China Auto Daily丨MG S5 EV Debuts in Malaysia, Rivals Proton and BYD

2025 MG S5 EV Launches in Malaysia to Rival Proton, BYD  

MG Motor debuted the 2025 S5 EV (sold as the MG ES5 in China) in Malaysia on May 21, offering three trims priced from RM 115,900 (RMB 195,400 ≈ USD 27,100) to RM 135,900 (RMB 229,200 ≈ USD 31,800). The electric SUV will compete with the Proton e.MAS 7 Premium and BYD Atto 3 in Southeast Asia’s burgeoning NEV market.

XPeng Q1 Revenue Jumps 141.5% to RMB 15.81B Amid Narrowed Losses  

XPeng reported Q1 2025 revenue of RMB 15.81 billion (USD 2.19 billion), a 141.5% year-over-year surge, with net losses shrinking to RMB 660 million (USD 91.6 million). The automaker forecasts Q2 revenue between RMB 17.5 billion (USD 2.43 billion) and RMB 18.7 billion (USD 2.59 billion), targeting 102,000–108,000 deliveries (+237.7%–257.5% YoY). Growth is driven by MONA M03 sedan sales and expanded European exports.  

Qualcomm, Xiaomi Renew Multi-Year Tech Pact Across Auto, AR/VR  

Qualcomm Technologies and Xiaomi Group signed a renewed multi-year agreement on May 21, extending their 15-year collaboration. The partnership will focus on co-developing chipsets for smartphones, EVs (including Xiaomi’s upcoming SU7 and YU7 models), AR/VR glasses, wearables, and tablets. The deal underscores Xiaomi’s ambition to integrate HyperOS across its ecosystem, leveraging Qualcomm’s Snapdragon platforms for cross-device AI interoperability.  

Baidu’s Apollo Go Hits 1.4M Rides in Q1, Up 75% YoY  

Baidu’s autonomous ride-hailing service Apollo Go provided 1.4 million rides globally in Q1 2025, a 75% year-on-year increase, according to its May 21 earnings report. Cumulative rides surpassed 11 million by May 2025, with operations now spanning 15 cities worldwide and is actively expanding into markets such as Dubai and Hong Kong, China. The service utilizes Baidu’s sixth-generation RT6 robotaxi, which entered mass production in March.  

TrendForce: Global NEV Sales Surge 39% to 4.02M in Q1 2025  

Global new energy vehicle (NEV) sales reached 4.02 million units in Q1 2025, up 39% YoY, per TrendForce data released May 21. NEV penetration hit 18.4%, with China contributing 55% of total volume. In the BEV field, BYD, Tesla, and Geely led the rankings, capturing 34.9% combined market share. While in the field of PHEV, BYD, Li Auto, and Geely secured the top positions, with a combined market share of 51.3%.

*(Exchange rate: RMB 7.204 = USD 1)*