FAW acquires 5% of Leapmotor's capital
- 说明
FAW acquires 5% of Leapmotor's capital
- Chinese carmaker FAW, which assembles Volkswagen vehicles in its Chinese factories and owns the premium brand Hongqi (currently boasting 17 different models), will acquire a 5% stake in its compatriot Leapmotor, a company specializing in battery electric vehicles. Stellantis already owns 20% of Leapmotor.
- FAW and Leapmotor may collaborate on the design of future models. This initiative could also be viewed as a strategy to balance the shareholders between Chinese and non-Chinese, which will allow Leapmotor to consolidate the position of a small but rapidly growing carmaker. Leapmotor produced 536,000 cars in China during the first 11 months of 2025, double the volume of the first 11 months of 2024, making it one of the most dynamic Chinese carmakers. Leapmotor also aims to sell one million cars in 2026, doubling its 2025 volume once again, and is targeting four million cars sold by 2035—the same as BYD's current production, with 10% of those sales expected to be outside of China.
- These figures are extremely ambitious, but BYD has become the world's fifth largest car carmaker in just a few years.
- Leapmotor, which already has seven models on the Chinese market (the A-segment T03 sedan, the C-segment B01 sedan, the D-segment C01 sedan, the C-segment B10 SUV, the D-segment C10 SUV, the D-segment C11 SUV, and the D-segment C16 SUV), has announced the launch next year of two new models: the D19 SUV and the D99 minivan. These will become the brand's most expensive models, thus targeting premium brands for the first time.
NIO has become a group made up of three different brands
- 说明
NIO has become a group made up of three different brands
- The Chinese carmaker NIO was founded in 2016, but its first commercially available model dates back to 2018. NIO designs, produces, and markets premium electric vehicles; in fact, it was one of the first Chinese carmakers to venture into this type of vehicle. NIO has also entered the battery charging infrastructure market. NIO operates a battery swapping system and more than 1,500 battery swapping stations in China. This system allows for the rapid replacement of a depleted battery with a charged one, rather than recharging the vehicle at a charging station, which can take many hours. Despite this technological advantage, NIO has not managed to outsell its main competitors. For the first 11 months of 2025, the NIO brand produced 151,149 electric cars in China and therefore expects to produce approximately 165,000 vehicles for the entire year.
- The current range consists of seven different models : NIO ET5 (D-segment sedan, BEV, 4.79 m long, 61,386 units over 11 months to 2025), NIO ET7 (E-segment sedan, BEV, 5.10 m long, 2,630 units), NIO ET9 (F-segment sedan, BEV, 5.32 m long, 3,268 units), NIO EC6 (E-segment SUV, BEV, 4.85 m long, 16,489 units), NIO EC7 (E-segment SUV, BEV, 4.97 m long, 890 units), NIO ES6 (D-segment SUV, BEV, 4.85 m long, 40,427 units), NIO ES8 (E-segment SUV, BEV, 5.10 m long, 26,059 units).
- The NIO brand has been steadily growing since 2018. Its production volume in China increased from 11,348 units in 2018 to 20,565 in 2019, 43,728 in 2020, 91,429 in 2021, 122,486 in 2022, 160,038 in 2023, and 221,970 in 2024. In 2025, the production volume of the NIO brand is estimated at 165,000 units, to which must be added 125,000 Onvo (a new brand of the NIO group) and 40,000 Firefly (another new brand of the NIO group), thus totaling 330,000 units for the entire NIO group.
Denza is the premium electric brand of the BYD group
- 说明
Denza is the premium electric brand of the BYD group
- Denza is a luxury electric car brand owned by BYD, China's leading carmaker, since 2024. Denza was established in 2010 as a 50/50 joint venture between BYD and Daimler AG (now Mercedes Group). Initially, Denza marketed electric vehicles derived from Mercedes models. In 2021, Mercedes sold 40% of its stake to BYD before selling the remaining 10% to BYD in 2024.
- Denza began exporting its cars from that point onward, initially to Southeast Asia, then to Europe and the Middle East. In the first 11 months of 2025, the Denza brand produced 132,476 cars in China, suggesting a projected volume of 145,000 units for the entire year. Denza exported only about 30 cars to Europe in 2025, plus 550 to Russia.
- Today, the Denza range itself consists of six different models: Denza D9 (E-segment MPV, BEV/PHEV, 5.25 m long, 91,697 units over 11 months to 2025), Denza Z9 (E-segment sedan, BEV/PHEV, 5.24 m long, 2,273 units), Denza Z9 GT (E-segment shooting brake, BEV/PHEV, 5.18 m long, 4,424 units), Denza N7 (D-segment SUV, BEV, 4.86 m long, 1,741 units), Denza N8 (E-segment SUV, PHEV, 5.20 m long, 6,525 units) and Denza N9 (E-segment SUV, PHEV, 5.26 m long, 25,816 units).
- Denza brand has been steadily progressing since 2022. Its production volume in China has increased from 9,978 units in 2022 to 127,840 in 2023, 126,035 in 2024, and therefore probably around 145,000 in 2025. But this figure remains very low compared to the BYD brand, which will produce more than 4 million cars in 2025, of which 52% will be BEVs and 48% PHEVs.
Exeed is one of the premium brands of the Chery group
- 说明
Exeed is one of the premium brands of the Chery group
- Exeed is a premium brand belonging to the Chery Group, the third-largest Chinese carmaker after BYD and Geely. Exeed was created from scratch in 2017, but the first model bearing the Exeed logo only appeared in 2019. This premium brand, which doesn't exclusively market electrified models (unlike Zeekr, Avatr, or Denza), primarily specializes in high-end SUVs but also offers a sedan with a very modern style.
- But, competition is fierce in the Chinese market, and there are many models from local brands aiming to position themselves in the premium category. As a result, in the first 11 months of 2025, Exeed produced only 93,086 cars in China, a decrease compared to 2024, suggesting a volume of just over 100,000 units for the entire year—less than its competitors Zeekr, Avatr, or Denza, which have opted to offer a fully electrified range of vehicles.
- The current range consists of six different models: ExeedSterra ES (E-segment sedan, REEV, 4.95 m long, 12,941 units over 11 months 2025), ExeedSterra ET (E-segment SUV, REEV, 4.95 m long, 12,836 units), Exeed LX (C-segment SUV, Thermal, 4.53 m long, 6,788 units), Exeed RX (D-segment SUV, Thermal/PHEV, 4.78 m long, 39,125 units) also called Omoda 9 for export, Exeed TX (D-segment SUV, Thermal, 4.66 m long or 4.78 m long as you choose, 11,863 units), Exeed VX (E-segment SUV, Thermal/PHEV, 4.97 m long, 9,533 units).
- Exeed brand has progressed steadily between 2019 and 2024. Its production volume in China increased from 16,233 units in 2019 to 18,252 in 2020, 35,434 in 2021, 56,104 in 2022, 126,763 in 2023 and 136,217 in 2024.
Avatr is the premium electric brand of the Changan group
- 说明
Avatr is the premium electric brand of the Changan group
- Avatr (pronounced Avatar), a subsidiary of the Changan Group, the fourth-largest Chinese carmaker after BYD, Geely, and Chery, was created in 2021 as a brand specializing in luxury or premium electric vehicles. For the first 11 months of 2025, Changan produced 107,875 Avatr vehicles in China, with no units exported to 30 European countries (EU + UK + Switzerland + Norway), but 1,000 units exported to Russia.
- In 2018, Changan sought to create, in partnership with NIO, a company dedicated to developing luxury and technologically advanced electric vehicles. To this end, a joint venture named Changan-NIO was established, with equal shares (50/50). However, this partnership ultimately failed, as NIO withdrew from the alliance in 2020. Changan then partnered with battery carmaker CATL, and in 2021, the Changan-NIO company was renamed Avatr Technology and began car production in 2022. From 2024, it was able to benefit from Huawei 's help in the field of infotainment.
- The current range consists of four different models : Avatr 06 (D segment sedan, BEV/REEV, 4.85 m long, 37,863 units over 11 months 2025), Avatr 07 (D segment SUV, BEV/REEV, 4.82 m long, 46,676 units), Avatr 11 (D segment SUV, BEV/REEV, 4.88 m long, 5,973 units) and Avatr 12 (E segment sedan, BEV/REEV, 5.02 m long, 17,363 units).
- Avatr brand has been steadily growing since 2022. Its production volume in China increased from 757 units in 2022 to 26,407 in 2023, and 64,303 in 2024. The 2025 volume is projected to increase significantly based on figures from the first 11 months and is estimated at approximately 120,000 units.