Ursula von der Leyen wants a faster trigger. The European Commission president said Brussels will propose a new trade-defence instrument that could restrict access to the single market at short notice when a surge of cheap imports damages European industry. Cars and vehicle components sit squarely inside that blast radius, though the Commission has not … Read more
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) ruled on 20 October that any vehicle without a Level 3 or higher autonomous driving system is forbidden from fitting ADS marker lights. The familiar blue “little blue light” that L2 assisted-driving cars have been flashing to signal their status is now officially banned. Illustration of an … Read more
In 1934 the Red 25th Army marched into Shiyan, in Hubei, and seeded a revolutionary base. In the 1960s builders trekked into those mountains to found the Second Auto Works, opening Hubei’s auto industry. More than fifty years on, that industry tops one trillion yuan, yet its weakest link was always the parts it could … Read more
Aion opens Ray7 pre-sales from 128,800 yuan On 17 October, GAC’s Aion brand opened pre-sales for the Ray7, a 4.9-metre fastback sedan with a wheelbase of 2.9 metres, starting at 128,800 yuan. The front end carries a 3.25-metre dual-ring light strip that Aion calls the signature of its ten-year design refresh. The Ray7’s 3.25-metre dual-ring … Read more
China has turned a recommended standard for electric-motorcycle batteries into a mandatory one, a move that raises the safety floor for a fast-growing two-wheeler segment. A mandatory standard from July 2027 The State Administration for Market Regulation, together with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, has approved a compulsory national standard covering safety requirements … Read more
Geely has launched its first new-energy hardcore SUV under the Galaxy brand, and the spec sheet reads like a direct answer to the wave of rugged electric 4x4s reaching Europe. A ladder frame under a family SUV The Warship 700 arrived in Hangzhou on 10 October with three powertrains across six trims, at a limited-time … Read more
Tesla finally brought its long-delayed next-generation Roadster in front of an audience, and the car did things no production vehicle is supposed to do. A supercar that drives on the ceiling The unveiling took place outdoors at SpaceX’s test site in McGregor, Texas. In the live demo, the Roadster ran along a near-vertical curved track, … Read more
A braking test of the ultra-luxury Zunjie V800 MPV turned into a national argument this month, and sent its maker’s stock to a trading halt. Jianghuai Automobile (JAC) shares hit the daily limit-down on the brake-test fallout. (Source: Chedongxi) Chedongxi reported on 8 October that a Dongchedi-affiliated account bought three Zunjie V800 units between 1 … Read more
On the eve of its next Roadster unveiling, Tesla quietly did something that matters more to its installed base: it pushed a new driver-assistance build to cars that are nearly a decade old. Tesla began rolling FSD v14 Lite to Model S and Model X cars built on Intel infotainment chips. (Source: Chedongxi) Chedongxi reported … Read more
China’s car exports are on track to cross 10 million units for the full year, and the make-up of that volume has shifted in a way western carmakers cannot ignore. Exports clear 8.2 million in three quarters The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers reported this week that outbound shipments reached 8.205 million units in the … Read more