EV News Daily - Technology and Business of EVs · Martyn Lee

CHINA: NEV Exports Surge, Xiaomi Brings New SU7 Forward and Zeekr 8X PHEV | 13 Mar 2026

·20 min·1 clip

Dream says small-batch solid-state battery deliveries start in 2026, with mass production in 2027.

1. EV News Daily - Technology and Business of EVs focuses this episode on China’s NEV exports surge, Xiaomi’s SU7 timing change, and Zeekr’s 8X hybrid launch. 2. The host is the EV News Daily presenter, who frames the segment as EV News China and says the show helps global listeners make sense of China’s EV market. 3. The episode asks whether China’s weak domestic retail market and stronger export channel are pointing to a bigger 2026 shift for EV makers. 4. China’s February passenger car retail sales were 1.034 million units, down 25% year on year after a late-2025 pull-forward tied to purchase tax exemptions. 5. EV retail sales were 464,000 units in February, down 32% year on year, while EVs still held 45% of passenger car retail share. 6. Analysts in the episode called the weakness temporary and linked it to the late spring festival, softer demand, and calls for more stimulus. 7. Wholesale shipments reached over 1.5 million units, down 14%, which the host says shows less pain at the ports than at the dealer level. 8. Passenger vehicle exports rose 50% year on year, NEVs made up 48.5% of export volume, and domestic brands exported 478,000 units, up 52%. 9. The host says EV exports rose 125% and cumulative EV exports reached 560,000 units in the first two months, up 115% versus 2025. 10. Xiaomi moved the refreshed SU7 launch from April into March, and Lei Jun said mass deliveries will start soon. 11. Xiaomi is targeting 16,000 SU7 units this month, with production centered in Beijing’s Yizhuang plant and output described as 800 SU7s a day. 12. The refreshed SU7 will appear in almost 500 stores across 143 cities, with pre-sale prices starting at 230,000 yuan and a reported 6.5% increase over the old model. 13. The host says Xiaomi is raising prices because of higher production costs tied to safety, driving control, intelligent features, quality, and manufacturing complexity. 14. Xiaomi’s SU7 changes include LiDAR on every trim, 4D millimeter-wave radar, 700 tops of computing power, nine airbags, and two new rear side airbags. 15. The host also notes a mechanical door-handle release and stronger safety hardware after negative publicity around Xiaomi accidents and serious collisions. 16. Zeekr’s 8X is presented as a flagship plug-in hybrid SUV with a 2.0-litre engine, 55.1 kWh or 70 kWh battery packs, and up to 328 km of electric-only range. 17. The host argues that Zeekr’s technical description looks closer to an E-Rev layout, with electric motors doing the propulsion and the engine acting mainly as a generator. 18. The episode’s tone is reportorial and explanatory, with the host repeatedly pausing to clarify terminology, compare architecture claims, and separate marketing language from technical details. 19. Listeners tracking China EV brands, batteries, and market share shifts will get the most from this episode. 20. Listeners wanting only consumer car reviews or long-form interviews may skip it.

As heard by us

A brisk China EV brief that turns platform details into market context.

The episode keeps a brisk pace while still landing on useful technical detail. It opens with Xiaomi's 897 volt silicon carbide high-voltage platform and three battery choices, then moves to the SU7 and its role in the company's sales outlook.

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