China EVs & More

Could Tesla really leave China—the market and manufacturing base that helped transform it into the world's most valuable automaker?

In Episode #256 of China EVs & More, Tu Le and Lei Xing unpack reports that Tesla could potentially sell, spin off or close its China operations as Elon Musk considers a closer combination between Tesla and SpaceX.

The implications would be enormous.

Giga Shanghai accounts for roughly half of Tesla's global vehicle output, serves more than two million Tesla owners in China and remains a critical export hub supplying markets around the world.

Tu and Lei debate whether Tesla could realistically walk away, who could possibly acquire Giga Shanghai, what the move could mean for Tesla's FSD ambitions in China—and whether the report could be signaling something deeper about Tesla's expectations for its automotive business.

Then the conversation turns to another major disruption: Xiaomi's new SkyNomad EREV family SUVs.

After finding enormous success with the SU7 and YU7, Xiaomi is now targeting the large family-SUV segment dominated by companies such as Li Auto.

With the seven-seat N90 Max expected to start below RMB300,000 and offering a massive 76-kWh battery, 60-liter fuel tank and approximately 1,705 km of combined range, Xiaomi is once again using aggressive pricing to reset expectations.

In this episode:

• Could Tesla really sell or spin off its China business?
• Why Giga Shanghai remains critical to Tesla's global manufacturing strategy
• Tesla, SpaceX and the potential conflicts created by a merger
• What happens to Tesla if FSD never receives full approval in China?
• Who could realistically buy Tesla's Shanghai factory?
• Tesla's growing reliance on exports from China
• Xiaomi's new SkyNomad N90 and N70 family SUVs
• Why Xiaomi's pricing should worry Li Auto
• Xiaomi's highly automated Beijing factory
• Why Xiaomi's latest technology event disappointed some investors
• Audi's China-only EV strategy and Momenta-powered ADAS
• BMW, Porsche and the continuing challenges facing German automakers
• Why NIO is prioritizing profitability over global expansion
• Battery swapping vs. charging outside China
• How quickly ICE vehicles could disappear from China's domestic market
• Why China's unwanted ICE capacity could eventually flood emerging markets

If you want to understand the forces reshaping the world's largest automotive market—and what they mean for Tesla, Xiaomi, BYD, NIO, XPeng and the global automotive industry—subscribe to China EVs & More.

Hosted by Tu Le of Sino Auto Insights and Lei Xing, bringing decades of firsthand experience covering China's automotive, EV, AV and mobility industries.

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Chapters

00:00 Welcome to China EVs & More #256
00:55 Tesla's HUGE China question
02:00 Could Tesla really leave China?
04:30 Why Giga Shanghai is critical to Tesla
05:55 Without China, there's no Tesla of today
08:05 Who could buy Tesla's Shanghai factory?
09:50 Is Tesla FSD in China in trouble?
10:45 Could Tesla eventually exit the EV business?
12:40 Watch Tesla's China exports for the next clue
14:15 Xiaomi unveils its SkyNomad EREV family
15:25 Xiaomi N90 & N70 pricing shocks the market
16:45 Why Xiaomi's N90 should worry Li Auto
18:00 Xiaomi closes in on 750,000 EVs
19:05 Is Xiaomi late to the EREV party?
21:15 Inside Xiaomi's highly automated EV factory
22:45 Did Xiaomi's big tech reveal disappoint?
25:05 Xiaomi's wild tire blowout demonstration
27:20 Driving Audi's China-only E7X
28:45 Can Audi's China strategy actually work?
30:10 Why German automakers keep making things complicated
32:05 Porsche, BMW & Volkswagen face more China pressure
33:00 Can Ford & GM disrupt themselves?
33:50 Live Q&A: Why isn't NIO expanding faster globally?
36:00 Who could actually buy Giga Shanghai?
37:15 NIO's profitability vs. global expansion dilemma
40:05 How fast will ICE disappear in China?
42:55 Where will China's unwanted ICE capacity go?
44:50 Final thoughts
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The global automotive industry may have just crossed another major turning point.
In Episode #255 of China EVs & More, Tu Le and Lei Xing examine why Ford and Geely are partnering in Europe, what it means for the future of global manufacturing, and why more legacy automakers are turning to Chinese technology despite growing geopolitical tensions.
The discussion also explores Mercedes-Benz's challenges with the proposed Connected Vehicle Security Act in the United States, Volkswagen's expanding partnerships in China, Honda's renewed commitment to its Chinese joint venture, Tesla's latest earnings, and whether the global industry has reached a point where competing with Chinese automakers alone is no longer enough.
This episode covers:
Ford & Geely's new European joint venture
Why Spain is becoming Europe's next automotive hub
Mercedes-Benz and the Connected Vehicle Security Act
Volkswagen's growing reliance on Chinese technology
Horizon Robotics and Volkswagen's AI partnership
Tesla's latest earnings and shrinking margins
China's increasingly competitive EV market
BYD's global ambitions
Why more legacy automakers are partnering with Chinese companies
What this means for Europe, North America and the future of global manufacturing
If you want independent analysis on where the automotive industry is heading—not where it has been—subscribe to China EVs & More.
Hosted by Tu Le (Sino Auto Insights) and Lei Xing, bringing decades of experience covering China's automotive industry from the inside.
Chapters
00:00 Welcome to China EVs & More #255
00:50 The week's biggest stories: Ford, Mercedes & Volkswagen
02:10 Why Mercedes could be blocked from selling in the U.S.
06:30 How China and U.S. policy are squeezing German automakers
09:00 Mercedes' EV struggles continue in China
11:45 Ford & Geely team up in Europe
15:45 Why Spain is becoming Europe's next automotive hub
18:15 Is Ford's Geely partnership the future of the auto industry?
20:00 What's next for GM in China and Europe?
21:30 Why every legacy automaker is partnering with Chinese companies
23:45 Volkswagen doubles down on China
27:45 Has Volkswagen reached the bottom in China?
29:00 "If You Can't Beat Them, Join Them"
30:15 China's EV price war is becoming unsustainable
33:00 Tesla earnings: Sales up, margins down
35:50 Is Tesla's China advantage starting to fade?
37:30 Financial Times: Chinese premium brands target Europe
39:00 Can Chinese premium brands win outside China?
40:15 Live Q&A begins
41:00 XPeng X9 recall: Should buyers be worried?
44:15 Is XPeng really Tesla's biggest rival?
46:00 Can BYD overtake Toyota as the world's #1 automaker?
48:20 Why hybrids still dominate the U.S. market
50:10 Battery swapping vs. autonomous charging
52:10 Xiaomi's next big launch
53:15 Should we move the livestream to 12 PM Eastern?
55:20 Thanks for watching!
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XPeng just held the biggest launch event in company history—and they chose Munich, Germany, the heart of Europe's automotive industry.
In Episode #254 of China EVs & More, Tu Le and Lei Xing break down XPeng's global launch of the new MONA L03, why Europe has become the next major battlefield for Chinese EV makers, and what this means for Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and the rest of the legacy auto industry.
The discussion covers XPeng's pricing strategy, autonomous driving ambitions, Google Maps integration, charging infrastructure investments, software licensing opportunities with Volkswagen, and whether Chinese automakers are entering a new phase of global expansion.
They also examine:
• Why Munich—not Shanghai—became XPeng's biggest event ever
• How the MONA L03 compares with the Volkswagen ID.4, Tesla Model Y and BYD Atto 3
• XPeng's plans for advanced driver assistance across Europe
• Why BYD continues raising the bar globally
• Could Volkswagen eventually manufacture XPeng vehicles?
• The future of software-defined vehicles and AI-powered driving
• Bill Ford's comments about competing with Chinese automakers
• Why Europe may become the proving ground for autonomous driving before the United States
If you want to understand where the global automotive industry is heading—not where it has been—this is an episode you won't want to miss.
Subscribe for weekly analysis of the global EV, autonomous driving and mobility industries from two of the most experienced China automotive analysts anywhere.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction & Welcome
01:00 Lei reports live from XPeng's biggest global launch in Munich
03:05 Why launching in Volkswagen's backyard matters
04:35 XPeng MONA L03 pricing: Europe vs. China
06:15 XPeng's autonomous driving strategy for Europe
08:00 Google Maps, AI and XPeng's global software stack
09:45 Why Europe is becoming the autonomous driving battleground
11:25 Is XPeng taking direct aim at Tesla and Volkswagen?
13:00 XPeng's charging infrastructure plans for Europe
15:15 Can the L03 become XPeng's next blockbuster?
16:45 Why Paris Motor Show just became much more important
18:00 Will Chinese marketing strategies work in Europe?
20:20 Can XPeng succeed in 65 global markets?
22:05 XPeng's global expansion challenges beyond China
24:10 Europe could become the proving ground for AI driving
25:20 Could Volkswagen build XPeng vehicles?
26:30 Is software licensing the next big opportunity?
27:30 Why BYD deserves credit for paving the way
29:00 Bill Ford admits Chinese automakers can't be ignored
31:20 Volkswagen's future and BYD's race to become the world's #1 automaker
35:15 China's slowing auto market and what it means for global OEMs
37:20 Live audience Q&A
38:00 Is the U.S. really closed to Chinese automakers?
39:15 XPeng's X9 recall explained
43:00 Are XPeng and Tesla becoming true rivals?
45:30 Toyota vs. BYD: Can BYD really become #1?
47:45 The future of battery swapping and autonomous charging
49:45 Closing thoughts & next week's preview

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China's automotive market may have just crossed one of the most important milestones in modern automotive history.
In Episode 253 of China EVs & More, Tu Le and Lei Xing analyze the latest Chinese auto sales—and the numbers are staggering.
China's domestic ICE vehicle sales plunged 50% year-over-year, while Chinese automakers continue expanding globally at an unprecedented pace. Foreign automakers—including Volkswagen Group, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and BMW—are facing mounting pressure as Chinese brands continue taking market share.
This episode also covers:
✅ China's domestic ICE collapse and what it means for global automakers
✅ Why BYD, Geely, Chery and Leapmotor continue gaining momentum
✅ China's vehicle exports surpassing one million vehicles in a single month
✅ Volkswagen's latest board meeting and the difficult decisions ahead
✅ Why Porsche's China strategy continues to deteriorate
✅ NIO's product cadence, ES8 momentum and upcoming NIO Day
✅ Li Auto's launch strategy and how Chinese OEMs are changing product rollouts
✅ Reuters' recent reporting on China's auto industry and why the government is trying to slow the "involution" and price war
✅ How new safety regulations and payment reforms could reshape China's automotive market
✅ Why Western automakers still underestimate China's competitive advantages
Whether you're an automotive executive, investor, supplier or simply passionate about the future of mobility, this episode explains why the world's largest automotive market is entering an entirely new phase—and why its effects will be felt across Europe, North America and beyond.

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Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:20 China's shocking June sales numbers
03:45 China's exports hit another milestone
05:45 Why German automakers are under unprecedented pressure
09:30 NIO's improving product strategy
12:30 Reuters' report on China's auto industry
17:30 China's price war and government intervention
24:00 Automotive News Congress recap
29:00 Are Western automakers still underestimating China?
34:30 Why China's competitive advantage continues to grow
37:30 Closing thoughts
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We're only halfway through 2026, but the global automotive industry is already revealing its biggest winners—and its biggest losers.
In Episode 252, Tu Le and Lei Xing break down why Polestar is exiting the U.S. market, Volkswagen is preparing one of the largest restructurings in automotive history, and BYD believes it can become the world's largest automaker before the end of the decade.
The discussion also explores why China's domestic market is slowing even as exports continue to surge, what NIO's recent momentum means for the premium EV segment, whether Li Auto is losing its edge, and how GM, Mercedes-Benz and other legacy automakers are responding to a rapidly changing competitive landscape.
They also hit:
Why Chery's global manufacturing strategy keeps expanding
BYD's bold 2030 ambitions—and whether they're realistic
Volkswagen's restructuring and what it means for the future of legacy auto
The growing rivalry between NIO and Li Auto
GM Energy and the next phase of EV infrastructure
Why China's EV leaders are entering a completely different phase of competition
If you want to understand where the automotive industry is headed—not just next year, but over the next decade—this episode connects the dots between product launches, geopolitics, manufacturing, software and global strategy.

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⏱️ YouTube Chapter Timestamps
00:00 Welcome & Episode 252
01:20 Winners & Losers at Mid-Year
02:40 Why Polestar Is Leaving the U.S.
07:10 Slate Auto: Can Affordable EVs Work?
11:00 Volkswagen Cuts 100,000 Jobs
16:15 Is BYD's #1 Goal Realistic?
23:30 China's Slowing Domestic Market
27:10 NIO vs. Li Auto: Momentum Shifts
32:30 GM Energy & The Future of EV Infrastructure
36:40 Audience Q&A & Final Thoughts

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