China

Chinese President Xi Jinping (above), in a surprise announcement yesterday, told the United Nations General Assembly via video that China would achieve a peak in carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060. This will require a radical reshaping of the Chinese economy.

Tesla made about $354 million in Q1 2020 by selling regulatory credits. Fiat Chrysler and General Motors, among others, buy billions of dollars in CO2 credits a year to avoid paying fines. What if a similar credit system to get individuals to drive an electric car, or avoid driving altogether, were put in place? That’s what the Beijing Environmental Exchange launched today.

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The first 500 units of the all-electric Aiways U5 SUV are on their way to Europe. Their arrival will mark the first batch of Made-in-China EVs to be put on European roads, paving the way for a new level of affordability for long-range electric vehicles.

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In the latest update to Bloomberg’s “Electric Vehicle Outlook,” forecasters say the world will never buy as many traditional gas-powered cars and trucks as we did in 2017. While gas cars will continue to make up more than half of global auto sales for years ahead, gas cars have already peaked – and EVs will now take over.

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Huawei’s 5G-based HiCar technology is not just another auto infotainment system. It’s more like an interface to the car’s core operating system and a vehicle-to-X channel to the road. HiCar will first appear on the BYD Han EV in June, before arriving in models from about 30 different auto brands.

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The Shanghai Municipal Government yesterday announced its smart-city action plan. Activities include adding 100,000 charging ports, so-called Internet-of-Vehicle roadways, and 34,500 5G base stations. Those charging ports double as interactive devices that collect a lot of data, including “user portraits.”

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With lockdowns lifting in China, car buyers are coming back in droves. Personal vehicles have new appeal as consumers hold fears about the safety of public transit. The return of car purchasing in China could be a boon for EV makers.

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Retail auto sales in China dropped 45% in the first three weeks of March. It might take into the fall for the Chinese auto market to recover. So, to jumpstart the resumed sales of EVs, automakers are using creative but gimmicky methods. Will they bring car buyers back to dealerships and put them behind the wheel of an EV?

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Wuling Motors, a joint venture with General Motors and SAIC Motor, revealed photos this week of its first all-electric vehicle. The company said that it’s inspired by Japanese Kei cars, among the world’s smallest highway-capable vehicles. It could give us a glimpse of the type of cars that GM will help fulfill the country’s promise of selling a million EVs a year by the middle of the 2020s.

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Sales of electric vehicles in China were already in a slump after the government cut subsidies last year. The coronavirus is now resulting in a free fall for the overall vehicle market, including EVs. The drop in electric car sales is prompting Beijing to consider bringing back incentives, starting with local sources.

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NIO’s last quarter and 2019 financial results show the EV startup is focused on increasing efficiency and reducing costs. Expand
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More than 3,000 people have died from the coronavirus so far. And we still don’t know how far the virus will reach. At the same time, the virus is having an unanticipated impact on emerging technologies with global supply chains. That includes electric cars.

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Xpeng is boasting that its P7 EV boasts the highest range of EVs made or assembled in China. This was verified by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) of China. Expand
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It will take months to figure the extent of the catastrophic Coronavirus outbreak. To help fight off the Covid-19 epidemic, eHang is lending its eVTOL for medical relief. Expand
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The coronavirus has killed more than 1,000 people with a devastating international economic impact. After closing factories, Xpeng Motors, NIO, and eHang have resumed work on Monday. We asked Xpeng Motors to tell us what they are doing to ensure the health and safety of their staff and customers. Expand
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Phase One of the new US-China trade deal was signed last week, and its unconventional approach is likely to lead to a nice jolt for Tesla Model X and S sales from California to China.

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China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Tuesday released its 15-year EV plan. The “draft development” plan sets a target for EVs to account for 25% of annual new light-vehicle sales by 2025 ­— with no targets specified beyond that year. That’s up from the 20% goal it set two years ago. But Beijing plans to continue phasing out consumer incentives. Instead, it will create EV quotas for carmakers to meet.

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The Chinese government is currently phasing out most of its electric vehicle incentives, but it is still trying to boost sales of EVs by not allowing cities to impose license plate quotas on electric vehicles.

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China has announced its plans to reduce subsidies for electric cars sold in the country, as has been expected for some time.

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Electrek Green Energy Brief: A daily technical, financial, and political review/analysis of important green energy news.

Today on EGEB, the Chinese company Longi Solar had its record-breaking 60-cell bifacial shingling module certified by the China General Certification Center. Representatives of the European solar industry want the EU to end import duties on Chinese panels. China’s energy regulator want wind farms to get a better access to the electrical grid to curb power waste.

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