Episode 234 may go down as one of the most consequential conversations yet on China EVs & More. Tu and Lei unpack the Canada–China trade truce that effectively opens the door for Chinese EV imports into North America—and why this moment could trigger a chain reaction across the U.S., Mexico, and global auto markets.

Canada’s decision to allow up to 49,000 Chinese EVs at just 6.1% tariffs isn’t about volume—it’s about symbolism. Once the door opens, it rarely closes. The hosts explain why this move pressures the U.S. ahead of USMCA renegotiations, accelerates conversations around Chinese manufacturing in Canada, and raises the stakes for GM, Ford, and the German luxury brands already losing ground in China.

The episode also breaks down 2025 China auto and NEV sales, showing a maturing but brutally competitive market where growth now comes from stealing share, not market expansion. With BYD, Geely, Chery, Leapmotor, and Huawei-backed brands targeting aggressive 2026 volumes, the pressure on legacy OEMs—especially BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and Porsche—has never been higher.

Tu and Lei debate which Chinese OEMs are best positioned for Canada and eventually the U.S., why affordable EVs in the $30–40K range are the real battleground, and how price cuts of 10–25% by German brands reveal structural inefficiencies long masked by premium margins.

Strategic, provocative, and deeply grounded in real data, this episode explains why North America just entered a new phase of the China EV story—and why the next 12–18 months may redefine the global auto industry.

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🔑 SEO-Friendly Keywords (for description / Apple Podcasts)

China EVs & More, Tu Le, Lei Xing, Sino Auto Insights, Canada China EV trade deal, Chinese EVs Canada, Canada EV tariffs, USMCA renegotiation, Chinese automakers North America, BYD Canada, Geely North America, Chery EVs, Great Wall Motor EV, China auto sales 2025, China NEV sales, EV price war China, BMW China sales decline, Mercedes China sales, Porsche China collapse, affordable EVs North America, $30,000 EV, EV market maturity China, global auto competition, Chinese EV manufacturing Canada

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⏱️ Chapter Timestamps (for YouTube description)

00:00 – Welcome & episode overview

01:30 – Personal EV ownership pain: Hyundai IONIQ 5 breakdown story

05:55 – Breaking news: Canada–China EV trade truce explained

07:40 – Why 49,000 EVs matters more symbolically than numerically

09:30 – What this means for the U.S. & USMCA negotiations

11:30 – Could Chinese automakers build in Canada next?

13:45 – Which Chinese OEMs are best positioned for North America

16:10 – Canada vs U.S. consumer demand & EV affordability

18:50 – 2025 China auto & NEV sales breakdown

21:30 – A maturing market: growth vs market-share battles

24:10 – BYD, Geely, Chery & Leapmotor’s 2026 ambitions

27:10 – German automakers’ reckoning in China

30:20 – BMW & Mercedes price cuts expose margin pressure

33:15 – Porsche’s dramatic collapse in China

35:50 – Flagship EVs eating into German luxury sedans

38:20 – Why affordable EVs are the real global battleground

41:10 – Chinese speed vs legacy inefficiency

44:30 – Audience Q&A: unions, manufacturing & homologation

48:00 – Can Chinese EVs be driven into the U.S. from Canada?

51:30 – Final thoughts & what to watch next

Kicking off 2026, Tu and Lei return from CES in Las Vegas with firsthand insights into how the global auto industry’s center of gravity continues to shift toward China, AI, autonomy, and robotics.

This episode unpacks why CES is no longer about cars, but about who controls the software, silicon, sensors, and robots that will define the next decade of mobility. From Geely and Great Wall’s growing U.S. ambitions, to Hyundai’s robot-only keynote, to Ford’s quiet but meaningful autonomy reset, the hosts connect dots that most headlines missed.

Tu and Lei also break down the Geely “coming to the U.S.” scoop, Rivian-style AI days spreading to legacy OEMs, and why Western automakers are increasingly borrowing from China’s playbook—from ADAS and silicon strategy to embodied AI and robotics.

The episode closes with a deep dive into autonomy’s three tracks (L2++, consumer L3/L4, and robotaxis), the growing importance of LiDAR scale, and why Donut Labs’ solid-state battery and in-wheel motor reveal could become a true industry disruptor—if it scales.

Fast, candid, and packed with on-the-ground context, this episode explains why CES 2026 marked a turning point—and why the race is no longer just EVs vs ICE, but ecosystems vs incumbents.

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In this episode, Tu and Lei dive into a week dominated by autonomy, AI, and a widening gap between China’s EV ecosystem and the rest of the world.

The episode opens with a deep reaction to Rivian’s Autonomy AI Day—why it felt like déjà vu for anyone following China’s smart-EV space, and how Rivian’s announcements mirror what Chinese players like XPeng, NIO, and Li Auto have already been deploying. The hosts debate whether Rivian’s approach represents real leadership or simply entry into the top tier.

From there, the conversation expands to L4 autonomy momentum: WeRide launching passenger rides with Uber in Dubai, Mercedes partnering with Momenta in Abu Dhabi, and Waymo accelerating multi-city deployments while publishing safety data others still keep opaque.

Tu and Lei also tackle the LiDAR vs. vision debate, Volkswagen’s unusual dual bet on Rivian (US) and XPeng (China), and why silicon strategy—not just batteries—will decide winners. The discussion closes with affordability: why 300-mile EVs under $40K are existential for Western OEMs, and why China’s cost structure makes that challenge unavoidable heading into 2026.

Candid, comparative, and forward-looking, this episode explains why autonomy and AI—not just electrification—will define the next phase of the global auto industry.

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China EVs & More, Tu Le, Lei Xing, Sino Auto Insights, Rivian Autonomy AI Day, Rivian R2, Rivian silicon strategy, personal L4 autonomy, autonomous vehicles China, robotaxi expansion, WeRide Uber Dubai, Mercedes Momenta Abu Dhabi, Waymo expansion, LiDAR vs vision, RoboSense LiDAR, Hesai LiDAR, XPeng autonomous driving, NIO smart EVs, Li Auto embodied AI, Volkswagen Rivian partnership, Volkswagen XPeng partnership, affordable EVs 2026, 300 mile EVs, global EV competition, future of mobility

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In Episode 229, Tu and Lei unpack the November China EV sales inflection point and what it reveals about the next phase of the global auto industry.

With subsidies set to expire in 2026, November marked the real start of China’s year-end “mad dash.” The numbers show a clear split: Xiaomi, XPeng, Leapmotor, Geely, and NIO accelerating, while BYD and Li Auto lose momentum and Tesla slips into negative growth territory in China.

The hosts explain why Xiaomi’s YU7 and SU7 have proven unusually resilient, how XPeng’s AI-first strategy is paying off, and why Leapmotor and Geely are now knocking on the million-unit club—a threshold that even legacy premium brands have failed to reach in China.

They also tackle the bigger strategic question facing Western automakers: Is it still worth competing in China? Tu and Lei argue that China remains irreplaceable as the world’s largest single passenger-vehicle market—and that exporting from China, leveraging local tech partners, and embracing “China-for-China” design is no longer optional.

The episode closes with a deep discussion on embodied AI, smart glasses, silicon strategy, and why companies like Xiaomi, XPeng, and Li Auto are no longer just carmakers—but ecosystem builders trying to define the future of mobility.

Insightful, data-driven, and grounded in real market dynamics, this episode explains why 2026 may be the most decisive year yet for both Chinese EV leaders and global legacy automakers.

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Tu and Lei close out 2025 with a sweeping, on-the-ground review of the most consequential year yet for China’s EV, AV, and mobility ecosystem — and why its ripple effects are now impossible for the rest of the world to ignore. 

From CES to Shanghai, Munich, and New York, the hosts reflect on firsthand experiences that defined the year: China’s EV export surge, the maturation of robotaxis, the cooling of the domestic price war, and the emergence of clear winners — and vulnerabilities — among Chinese and global automakers.

They break down why BYD became a true global volume force, how XPeng, Geely, and Zeekr gained momentum, why NIO’s long game is finally paying off, and what the rise of autonomous mobility outside China (Waymo, Baidu, WeRide, Pony.ai) means heading into 2026.

The episode also revisits major inflection points:
• Chinese EV exports flooding Europe, Latin America, Russia, and the UK
• The beginning of an exported price war
• Robotaxis moving from pilots to real commercial expansion
• Why average vehicle prices topping $50,000 in the U.S. is unsustainable
• How geopolitics, tariffs, and supply chains reshaped strategy
• Why 2026 could be the year autonomy truly breaks through

Candid, data-driven, and reflective — this episode connects the dots on how 2025 reshaped the global auto industry and sets the stage for what comes next.

⸻

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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, China EV news 2025

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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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