SAIC-GM, General Motors’ joint venture with SAIC Motor, opened its second plant producing electric vehicles based on GM’s Ultium platform. The factory is at the company’s production site in the city of Wuhan in Central China and has started making electric cars already.
In China, sales of new energy cars reached a new high in November: According to estimates by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), around 732,000 new energy cars were sold – about 56,000 more than in the previous record month of October 2022.
The SAIC-GM-Wuling joint venture is launching a convertible version of the all-electric Hong Guang Mini EV in China, which is extremely popular there. The Mini EV family of microcars has been ranked number one in China’s electric car sales rankings for 24 months in a row.
SAIC’s MG Motor brand is set to launch an electric microcar for global markets based on the platform of the SAIC-GM-Wuling joint venture’s Mini EV, which is extremely popular in China. The first foreign market is to be in India.
SAIC-GM-Wuling is aiming for annual sales of one million new energy vehicles (NEVs) as early as 2023. To achieve this, the Chinese joint venture also wants to invest heavily in development and also its own battery plant in China.
The Chinese joint venture of SAIC and General Motors has launched another electric microcar under the Wuling brand. The new Nano EV complements the Hongguang Mini EV, which is already very successful in China.
In China, around 357,000 New Energy Vehicles were sold in September. Battery-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and fuel cell vehicles together accounted for a market share of 17.3 per cent. BYD continues to be the strongest brand.
The Hongguang Mini battery capacity is to increase to 26 kWh (compared to 9 or 14 kWh in the current variants), which should enable an NEDC range of more than 300 km. This would also make the Mini EV eligible for subsidies in China.
China’s electric car manufacturers recorded rising sales figures for electric cars and plug-in hybrids in August. BYD surpassed the 60,000 new electric vehicle (NEV) sales mark for the first time. By comparison, Tesla sold 44,264 of its vehicles manufactured in China last month.
General Motors apparently wants to produce the Ultium platform for its electric vehicles in China in the future through its joint venture with SAIC. According to local media, SAIC-GM has recently entered into a strategic partnership with the Wuhan municipal government.
Around 97,000 electric cars and plug-in hybrids were sold in China in February, according to figures from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), 675 per cent more than in the same month last year but 37.9 per cent fewer than in January 2021. However, some manufacturers were also up in February.
In China, Buick presented the all-electric concept car Electra, which provides an outlook on the electric future of the General Motors brand. The crossover model uses GM’s new electric platform with an ‘Ultium’ battery.
In China, the decline in sales figures for new energy vehicles appears to be levelling off as some manufacturers’ sales figures for July seem to indicate. The Xpeng P7 market launch also apparently went well.
Baojun, the Chinese brand born of the SAIC-GM-Wuling joint venture, launched the E300 and E300 Plus electric vehicles. Six variants are priced between RMB 64,800 ($9,154) and RMB 84,800 ($11,980).
Chevrolet has started selling its first all-electric model on the Chinese market. The Menlo EV is a fully electric SUV with a NEDC range of up to 410 kilometers and is available at prices starting at 159,900 yuan (approx. 21,000 euros) after the government subsidy.
Chevrolet will present the Menlo EV, a fully electric crossover model for the Chinese market, at the Chengdu Auto Show in September. While first pictures have already been leaked, as yet only a few technical details are known.
After initial delays, Buick now launched the brand’s first global all-electric vehicle, the Velite 6 MAV in China. It is also SAIC-GM’s first EV for the mass market. It features a maximum 85 kW of power, 255 Nm of torque and range of 301 km in the city.
General Motor’s joint venture in China, SAIC-GM agreed a cooperation with battery giant CATL. They aim to deepen cooperation in R&D for GM’s next battery technology for new energy vehicles in China. The move is a necessary one for GM.
General Motors has opened a factory in Shanghai to assemble batteries for their growing EV production in China. The factory, which is operated by the joint venture partners SAIC-GM is the second of its kind set up by GM.
Mission E confirmed: The supervisory board of the Porsche AG gave the green light for the Mission E project. Porsche will build a production version of the all-electric concept car, first revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show back in September. The carmaker says around 700 million euros will be invested and more than 1,000 new jobs will be created at its HQ in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. The electric sports car will have a range of more than 500 km and should arrive at dealerships by 2020. porsche.com, autonews.com, autocar.co.uk
Aston Martin partners with LeTV: The two companies have signed a MoU for the development of connected electric vehicles and smart vehicle technologies. Aston Martin’s first EV, the RapidE, will feature LeTV technology and will debut at the CES in January. gasgoo.com
Tesla cancels Detroit appearance: The EV pioneer will not attend the Detroit Auto Show. The event is said to be too costly, especially since Tesla is not even allowed to sell its vehicles in Michigan. detroitnews.com
SAIC-GM expands electric portfolio: The joint venture wants to introduce ten electrified models to the Chinese market by 2020. Scheduled for 2016 are the Cadillac CT6 PHEV, the Chevrolet Springo, which is based on the Chevy Volt, and the Buick D2JBI, an Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV). gasgoo.com
Lexus to debut LC500: Motoring reports that Lexus will finally reveal the car at the Detroit Auto Show in January. The Lexus LC 500 will also be available with a hybrid V6 powertrain (LC 500h), said to boast nearly 400 kW. Moreover, the drivetrain was redesigned to improve heat efficiency and fuel economy. motoring.com
Audi gets new technical boss: Stefan Knirsch will replace Ulrich Hackenberg, whose head is the latest to roll following the VW diesel scandal. Since 2013 Knirsch worked as Head of Powertrain within Audi and will now need to help Audi enter the age of electric mobility. greencarcongress.com, carscoops.com