China’s EV Makers Shift Gears Amid Trade Headwinds

China’s EV industry isn’t just growing—it’s branching out in every direction. From record-breaking sales in Week 17 to strategic export shifts and humanoid robots walking factory floors, the country's mobility sector continues to blur the lines between hardware, software, and artificial intelligence.

Tesla surged to its strongest week of the year in China, Leapmotor reached a new record, and BYD further solidified its domestic dominance. But while momentum at home remains strong, pressure is mounting abroad. New trade barriers in the U.S., Russia, and Europe threaten China’s export ambitions—and may force carmakers to adapt faster than expected.

Leapmotor, for instance, is betting on scale and price with its upcoming B01 sedan, which could soon roll off a Stellantis-backed production line in Spain. Meanwhile, Xpeng is taking a different path entirely: at the Shanghai Auto Show, the company unveiled Iron, a humanoid robot powered by its own EV-grade AI chip, highlighting its vision for a future where smart mobility and robotics converge.

The message is clear: China’s carmakers are not slowing down—they’re evolving.

Let’s dig in.

Sebastian

Table of Contents

• Week 17/2025: Tesla Leads Gains, Leapmotor Hits Re …

• Trade Turmoil Looms Over China’s EV Ambitions

• Leapmotor B01: Stylish, Smart—and Surprisingly Aff …

• Xpeng Unveils “Iron” Humanoid Robot, Bridging Cars …

Week 17/2025: Tesla Leads Gains, Leapmotor Hits Record

In the fourth week of April, or the 17. calendar week of 2025, China’s NEV market extended its upward momentum, with major brands delivering strong performances. According to insurance registration data, BYD topped the list with 62,200 units—a week-over-week (WoW) increase of 10.5 percent. This brings BYD’s cumulative April total to 217,000 units, reinforcing its commanding lead.

Tesla made the biggest jump among the major players, registering 10,300 units—up 51.5 percent from the previous week. This marks Tesla’s best week so far in 2025 and lifts its April tally to 26,100 units.

Leapmotor, backed by Stellantis, hit a new weekly high for the year with 9,200 registrations, up 7.0 percent from the prior week. With 29,600 units in the first four weeks of April, Leapmotor is now outperforming all other Chinese EV startups, excluded BYD.

Li Auto saw a slight decline of 2.3 percent, falling to 8,600 units. Nevertheless, it remains one of the top players, having recorded 30,800 registrations this month. Xpeng climbed 9.1 percent to 7,200 units and continues to build on the success of its Mona M03 entry-level sedan. April’s total now stands at 28,000 units, keeping the brand on track for another month above the 30,000-unit mark.

Xiaomi dropped slightly by 2.8 percent to 7,000 units. Its April total stands at 25,600 units, a solid performance as the brand recalibrates expectations following an increase in its 2025 sales target to 350,000 units.

Nio recorded 6,500 registrations—up 20.4 percent from the previous week—driven by aggressive incentives and anticipation around upcoming model updates. With 17,200 units so far this month, it’s Nio’s third-best weekly result in its history. Nio’s sub-brand Onvo nearly doubled its volume to 1,500 units, but remains far from early targets. The brand is undergoing internal changes and recently unveiled its second model, the L90, at the Shanghai Auto Show.

Aito posted one of the largest percentage gains, jumping 56.8 percent to 6,900 units. Its April total is now 19,300 units, suggesting a strong month overall.

Other standout performances include Zeekr with 3,500 units (+29.6 percent), Denza with 3,900 units (+18.2 percent), and Fang Cheng Bao with 3,300 units (+65 percent). Avatr posted a significant rebound as well, climbing 57.1 percent to 2,200 units.

Overview Week 17/2025

• BYD – 62,200

• Tesla – 10,300

• Leapmotor – 9,200

• Li Auto – 8,600

• Xpeng – 7,200

• Xiaomi Auto – 7,000

• Aito – 6,900

• Nio – 6,500

• Denza – 3,900

• Zeekr – 3,500

• Fang Cheng Bao – 3,300

• Avatr – 2,200

• Onvo – 1,500

_{The data—collected via insurance registrations rather than OEM-reported figures—offers valuable insight into actual consumer delivery trends, increasingly critical amid regulatory pressures and evolving sales strategies.}

Trade Turmoil Looms Over China’s EV Ambitions

While Week 17 saw another strong performance in China’s domestic NEV market, storm clouds are gathering abroad. Donald Trump’s renewed tariff push—most notably a 25 percent levy on imported cars—is set to intensify global competition and narrow the export options for Chinese brands.

China’s carmakers, already locked out of the U.S. market, now face shrinking room to grow elsewhere. Russia, their top export destination, has introduced quasi-tariffs through higher recycling fees that favor local producers. Chinese exports to Russia fell sharply in early 2025—from 170,000 units in Q1 last year to just 60,000 in the first two months.

At the same time, other countries are building barriers. The EU raised tariffs on Chinese EVs to 45.3 percent, and Brazil and Turkey are following suit. With major markets tightening, accessible regions are limited to a handful—like Australia, Norway, Saudi Arabia, and the UK—together accounting for only about 10 million annual car sales.

Chery stands out as an exception. Active in over 100 countries, it posted 80 billion yuan in overseas revenue in the first nine months of 2024, with margins rivaling GM. But most of its markets are small, fragmented—and hard to scale.

Meanwhile, Western legacy players are protecting their turf. GM, Ford, and Stellantis rely heavily on international markets, and growth in regions like South America is slowing. That sets the stage for fierce competition with Chinese brands, especially in ICE-leaning markets like Mexico.

At home, Chinese automakers are under pressure too. Exports may decline for the first time in five years, while Japanese and U.S. brands continue to exit or scale back. State-owned Dongfeng, for instance, used just half its production capacity in 2024 and is in merger talks with Changan.

In the global EV race, Chinese carmakers may prove more resilient than their rivals—but face an increasingly uphill battle abroad.

Leapmotor B01: Stylish, Smart—and Surprisingly Affordable

Following the rapid success of the B10 SUV, Leapmotor is preparing its next move: the sleek B01 electric sedan. Officially unveiled at the Shanghai Auto Show, the Leapmotor B01 combines aerodynamic design with a highly competitive price tag that could shake up the mid-range EV segment—especially among young, style-conscious buyers.

The B10 has already proven Leapmotor’s formula works. In just 13 days, factory deliveries exceeded 8,000 units, with production on track to hit 10,000 by the end of April. Building on this momentum, the B01 enters the market with even more refined design and tech.

Set for production in July, the B01 is built on Leapmotor’s LEAP 3.5 platform—an advanced EV architecture supporting both BEV and EREV drivetrains, 800V fast charging, and integrated domain controllers that streamline communication and reduce wiring complexity.

Key Specs at a Glance:

• Dimensions: 4770 x 1880 x 1490 mm (L/W/H)

• Wheelbase: 2735 mm

• Cd Value: 0.197

• Battery Options:

  • 56.2 kWh or 67.1 kWh LFP battery

  • CLTC range: ~510 km to ~600 km

  • DC fast charging: 30% to 80% in ~19–20 minutes

• Motor Options:

  • Permanent magnet synchronous motors

  • 132 kW (177 hp) to 160 kW (215 hp)

  • Torque: 175 Nm to 240 Nm

  • 0–100 km/h: 6.8 to 9.3 seconds

Inside, the B01 rivals more expensive EVs in perceived quality. Leapmotor claims 88 percent of the cabin surfaces are soft-touch. Available in elegant purple or grey schemes, the interior features cloud-textured leather and refined chrome detailing on vents and armrests. Comfort and space are clear priorities: the brand quotes an impressive 86 percent space utilisation rate, while the rear seats recline more than in many D-segment rivals.

While the B01's initial launch is focused on the Chinese market, its European debut appears increasingly plausible. Leapmotor, in partnership with Stellantis, is actively expanding its presence in Europe through the joint venture Leapmotor International. This collaboration has already introduced models like the T03 and C10 to nine European countries, including Germany, France, and Spain.

Notably, Stellantis and Leapmotor are considering establishing a production facility in Zaragoza, Spain, with a proposed investment of $200 million. This move aims to localize production for the European market, potentially including the B01 sedan. Given the B01's competitive pricing and advanced features, it could resonate well with European consumers seeking affordable yet technologically sophisticated electric vehicles.

Xpeng Unveils “Iron” Humanoid Robot, Bridging Cars and AI

While Leapmotor focuses on affordable electric sedans with standout efficiency, rival Xpeng is steering into a different kind of innovation—one that extends far beyond the road. At the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show, the Guangzhou-based EV maker unveiled its humanoid robot Iron, underscoring a broader ambition: to merge intelligent mobility with advanced robotics under one AI-driven ecosystem.

First introduced in late 2024, Iron is already operational on Xpeng’s production lines, assisting in the assembly of future electric models. The robot showcases a combination of industrial utility and futuristic design, reflecting Xpeng’s long-term vision for integrated smart systems.

Standing 1.73 meters tall and weighing 70 kilograms, Iron features 60 joints and 200 degrees of freedom, enabling fluid, natural movement. Each hand offers 22 degrees of freedom, allowing for precision tasks with near-human dexterity. The robot’s voice interface is adapted from Xpeng’s smart cockpit and enables context-aware, natural interaction.

At the core of Iron is Xpeng’s custom-built “Turing AI chip,” delivering 3,000 TOPS of processing power, supported by the in-house “Tianji AIOS” operating system. The robot shares its AI foundations with Xpeng’s autonomous driving technology, including a 720° “Eagle Eye” vision system used for real-time spatial awareness and decision-making.

Xpeng sees Iron not just as a factory assistant but as a blueprint for future service and home applications—handling tasks in retail, offices, and potentially private households. In doing so, the company signals a strategic pivot from pure mobility provider to AI platform operator.

Strategic Outlook

Where Leapmotor aims to disrupt the entry-level sedan market with scale and price, Xpeng is positioning itself as a high-tech innovator with ambitions that reach into the future of work and life. Iron embodies that vision—merging robotics, autonomous systems, and natural interaction into a single platform.

Whether such visions will lead to commercial success remains to be seen. But in a maturing EV market where differentiation is key, Xpeng’s Iron reminds the industry that software—and imagination—may become the next real battleground.

Thanks for reading and being part of this journey. If the content resonated with you, I’d be genuinely grateful if you passed it along to colleagues, friends, or anyone who shares an interest in the future of mobility.

_{Sources: Reuters - China’s automakers will lead a race to the bottom / Leapmotor - Website / Steinbeis Augsburg Business School - Was kann der humanoide Roboter Xpeng Iron?}