China’s EV makers to cut charging times; Tesla rival Li Auto’s expansion: 7 EV reads

From BYD’s first-quarter profit to Xpeng’s August goal to overtake self-driving tech in China, here are seven EV stories you may have missed

1. China’s EV and battery makers race to cut charging times to under 10 minutes

Battery makers and electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers have seized on the Beijing Auto Show to showcase technologies promising shorter charging times in a race triggered by BYD and Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL).

2. Li Auto targets BMW and Mercedes with premium SUVs in Middle East, Asia-Pacific

Li Auto, one of Tesla’s major rivals in mainland China, has set its sights on the Middle East and Asia-Pacific, with its premium intelligent models poised to take on petrol car brands such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

3. China’s CATL touts landmark energy-storage order for sodium-ion batteries

The world’s largest EV and energy-storage system (ESS) battery maker announced on April 27 that it would deliver 60 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of sodium-ion batteries to Beijing HyperStrong Technology over three years in a landmark deal for the new battery technology.