This Week in EV: The Eye of The Gods

This week we kick off with BYD who have announced they are bringing its advanced driver assistance features to its entry-level models with the introduction of ‘God’s Eye,’ an AI-powered system designed to enhance semi-autonomous driving. While Tesla and Xpeng have dominated the driver-assist space, BYD is making a bold move by rolling out the technology in its cheapest models, potentially making high-end features accessible to the mass market. The company is rolling out three tiers of God’s Eye based on the hardware of the vehicle but the fact that the $9,000 Seagull/Dolphin Mini will get it as standard puts pressure on Tesla's model of selling Full-Self Drive (Supervised) as an extra.?

Sticking with Chinese OEM’s this week XPeng has officially entered the UK market, launching the G6 SUV as its first offering. With competitive pricing and solid tech credentials, XPeng is aiming to shake up the market as a direct competitor to the Tesla Model Y. With a price point of circa ￡40,000 for the standard range with 270 miles of range and ￡45,000 for long range with 354 miles or range it’s significantly cheaper than the new model Y which comes in at ￡61,000 with a 353 mile range. Along with the price the charging speed is also eye-catching with the long range reaching 280kW allowing the car to go from 10-80% in just 20 minutes. It's great to see more EV players enter the UK market.

The drama around what will happen with Nissan continues as Foxconn has confirmed talks with Nissan over a potential EV partnership, with both companies eyeing a joint venture to cut costs and accelerate production. On paper, it makes sense—Foxconn wants a foothold in the auto industry, and Nissan needs help staying competitive in an increasingly China-dominated market. But there are big questions over execution. Foxconn’s track record in EVs is limited, and Nissan’s previous partnerships haven’t always worked out.

Despite what the doomsters and gloomsters might say in certain publications might say global EV sales hit 1.3 million in January, an 18% year-on-year increase, though down 35% from December’s end-of-year surge. As expected, China’s post-holiday cooldown saw sales drop 43% month-on-month, though the market still grew 12% year-on-year. Europe, on the other hand, is gaining traction, with a 21% y-o-y increase across the EU, EFTA, and UK. Meanwhile, North America posted a 22% rise compared to last January, but still lags behind China and Europe in overall volume. Interestingly, the rest of the world saw a 50% jump in sales, with demand picking up in markets like Southeast Asia and Latin America. However, analysts warn that market uncertainties remain—supply chain challenges, regulatory shifts, and ongoing price wars could shape the year ahead. The real test will be whether automakers can sustain growth beyond government incentives and keep consumer interest high as competition intensifies.

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