Latest news with #XpengG6
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Xpeng appoints Modus as retail partner in Baltics
Xpeng has officially appointed Modus Group as its exclusive distribution and import partner for the Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. This strategic partnership marks Xpeng's entry into the Baltic market, with sales scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2025. As part of the launch, Xpeng will introduce two models: the Xpeng G9 flagship SUV and the Xpeng G6 'ultra-smart coupe SUV' - both of which have come with a Euro NCAP 5-star safety rating. 'Expansion into the Baltics is an important milestone in Xpeng's European growth journey,' said Elvis Chen, General Manager, Nordics Operation at Xpeng. 'We believe our state-of-the-art electric vehicles will resonate strongly with customers in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Modus Group's deep-rooted presence and strong reputation in the region make them an ideal partner to bring Xpeng's unique combination of technology, design, and performance to the Baltic market.' With over 30 years of experience in the automotive industry, Modus Group has established itself as a major distribution company across the Baltics, representing 17 automotive and motorcycle brands. 'Xpeng is not just an EV manufacturer – it's a technology company redefining modern mobility,' said Gytis Mickus, CEO of Modus Group. 'Since our first discussions in 2019, we have seen the immense potential of Xpeng's products and philosophy. This partnership perfectly aligns with our strategy to offer forward-thinking, sustainable solutions to our customers in the Baltics.' Xpeng was founded in 2014. Since entering the European car market in Norway in 2021, Xpeng is now selling its cars in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Iceland, Spain, Portugal, the UK, Ireland and Poland. It says it will 'soon' add in Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the Baltics 'with plans for more expansion'. "Xpeng appoints Modus as retail partner in Baltics" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Mayor
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Mayor
Sing when you're winning: how karaoke in cars heralds the triumph of Chinese firms
If Chinese carmakers are to be believed, a lot of people really love karaoke. Those people love karaoke so much that they want it in their family car. This was not something the European mind could comprehend a few years ago, according to Volkswagen's chief financial officer, Arno Antlitz. Yet the technology, included in electric cars sold by China's BYD and Xpeng, is just one example of the lessons that Volkswagen and its European counterparts have had to learn as they scramble to keep up with Chinese rivals on track to dominate the global electric car market. 'Nobody in Wolfsburg thinks you need karaoke in the car,' said Antlitz last week at a conference run by the Financial Times. 'But you do need it.' An Xpeng G6 family SUV on a test in London. Photograph: Jasper Jolly/The Guardian A decade ago, such humility from the world's second-largest carmaker would have been surprising. Few people in Europe had driven Chinese brands, which were associated with shoddy workmanship. The global industry was dominated by longer-standing car-making countries led by Germany, France and the UK in Europe, and Japan and South Korea in Asia. Yet the advent of batteries offered a clear run for Chinese manufacturers – with huge state subsidies – to try to dominate the nascent electric vehicle industry. They have seized the opportunity. Chinese brands achieved more than 10% share of European battery EV sales in some months of 2024, according to data from Matthias Schmidt, an electric car analyst – although that fell back to 7.7% in February. But the scale of China's home market is unrivalled, with 12.8m battery and hybrid cars sold in China in 2024 – more than the entirety of the European car market. China's rapid progress took rivals by surprise, particularly after technological leaps during the years of coronavirus pandemic isolation. Bentley boss Frank-Steffen Walliser told the FT conference that the technology presented to the world at the Shanghai motor show in 2023 'was kind of a shock coming back after the cold pause'. Chinese carmakers are increasingly racing towards a future in which the car is completely integrated with the rest of users' digital lives and does most of the driving itself. Of the western carmakers, Tesla is still the leader on this front, but it ceded its technology lead to China's BYD while its chief executive, Elon Musk, focused on getting Donald Trump elected as US president. Despite Musk's support, Trump's policies are expected to leave America's carmakers far behind. Chris McNally, an analyst at investment bank Evercore ISI, wrote last week, in a note to clients, after visiting the latest Shanghai show, that 'investors have yet to grasp just how far ahead China may be' when it comes to the future of the car. He cited the experience of sitting in massage seats in the Aito M8 luxury SUV, watching a film on a retractable projector screen while Huawei computer chips handled the driving. That was all available for half the price of a western luxury competitor. The global market share of the big three carmakers in each of Detroit, Germany and Japan has dropped from 74% to 60% in five years, McNally said. 'If you are a US/EU manufacturer and do not have a plan to come to market with an affordable/scaled EV in next five years, you may be out of business in the 2030s.' He added: 'Is the game lost for western manufacturers? We can only say they appear down big at an auto evolutionary half-time.' The Shanghai motor show in April. Photograph: Go Nakamura/Reuters BYD's Seagull has ruffled feathers with a price of about £6,000 in China – far below any rival but with autonomous technology, dubbed 'God's Eye', which matches that available on much more expensive cars. It has achieved that price by using heavier sodium ion batteries that sacrifice range for affordability, but it is still a stark illustration of what European manufacturers are up against. Chinese carmakers are on average able to develop cars at 27% of the cost of European rivals, according to analysis by Bain & Company, a consultancy. It is not just at the cut-price end. Chinese manufacturers were out in force at a test day last week run by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, a UK lobby group. BYD's new £33,300 Seal U DM-i, a plug-in hybrid family SUV, is going up against Volkswagen, whose plug-in hybrid Tiguan can be £10,000 more expensive. State-owned Chery (under the Omoda and Jaecoo brands) was accompanied by Leapmotor, Geely (owner of the Volvo, Polestar and Smart brands), and Xpeng – whose electric G6 was the first from the brand to make it to the UK. On a week's test, the Guardian found a wealth of driver assistance features and a smart, spacious interior that rival the Tesla Model Y – even if some reviewers found the ride a little too bouncy. All of them offer keenly priced cars with little to separate them from European rivals, with relatively smooth rides and often impressive voice assistants that allow a driver to open the sunroof without taking their eyes off the road. One of the most popular vehicles for test was the ferociously quick MG Cyberster electric sports car, made by state-owned SAIC. Read More Top 10 fastest charging electric cars - Driving Electric There has been some sign of a fightback from Europe. The Renault 5, starting at £23,000, has already achieved huge popularity as one of the first affordable European-made electric cars. Renault has taken pains to cut the production cost of the vehicle as much as possible, and it has been rewarded with huge popularity – although it is unclear how profitable the model will be. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion The French carmaker has also sought to squeeze the time it takes to get new models to market, from 3.5 years for the Renault 5, down to three years for the next car, the Renault 4, and two years for the upcoming Twingo, with help from an unnamed Chinese partner. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em appears to be a popular European strategy. Volkswagen has invested in Xpeng (or more properly, Xiaopeng), Stellantis is selling Leapmotor cars in Europe, and is expected to use its technology, while purportedly Scandinavian brands Volvo and Polestar will rely more and more on technology from their owner, China's Geely. Britain's JLR is working with Chery to make cheaper vehicles under the previously retired Land Rover Freelander brand. Those cars, due to launch late in 2026, 'have the potential to go global', according to JLR boss Adrian Mardell. Nissan boss Iván Espinosa suggested the Japanese carmaker could build Chinese cars in Sunderland, north-east England, to use spare capacity. Even if they wanted to, avoiding Chinese tech is next to impossible for many companies: batteries are mostly made in China, with some competitors in Japan and South Korea. Europe's battery champion, Northvolt, collapsed. Meanwhile, BYD revealed in March that its new batteries could add 250 miles of range in five minutes of charging, only for Chinese rival CATL to say it could do more than 300 miles in the same amount of time. Shares in CATL jumped by 16% on their stock market debut in Hong Kong on Tuesday. Europe has some defensive strengths. There are huge networks of dealerships – still the preferred model of purchases – and garages who can carry out maintenance. That will slow down the advance of Chinese brands. 'The European buyer is actually a very conservative buyer, very loyal to their car brands,' said Eric Zayer, who leads on automotive in Europe at Bain & Company. 'It is very hard for the Chinese to enter Europe and replicate the success.' He added that buyers will need to be persuaded that Chinese brands are not going to disappear – as happened to US electric brand Fisker – causing chaos for owners of vehicles built with regular software updates in mind. European bosses insist that the game is not lost, even if it is clear that China is at the very least going to win a significant chunk of the global automotive market. Bentley's Walliser said the 'Chinese are better at risk taking, quicker, working harder' and embracing new technologies. 'It's not magic,' he said. 'It could also be done here.' Luca de Meo, Renault's chief executive, said: 'We have to not underestimate the resilience of our automotive companies.'
Economic Times
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Economic Times
Tesla rejoins the $1 trillion club, but troubling China data sparks investor doubts about what's really driving growth
Sharp Drop in Tesla Sales in China Live Events Stagnant Product Line Rising Competition from Chinese EV Brands FAQs (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Tesla might have regained its $1 trillion market capitalization this week, but a worrying trend is starting to appear in China, Tesla's most significant latest insurance data from China showed a decline in Tesla's weekly sales, triggering new fear among investors already on edge about the company's performance, as per a the week ended May 11, Tesla delivered only 3,070 cars in China, 58% fall from the prior week, and 69% below from a year ago, reported Fortune. Most of that drop was in the Model Y, Tesla's best-selling model worldwide, which reported just 1,270 units sold, its lowest point since it went on sale in China, according to the a firm that has China as its sole largest market, which is larger even than the United States, these figures are a red flag. Roland Pircher, who regularly tracks Tesla's international EV sales, said, 'Something is definitely going on in China,' quoted READ: Warren Buffett breaks hearts and silence, reveals the deeply personal reason behind his emotional exit from Berkshire Hathaway CarNewsChina reported that Tesla's plan to stick with the same lineup of vehicles and provide just incremental updates is beginning to fail in China. Regardless of how many incentives or discounts the company includes, it's increasingly difficult to persuade buyers, particularly those who have been waiting for a more thrilling update of the Model Y, as per the report. Numerous potential buyers do not find it to be of compelling value to purchase what is ultimately a five-year-old vehicle, as per Chinese companies such as Xpeng G6, Onvo L60, Li Auto L6, BYD Sealion 7 and Zeekr 7X are performing way better than Tesla because the domestic brands innovate at 'China speed', according to the report. This means that these companies have reduced development cycles on new models to just two to three years from the industry standard of six to seven, as per READ: Working 7 days a week comes with solid perks: Nvidia executives earn millions - here's how much CEO Jensen Huang pockets CarNewsChina wrote, 'Competition in the Middle Kingdom is simply too much,' adding, 'Young Chinese buyers don't have the fear of buying Chinese products like their parents, who still remember the 90s. The lack of new models is finally hurting Tesla in China.'Yes. Tesla's sales dropped due to declining demand, especially for the Model Y, which saw a sharp decrease in sales, as per automakers are speeding up their innovation cycles to just 2-3 years, while Tesla takes much longer to refresh its models.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Tesla rejoins the $1 trillion club, but troubling China data sparks investor doubts about what's really driving growth
Tesla might have regained its $1 trillion market capitalization this week, but a worrying trend is starting to appear in China, Tesla's most significant market. Sharp Drop in Tesla Sales in China The latest insurance data from China showed a decline in Tesla's weekly sales, triggering new fear among investors already on edge about the company's performance, as per a report. For the week ended May 11, Tesla delivered only 3,070 cars in China, 58% fall from the prior week, and 69% below from a year ago, reported Fortune. Most of that drop was in the Model Y, Tesla's best-selling model worldwide, which reported just 1,270 units sold, its lowest point since it went on sale in China, according to the report. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Treatment That Might Help You Against Knee Pain Knee pain | search ads Find Now For a firm that has China as its sole largest market, which is larger even than the United States, these figures are a red flag. Roland Pircher, who regularly tracks Tesla's international EV sales, said, 'Something is definitely going on in China,' quoted Fortune. ALSO READ: Warren Buffett breaks hearts and silence, reveals the deeply personal reason behind his emotional exit from Berkshire Hathaway Live Events Stagnant Product Line CarNewsChina reported that Tesla's plan to stick with the same lineup of vehicles and provide just incremental updates is beginning to fail in China. Regardless of how many incentives or discounts the company includes, it's increasingly difficult to persuade buyers, particularly those who have been waiting for a more thrilling update of the Model Y, as per the report. Numerous potential buyers do not find it to be of compelling value to purchase what is ultimately a five-year-old vehicle, as per CarNewsChina. Rising Competition from Chinese EV Brands Meanwhile, Chinese companies such as Xpeng G6, Onvo L60, Li Auto L6, BYD Sealion 7 and Zeekr 7X are performing way better than Tesla because the domestic brands innovate at 'China speed', according to the report. This means that these companies have reduced development cycles on new models to just two to three years from the industry standard of six to seven, as per CarNewsChina. ALSO READ: Working 7 days a week comes with solid perks: Nvidia executives earn millions - here's how much CEO Jensen Huang pockets CarNewsChina wrote, 'Competition in the Middle Kingdom is simply too much,' adding, 'Young Chinese buyers don't have the fear of buying Chinese products like their parents, who still remember the 90s. The lack of new models is finally hurting Tesla in China.' FAQs Did Tesla's sales drop in China? Yes. Tesla's sales dropped due to declining demand, especially for the Model Y, which saw a sharp decrease in sales, as per Fortune. How fast are Chinese automakers innovating compared to Tesla? Chinese automakers are speeding up their innovation cycles to just 2-3 years, while Tesla takes much longer to refresh its models.
The Independent
25-03-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
BYD Sealion 7 review: Fast SUV lags behind Tesla on price and range
Do we really need an all-electric SUV to go from zero to 62mph in 4.5 seconds? BYD certainly thinks so – enough to announce it on the car's badge on the boot lid. According to BYD bosses, performance is more important than range for BYD buyers. I disagree. If you had a slider on the glorious 15.6-inch touchscreen that let you choose a slower 0-62mph time in exchange for a 350 mile range, I reckon most people would do precisely that. So has BYD got it wrong? The brand is clearly positioning itself in the premium sector and the Sealion 7's showroom appeal lives up to that billing. It's a smart looking SUV that's a decent size – at 4,830mm long, it's a little longer than a Tesla Model Y. Build quality is hugely impressive, too. All the materials are posh inside and the flowing design (this is part of the Ocean Series of car, so there are wave shapes-aplenty) looks really premium. Then there's the tech count, which takes the battle to Tesla. We prefer the BYD's touchscreen to the Tesla's, thanks to some thoughtful touches. Space is good, but the drive is a bit of a disappointment – wallowy through bends and a bit bumpy around town. The biggest problems, though, are the fact that it's both more expensive than the Model Y (more so up against an Xpeng G6 and Changan Deepal S07) and won't go as far on a single charge, It's a bold move by BYD, and a bit too bold by my reckoning. How we tested We joined BYD's launch extravaganza in Milton Keynes, so drove the car around lots of roundabouts, but also managed to drive around the city and on some of the country lanes. We also tried the back seats and boot for size, too. Independent rating: 6/10 Pros: Spacious, well made, loaded with easy-to-use tech Cons: Too expensive and doesn't go far enough, not great to drive Price range: £46,990 to £58,990 Battery size: 82,5 & 91.3kWh Maximum claimed range: 312 miles Miles per kWh: TBC Maximum charging rate: 230kW Battery, range, charging, performance and drive There are two battery sizes available across three Sealion 7 models, all using BYD's blade battery tech and the company's e-Platform 3.0. Comfort and Design cars get the 82.5kWh battery, Excellence gets a 91.3kWh battery. Both Design and Excellence also get all-wheel drive, so the maximum claimed ranges for all three line up as 300 miles for the two-wheel drive Comfort, 283 for the four-wheel drive Design and 312 for the Excellence, also with four-wheel drive. Charging speeds aren't too bad. You get a maximum speed of 150kW for the smaller battery and 230kW for the larger one – but again, not as good as a cheaper Tesla. It does mean that a ten to 80 per cent charge will take just 24 minutes with the larger battery, though. That 4.5 second 0-62mph time is fun at times, but pretty irrelevant for most buyers. There's plenty of performance when you're on the move and want an instant hit of power, but you're not going to think any of the Sealion 7's rivals are slow. What's more important is how comfortable the Sealion 7 is on the road, and it's not great news here. It's an unusual combination of slightly wallowy and firm; it'll lean through bends and occasionally feel a bit bouncy over undulations, while it can also feel firm and a bumpy over potholes and drain covers. It's not uncomfortably firm, but will always let you know how bad the road is. The steering isn't exactly responsive, either, nor does the handling live up to the sporty pretensions of that 0-62mph time. That said, things are quiet on board, thanks to plenty of sound-deadening and double glazing. Interior, practicality and boot space BYD's blade battery is an integral part of the car's body, which has big safety advantages. With not much other than storage space (a 58-litre frunk) under the bonnet and a structure designed to deform in a certain way, it pays dividends should you suffer a frontal impact. In its measured tests, BYD says that pedal intrusion into the cabin is considerably less than rivals. The Sealion 7 is slightly longer than its main rivals, which means excellent space inside. I had no complaints about headroom, even with the lovely full-length panoramic sunroof that's standard on all models. The long rear doors open usefully wide for easy access into the huge rear cabin, which is comfortable with a good view out and up. The rear seats even adjust and are heated, too – there's added cooling for those in the front. Sadly, the view out of the back window isn't great, although a good camera system helps when reversing and the mirrors are usefully large. It's a bit like peering through a letterbox at the back, not helped in bad weather by the lack of a rear wiper – aerodynamics may keep the rear screen clear on the move, but not in stop-start traffic in bad weather. The powered boot door swings up high to reveal a good 520-litre boot with a nice deep well under the boot floor. There's that added space in the frunk and inside you'll find no fewer than 20 cubbies for storage. Technology, stereo and infotainment The star of the show on the tech front is the rotating 15.6-inch touchscreen, which swivels via touch or voice control, featuring BYD's excellent latest operating system and the company's trademark. Not only is the screen crisp and responsive, but BYD has clearly given thought to what users in the UK want and don't want when it comes to usability. I really like the three finger swipes that can instantly adjust the temperature or fan speed without delving into menus. There's a dock at the bottom of the screen with fast buttons for other important features, as well as more detailed heating and ventilation controls. There's Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity with a cooled, 15-watt wireless smartphone charger, too. A 12-speaker Dynaudio music system takes care of the sounds, while voice control is excellent. It carries on listening after a first instruction for back and forth conversation with the car – which can catch you out if you forget. In front of the driver is a 10-inch digital display that's customisable, but always a bit overcrowded. Top-spec Excellence cars get an excellent head-up display. All cars get the option to use your smartphone as your key – just wave it over the driver's door mirror to open the car – while all the expected driver assistance and safety systems are present and correct. Prices and running costs Put simply, the Sealion 7 is surprisingly expensive. BYD seems to think it's more premium than its rivals and is pricing it accordingly. The entry-level car at £46,990 is £2,000 more than the entry-level Tesla Model Y and £7,000 more than an equivalent Xpeng G6 or Changan Deepal S07. In the case of the Tesla it offers 311 miles of range versus 300 for the BYD. Go for the Tesla Model Y Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive car to match the BYD Sealion 7 Excellence and the Tesla will go 364 miles for £51,990 – the BYD costs £58,990 and only goes 312 miles. With a giant 91.3kWh battery on board, we'd expect better efficiency from the BYD, especially with the company claiming to be a tech leader with its blade batteries. BYD is already offering low-rate finance with 1.9 per cent APR on a range of packages. There's also a six-year warranty, which beats many rivals' cover. BYD Sealion 7 rivals Tesla Model Y Xpeng G6 Kia EV6 FAQs How long does it take to charge? Depending on battery, the Sealion 7 will charge at either 150kW (82.5kWh battery) or 230kW (91.3kWh battery). How much does it cost - is it worth it? There's no escaping the fact that the BYD Sealion 7 is more expensive than its rivals, with the cheapest model costing £46,990. Does BYD replace batteries for free? BYD covers batteries for eight years or 125,000 miles, while the warranty on the rest of the car is six years or a rather specific 93,750 miles. The verdict: BYD Sealion 7 So much for these Chinese brands undercutting rivals – the new BYD Sealion 7 is more expensive than its big rival, the new Tesla Model Y. It also doesn't go as far on a single charge. So being more expensive and with a smaller range immediately count against the BYD, and then you drive it, which might put you off even more.
