RMB, which is about $25,000 USD equivalent.
The Tang DMI, one of the most affordable, large plug-in hybrids with long range.
So, they use the new 26.6kWh blade battery in this,
53kW DC fast charging on that, 20 minutes stops and you're off and away again.
If you do need to dip into the engine, they give the total number of 1,240km,
as a lot of the Chinese marketing tends to do, give that big number.
Inside the Tang DMI comes with the Dialink 400 system with voice functions,
3D gesture control, even built-in karaoke, but no supplied microphone on this one.
There's a fridge which adds convenient heating and cooling, all the way down to minus 6°C
and up to 50°C.
You either get the Godside B system with LiDAR, 30 sensors, or the Godside C system.
With over 838,000 Tang SUVs sold to date,
making up over 3.5% of BYD's business from the Tang lineup in 2024,
making the vehicles better, longer range, more tech-rich,
strengthens BYD's position in the competitive EREV market.
Now, let's talk a little bit about the Buick Electra L7.
The L7 targets the premium EREV segment with a blend of long-distance ability, luxury and tech.
Using General Motors' Altium platform, the Electra L7 is an SUV.
40 kilowatt-hour pack and a 252 kilowatt motor.
On top of the engine, they give a total range of 1,420 miles, which is double the segment norm.
Pure electric, over 300 kilometres. Again, it's a 40 kilowatt-hour pack.
You can do nearly everything on the battery.
At which points? I'll say it again.
Why do you have the engine?
Inside, Buick is all about comfort and tech.
A 50-inch augmented reality head-up display,
15.6-inch infotainment display, Napa leather,
zero-gravity reclining seats, 27-speaker immersive system
with headrest sound and noise cancelling.
Practical details such as the Shi wireless charging system,
advanced ADAS, again from Mementa, the Qualcomm SA8775P chip.
So, very connected, very future-ready.
It's a premium vehicle, starting at 42,000 US equivalent.
That's 300,000 RMB.
But for early buyers, they're offering lifetime maintenance.
The Electra L7 enters a shifting market with BEVs growing year-on-year.
E-REVs are growing but not as quick as pure BEVs in China.
But they all seem to want to have something in their arsenal,
in their locker, in their line-up that is E-REV or plug-in hybrid.
Buick is betting that the combination of the big range number,
really fast charging on that battery,
also being a more upscale vehicle,
does the business for them in terms of their sales targets.
All right, let's move on and talk about IM Motors.
IM Motors, part of SAIC, we've just got two IMs over here,
the five and the six that sit down in the SUV.
They're sold as MGs.
Well, they're sold as AMs, but they're sold from MG.
They're under real pressure in China from the parent company, SAIC,
because they have a joint venture elsewhere with Huawei.
It's called Shanji, and that's gaining loads of momentum.
But IM insists that it is SAIC's flagship brand.
The company's marketing chief reaffirming that IM is the group's top end product,
even as Shanji's H5 has been surpassing 100,000 reservations, I think.
In the first eight months of the year, from January to the end of August,
IM sold 32,000 vehicles, August about 6,570,
far below the 100,000 target that it was set for this year.
More than half of the sales come from the LS6,
which gained new extended range versions recently,
priced under 200,000 yuan after a big 40,000 yuan price reduction.
The brand plans to launch the LS9, the big SUV, in the fourth quarter.
The shift towards EREVs in China reflects a broader market trend
with nearly 20 new models introduced in the segment by competitors in 2025 so far.
IM positions the LS6, apart from Shanji's H5,
by targeting different customer groups,
maintaining confidence that it has a new refreshed lineup
that will help it be the golden boy at the top end of SAIC's portfolio.
Now, we have a vehicle to talk about that we mentioned yesterday,
the Stilato S9T, and more on the podcast today.
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OK, welcome back to the podcast.
Now, I mentioned the Stilato S9T station wagon.
Man, some of the design coming out of we call it estates, wagons,
however you describe those calls, these cars,
some of them look really premium.
Stilato is the Huawei BAIC joint brand.
They launched the S9T station wagon, a 310,000 RMB,
about 20,000 below presale.
Very common thing in China, by the way,
that they put a price out for presale
and they always try and bring it under when it goes on sale a little bit.
It gets positive press and it exceeds expectations.
In the first hour, 5,000 confirmed orders placed.
Delivery start in four days time on September 21st.
So little reminder, S9T has the sedan's length,
5.16 metres and the 3.05 metre wheelbase.
It's a little wider, it's a little higher
and obviously a lot more cargo because it's the estate version.
660 litres or 1,700 litres with the seats down.
It's got a nice frunk in the front as well
with what they call the double tap knock knock opener.
Cool, four models available.
Two bevs, two E revs.
The bevs start at 330,000 RMB, rear wheel drive,
you can get an all wheel drive version.
So base spec, 227 kilowatt motor,
not very base spec if you ask me
because that'll do 0-60 in 5.9 seconds.
All wheel drive adds another 160 kilowatts on the front axle
and gets you below 4 seconds, 0-60.
They've got a 100 kilowatt hour pack in Huawei brand,
the Giant Whale battery
and that's 801 kilometres CLTC on the rear wheel drive,
a little bit less on the all wheel drive.
The E revs, meanwhile, aren't skimping
53.4 kilowatt hour battery.
354 miles, sorry, kilometres,
electric range on CLTC.
Technology highlights, ADS-4,
driver assistance, advanced LiDAR,
Harmony Space 5 cockpit
with three screens, digital LED headlights
and 5,000 confirmed orders,
20,000 reservations total.
The S9T strengthens Stilato's presence
in the Chinese EV market
and like I say, the wagon version is state,
whatever you want to call it.
It's such a looker.
They've obviously got it.
It looks in places a little bit Genesis-y
and that's okay, look, I like, it's all subjective, obviously.
I think that the Genesis styling is pretty sweet.
But also, look, this is very much Audi A6 Avant.
This is very Audi-y state.
However, it's loaded with tech.
From the front, by the way, it's a little bit
a Taycan Turismo look.
It's got, obviously, it's got a longer boot
and a higher roof line, but it slopes,
it starts to slope down towards the end.
So a little bit Taycan-y.
These cars, look, amazing.
No secret, a lot of the Chinese companies
went out with their checkbooks
and have hired designers or people
who had previously had a design
at big German car makers.
And so, look, again, inside, very premium.
It's got the cameras for wing mirrors.
Can't call the mirrors, they're not mirrors,
but you know what I mean.
So again, two screens inside,
looking a bit like the Honduri, quite implementation,
kind of an angle as well.
So working on Aero, being very premium,
but not at a premium price, of course,
when those vehicles start from so low,
309,800 RMB.
Holy moly.
All right, let's move on
and talk about our next story to date.
And that is about some autonomy stuff, actually.
Hesai Group completed their listing
on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange,
making it the first LiDAR maker
with dual primary listings in the U.S. and Hong Kong.
Shares were up 11%,
valuing the company of 36 billion
on Hong Kong.
Exchange, the listing raised
4 billion Hong Kong,
which is 535 million U.S. dollars.
The largest to date in the LiDAR industry,
around half the proceeds will go to R&D.
35% will be based on,
we spent on production capacity increases.
They've been around 11 years now,
listed on the NASDAQ two years ago.
Hesai operates a factory in Guangzhou
and began mass production two years ago
by using chip-based architecture
and automated systems
that you have brought the LiDAR costs down significantly.
It used to be like $100,000 a vehicle
10 years ago, down to $200 a vehicle.
Like, that's not a typo, right?
Just work out the implications of what I just said.
LiDAR can now be implemented
on millions of vehicles.
Last year, it became the first publicly listed LiDAR firm
to achieve annual profitability
and, again, scale brings down prices.
LiDAR's a really interesting technology
to see what the human eye can't see
and more and more Chinese buyers
in that premium segment
or even the mainstream premium
are insisting on features like this.
Let's talk about fast charging.
We'll finish off by talking about Xiaopang,
X-Peng rolling out its ultra fast charging network
this time in Israel,
marking a new phase for EV infrastructure in the region.
The launch was anchored by public events
and attended by major industry and government figures
showing both commercial ambition
and public policy support.
X-Peng's are equipped with star-charges advanced hardware,
using dynamic power management to keep charge times brisk
but not overloading the grid,
filling most EVs 10 to 80 in under 20 minutes
if the EVs good enough, of course.
The move comes as X-Peng's G6,
G9 and P7 are seeing rapid adoption overseas.
X-Peng delivered 5,076 cars
in total to Israeli customers
this year to the end of August.
So they're really big in the market behind BYD,
only by a few hundred cars as well.
They're almost like the number one Chinese EV maker there.
Zika is rolling out their own
competing rapid charge network offering public access,
quick charge times and targeted pricing incentives.
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