At the recent ORA preview event, Great Wall Motors Chairman Wei Jianjun made a brutally honest statement: “The government can’t keep funding you forever. Only parents do that for their kids — but isn’t that basically ‘living off your parents’?” One word — “living off your parents” — perfectly captures the current state of many…
Month: November 2025
Xiaomi Just Hit 500,000 Cars. And It Changes the EV Game
On November 20, Xiaomi reached a milestone that would have sounded impossible just a few years ago: the 500,000th Xiaomi car rolled off the line at the Beijing Yizhuang Super Factory. From Car #1 to Car #500,000, it took Xiaomi only 1 year and 7 months—about 602 days. According to industry data, this is the…
I Finally Realized Why Only One Chinese Founder Became a True Icon
A few months ago, I was rewatching one of Lei Jun’s early product launches. The one where he was nervous, stiff, and got laughed at by half the internet. But something struck me: Most founders would hide after that.Lei Jun didn’t. He came back on stage again. And again.And again.Until suddenly—people weren’t laughing anymore. They…
As someone who works for Detroit’s Big Three but drives an LS430…
When I first bought the car, a few colleagues teased me. “Why not drive one of our own?” they asked. Fair question. But the truth is, the LS430 taught me something I couldn’t learn just from working inside the industry – It taught me what timeless engineering really feels like. Every time I close the…
Hedge Funds Are Turning Against Xiaomi. But Should They?
According to a recent Bloomberg report, hedge funds have piled into short positions on Xiaomi just weeks before its Q3 earnings. Goldman Sachs’ data shows short interest in Xiaomi surged 53% in one week – A clear sign that institutional investors are losing confidence, at least in the short term. Why?• Slower-than-expected EV rollout• Rising…
When a Cleaning Lady Became Lexus’ Viral Star
Recently, a Lexus dealership in Harbin, China, invited a 58-year-old cleaning lady — part of the dealership’s janitorial staff — to introduce their cars on camera. To everyone’s surprise, her video went viral — over 5 million views — while the dealership’s usual videos barely reached a few thousand. It seems accidental, but it actually…
When a Smartphone Company Builds a Full-Size SUV
A few years ago, many laughed at the idea of Xiaomi making cars. Now, its upcoming YU9– A full-size, 3-row SUV — is turning heads before launch. – Range-extended hybrid: 1.5L turbo + dual motors– Up to 1,500 km range– Around ¥350K–¥450K (~US $49–63K) But what matters more than specs is the mindset. Xiaomi isn’t…
Li Auto Issues a Proactive Recall
It May Redefine Safety Standards in China’s EV Market. When an automaker chooses to recall before the investigation is even done, it says something important: They’d rather take a financial hit today than gamble with a one-in-ten-thousand safety risk tomorrow. That’s exactly what happened this week. After an incident involving the 2024 Li Auto MEGA,…
The $3 Part That Can Define a $50,000 Car
A few years ago, I watched a senior engineer stare at a small rubber gasket on his desk. It was the size of a coin — nothing special at first glance. But that tiny part had caused thousands of engine oil leaks. It triggered recalls, warranty claims, and customer frustration. Not because the engine was…
A New Milestone for China’s Automotive Chip Industry
Not long ago, many people doubted whether China could truly master automotive-grade semiconductors — Not just design them, but test, certify, and validate them to global standards. On October 28, that narrative quietly changed. China’s first national-level automotive chip standard verification platform officially went into service in Shenzhen. This isn’t just another lab opening. It’s…