01 BYD ranks second in bookings at Bangkok Motor Show, behind Toyota

The 45th Bangkok International Motor Show, the largest in Southeast Asia and second-largest in Asia, concluded on April 7, 2024 (March 25–April 7). Total bookings reached 53,438 units, up 10,553 (+24.6%) from last year. Among them, internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles accounted for 35,921 units (67.7%), and electric vehicles (EVs) for 17,517 units (32.8%).

In terms of brand bookings, Toyota led with 8,540 units, followed by BYD (5,345) and Hyundai (4,607). Chinese brands in the top 15 included SAIC MG (3,518), Changan (3,073), GAC Aion (3,018), GWM (2,815), and Neta (1,608). Zeekr and XPeng ranked 19th and 21st with 398 and 188 bookings, respectively.

BYD revealed that its DOLPHIN model topped its bookings with 2,379 units, followed by the ATTO 3 (1,457), SEAL (702), DENZA D9 (647), and SEAL U (160).

(Source: AutoLifeThailand)

https://autolifethailand.tv/motor-show-2024-booking-45th

02 BYD becomes Q1 EV sales champion in Brazil

According to the Brazilian Electric Vehicle Association, EV sales in Brazil surged by 145% year-over-year in Q1 2024, reaching 36,090 units. BYD led the market with 14,939 units sold, followed by GWM (5,735) and Toyota (5,049).

The sales boom came after BYD launched its budget Seagull EV (Dolphin Mini) last month in Brazil, priced from around $20,000 (R$99,800).

(Source: Electrek)

https://electrek.co/2024/04/05/byd-leads-ev-sales-surge-brazil-affordable-electric-cars

03 BYD to launch electric pickup this year, taking on Cybertruck and F-150

BYD plans to release an electric pickup to rival Tesla’s Cybertruck and Ford’s F-150 Lightning. The company teased images of the truck on its X platform, stating it has developed a mid-to-large electric pickup for global markets. However, no design or pricing details were revealed.

Although pickups are most popular in the U.S., BYD doesn’t plan to sell this model there. Stella Li, BYD Americas EVP and CEO, commented that the U.S. EV market is “very complex” and that the company currently has no plans to enter.

(Source: MotorTrend)

https://www.motortrend.com/news/byd-pickup-truck-china-preview-teaser/photos

04 SAIC MG to bring in Indian investors

SAIC Motor announced that its MG brand will bring in local Indian investors to improve business conditions in the world’s third-largest auto market. JSW Ventures (a JSW Group subsidiary) plans to acquire a 35% stake in MG Motor India for INR 35.8 billion ($430 million). IndoEdge Fund will take 8%, a dealer trust 3%, and an employee stock plan 5%.

SAIC stated: “To continue growing MG’s market share and mitigate operational risks in India, the company will bring in Indian investors to support sustainable development.”

(Source: Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/saics-mg-motor-india-plans-bring-indian-investors-including-jsw-2024-04-08

05 GWM launches Ora 07 in Malaysia, targets Tesla and BYD

On April 3, GWM officially launched the new Ora 07 in Malaysia. The model targets local bestsellers like the Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal. Two variants are available—long-range and performance—with up to 640 km range and 0–100 km/h in 4.3 seconds. Prices start at RM 169,800.

The Ora 07 is essentially the Lightning Cat sold in China, renamed for the local market. While it’s marketed as a retro electric sedan in China, it will compete directly with other hot-selling electric sedans in Malaysia.

(Source: Automachi)

https://www.automachi.com/2024/04/gwm-ora-07-launch-in-malaysia

06 GWM’s next-gen Haval H6 to launch in Australia end of 2024

GWM plans to release the next-gen Haval H6 in Australia as a larger plug-in hybrid SUV. It is expected to hit the market by late 2024 or early 2025. First unveiled at the 2023 Shanghai Auto Show, the vehicle is positioned as the brand’s “next-gen midsize SUV” and global strategic model.

In Q1 2024, GWM sold 2,203 Haval H6 units and 888 H6 GT coupes in Australia, up 6.9% and 2.0% YoY, respectively. The Haval H6 alone outsold the Honda CR-V (1,920) and VW Tiguan (1,215), but still trailed the Subaru Forester (3,583) and Hyundai Tucson (4,685).

(Source: CarExpert)

https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-news/gwm-haval-h6-replacement-firms-for-australia-with-plug-in-hybrid-power

07 Li Auto enters Russia’s top 10 in March despite not officially going overseas

Sales data from March shows Chinese brands now dominate the Russian market. The most surprising entry is Li Auto, which is traditionally seen as a domestic-only brand. In March, Li Auto sold 3,617 vehicles in Russia—a staggering 14,971% YoY increase. Q1 sales totaled 8,049 units, up 19,532% YoY.

Russia was one of the largest export destinations for Chinese autos in 2023, with 841,000 units sold from January to November. Sales are expected to surpass 1 million units in 2024.

(Source: CarNewsChina)

https://carnewschina.com/2024/04/07/russian-car-market-dominated-by-chinese-brands-including-li-auto

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