China has produced 11.345 million units of electric vehicles, including plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and extended-range hybrid electric vehicles (EREVs), according to the latest data by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). Out of that total, 10.121 million units, or 89% of them, were sold within China. The production figures are 34.6% and 40.3% higher than the same 11-month period last year. Much of this is boosted by the Chinese government doubling subsidies for EV purchases. Si

Hans

Dec 31, 2024

This will be controversial: the 2024 Suzuki Swift has scored a dismal 1-star rating in the Australian NCAP crash tests, despite getting 3 stars in the stricter Euro NCAP tests conducted earlier. Suzuki Australia previously advised that the Australian and New Zealand market Swift have different safety specification compared to those sold in Europe, and therein stems the problem, according to ANCAP's report. ANCAP testing of locally-sold vehicles has highlighted some concerns, particularly with th

Sanjay

Dec 31, 2024

Building a brand is like growing a tree—strong and valuable ones require more than a decade of patience to grow. In the automotive world, brand equity is a powerful currency that buys trust. For newcomers like Leapmotor, the challenge is huge: how does the little-known brand earn trust in a market saturated by so many “me-too” Chinese electric vehicle brands. Few know that Leapmotor is one of the most successful electric vehicle start-ups in China (BYD is not considered a start-up), often compar

Hans

Dec 31, 2024

Malaysia’s burgeoning car market has seen its C-SUV segment become the most tightly-contested slice of the pie right now. What used to be the domain of Japanese stalwarts now include local and Chinese upstarts, all vying for victory in the crowded arena. All of this has caused a shift alright, one that sees the market-leading Toyota Corolla Cross to regroup its pieces and play defense—a position it hasn’t been in for quite some time. While Chinese brands storm into the market with attractive pri

Sanjay

Dec 30, 2024

Chery Indonesia is keen to diversify its lineup in the country, announcing plans for four new models in 2025, two of which will be hybrids, reports our sister site Autofun Indonesia. This was directly confirmed by Rifkie Setiawan, Head of Brand Department at PT Chery Sales Indonesia. He revealed that the upcoming range would include both hybrids (HEV) and plug-in hybrids (PHEV), all stemming from the Tiggo series. “Next year, we expect to introduce approximately 4-5 new models, including Hybrid

Sanjay

Dec 30, 2024