A public dispute between executives from Lynk & Co and XPeng has reignited a debate across China’s electric vehicle industry: is the next stage of EV competition about charging voltage, or about how automakers define the future of their products?

China is moving to restrict the use of blue exterior indicator lights on passenger cars, raising a broader question for the global auto industry: what happens when vehicle technology advances faster than the rules designed to govern it?

Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume has called on the European Union to consider additional tariffs on Chinese-made plug-in hybrid vehicles, arguing that current trade rules create an uneven playing field as Chinese automakers rapidly gain ground in Europe.

CATL earned more in the first half of 2026 than eight of China’s largest automotive groups combined, highlighting how the centre of profitability in the country’s electric-vehicle industry is shifting away from carmakers and towards the companies that supply their most critical technology.

Horizon Robotics appears to have delivered one of the sharpest financial turnarounds in China’s autonomous-driving sector.

Geely’s overseas expansion is entering a new stage. In the first half of 2026, Geely Group’s export volume climbed sharply, with Geely, Lynk & Co and Zeekr emerging as one of the fastest-growing Chinese automotive portfolios in global markets.