Li Auto is the leader of REEVs in China in Q1-2025
- Details
Li Auto is the leader of REEVs in China in Q1-2025
- A REEV, or Range Extender Electric Vehicle, is a type of hybrid that primarily drives using an electric motor and includes a small internal combustion engine (ICE) to recharge the battery when it is low. Unlike traditional hybrids, the ICE in REEVs does not directly power the wheels but acts solely as a generator, extending the electric driving range. REEVs can also plugged in directly to chargers in addition.
- China's REEV market has seen mixed growth in 2025. Total REEVs production reached 224,359 units, a modest increase from 211,111 units in the same period in 2024 — about +6.3% year-over-year growth. While some carmakers experienced significant growth, others saw declining volumes, indicating a competitive and transitional phase in the segment as consumer preferences and government policies continue evolving.
- Lixiang Automotive (or Li Auto) remains the dominant REEV producer with 103,096 units YTD, up 7.8% from last year. It holds a market share of approximately 45.9%. Seres Motor follows with 44,982 units, but saw a significant decline of -45.4%. Chang’an Auto and Leapmotor showed healthy double-digit growth, while Chery Auto entered with modest volumes (1,842 units YTD). This distribution highlights Lixiang's stronghold but also reflects rising competition and potential future realignments in market leadership.
- The Lixiang L6, L7, L8, and L9 series dominate the top of the chart: Lixiang L6 leads with 51,580 units YTD. Lixiang L7 and L9 show stable performance, with L7 down to 24,189 units (from 38,785, -37.6%), while L9 fell to 14,061 units (-54.9%). Seres AITO M9 and M7 also rank among top models, with M9 at 22,466 units and M7 at 13,333 units, though both showed a decline.
Renault and Nissan are distancing themselves but are still collaborating on some projects
- Details
Renault and Nissan are distancing themselves but are still collaborating on some projects
- Renault and Nissan are increasingly distancing themselves, after having been partners in a strong Alliance for twenty years (1999-2019). The arrest of its CEO Carlos Ghosn in 2019 and his departure from the Alliance presidency marked the beginning of a separation between the two carmakers that has continued to amplify. Renault's current stake in Nissan currently stands at 35.71% (17.05% directly and 18.66% in a French trust of which Renault is a beneficiary). The situation could change, however, as Renault and Nissan are now only required to retain 10% of the other group's shares, with voting rights capped at 15%. Furthermore, Nissan could be released from its commitment to invest 600 million in Ampère (a decision expected at the end of May).
- This rebalancing thus led to:
• Dissolution of joint ventures: In 2023 and 2024, joint ventures created within the framework of the alliance, such as those linked to purchasing or production, were gradually dissolved.
• Asset recovery in India: Renault took over full control of the Chennai plant in India in 2025, which was previously a joint venture with Nissan. This allows Renault to produce its own models independently.
- Some joint projects, such as the Nissan version of the Renault 5 E-Tech and the future Renault Twingo E-Tech, nevertheless remain current.
- These different stages marked the end of a major collaboration that began in 1999 and which allowed the two companies to share technologies and resources, and to become the world's leading carmaker for a time.
Renault ends the Express LUV for the European market
- Details
Renault ends the Express LUV for the European market
- To replace its N1-1 segment light utility vehicles Renault Kangoo II (launched in 2007) and Dacia Dokker (launched in 2012), the Renault group had decided to launch two different models in 2021, the Kangoo III (modernized version of the Kangoo II) and the Renault Express (modernized version of the Dacia Dokker), thus doubling the range of N1-1 segment vans sold under the Renault brand, a fairly rare proposition among European carmakers.
- Dokker-based Express was technically less sophisticated than the Kangoo III, which is why it was sold for less than the Kangoo III. This feature gave the Express a good start in Europe, as the model sold almost as much as the Kangoo III in Europe for several months in 2022. In 2023, the Renault Kangoo finally took over from the Renault Express in Europe. And in the summer of 2024, Renault decided to withdraw the Express from sale in Europe, due to the obsolescence of its technical base and the inability to comply with the new European GSR2 (General Safety Regulation 2). Renault therefore only retains one model in the N1-1 segment in Europe, the Kangoo III.
- The Express, however, continues its commercial career in North Africa and in some emerging countries, its production being carried out in Morocco, on the Tangier plant where the Dacia Sandero is produced for the European market. The Renault Kangoo III is produced in France, in the Maubeuge plant, like all previous generations of the Kangoo. On this site are also produced rebranded versions of the Renault Kangoo III, such as the Nissan Townstar and Mercedes Citan II.
Toyota announces plans to keep all its European factories
- Details
Toyota announces plans to keep all its European factories
- The Japanese carmaker Toyota, the world's largest carmaker, has announced that it intends to maintain its European assembly plants and not follow the example of Honda, which closed its British and Turkish factories in 2022. Toyota has an assembly plant in the United Kingdom (Burnaston, 98,069 units in 2024), a second in France (Onnaing, 279,613 units), a third in the Czech Republic (Kolin, 243,964 units), a fourth in Turkey (Adapazari, 158,076 units), a fifth in Portugal (Ovar, 2,525 units), not to mention the production sites for vans derived from those of Stellantis following the agreement signed between the two carmakers: ProAce City in Vigo (43,084 units) in Spain, ProAce in Hordain (32,359 units) in France and ProAce Max in Gliwice in Poland, these last three sites belonging to the Stellantis group. Also worth mentioning is the Magna-Steyr site in Graz (Austria) which produces the Supra coupe in small quantities.
- In total, Toyota produced nearly 865,000 vehicles in Europe in 2024.
- The carmaker announced that most of its assembly plants would have to start producing models with fully electric engines, to the detriment of combustion engines and full-hybrid engines.
- ProAce , ProAce City and ProAce Max vans are already available with fully electric engines and a new battery electric CHR+ has just appeared at the Turkish Adapazari site. The British plant in Burnaston will in turn have to gradually make way for new battery electric models to replace the Corolla Full-hybrid. This strategy is reminiscent of that of its compatriot Nissan, which recently announced the imminent start of three battery electric models at the British site in Sunderland: Leaf, Juke and Qashqai. Toyota points out that almost all of its European production is sold in Europe and that the increase in trade barriers around the world will accentuate this type of strategy among all carmakers.
Kia wants to develop in the European LUV market
- Details
Kia wants to develop in the European LUV market
- We have recently seen that the European LUV market, which represents 2 million units in 2024 and between 1.5 million and 2 million units per year between 2010 and 2023 (also in terms of production), is mainly represented by the Stellantis, Renault, Mercedes, Volkswagen and Ford groups (also in terms of production). The Japanese groups Toyota and Nissan have little share in this European LUV market (less than 10% of total sales between them) and their models are simply a rebranding of light utility vehicles from Stellantis (for Toyota) and Renault (for Nissan).
- The presence of Korean carmakers (Hyundai and Kia) in this European LUV market is practically anecdotal. This situation could change rapidly with the launch of brand new Kia-branded utility vehicles, the PV5 (2025), PV7 (2027) and PV9 (2029), three battery electric LUVs with futuristic design that differ mainly in their dimensions, the Korean carmaker wishing to be present in each of the European segments N1-1, N1-2 and N1-3. It should be remembered that the LUV market is a market with high margins, rather stable and therefore very profitable.
- The first model, PV5, has just been presented in two versions, the first with a length of 4.50 m, the second with a length of 4.70 m. These dimensions place it between a Renault Kangoo (4.50 m) and a long Renault Kangoo (4.90 m). The PV7 launched in 2027 will target the electric Renault Trafic. As for the PV9 launched in 2029, it will target the electric Renault Master. The new Kia utility vehicles will also target the new LUVs designed by Flexis for Renault and Volvo.
- The PV5 has a choice of three batteries: LFP 43 kWh, NMC 51 kWh, and NMC 71 kWh. Its range can reach up to 400 km depending on the battery chosen. Pricing for the PV5 has not yet been announced.
Inovev platforms >