China Auto Daily丨Leapmotor Leads NEV Startup Rankings in May

May NEV Startup Rankings: Leapmotor Extends Lead as XPeng Slips  

Leapmotor maintained its top position among China’s EV startups for a third consecutive month in May, delivering 45,067 units (+148 YoY). Li Auto rebounded with 40,856 deliveries—its first 40K+ month since January—driven by refreshed L-series SUVs. XPeng delivered 33,525 vehicles (+230% YoY) and marked its 7th month with over 30,000 units delivered. NIO held steady at 23,231 units, while its new Firefly sub-brand contributed 3,680 deliveries in its first full sales month, showing promise in the sub-RMB200,000 (USD 27,800) segment.  

Dongfeng MHERO M817 Debuts Interior at Greater Bay Auto Show with Huawei ADS 4  

Dongfeng’s premium off-road brand MHERO showcased its M817 SUV at the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Auto Show, revealing interior details for the first time since its Shanghai debut. The model features:  

- Huawei ADS 4: Enabling point-to-point autonomous driving in urban/rural/off-road scenarios  

- Harmony Cockpit 5: Supporting one-touch projection for cinematic experiences and AI-generated travel logs  

- QIANKUN Vehicle Cloud: Integrated VHR cloud services and NearLink FOBKEY  

Priced at RMB 400,000–500,000 (USD55,600–69,400), the M817 targets Land Rover Defender clientele with its "overbuilt intelligence" philosophy.  

BYD Yangwang U7 Showcases Stability Tech at Bay Area Show Amid Customer Deliveries  

BYD’s Yangwang exhibited its U7 flagship sedan (priced from RMB 628,000/USD 87,200) alongside the U8 SUV and U9 supercar, confirming first customer deliveries this week. The U7’s Yisifang and Yunnian-Z systems demonstrated unprecedented stability:  

- Maintained trajectory during 160 km/h dual-tire blowout tests  

- Regained control within 0.5 seconds after 100 km/h side impacts  

- Achieved 95.78 km/h in moose tests (95.11 km/h unmanned)  

The technologies redefine safety benchmarks for high-performance EVs.  

BYD Confirms Japan Micro-EV Launch for 2026  

BYD executives verified plans to introduce a micro-EV in Japan next year during a June 3 briefing. The model—smaller than the Dolphin—targets Japan’s kei car segment with sub-3.4-meter length and tailored range. Pricing remains undisclosed but will reflect local cost structures.  

*(Exchange rate: RMB 7.2 = USD 1)*