Chinese Electric Cars: The Competition Is Ruthless

At the most important Chinese automobile fair, everything revolves around electric innovations. More than 100 new models are expected in Shanghai, mostly electric-powered.

The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers is optimistic: during this year, the share of electric cars in new vehicle sales will easily surpass 50 percent. Internal combustion engine vehicles are rapidly disappearing from Chinese streets. Why is that?

The state is promoting the rise of electromobility. Electricity is "very cheap" in China, while oil is more expensive, says Cui Dongshu, an expert from the Chinese automobile association. For more than ten years, Beijing has subsidized the purchase of electric cars. Although direct purchase incentives have been abolished, tax breaks still exist.

Until the end of 2025, a 10 percent purchase tax will not have to be paid for electric cars. Many cities facilitate the registration of electric vehicles. In addition, the state quota for New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) obliges companies to produce an increasing share of electric and hybrid models, reports DW.

The success is tangible: in 2024, the NEV market share among new car sales reached around 47 percent, compared to 31.6 percent the previous year. At the same time, massive investments are being made in charging stations, battery swapping networks, and battery recycling.

Fierce Price War

In addition, the competition is ruthless. Tesla's entryTesla's entry into the Chinese market in 2020 encouraged Chinese car manufacturers to innovate and optimize costs, says analyst Paul Gong from UBS Bank. An electric car in China now costs roughly half as much as in the Western world.

The price war has been ongoing for three years. Nearly all major manufacturers have recently reduced prices again or are attracting buyers with bonus programs. Consequences include lower margins, losses, and overcapacity. Bankruptcies are becoming more frequent.

In 2024, many ambitious startups were forced to shut down. In December, the joint venture Jiyue—launched by tech giant Baidu and automaker Geely—collapsed shortly after entering the market.

Before that, many manufacturers failed, leaving behind uncertain customers and cars without service support or software updates.

Chinese Brands in the Fast Lane

Among the clear winners is BYD from Shenzhen. With affordable electric models, the company hit the mass market taste. In the first quarter of 2025, BYD sold nearly 700,000 electric and hybrid vehicles in China. Its market share is around 29 percent—more than the next four largest manufacturers combined. BYD has surpassed not only Tesla but also traditional leaders in the internal combustion segment.

Li Auto is also recording significant growth. This company, specialized in urban SUVs, relies on so-called extended-range hybrids, where the electric motor drives the vehicle, and the internal combustion engine charges the battery. With this concept, the company doubled its sales in 2024 and now operates profitably. Among the successful ones is also Geely, which owns brands such as Zeekr and Lynk&Co.

Chinese brands are increasingly aiming to enter foreign markets. In Germany, for example, BYD and Nio are already present. They are also expanding into South America and Southeast Asia. However, due to fears of market flooding with cheap Chinese cars, the EU and even Russia—a close Chinese partner—have tightened trade barriers. Experts expect that Chinese EV exports will grow more slowly this year.

Constant New Market Players

Large tech companies are also disrupting the market in China. Xiaomi, known for smartphones, successfully launched its first electric sedan, the SU7, in 2024. Xiaomi relies on the principle of "a lot of technology for little money." Huawei is also active, providing software solutions for at least seven car manufacturers. In Huawei stores, cars stand right next to smartphones.

Foreign manufacturers are under immense pressure. Their electric models often play a minor role. The continuous decline of German brands in China, according to automotive industry expert Zhong Shi, is partly due to their own shortcomings.

"German cars can certainly retain some market share in China, but that depends on who wins—Volkswagen or BMW and Mercedes," he explains. Cars from these three companies are seen by buyers as outdated.

Manufacturers are now more focused on the needs of Chinese consumers. Connectivity and digital dashboards are in demand—a smartphone on wheels. Analyst Gong advises foreign companies not to view China solely as a production hub but as a global center for research and development.

Continuous Innovation

After the electric car boom, autonomous driving is coming into focus. At the end of March, a fatal accident occurred involving a Xiaomi car in autopilot mode.

Three passengers died when the car crashed into a concrete pillar on a highway and caught fire. The incident sparked a debate in China about the safety of self-driving systems. The government is now warning manufacturers not to overstate the capabilities of their assistance systems.

According to industry forecasts, by 2026, more than 60 percent of all new cars sold in China will be electric.

The new large SUV will be positioned above the Q7 and Q8 in Audi's lineup.

Audi has been quietly working for over a year on a new flagship SUV model that is expected to compete with the Mercedes GLS and BMW X7.

The model, which will most likely be named Audi Q9, is intended to be an attractive option for buyers looking for a luxurious and expensive German SUV.

Recent "spy" photos, believed to show the sporty SQ9 version, served as the basis for unofficial renderings created by Nikita Chuiko (Kolesa.ru).

Although some details are still unknown, most of what is shown is expected to closely reflect what we will actually see on the roads.

The Audi Q9 will be slightly taller and longer than the current Q7, with a design that is softer, more rounded, and noticeably more elegant.

Kolesa.ru

Audi Q9 Design

Like many other brands, Audi has opted for split front headlights, which has become something of a trend in the modern automotive industry. Just below the hood are thin LED daytime running lights, while the main headlights are positioned directly beneath them.

The renderings made for Kolesa.ru show the Q9 with a darkened front grille and additional air intakes at the bottom of the front bumper.

The sides of the large SUV also feature interesting details. Noteworthy are the wheel arch claddings with a glossy black finish, and the doors have subtle touch-sensitive handles, similar to those found on the Ford Mustang Mach-E.

The Q9 has rounded rear fenders, making it more appealing than the somewhat "boxier" BMW X7. The widened wheel arches will allow for the installation of wider tires and wheels likely ranging between 21 and 23 inches in size.

At the rear, the taillights of the Q9 are almost identical to those of the new Audi A6 Avant, with a thin LED light strip connecting them. The vehicle in the rendering is also shown with a glossy black rear bumper.

Kolesa.ru

The interior will feature a fully digital instrument cluster with the latest version of Audi’s MMI system. It will include a dual-screen setup for the driver, while an additional screen for the front passenger will be available as an option.

This tech-forward approach is also expected in the second row of seats, and the Q9 will include a third row as well.

What do we know about the powertrains?

All signs point to the Q9 being built on the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) mechanical architecture, which is used in several other Audi models.

This platform supports various powertrains – petrol, diesel, and plug-in hybrid versions. It is compatible with 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engines as well as larger V6 engines, though it remains to be seen which versions Audi will actually offer.

The sportier SQ9 version will likely use the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine from the SQ7, which produces around 500 horsepower and 770 Nm of torque.

However, an even more powerful RS Q9 is not ruled out. Mercedes-AMG, for example, offers the GLS 63 which delivers a whopping 603 hp, so Audi may respond with the engine from the RS Q8, which in the Performance version delivers 631 hp and 850 Nm.

When can we expect the Audi Q9?

Audi has not yet officially confirmed the existence of the Q9 model or its premiere.

However, it is expected that the debut will take place at the end of this year or in the first half of 2026.

From this generation, the very popular and famous model is produced only in the estate version, which may disappoint some buyers.

The sales statistics of vehicles from previous generations helped Volkswagen in making this decision, and as a consolation – future owners can get a wide range of high-tech solutions in a car that still offers plenty of space and a comfortable ride.

In this test, see what the highest R line equipment package includes, as well as what the potential weak points and advantages of this model are.

The new A6 Avant closely resembles the Audi A5 in many aspects – a fact confirmed by the Euro NCAP safety test.

Euro NCAP, a non-profit organization that evaluates the safety of new vehicles on the market, conducted a detailed safety assessment of the attractive Audi A6 Avant station wagon.

In their report, they stated that they expected the same results as for the A5 model – which turned out to be true.

The reason lies in the fact that both models use the same mechanical platform (Premium Platform Combustion) and have identical specifications regarding both active and passive safety systems.

Audi A5 as a Previous Benchmark

The sedan version of the Audi A5 received the highest rating of five stars in the Euro NCAP safety test back in December of last year.

This rating was awarded based on crash test results conducted by the independent Euro NCAP body, in accordance with the protocol effective since 2023.

Euro NCAP

After numerous crash simulations, the 1835 kg Audi A5 achieved the following results:

87% for adult occupant protection,
88% for child occupant protection,
78% for protection of vulnerable road users (including pedestrians),
77% in the safety assist category (collision avoidance technologies).

Same Results for the New A6 Avant

The new Audi A6 Avant received identical ratings, even though it is significantly heavier (2075 kg). The scores are as follows:

87% for adult occupant protection,
88% for child occupant protection,
78% for protection of vulnerable road users,
77% in the safety assist category.
In other words, there is no difference – and the new A6 Avant, despite stricter testing standards, confirms its status as one of the safest cars on the market today.

Stricter Euro NCAP Standards Since 2023

In 2023, Euro NCAP updated its safety testing protocol, including:

new child detection systems,
specifications regarding vehicle behavior in the event of submersion,
new technologies for detecting motorcyclists and other vulnerable road users.
Due to these changes, achieving the maximum 5-star rating is now more difficult.

The tests now place special emphasis on:

passive safety (protection of occupants and vulnerable road users in the event of a crash),
active safety (preventing accidents and minimizing consequences),
as well as information on rescue procedures after a crash.

It’s enough to simply choose any two of the offered models...

If you're a big car enthusiast, you should definitely visit the portal carsized.com, because there you can check out something interesting – how certain cars look in comparison to others and how much they differ in size.

You can compare various models – for example, a small Fiat 500 with a huge American pickup truck, or, for instance, two generations of the same model, such as the Golf 2 and Golf 7, according to Revijahak.

All you need to do is choose any two of the offered models. The website will instantly show you an animation of the comparison, as well as the differences in dimensions.

Interesting, educational, and a bit like a toy for grown-up boys and girls. Enjoy!

Employees in service centers or showrooms may be at risk due to violent customers (and demonstrators).

Attacks on Tesla vehicles and sales locations have sparked a series of reactions. Many Tesla owners are trying to sell their cars, while showroom employees reportedly have a safe refuge.

Specifically, some Tesla showrooms are equipped with panic rooms where staff can retreat in case of angry customers.

An internal Tesla document titled “Manager Safety: Threats and Aggression Against Your Team” has come into the possession of the German newspaper Handelsblatt, thanks to a whistleblower.

As a result, Tesla has redesigned some of its showrooms to allow employees direct access to a separate room in the event of violence.

It’s not known which specific locations have these secure rooms, but it’s clear that “panic rooms” existed even before 2025, meaning they are not a direct response to the current wave of violence targeting Tesla.

Tesla cars and showrooms have become targets of demonstrators due to the activities of CEO Elon Musk, who is now part of the new U.S. administration led by President Donald Trump.

Dozens of Tesla electric vehicles have been attacked—shot at, vandalized with graffiti, and even set on fire in various locations around the world.

Because of these incidents, some vandals in the U.S. have been charged with crimes related to terrorism.