China EVs & More is back with a special Thanksgiving episode — and the China auto world did not take the week off. 🚗⚡🦃

Tu & Lei break down Li Auto’s shocking Q3 collapse, CEO Li Xiang’s pivot to “embodied AI,” and why the brand is losing momentum to Xiaomi, XPeng, NIO, and Huawei-backed models.

We analyze XPeng’s aggressive 2025–26 EREV + BEV rollout, including seven new models and its “super range extender” strategy, plus the deepening Turing chip adoption and XPeng’s personal L4 + RoboTaxi ambitions.

Then we dive into the Guangzhou Auto Show, Huawei’s expanding HIMA ecosystem, the launch of new Yijin and Qijin brands, and how Huawei QianKun ADAS is quickly spreading across Nissan, Audi, GAC, Toyota, and more.

We close with NIO’s Q4 breakeven challenge, Firefly’s global potential, Stellantis–Leapmotor tensions in Latin America, and updates on Waymo, Zeekr RT, Aito M5, robotaxis, and physical AI’s impact on factory jobs.

Insightful, energetic, and brutally candid — your weekly download on the global EV and mobility power shift.

00:00 – Intro & Thanksgiving kickoff

01:30 – Li Auto’s disastrous Q3: losses, Mega fire fallout & EREV reset

03:30 – Li Xiang goes “embodied AI” + M100 chip vision

05:30 – Li Auto’s 2026 L-Series refresh & Russian Doll design rethink

07:50 – “Who’s hot, who’s not” — Xiaomi, XPeng, Leapmotor surge

08:30 – XPeng’s 7-model onslaught: BEV + EREV + L4 plans

10:10 – XPeng Turing chip, humanoid robot & L4 Robo versions

12:00 – Physical AI: robots, automation & factory disruption

15:10 – NIO earnings: Q4 breakeven, SG&A burn & ES8/Onvo push

16:50 – Firefly’s growing overseas role & NIO’s three-brand prioritization

19:30 – Leapmotor–Stellantis expansion and emerging market friction

21:00 – Xiaomi’s immunity to PR crises & massive user base advantage

23:00 – “Five to ten years to know the winners” — William Li’s marathon analogy

24:00 – New brands at GZ Auto Show: Yijin, Qijin & Huawei’s expanding influence

28:00 – Huawei QianKun ADAS spreads to Nissan, Audi, Toyota

30:00 – AV/ADAS wars: Momenta, Horizon, DeepRoute rising

32:00 – LiDAR drama: Hesai vs RoboSense & chaos in the lidar space

35:00 – Robotaxis: WeRide–Uber launch, Pony & LA/SD growth

37:00 – Tu drives the Aito M5 in California

38:00 – Waymo coverage expands: airports + 2026 Detroit launch

42:00 – Zeekr RT issues & Tesla vs Waymo RoboTaxi paths

47:00 – AV startups struggle: Haomo AI collapse & Great Wall pivot

50:00 – GM “Game of Thrones”: executive shakeups & culture reset

53:00 – Volkswagen speeds up China dev cycles & exports back out

55:00 – Audience Q&A & Thanksgiving wrap

Li Auto Q3 earnings, Li Auto M100 chip, Li Auto embodied AI, XPeng EREV, XPeng super range extender, XPeng Turing chip, XPeng humanoid robot, XPeng RoboTaxi, NIO Q4 breakeven, Firefly EV brand, Leapmotor Stellantis partnership, Huawei HIMA, Huawei QianKun ADAS, Yijin brand, Qijin brand, GAC, Dongfeng, Guangzhou Auto Show 2025, Momenta ADAS, Horizon Robotics, DeepRoute, Hesai lidar, RoboSense lidar, WeRide Uber robotaxi, Pony.ai, Waymo San Jose airport, Zeekr RT6, Aito M5 US, Tesla FSD vs L4 China, Great Wall Haomo AI, BYD PHEV sales, China EVs & More, Sino Auto Insights, Tu Le, Lei Xing

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

In Episode 227, Tu and Lei break down a massive week in the global EV industry — one where China’s innovation pace keeps accelerating while Western automakers scramble to respond.

Xiaomi’s YU7 officially outsells the Tesla Model Y in October, marking a symbolic shift in China’s most competitive EV segment. Meanwhile, Tesla’s domestic sales slump to 26,000, signaling that aggressive price cuts and financing perks may not be enough as Chinese challengers tighten the pressure.

The hosts also unpack XPeng’s viral AI Day, featuring the “Iron Lady” humanoid robot, new L4 capable RoboTaxi prototypes, the Turing chip’s rising importance, and XPeng’s “physical AI” strategy — positioning the company as a vertically integrated mobility+AI platform rather than just an automaker.

On the U.S. side, GM sparks headlines after reportedly urging suppliers to “de-China” their supply chains by 2027 — a massive, risky reshoring effort that could reshape cost structures across North America. Tu and Lei discuss the feasibility and geopolitical backdrop, including the Nexperia crisis, ICE tariff pressures, and USMCA uncertainty.

_____________________

They also hit:

🚗 China’s EV sales still climbing globally despite misleading “EV slump” narratives

⚠️ Li Auto’s Mega fire, quality issues & employee discipline fallout

🔥 Another Xiaomi fire incident and the scrutiny on China-speed development

🧠 Volkswagen’s growing reliance on XPeng + Rivian for AD and software

🛰️ XPeng eVTOLs, land aircraft carriers, and new robotics demos

🔋 CATL’s stunning 1,122 GWh of battery output YTD

📉 Tesla incentives in the U.S. as Q4 softness appears

🛠️ Battery-swap wars: CATL Choco-Swap vs NIO’s network

📈 NIO surging past XPeng in monthly deliveries inside China

Fast-paced, brutally honest, and packed with first-hand insight — this episode explains the power dynamics shaping EVs, autonomy, supply chains, and the global auto industry’s next decade.

_____________________

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to the EV Landscape
02:08 October Sales Insights
06:03 Global EV Sales Trends
08:36 GM's Supply Chain Strategy
12:36 Challenges in Reshoring Supply Chains
14:31 Volkswagen's Chip Strategy
20:31 Xpeng's AI Day Highlights
25:19 The Launch of LS9 and Its Features
26:52 The Evolution of Chinese Flagship Vehicles
28:04 Understanding the Tuhao Culture in China
29:14 Recent Events and Quality Issues in the Automotive Industry
31:16 The Rise of Autonomous Vehicles and Global Expansion
34:28 Insights from the Florida Autonomous Vehicle Summit
36:29 The Competitive Landscape of Autonomous Driving
39:33 The Future of Autonomous Vehicles and Market Trends
43:51 NEO vs. XPeng: A Shift in Market Dynamics

_____________________

China EVs & More, Tu Le, Lei Xing, Sino Auto Insights, Xiaomi YU7 sales, Tesla China October 2025, XPeng AI Day, XPeng Iron Lady robot, XPeng Turing chip, RoboTaxi China, GM de-China supply chain, Nexperia chip crisis, CATL battery output, Li Auto Mega fire, NIO monthly deliveries, BYD EV exports, EV sales China, global EV demand, battery swap CATL Choco, NIO swap station Europe, Volkswagen XPeng partnership, Rivian VW software, Tesla pricing China, EV incentives 2025, China NEV market

This week on China EVs & More, Tu and Lei unpack a scary set of Q3 results for global automakers. Porsche’s operating profit nearly vanishes, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen Group struggle, and BYD reports its first major profit decline in years. Meanwhile, Li Auto faces a costly Mega recall after a battery-coolant fire, raising new questions about safety and supply-chain quality.

Tu shares insights from the Reuters Automotive Summit, including what executives from Rivian, Lucid, and Mercedes-Benz USA had to say about current challenging environment — plus takeaways from Ganesh Iyer of NIO USA.

The hosts also discuss how Chinese tech players like Xiaomi and Geely are resetting global expectations, why CATL’s battery dominance will continue for the next decade, and what the West must learn from China’s hyper-competitive EV market.

Chapters
02:16 Halloween Reflections and Market Concerns
05:04 Li Auto's Recall and Safety Issues
08:00 Financial Performance of Major Automakers
11:03 Competitive Landscape in the EV Market
13:49 Restructuring of German Automakers
16:46 Insights from the Reuters Conference
19:59 Level 4 Autonomy and Future Trends
30:03 The Evolution of Autonomy
34:50 Mapping the Future of Autonomous Vehicles
39:51 Marketing Strategies in a Multicultural Landscape
44:31 Consumer Data Privacy and Trust
54:08 The Future of Battery Technology

_____

Stay tuned for sharp analysis on involution, layoffs at GM, brand marketing shifts, and how the next generation of EVs from Mercedes, Hyundai, and NIO will shape 2026.

Companies & Topics Discussed:

BYD | Li Auto | CATL | Porsche | Mercedes-Benz | Volkswagen Group | Audi | BMW Group | Beijing Hyundai | NIO | Xiaomi | Geely | Luxeed | DJI | Momenta | FinDreams | Rivian | Lucid | Stellantis | Uber | Nvidia | GM | Honda | Apple | AESC | Gotion | Calb