Chinese Electric Car Company
China’s electric car makers are breaking sales records at home and looking to expand overseas. But they will have to fend off growing competition from traditional automakers and contend with a price war ignited by Tesla.
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XPeng
XPeng is a Chinese electric car maker that has a lot to prove in the US. The company has a limited footprint here, but it’s growing fast. It has a small network of super charging stations and a partnership with rideshare app Didi. It also has its first two cars on the market, the G3 compact SUV and P7 sedan.
The company’s goal is to compete with China’s tech-savvy middle-class consumers, and it has raised a total of $1.7 billion from investors, including e-commerce giant Alibaba and Xiaomi Corp. It is also working with Contemporary Amperex Technology, which produces lithium iron phosphate batteries for EVs.
Unlike some of its competitors, XPeng is using lidar sensors to make the autonomous driving systems in its vehicles more accurate. The company claims that its vehicles are the first mass-produced cars to use automotive-grade LiDAR, which allows them to see more than humans. However, despite the impressive tech, the company’s monthly car deliveries have remained low. XPeng generates revenue from two channels: vehicle sales and services and others, which include maintenance, super-charging, and a small fleet of branded rental cars.
Li Auto
Li Auto (LI) designs, manufactures, and sells premium smart electric vehicles. The company specializes in what it calls extended range electric vehicles, or EREVs, which use a hybrid engine to power the battery and compensate for China’s sparse EV chinese electric car company charging infrastructure. Its current lineup includes the L7, L8, and L9 flagship family SUVs, as well as the six-seat Li ONE model.
The EREV strategy allows the company to compete with Tesla (TSLA) in China’s high-end market. Its new L7 model, which debuted in February 2023, has helped the company rank as the top seller of EVs priced above RMB 200,000 for five straight months.
Unlike XPeng and Nio, which rely on lavish clubhouses and automated driving to attract customers, Li Auto has found success by focusing on the bottom line. Its EREVs are cheaper than those from Tesla, and its profit margin is significantly higher. As production scales, the company should be able to match Tesla’s current output in two years. This should give it the traction it needs to compete against other EV makers in China’s ferociously competitive market.
SAIC-GM-Wuling
The SAIC-GM-Wuling joint venture is the number one manufacturer of LCVs in China and also has a solid passenger car line. Its newest model is the Wuling Air EV, which debuted in Indonesia earlier this year.
The Air EV is available in two power variants: 60 or 100 kW. Its lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries can deliver a range of up to 360 or 460 kilometers, depending on the configuration. This makes it the cheapest EV in the country, with prices starting at 44,800 yuan.
SAIC-GM-Wuling has other upcoming models, including the Geometry 001 sedan and the Zeekr 009 multipurpose vehicle. Both have a new Star Wing aesthetic design with minimal drag and are built on CATL’s Qilin battery.
The company has a number of high-profile projects and plans to reach 4 million sales of electric vehicles in 2025. These numbers are based on sales figures provided by the China Passenger Car Association, as well as insurance data that provides an accurate picture of real-world EV ownership. The company is also making a push into the international market, opening its first production plant outside of China in Bangkok in January 2024.
Changan
Changan is one of China’s largest carmakers and the fourth smallest of the “Big Four.” It focuses on traditional fuel vehicles but does have some new energy models. Its bestselling pure electric vehicle is the Changan Lumina, which undercuts many competing cars in price.
In 2022, Changan developed a cutting-edge platform called EPA1. It supports everything from hydrogen fuel cell to battery electric systems. Its first vehicle built on this platform is the Deepal SL03, which won the Red Dot award for product design.
In 2025, Changan announced that it would stop selling traditional fuel vehicles. The company plans to sell only plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and pure battery-electric cars. In addition, it will invest in a new proprietary energy platform and battery technology. It has also partnered with Huawei and CATL to develop high-end smart electric vehicles. The brand is named AVATR, which represents the first Chinese pinyin letters of the names of Changan Automobile, Huawei, and CATL. This partnership will provide AVATR with cutting-edge technologies and top resources. The carmaker will also invest in charging station networks.
Hozon Auto
Chinese EV makers are coming out in force electric car makers at this week’s IAA Mobility auto show in Munich. They are bringing more models than ever before, making up about half of the exhibitors at the event. And they have the attention of everyone in attendance.
Founded in 2014, Hozon New Energy Automobile develops and produces electric vehicles. It operates with the value of “tech for all” and focuses on R&D innovation, intelligent manufacturing and omni-channel sales services. It also has a clear partner strategy that brings in technology and design from third parties.
The company’s Neta brand has been sold in Europe and Asia. It has also signed an agreement with a local contract manufacturer to assemble its cars in Indonesia. The first Neta-branded cars will be produced in 2024 from completely knocked down (CKD) kits imported from China.
China’s dominance of the lithium-ion battery cell industry has given it a competitive edge in production costs. That advantage is compounded by its lower labor costs. In addition, the country has a huge supply of cheap natural resources like nickel and cobalt.