Eight China-connected electric-car companies: Headed for boom or bust?

ChinaAt almost twice the volume of the U.S., China is the world’s largest car market. Its government has aggressive plans to put the country at the forefront of global electric-car development, deployment, and sales. China’s entrepreneurs have responded energetically, with more than 60 electric-car brands now on the market or promised. Some...

Seven China-connected electric-car companies: Headed for boom or bust?

ChinaAt almost twice the volume of the U.S., China is the world’s largest car market. Its government has aggressive plans to put the country at the forefront of global electric-car development, deployment, and sales. China’s entrepreneurs have responded energetically, with more than 60 electric-car brands now on the market or promised. Some...

Renault City K-ZE goes on sale in China for $8,700

Renault City K-ZERenault's new all-electric city crossover went on sale in China earlier this month. Starting at just over $8,700 (after government subsidies), the baby EV offers quick at-home charging and a small footprint at the expense of speed and overall range. The City K-ZE is rated for 271 km (168 miles) of total range measured by NEDC, which might not work...

Tesla gets official nod from China with tax exemption

2019 Tesla Model 3 PerformanceThe California-based electric car maker Tesla has received a boost from the nation with the world’s largest auto market—China. As part of a declaration posted Friday by the country’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Tesla is receiving an exemption from a 10-percent purchase tax. The news, which is part of a broad...

Polestar opens its own factory to build flagship plug-in hybrid

Polestar production facility and customer experience center  -  Chengdu, ChinaVolvo’s Polestar electric performance vehicle brand is, step by step, asserting itself as a standalone automaker. And two of the largest leaps yet were announced by the brand today. One of them is that Polestar’s first production facility, in Chengdu, is now open and making the Polestar 1, a sleek high-performance plug-in hybrid sport...

The godfather of EVs in China has turned his attention to hydrogen cars

Kenworth T680 with Toyota hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain, at 2019 CESIt's no accident that nearly half of the world's electric cars on the road today are in China. According to the International Energy Agency, of the 1.9 million battery electric vehicles on the road, 951 million are found in China. Wan Gang had a lot to do with that. The former Audi exec is now China's state science and technology chief and helped...

Musk teases Tesla truck, opens Chinese Model 3 orders at lower price

Tesla CEO Elon Musk (r.) and Shanghai Mayor Ying Yong in Shanghai July 10, 2018In an appearance on a "Ride the Lightning" unofficial Tesla podcast this weekend, CEO Elon Musk got a little more specific about the company's highly-anticipated upcoming pickup truck. He confirmed earlier reports that the new pickup "won't look like a normal truck. It's going to look pretty sci-fi," he told interviewer Ryan McCaffrey. To be sure...

Byton readies for China production of $45k US-bound electric SUV

Byton M-Byte electric SUV prototypeNot too long ago, Byton was another longshot electric vehicle maker with some good ideas. But it’s already outlasted its early hype bubble and is looking increasingly likely to deliver what could be a very enticing combination to three continents—a large, spacious, long-range all-electric SUV with a new kind of interface, at a starting...

Electric car hopeful Nio closes California office amid layoffs

Nio ET Preview conceptChinese electric-car startup Nio announced Thursday that it will close an office in California and lay off 70 workers, according to a report in The Verge. The report cites a filing with the California Employment Development Department. After introducing two new SUVs alongside its high-performance electric sports car, Nio unveiled a new concept for...

Electric Honda HR-V and plug-in hybrid Kia Forte debut in Shanghai

Kia K3 at 2019 Shanghai auto showThe Shanghai auto show was full of new plug-in vehicles to meet that country's coming demand for electric cars. Two new plug-in models from mainstream automakers included the all-electric Honda X-NV SUV and the Kia K3 plug-in hybrid. While both of these models have U.S. counterparts—the Honda HR-V and Kia Forte—it's not likely we'll...