CHINA: Fords Courts BYD Batteries, Xiaomi Founder’s Marketing Push and China Price War | 16 Jan 2026

Let's do the 60-Second Savings Challenge.

Step 1.

Download Rocket Money.

Step 2.

Link your accounts and see every subscription you're paying for.

Tap 1 you don't use and cancel it.

That's money back every month.

Step 3.

Create a financial goal.

$50 every paycheck.

Or let the app automatically move small amounts of cash when you can afford it.

In a week, you'll forget you set it up.

In a month, you'll see real dollars piling up.

In a year, you'll be shocked at how much money you've saved.

Bonus Challenge.

Upload an internet or phone bill and let Rocket Money try to lower it.

You only pay if they find you savings.

On average, Rocket Money members can save up to $740 a year when using all of the app's premium features.

Users love the app with over 186,000 five-star ratings.

Make saving money the resolution you actually keep.

Start the 60-Second Savings Challenge at rocketmoney.com slash cancel.

That's rocketmoney.com slash cancel.

Rocketmoney.com slash cancel.

Forget everything you had planned for this weekend because you are sitting on your couch

and winning from the comfort of your own home.

I'm here with SpinQuest where you can play hundreds of slot games, all of the table games you love,

and you can even win real cash prizes.

New users $30 coin packs are on sale for 10 at spinquest.com.

SpinQuest is a free-to-play social casino.

Voidware prohibited.

Visit spinquest.com for more details.

Let's do the 60-Second Savings Challenge.

Step 1.

Download Rocket Money.

Step 2.

Link your accounts and see every subscription you're paying for.

Tap 1 you don't use and cancel it.

That's money back every month.

Step 3.

Create a financial goal.

$50 every paycheck.

Or let the app automatically move small amounts of cash when you can afford it.

In a week, you'll forget you set it up.

In a month, you'll see real dollars piling up.

In a year, you'll be shocked at how much money you've saved.

Bonus Challenge.

Upload an internet or phone bill and let Rocket Money try to lower it.

You only pay if they find you savings.

On average, Rocket Money members can save up to $740 a year when using all of the app's premium features.

Users love the app with over 186,000 five-star ratings.

Make saving money the resolution you actually keep.

Start the 60-Second Savings Challenge at rocketmoney.com slash cancel.

That's rocketmoney.com slash cancel.

Rocketmoney.com slash cancel.

Forget everything you had planned for this weekend because you are sitting on your couch

and winning from the comfort of your own home.

I'm here with SpinQuest where you can play hundreds of slot games, all of the table games you love,

and you could even win real cash prizes.

New users, $30 coin packs are on sale for 10 at SpinQuest.com.

SpinQuest is a free-to-play social casino.

Voidware prohibited. Visit SpinQuest.com for more details.

We'll start with news of reports coming in today that Ford is in talks with BYD to buy its batteries for Ford hybrid vehicles,

deepening Ford's reliance on Chinese technology even as America shuts Chinese cars out of the market.

The deal under discussion would see Ford import BYD made batteries for factories outside the US.

Talks are ongoing and yet may fail.

The tie-up underlines Ford's pivots away from pure EVs and towards hybrids after taking a $19.5 billion charge on its EV business

amid weaker demand.

Ford now targets 50% of its global sales by 2030 to be a mix of plug-in hybrids and EVs

and assuring up its line of petrol and hybrid models as it scales back its EV ambitions.

BYD, which started itself as a battery maker before becoming the dominant car maker,

produced 286 gigawatt hours of batteries last year.

That was up 47% on the previous year.

According to Bernstein, research, its building capacity in Southeast Asia, Europe and Brazil

and already supplies Ford in China through a joint venture with Chang'Gang.

It also makes some commercial vehicle batteries in California, though not for US passenger cars.

Xiaomi is next and the head of the business, Lei Xun, went back on air.

On January 15th yesterday, Xiaomi's founder used a livestream to walk viewers through the new generation of their Model 3 competitor,

the Xiaomi Su7.

Days after a previous live session had stirred some interest amongst viewers and fans of the tech brand.

The current marketing push matters because Xiaomi Auto wants a place in China's crowded EV market

by talking often and in detail to engage their fans.

Frequent, multi-platform broadcasts seem to now sit at the core of its pitch.

They're talking this year about transparency, user engagement and a steady flow of product updates

in a market where rivals already flood buyers with choice and claims.

This time, Mr. Lei, joined by veteran automotive journalist Wu Pei, talked through some of the upgrades.

The Su7, a premium high-performance all-electric sedan, kept its pre-sale price band of between

$230,000 and $310,000 yuan and a planned launch for this April.

Xiaomi added a new exterior color called Capri Blue.

LiDAR now becomes standard to bolster driver assistance and claimed gains in driving range.

It also highlighted advances in the car's intelligent chassis and cockpit systems,

casting the Su7 as a tech platform as much as anything else.

Xiaomi, also while we're talking about them, has matched Tesla's latest lure for wary Chinese car buyers.

That would be seven years of extremely cheap financing now offered on every variant of its SUV,

the crossover, the YU7.

The move comes days after Tesla rolled out the same cheap credit for its Model 3 and Model Y

on January 6th to stir somewhat of a sluggish market for Tesla.

The pricing shows why Xiaomi thinks it can press its advantage.

The YU7 starts at $35,000 equivalent, undercutting the Tesla Model Y.

That starts at a little bit more, not a huge amount more.

Tesla's plan lets buyers put down as little as $7,160 dollars equivalent.

That's $50,000 RMB.

Monthly payments then become $2,500 RMB.

The firm is not only chasing demand, but it wants to lock it in.

Since the official launch last year of the YU7, Xiaomi has aimed squarely at the Model Y.

In December last month, it sold 39,000 units, reaching $153,000 for the year.

Tesla still holds a clear lead though.

In December, it sold 65,000 of the Model Y and an annual run rate of 425,000 units.

But seven years interest free is a very compelling offer.

Now two days ago on January 14th, three Chinese ministries summoned the country's new energy vehicle industry

and delivered a rather blunt order.

Again, stop the Price Wars, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, MIIT,

the National Development and Reform Commission, NDRC, and the State Administration for Market Regulation, SAMR,

called in officials to talk about to 17 major car makers, the sector.

Now the aim is not to slow things down, but merely to steer it.

Officials told firms to carry out decisions of the Communist Party's Central Committee and the State Council

and to put innovation and quality ahead of headline grabbing discounts.

They want a market in line where quality matches fair pricing,

not one in which firms slash margins to gain share.

To that end, the agencies plan to move from signals to scrutiny.

They will tighten coordination, launch detailed cost investigations,

and step up the price monitoring.

They also intend to increase checks on production standards,

tying compliance more closely to market access.

Now let's talk a little bit about a brand we don't talk about too much.

China's ministry has now unveiled first details of FAW Volkswagen's new plug-in hybrid.

That, I think, is pronounced Magotan.

It's a plug-in hybrid saloon, 1.5-litre engine with an EV motor.

So it combined 240 kW of power.

The car caps Volkswagen's effort to hold its ground in China's mid-sized segment as its buyers move to EV.

The Magotan nameplate matters launched around 2007 as FAW Volkswagen's first locally built B-segment model.

It became a pillar of the joint venture.

By 2025, cumulative sales had reached 202,000, ranking it only fifth among Volkswagen's offerings in China,

yet still putting it close to the Volkswagen Passat and just behind the tow to Camry.

The plug-in hybrid version tracks the current petrol model in shape, adds new trims and badges,

otherwise it is pretty much the same.

22 kWh battery pack inside this FAW Volkswagen claims a 127 km pure electric range under CLTC.

Let's talk a little bit about Tesla's Model 3.

Fighting some of the competition in China with a cheaper version, Tesla will launch the cheaper Model 3 standard in China.

According to filings two days ago, the new Model 3 standard targets the price bracket starting at 150,000 yuan,

a price-dominated effect ruled by local brands.

The car drops Tesla into the core of the mass-market EV saloons, where BYD's Seal Glory Edition and X-Pung's P7i lead and lead on range and lead on kit.

Tesla instead leans on powertrain efficiency, driving dynamics, software and superchargers.

The Model 3 standard is published as having a 52.9 kWh LFP battery and a single rear-mounted motor.

On the CLTC cycle, it was rated as 480 km or 298 miles. Real world, obviously less.

Most cost cuts land in the cabin, as we've discussed on the main podcast.

Tesla has removed its rear seat heating, its front seat ventilation, the passenger screen in the back, ambient lighting,

the materials are downgraded, independent rear climate controls are now manual and some premium hardware all goes,

trimming the speaker count from 9 to 7, yet it keeps its core safety, drive resistance, basic autopilot,

along with the central touchscreen and of course all the things that come with Tesla ownership, such as over-the-air updates.

Let's move on and Dongfeng Nissan wants back into Chinese crowded mid-size SUV fights, so they want to do that with its new NX8.

This is a mid-size SUV, so 4.87 metres long and a 2.9 metre wheelbase.

It'll go on public show in the first half of this year, they say, as the first overseas EV SUV with an 800 volt platform and 5C ultra-fast charging.

The specs are good and that claim matters in a segment where local rivals set the bar in battery software and design.

Nissan's NX8 keeps Nissan's V-motion front face but reworks it for China with a new continuous star halo light strip,

framing the flat logo at the rear, there's 2,000 OLED units forming the light clusters they say.

The hardware and software target domestic champions, the Nissan SUV adds LiDAR smart driving assists,

navigate on autopilot and intelligent parking. Inside, a dual screen layout separates central and passenger displays,

back by a head-up display to keep eyes on the road, powertrain, choices, hedge between range and charging.

The range-extended NX8 uses a pretty typical engine at 1.5 turbo, charged engine at about 109 kilowatts purely as a generator.

Then it adds a 195 kilowatt electric motor and an LFP battery pack.

They say that it offers two pure electric ranges, either 102 kilometers or 185 kilometers.

The pure electric version still has a single motor but it'll be offered in a choice of either 215 or 250 kilowatt motor.

The 800-volt high-voltage setup uses CATL's LFP, lithium-ion phosphate technology, for 5C fast charging.

Range figures show Chinese cycle ambitions with total ranges on the electric variants up to 580 kilometers

or 650 kilometers, depending on specs, which pretty much match some Chinese benchmarks.

But will Chinese buyers treat the joint venture badge as owning something local?

Alright, we'll take a break and we'll finish off the news for today. In a moment, stick around.

But Rocket Money doesn't just tell you what you're wasting money on. It takes action to save you money.

First, the app looks at your income and monthly expenses and calculates how much you can safely spend each day to stay on your budget.

Rocket Money also finds and cancels unwanted subscriptions for you and even negotiates better rates on your bills so you have more money in your pocket.

On average, Rocket Money members can save up to $740 a year when using all the app's premium features.

Users love the app with over 186,000 five-star ratings. It's time to simplify your finances and take control of your money.

Go to rocketmoney.com slash cancel to get started. That's rocketmoney.com slash cancel.

I'm here with SpinQuest where you can play and win from the comfort of your own home with hundreds of slot games and all of the table games you love with real cash prizes.

Right now, $30 point packs are on sale for $10 for new users. It's all at SpinQuest.com. That's S-P-I-N-Q-U-E-S-T dot com.

SpinQuest is a free to play social casino. Voidware prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details.

The holidays are expensive. You're paying for gifts, travel, decorations, food, and before you know it, you've blown way past what you were planning to spend.

Don't start the new year off with bad money vibes. Download Rocket Money to stay on top of your finances.

The app pulls your income, expenses, and upcoming charges into one place so you can get the clearest picture of your money.

It shows how much to set aside for bills and how much is safe to spend for the month so you can spend with confidence.

No guesswork needed. Get alerts before bills hit, track budgets, and see every subscription you're paying for.

Rocket Money also finds extra ways to save you money by canceling subscriptions you're not using and negotiating lower bills for you.

On average, Rocket Money users can save up to $740 a year when using all the app's premium features.

Start the year off right by taking control of your finances.

Go to rocketmoney.com slash cancel to get started. That's rocketmoney.com slash cancel. Rocketmoney.com slash cancel.

Forget everything you had planned for this weekend because you are sitting on your couch and winning from the comfort of your own home.

I'm here with SpinQuest where you can play hundreds of slot games, all of the table games you love, and you can even win real cash prizes.

New users, $30 coin packs are on sale for 10 at spinquest.com.

SpinQuest is a free to play social casino. Voidware prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details.

Alright, welcome back to the podcast. Let's talk about the Wuling Starlight 560.

In plenty of choice, by the way, SGMW has priced the new Wuling Starlight 560 SUV from $62,800.

Offering Chinese buyers either a petrol, plug-in hybrid, or purebev powertrain, but keeping the body the same.

The Starlight 560 in four trims, either five or seven seats layout.

It has a 2.8-metre wheelbase. Boot capacity is 320 litres, up to 1945 with the rear seats folded down.

And the front seats can even lie flat, and the rear seats can recline to 125 degrees.

Design splits among the power lines. The ice and plug-in hybrid variants do have a grille.

The bev gets a closed front. Doesn't need the cooling, apart from some battery cooling.

The plug-in hybrid has a 1.5-litre engine with a WLTC range. They save 1,100 kilometres in total.

Pure electric, 125 kilometres. The bev variant has a 100 kilowatts motor.

And either 54 or 57 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion phosphate packs up to 500 kilometres of range.

Fast charging anchors. The pitch for the pure electric version.

They say it's a 2C charging system. So that's 30 to 80 in 20 minutes, adding 200 kilometres in 15 minutes.

And of course, none of those specs are particularly class-leading.

But remember, this is a car that is in China's value-driven family segment very unflashy,

but a mix of space, range and price, with a top trim that still won't get you above 100,000 yuan.

Well, this is all about the value now. Let's talk a little bit about Level 3 self-driving and drive resistance.

Voyeur has begun public road tests of its Taishan Ultra with Chairman Liu Fang using a social media video to show Level 3 drive resistance in live traffic.

The timing tracks a fresh strategic tie-up with Huawei,

and attempts to show that a second-tier Chinese brand can run in the same ADAS kind of intelligent pack as the very big leaders.

The metal is actually pretty big, but it's secondary. The Taishan is a long vehicle. It's 5.23 metres long.

It's over 2 metres wide. The wheelbase is huge. 3.12 metre wheelbase on this large vehicle.

The point is the hardware and software stack.

Huawei's ADS-4 system with 34 self-driving sensors and four LiDARs.

A computing platform that can process over a thousand tops, and the car runs the Harmony OS 5 with Harmony Voice AI system,

pulling the Huawei ecosystem deeper into Chinese mid to, I'd say, high-end plug-in hybrid markets.

Voyeur launched the Taishan last November, so a couple of months old now, with deliveries starting early December.

The line-up is the Max version at 380,000 yuan, the Max Plus at 410,000, the Ultra at 460,000 yuan,

and even what they call the Black Warrior Edition. That comes soon, I think.

They build the design as a Harmony of Heaven and Earth, very premium vehicle here, and the kit list is pretty huge.

They have 26-point massaging seats, a 21.4-inch roof-mounted screen, a 55-inch augmented reality head-up display,

a 32-speaker system, and a 13-litre refrigerator slash food warmer and sensor-activated power doors.

So what's underneath the skin of this very large vehicle?

A 1.5-litre plug-in hybrid setup.

Dual motors, they say 350 kilometers, pure electric range, 1,400 kilometers combined.

An 800-volt architecture, 5C fast charging, and a 12-minute stop to go 20 to 80.

This sits at the higher end of Chinese premium markets.

And finally, Dongfeng Automobile has sent a test fleet of its vehicles from Wuhan to China's northern cold zone

to see how its new solid-state batteries cope with extreme winters.

These are very advanced cells, 350 watt-hours per kilogram in the solid-state battery.

The cars will face more than 70 tests in temperatures that go down to minus 40 degrees Celsius.

As engineers, hopefully with their warm gear on, tune the vehicles for extreme low temperature

and assess solid-state batteries in vehicle when they're working.

The firm claims the packs can deliver over 1,000 kilometers of range on a single charge.

They've already passed some of the heat trials by heating them up to 170 degrees Celsius.

They say that at cold temperatures, they still work exceptionally well.

Even now to minus 30 degrees Celsius, they still remain at 72% of their full charge at a more sensible ambient temperature.

Yet Dongfeng has toned down some of the claims around energy density and charging speeds,

a sign of how far the technology still has to go.

The batteries use high capacity ternary cathodes, silicon carbon anodes,

and for the electrolyte, they say it's an oxide polymer composite electrolyte.

So aimed at safety, things like puncture tests, there's no thermal runaway,

fast charging, and cold weather behavior.

Now, the thing about charging at the moment in the early stages of this,

they've capped the charging at a 1C charge rate.

So there's none of those huge charging claims around these cells yet.

But for now, they're taking them into the deep freeze as a field trial of this newly highly experimental technology.

And that is your podcast for today.

Thanks for listening and I'll see you next week.

The number one resolution for people last year was to save more money,

but nearly half gave up by February.

Don't let that be you.

Download Rocket Money to reach your financial goals this year.

Track your spending, cut waste, and automate savings in one simple app.

Rocket Money shows you all your expenses and categorizes them

so you know exactly where your money's going and where you're overspending.

From there, the app cuts waste by cancelling your unused subscriptions and lowering your bills.

No customer service needed.

With that money freed up, the app will automatically set some cash aside for your goals.

Whether it's an emergency fund, paying off debt, or saving for vacation,

Rocket Money's got you covered.

Users love the app with over 186,000 five-star ratings.

And on average, users can save up to $740 a year when using all of the app's premium features.

Make saving money a priority this year.

Go to rocketmoney.com slash cancel to get started.

That's rocketmoney.com slash cancel.

Rocketmoney.com slash cancel.

I'm here with SpinQuest where you can play and win from the comfort of your own home

with hundreds of slot games and all of the table games you love with real cash prizes.

Right now, $30 coin packs are on sale for $10 for new users.

I'm here with SpinQuest.

It's all at spinquest.com.

That's S-P-I-N-Q-U-E-S-T.com.

CHINA: Fords Courts BYD Batteries, Xiaomi Founder’s Marketing Push and China Price War | 16 Jan 2026

About this episode

BYD

hybrid vehicles

EVs

Tesla Model 3

Xiaomi Su7

EV market

Ford Capri

LiDAR

Xiaomi YU7

Tesla Model Y

Volkswagen Magotan

plug-in hybrid

1.5-litre engine

EV motor

240 kW of power

mid-sized segment

Toyota Camry

Volkswagen Passat

kWh battery pack

superchargers

5C ultra-fast charging

800 volt platform

Nissan NX8

range-extended

1.5 turbocharged engine

LFP battery pack

battery electric vehicle (BEV)

WLTC range

kilowatt (kW)

lithium-ion phosphate packs

Level 3 self-driving

Taishan Ultra

Harmony OS

Request an Explanation

Want to learn more?

Help improve this episode

More from EV News Daily - Technology and Business of EVs