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The Zeekr 001 FR launched in China for 769,000 yuan (105,100 USD). It is a 1.247-hp liftback from Geely Group. Its zero-to-hundred acceleration time reaches 2.37 seconds. Its production capacity is limited to just 99 vehicles per month.
Chinese MIIT revealed the specs of the Avatr 07 crossover from Changan, CATL, and Huawei in China. It is a mid-size new energy vehicle available in BEV and EREV variants. The Avatr 07 has up to 590 hp and LFP batteries from CATL. Its EREV version has up to 188 km of electric range. The Avatr 07 was previously known by the code name Avatr 15.
With NEVs, the term China uses for EVs and PHEVs, now accounting for over half of all car sales batteries are becoming increasingly important. While not as sexy as the latest car launches what powers them is equally newswothy and battery giant CATL got in on the action with its new Shenxing Plus battery. Using cheaper more stable lithium iron phosphate it achieves 4C charging and can add 600 kilometers in as little as 10 minutes.
The newAvatr 11 SUV was launched at the Beijing Auto Show today. The latest model is offered in four variants, ranging from 300,800 to 390,800 yuan (41,500 to 53,900 USD). The revised vehicle focuses on refinements instead of an overhaul.
Only days away from the 2024 Beijing Auto Show, Avatr Technology President Chen Zhuo teased a new Avatr 11 SUV variant that will be launched at the show. The teaser images indicate the new variant has the same fluorescent gold found on the Avatr 12, released last month. One of the images teases the new SUV paint color and mentions that both Avatr models have won the Reddot Design Award 2024 from Germany.
Here's a story with a lot of layers, and it starts in China. The Beijing Late Post reports (translated, and via Car News China) that battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Company (CATL) is in talks with General Motors about establishing a North American battery production facility that would duplicate the licensing agreement Ford arranged with CATL for Ford's Blue Oval Battery Park in Michigan (BOPP). The BOPP, announced a year ago, would have Ford pay for the factory and production equipment, then license CATL's lithium iron phosphate battery technology. CATL would set up the plant and train Ford personnel, and help Ford set up a supply chain that satisfies IRA tax credit requirements, but have no financial interest in the plant, making its money from the licensing fee and royalties for the batteries produced. The Late Post cited unnamed sources for the GM news, saying that this potential plant is being considered for the U.S. or Mexico, and would be capable of making just as many batteries as Ford's facility.
Only days after announcing the Avatr 12 sold over 40,000 units since it launched in November 2023, Avatr launched a new Avatr 12. During the launch event, Avatr introduced 4 new trims of the Avatr 12 prices ranging from 265,800 to 378,800 yuan (36,800 – 52,500 USD). Discounted up to 35,000 yuan (4,850 USD) from its initial offering of 300,800 yuan – 400,800 yuan (41,650 – 55,500 USD). The 4 trims are:
On the evening of March 11th, BAIC BluePark New Energy Technology announced that to ensure a stable supply of power batteries and support industrial development, the company plans to establish a platform company in partnership with BAIC Investment, Beijing Hainachuan. The registered capital of the platform company is 390 million yuan (54 million USD).
![Li Mega’s CATL Qilin 102 kWh battery charges 10-80% in 10 minutes 36 secs [video] - carnewschina.com - China](https://drivenews.co.uk/storage/thumbs_400/img/2024/2/26/16418_2it.jpg)
Li Mega can officially add 500 km in 12 minutes thanks to its fast-charging 5C Qilin battery from CATL. During the road test, Li Auto beat that and showed a 10-80% charging time of 10 minutes and 36 seconds with a peak power of 521.2 kW.