CHINA: MG Readies Taycan-Fighter, GWM’s V9X SUV and BYD Backs Vietnam | 28 Jan 2026

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Welcome back to EV News, China.

Today, MG readies a new electric coupe, great war motors, V9X SUV, and BYD backs Vietnam.

Plus, stay tuned.

Later in the show, I'll tell you why Nissan is hoping that bigger is better in China.

Welcome to EV News, China, the podcast dedicated to the world's largest EV market.

Each day, I bring you headlines, insights, and analysis from the heart of China's booming EV

industry and decode how fast moving developments in the east are shaping the global EV landscape.

We'll start with MG revealed sketches of an electric fastback coupe featuring roof-mounted

LiDAR and 07 badging, likely previewing a pure Bev version of their MG7.

Expected pricing between $150,000 and $200,000 would put it above the fuel-powered MG7 that

starts from $140,000.

The electric coupe is part of MG's plan to launch 13 new energy vehicles between now and

MG28, spanning from 80,000 to 300,000 yuan.

The push follows strong momentum last year, with Chinese domestic sales at about 137,000

units.

And MG International's performance has been even stronger, delivering almost 600,000 units

overseas last year.

Europe and Great Britain alone accounted for over 300,000 of that, marking MG's 11th consecutive

year as Europe's best-selling Chinese brand and surpassing Tesla's European sales as well

in the first half of last year.

The new coupe, though, get back to that, will compete against SAIC Huawei's Z7, which has

a side silhouette very, very similar to a Porsche Taycan.

It'll compete with the Xiaomi Su7, which has a side silhouette very similar to a Porsche

Taycan.

Hang on, there's a pattern emerging here.

And that MG7 has a side silhouette of, well, you know, the Taycan, let's say, has inspired

many of these low-slung, very swoopy designs, four-door electric fast-back segment.

After design, controversy surrounding similarities between those cars, observers hope MG's entry

will carve out its own visual identity.

Of course, the thing that the Taycan doesn't have, which you can see in all these silhouettes

from the side, is the little LiDAR bump at the top of the windscreen, because the Chinese cars

do have that, as it's very important for autonomy.

Now, Great Wall Motor is next in the news.

Chairman Jack Wei unveiled the 9X, sorry, the V9X yesterday, as Wei's new six-seat flagship SUV.

And the first model on GWM's one platform, the modular architectural underpin over 50

global models, SUV's, saloons, MPV's, even pickups, supporting five powertrain types,

including plug-in hybrids, pure electric, and EREVs.

Now, the V9X measures over 5.3 meters long with a 3.1-meter wheelbase, accommodating six

seats inside.

They say design elements include a closed front with matrix headlights, vertical turn signals,

full with light bars, a floating 3D logo, and, of course, the obligatory roof-mounted LiDAR.

Respirants performance from a D-segment 1 platform SUV would be four and a half seconds

north of 60, 1,300 kilometers WLTP range if you are using a hybrid system, 360 kilometers of pure

electric range, and the one platform centers on what they call vehicle-wide AI.

And you're going to hear a lot about this in 2026 and onwards as well as car companies

embrace artificial intelligence and embed AI into the cars that we're driving,

integrating cockpit, driver assistance, chassis control, powertrain control, safety system control,

demonstrated capabilities include high-speed cornering, blowout control, and road preview

functions requiring all of these cross-systems working together. The V9X is a big six-seater SUV

and it looks in my mind, in my eye, very subjective, but very classic actually.

And if you like that big, boxy SUV shape, I think this is, let's say, high-end, Bentley-inspired,

okay? So this isn't the kind of boxy shape when I say that, if you think of Kia boxy.

This is a bit more smoothed off than that. This is more classic, more genesis, think

like a big genesis vehicle like that. It's very appealing to me anyway. V9X serves dual purposes,

establishing the technical credentials in the premium SUV segment and proving their new platforms

viability before it scales across a global rollout. Now, BYD is backing Vietnam for a battery

plant for commercial EVs. Kim Long Motor plans a $130 million battery plant in central Vietnam,

targeting three gigawatt hours of annual output for buses, trucks, and mini buses.

BYD will provide full support, giving Vietnam access to its proven cell technology,

building a supply chain beyond in Vietnam, well beyond just Vinfast. The factory focuses

initially on commercial vehicles. Operations start soon. Phase two expands the site to 10

hectares and doubles capacity to six gigawatt hours yearly, adding passenger car batteries,

but maintaining a focus on commercial vehicles. For now, Vinfast currently dominates Vietnam's

EV market and recently entered commercial agreements for electric cargo vans. Local battery

production would enable new entrants to compete on cost and secure supply chains in commercial

vehicles. The partnership signals Vietnam's diversification, foreign tech partnering with

local capital, if you like, prioritizing commercial fleets before passenger cars. And for BYD,

it's a good arrangement because it establishes deeper presence in Southeast Asia's emerging EV

hubs without deploying a huge ton of capital or facing scrutiny. The plant represents Vietnam's

first significant battery production capacity, positioning the country to capture

more of the EV supply chain value as regional demand accelerates. Let's talk about BYD's

new flagship SUV. We think it'll be called the Datang, or the Datang, leaked online pictures in

undisguised form ahead of its Q1 launch sometime soon. This is a large SUV, sits above the Tang L

in their dynasty lineup, targeting prices above 300,000 U.N., which is 43,000 U.S. equivalent,

competing directly with ItoM9 and Lee Also L9, premium family hauler. We think it'll

be called the Datang because, or Datang, however I say it, is because this car looks like it was

out maybe on a photo shoot or something, and that was the badging on it. It retains BYD's

dragon-faced design language, split headlamps, slim LED daytime running lights, spanning the nose,

with main beams lower. Styling includes 21-inch multi-spoke wheels, a full-width

light bar, large roof spoiler, and expected to be more than 5.2 meters long, maybe 5.3 meters.

That puts it in a really big class of vehicle. If it is called the Datang, we weren't quite sure

what it was going to be called. If it's going to be called that, according to this badging, at least

on this vehicle, then it would be significantly larger than the ItoM9. We saw a photo of them

parked next to each other when this car was still in camouflage, and it does look a lot bigger.

The leaked images show the vehicle charging. BYD will equip it with its Trimotor independent

drive system called Yi Sang Feng, and its rear-wheel steering system, which we first saw on

Denzi's Z9 GT. It's a big beast. You want manoeuvrability in car parks, body control system,

and megawatt level fast charging. They didn't take a picture of the charger. At least the pictures I

saw didn't take a picture of the charger screen. That's a shame. We'd love to have seen that just

for some nerdy, nerdy knowledge, but this is a big beast, and it should be coming soon.

Let's move on. NEO's budget offensive hinges on whether Chinese buyers will trade down from

their premium badges to capture some more value. The company's Envo sub-brand targets the segment

from $150,000 with plans for two or three new models aiming to seize between 8 and 10% of China's

electric car market, they say. That's hugely ambitious. Battery subscriptions will obviously

push the effective entry prices lower, but then you pay monthly for the battery.

The L60 five-seat SUV opened the campaign for them almost two years ago now,

a $31,000 equivalent undercutting Tesla Model Ys by about 12%. Production ramped swiftly

after deliveries began in September of 2024, but volumes were dented in 2025. NEO replaced

Envo's leader and the three-row L90 SUV that followed. That's $38,000 equivalent,

and then you rent the battery, of course, with that as well. Deliveries began and hit 30,000

units within three months, but it slowed a little bit last year. The roadmap commits to

annual facelifts for both the L60 and the L90. A LiDAR-equipped L90 should arrive in Q2 this year,

and the delayed L80 SUV will land later this year with two variants, PureVision and LiDAR-equipped.

There's also goodies inside. A trunk freezer option for the L90 is coming.

NEO radio, they say, integrates with Envo's entertainment system in June. A major

PureVision drive resistance update will be rolling out anytime soon, actually, around the

cheaper brand at NEO. Now, we'll take a break. We'll talk about China car makers testing the

limits and Audi dealerships locking the doors back in a mow. 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 RocketMoney to reach your financial goals this year. Track your spending,

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or saving for vacation, RocketMoney'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 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.

Let's do the 60 Second Savings Challenge. Step one, download RocketMoney. Step two,

link your accounts and see every subscription you're paying for. Tap one you don't use and

cancel it. That's money back every month. Step three, 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,

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you'll be shocked at how much money you've saved. Bonus challenge, upload an internet or

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RocketMoney 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. Make saving money the resolution you

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

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Welcome back to the podcast. Now, China's car makers pocketed $660 billion

US dollars equivalent last year. Fascinating data point comes out. I love how much data comes out

of China. And so now we know how much the automotive industry actually makes as a whole,

as an industry, which is fascinating. We know they sold 34.78 million vehicles last year.

But December told an interesting story. Monthly profit in December created 57% to

three billion US dollars equivalent as an industry, as costs climbed and rivals slashed prices.

The margins were 4.1%, showing that the Chinese car industry is not only brutal,

we know that, but there's no cushion. This matters beyond China's borders. The country

sets global price benchmarks for EVs, while controlling battery and component supply chains.

When the world's largest car maker and the world's largest car market as a whole are both

bleeding profit, investment in new platforms, software and production capacity can stall,

but they are massively overcapacity in China in terms of what they can make. Electrification

demands money and capital when the margins are super tight. The squeeze has three sources,

surging battery and material costs, ferocious domestic price wars, and expanded consumer

subsidies. The structural problem runs deeper, though legacy combustion models are bankrolling

the transition still, yet electric vehicles demand vast investment up from before delivering

returns that are uncertain and small. Global arrivals confront an uncomfortable calculation,

Chinese manufacturers operating at a 4% margin and churning out 35 million vehicles annually.

Competitors must either match Chinese pricing and these days specifications and accept

razor thin profits, or as some of the overseas foreign car makers, established car makers are

having to do, seed market share at home and abroad. December's $3 billion result shows how

swiftly the growth buckles when margins narrow. The $660 billion equivalent annual haul confirms

the industry is at least solvent. However, the trajectory is unmistakable. I think the shift

to electric vehicles demands both discipline in spending money, which China's getting its head

around, and relentless scale to maintain profitability through the transformation.

I think China's car makers have neither margin for error, nor room to retreat.

One of those examples we can see in the western car makers Audi. Audi dealership staff in China

are now suing employers for unpaid wages. Multiple Audi showrooms closed down abruptly

overnight. Local reports cite falling sales and compressed margins. China long served as Audi's

key profit engine, but the Bev transition, aggressive discounting and local brands have

diminished the German premiums. Dealers caught between factory volume targets and rising costs

now struggle to profit per unit, triggering closures when the economics just don't work

out anymore. Staff legal action for unpaid wages demonstrates how the strain in China

hits everybody, including frontline workers. Dealers carry inventory and that's a risk,

and there's no influence over strategy, model timing, software updates, absorbing

the first impact when a market goes south. The sudden closures of the Audi dealerships

offer clear evidence of broader shakeouts in China's market, legacy brands delaying

deep local partnerships, realistic pricing, coherent EV portfolios. There's more than just

declining showroom traffic, they're facing a real network disintegration, one locked dealership

at a time. BYD's full manufacturing plans for India were rejected, so the company now pivots

to semi-knockdown kit assembly, a compromise that trades ambition for market access,

while senior management prepares to visit to settle the strategy. The shift matters

for tariff schedules, SKD, semi-knockdown kit assembly, slashes the import duty in India

from 70% to 30% and that transforms the economics, current rules, hammer cars like the ATO3,

with a 70% duty, uh, pre-tax pricing, while capping complete vehicle imports at two and a half

thousand units per model every single year. BYD sold roughly five and a half thousand vehicles

in India last year, up 88% year on year, clearing its stock in December across the ATO3, C-Line 7,

SEAL and the E-Max 7. The C-Line 7 did about 2,200 units last year, undercutting Tesla's

Model Y, both vehicles though very expensive because of import duties in India, these are

not cars for the masses. BYD now races to secure local safety and approval from the regulators

for additional models. The SKD route delivers lower import costs and more affordable vehicles

for Indian buyers. It also signals a bit of a retreat on the original plans. BYD wanted a full

factory but got assembly lines instead. India's premium EV segment is growing, it's no great

shakes at the moment, but it will be because India is growing in terms of its influence

on world economics. It's over the next few years going to be an increasing part of the story that

we tell. Not for now, but just as China has done over the last few decades, India is about to

economically, I mean they've got the scale already and I don't pretend to be an economist but I do

watch this in terms of the lens of the electric vehicle market. India will increasingly be a

that we'll be having. China's EV makers are lifting prices but also lifting discounts. How

does that work? Well China's car makers in December raised overall selling prices but also

expanded discounts. Average passenger car transaction prices are now in for December. The average

that up so it's up 5% month on month and up year on year as well. Discounts though are also up. New

energy vehicles led the price increases so over the last few years huge compression on margins and

reduction of prices. Now prices are increasing as companies have to be more robust. That survival

of the fittest thing that we talk about all the time. Sudan's showed the strongest rebound up 8%

average selling price followed by SUVs and MPVs as well. The market wide discounting though was

also increasing. A EV discounts averaged 11,300 RMB. That's 1600 US dollars equivalent. That's

up about 220 dollars more than the previous month. This data signals a repositioning beyond just

clearing out the end of year calendar year stock anyway as low priced models are starting to lose

a bit of share and the structure of the kind of products that China's EV makers are selling

starts to go a little bit more upmarket. Now finally let's talk Nissan. Dongfeng Nissan joint

venture. Their new electric SUV began production yesterday. It's called the NX8 and it marks a

rare foreign brand expanding. The mid to large SUV arrives sometime in the first half of this year

with customers in all electric form and EREV form as well. Now there's already the N6 and N7.

So the third N series is the NX8. It's 4.8 meters long, 2.9 meter wheelbase, not the biggest of

vehicles midsize. Five seat configuration. Design is the closed front fascia we're used to seeing.

Kind of floating roof style, hidden door handles full with light bar at the rear. The 800 volt

platform uses a 5C ultra fast charging battery from CATL. It's all the good stuff. Rear mounted

lidar, 8 megapixel front cameras, surround view cameras. They're feeding autonomous driving from

Momenta with navigate on autopilot and automated parking. Nissan sold about 650,000 vehicles in

last year. Lots of demand for the N6 and N7. Dongfeng Nissan targets five new energy vehicles by

the end of this year. So they're going to have a really busy 2026 SUV's, saloons, plug-in hybrids,

EREVs and all electrics as well. For now, the first one's going to be the NX8. A good looking

Nissan. Still got the Nissan family face to it, but with great specs under the skin.

Another car that foreign buyers, Nissan brand fans would absolutely love to get their hands on.

For now, it's Forbidden Fruit and that's your podcast for today. Thanks for listening. See you on the next one.

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CHINA: MG Readies Taycan-Fighter, GWM’s V9X SUV and BYD Backs Vietnam | 28 Jan 2026

About this episode

electric vehicles (EVs)

BYD

V9X SUV

MG

electric coupe

LiDAR

MG7

BEV

Porsche Taycan

Great Wall Motor

Great Wall Motor V9X

plug-in hybrids

EREVs

WLTP range

vehicle-wide AI

V9X

Hyundai Genesis

gigawatt hours

commercial vehicles

VinFast

BYD Tang L

rear-wheel steering system

Dodge Charger

NEO

L60

Tesla Model

L90

facelifts

Audi

ATO3

BYD C-Line 7

Nissan NX8

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