China’s EV records mask weaker home demand as exports carry growth

China set records for battery-electric sales and EV market share, but domestic retail sales fell as exports supported overall growth. Volkswagen’s battery safety measures brought an immediate concern for owners, while BYD pushed faster charging into new Chinese and European models.

Key developments

China’s records hide domestic weakness

China’s September NEV sales reached 1.823 million, up 13.6%, including a record 1.3 million battery-electric vehicles across domestic and export markets. Domestic NEV retail sales fell 16.7% to 1.084 million even as penetration reached 67%; combustion-vehicle sales fell 49%.

Record market share does not mean stronger domestic EV demand, leaving Chinese automakers more reliant on exports for growth.

Oct 12–17 · CnEVPost · electrive · Electric Vehicles Archives

Volkswagen restricts charging over battery risk

Volkswagen is preparing to recall several thousand EVs, including the ID.4 and ID. Buzz, over potential battery-cell defects and is advising affected owners to charge only to 80%. Some ID.4 batteries will automatically be capped at 80% unless owners opt out, to reduce fire risk.

Affected drivers lose usable range while awaiting a repair.

Oct 16–18 · electrive · InsideEVs · Electrek

BYD launches long-range Da Han

BYD put the Da Han EV on sale in China from $35,050, with a claimed range of up to 1,008 km under the CLTC test cycle. Its standard 102.3-kWh second-generation Blade Battery can charge from 10% to 97% in nine minutes, according to the launch claims.

The sedan puts claimed long range and rapid charging into direct price competition with other flagship EVs.

Oct 13 · CnEVPost · Electrek

Five-minute charging reaches BYD’s European SUV

BYD unveiled the seven-seat Atto 8 for Europe with over 400 miles of range and its first European application of second-generation batteries and Flash Charging. BYD says it can charge from 10% to 70% in five minutes and reach 97% in under ten.

European family-SUV buyers gain access to BYD’s latest battery and charging technology.

Oct 12 · Electrek · InsideEVs

Solid-state cells enter series production

GAC-backed Greater Bay Technology began series production of solid-state battery cells in Guangzhou. Its converted lithium-ion production line has initial capacity of 1 GWh, expandable to 4 GWh.

Solid-state battery development has moved into repeat manufacturing at this plant rather than remaining solely a laboratory effort.

Oct 14 · electrive

Regional EV sales diverge

Europe recorded its strongest September for EV sales while North American sales fell 44%. Volkswagen Group’s European EV sales rose 20% year-on-year in the third quarter, but weakness in the US and China pushed its overall electric deliveries lower.

European growth is not offsetting weaker sales elsewhere for automakers exposed to all three markets.

Oct 12–15 · Electrek · electrive · InsideEVs

Volkswagen breaks China’s 100,000-yuan barrier

Volkswagen updated the ID. UNYX 06 and 07 with LiDAR and lower entry prices. The 07 now starts at 99,900 yuan ($14,860), making it Volkswagen’s first fully electric model in China below 100,000 yuan.

Volkswagen now competes at a lower price point in China’s affordable-EV market.

Oct 17 · CnEVPost

US fast charging grows more costly at Tesla

The US public fast-charging network passed 80,000 ports, with new sites becoming larger and more powerful. Tesla continues to lead fast-charger growth, while its Supercharging prices rose 15% over a year and most networks’ prices remained steady.

Drivers gain more charging options, but rising Supercharger costs can change which network is cheapest to use.

Oct 13–14 · InsideEVs · InsideEVs · Electrek

BMW starts China Gen6 battery production

BMW began series production of Gen6 high-voltage batteries in Shenyang for locally manufactured Neue Klasse models, adding the third plant in its new battery network. It also reported that an i3 50L covered 1,213 km without recharging in a real-world road test.

Local battery manufacturing advances the supply base for BMW’s next electric models in China.

Oct 15 · CnEVPost · Electrek · electrive

Leapmotor begins Spanish production

Leapmotor’s B10 rolled off the production line at Stellantis’ Zaragoza plant in Spain. The company also gave the A05 its European debut.

European production gives Leapmotor a local manufacturing base for its expansion in the region.

Oct 13 · CnEVPost

Also this week

Sales and operations

• Tesla’s sales to Chinese buyers fell 11.9% to 381,088 in the first nine months of 2026, while Shanghai exports more than doubled to 361,972. Electrek

• BMW Group’s third-quarter fully electric deliveries rose 7.2% to 110,257, although its first-nine-month total remained below the previous year. electrive

• China’s NEV retail sales fell 13% during October 1–11, with retail penetration at 61.2% and wholesale penetration at 78.1%. CnEVPost

• Manufacturing problems constrained Volvo EX60 output and delayed US deliveries, with availability remaining limited for now. InsideEVs · Electrek

• Xiaomi Auto delivered 40,015 vehicles in September, up 32.71% from August but down 4.61% year-on-year. CnEVPost

• China’s September EV battery installations reached 87.2 GWh, up 14.7% year-on-year, as CATL’s 40.92% share led BYD’s 21.09% and their gap narrowed for a fourth month. CnEVPost · CnEVPost

Models and prices

• Smart unveiled the €19,990 #2 two-seater with a 35.8-kWh LFP battery and up to 290 km of WLTP range, with European early orders opening October 13. InsideEVs · Electrek

• Xpeng launched the G9L in European markets including France and Germany after trial production in Austria, as monthly overseas sales exceeded 10,000 for the first time. CnEVPost

• Renault cut the Renault 4 E-Tech electric’s price by €1,810 while adding range and equipment improvements and introducing a Roland-Garros edition. electrive

• Xpeng opened Mona L05 pre-sales from 169,800 yuan ($25,250), ahead of its official Chinese launch on October 29. CnEVPost

• Suzuki priced its first electric kei car, the e Sky, from 2.12 million yen, approximately €12,000, with Japanese sales beginning November 16 below rival BYD and Honda prices. electrive

• Tesla unveiled a redesigned Roadster targeting 2028 production, with presenters reporting a live 0–60 mph result of 0.81 seconds and demonstrating flight maneuvers while acknowledging safety and road-legality caveats. CnEVPost · electrive · InsideEVs

• Cupra introduced an Origin trim and a smaller 58-kWh battery option for the UK Tavascan, lowering its starting price to £39,995 and cutting prices on selected existing versions. electrive

• Opel’s Astra Start trim lowered the Astra Electric’s base price by €1,900 to €36,490, omitting equipment including a heat pump. electrive

• Mercedes-AMG unveiled its electric GT SUV with 710-kW charging and a claimed 10–80% charge in 12 minutes, with the GT 53 starting at €113,050 and US arrivals scheduled for summer 2027. InsideEVs · Electric Cars Report · Electrek

• BYD’s all-new Han and third-generation Qin Plus appeared in vehicle filings, with the Han exceeding 5.1 meters in length. CnEVPost

• Leapmotor launched the A10s at about $13,800 with LiDAR and a claimed 505-km CLTC range. CnEVPost

• BYD scheduled the second-generation Seagull’s launch for October 20, with the redesigned EV growing 425 mm longer than its predecessor. CnEVPost · Electrek

• GAC Aion opened Ray 7 pre-sales from 128,800 yuan ($19,160), offering up to 702 km of CLTC range and reserving Huawei brake-by-wire for the top trim. CnEVPost · GlobalChinaEV

Battery supply

• Changan and CATL planned 75 GWh of battery production lines and collaboration on solid-state cells targeting 1,500 km of range. CarNewsChina.com

• Trafigura signed a binding 10-year agreement for 100,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium products from EnergyX projects in the US and Chile, with a significant portion intended for US battery plants. electrive

• Nio scheduled a 60-kWh Firefly battery pack for introduction on October 23, offering a claimed 560-km CLTC range alongside the existing 42.1-kWh pack. CnEVPost

• American Battery Solutions introduced Aventor, an 800-V battery platform for commercial, industrial and specialty applications, assembled in the US with domestically sourced cells. Charged EVs

• ACC produced its five-millionth cell at its French factory and scheduled a second production block with 12.9 GWh of capacity to begin production in 2027. electrive

• Rivian and Redwood Materials expanded their partnership to cover battery recycling, critical-mineral recovery and second-life battery storage at Rivian’s Illinois factory. InsideEVs · Electric Cars Report

• Graphene Manufacturing Group said its G CELLS completed 1,000 six-minute charge and discharge cycles without performance reduction in testing. Charged EVs

• ProLogium and Rimac Technology unveiled an EV battery pack concept, with functional testing planned for 2027. Electric Cars Report

• W. L. Gore & Associates introduced the GORE Battery Vents MultiVent Series, combining pressure equalization, moisture protection and thermal-runaway venting for EV and energy-storage packs. Charged EVs

Charging and grids

• Renault Group and EDF planned a French bidirectional charging package for next summer, combining an EV, wallbox and charging management for Renault, Alpine and Dacia owners. electrive

• Mercedes-Benz launched a German private-customer vehicle-to-grid package initially compatible with the electric GLC and new C-Class, using technology services from The Mobility House. electrive

• Michelin EV Charge connected fleets to more than 1.2 million European charging points, combining charging data and telematics to manage costs. Electric Cars Report

• Wallbox and EDP électrique installed 120 charging points at Montréal Metropolitan Airport’s YHU terminal, with another 48 planned after construction of a new building. electrive

Corporate and autonomy

• Seres-built Aito confirmed a European sales launch for fall 2027 after displaying the Aito 9, 8, 7 and 6 SUVs in Paris. CnEVPost · Electrek

• Tesla submitted reports of two more Robotaxi collisions involving remote operators, bringing reported remote-operator crashes in the data to five. Electrek

• BYD Malaysia selected Inokom Corporation as its local partner for completely knocked-down vehicle assembly in Kulim, Kedah. Electric Vehicles Archives

• Li Auto signed $242 million in financing agreements for its Mach chip business, including 1 billion yuan from Li Auto and 625 million yuan from external investors. CnEVPost

• GAC confirmed it would take over FAW’s 50% stake in FAW Toyota, with the venture expected to continue operating independently for now. electrive

• Mercedes-Benz and NVIDIA expanded their partnership across AI-powered driving, MB.OS, automated parking and future Level 4 autonomy. Electric Cars Report

What to watch

• BYD’s second-generation Seagull launches October 20, bringing the larger redesigned model to market.

• Nio introduces Firefly’s 60-kWh battery on October 23, with a claimed 560-km CLTC range.

• Xpeng’s Mona L05 receives its official Chinese launch on October 29, following pre-sales from 169,800 yuan.

• Suzuki’s e Sky goes on sale in Japan on November 16, starting at 2.12 million yen.

• Volkswagen’s battery recall and repair remedy remain pending; the timing of a fix has not been announced.