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Chinese battery and automotive makers are working to develop the next generation of batteries for <a href="/industry/ev">electric vehicles</a>, with manufacturers SAIC Motor and <a href="/company/byd">BYD</a> set to launch EVs equipped with all-solid-state batteries (ASSB) in 2027.
In early March, state-owned SAIC and battery startup Qingtao (Kunshan) Energy Development Group assembled a prototype <a href="/industry/ev">EV</a> equipped with an ASSB dubbed the "Guangqi" battery. The companies aim to bring the product to market in 2027 after repeated testing for mass production.
ASSBs replace the liquid electrolyte used in conventional batteries with a solid material. They are seen as a game changer for EVs because they address the shortcomings of existing lithium-ion batteries.
Among their advantages is improved safety, with next-generation batteries eliminating the risk of thermal runaway—uncontrollable heat buildup—caused by electrolyte leakage. They also boast a high energy density that is expected to enable driving ranges of over 1,000 kilometers.
SAIC and Qingtao Energy are working on both ASSBs and their precursor, semi-solid-state batteries. MG, a British brand under SAIC's umbrella, has already launched models equipped with semi-solid batteries that reduce liquid electrolyte content to 5%.
Among the brand's MG4 EV lineup, the semi-solid battery version offers a driving range of 530 kilometers on a full charge, based on China's testing standards. The vehicle is priced from RMB 90,000 (USD 13,248.2). The battery is said to maintain stable performance even in low temperatures. It is being adopted in additional models, such as the recently released MG4X sport-utility vehicle.
Chinese automaker BYD is aiming to install ASSBs in some vehicles around 2027. Originally a mobile phone battery maker, the company now develops and produces lithium iron phosphate batteries in-house. It began work on ASSBs as early as 2013 and is targeting 2030 for large-scale production.
The ASSB market is projected to reach RMB 5.7 billion (USD 839 million) in 2027 and RMB 113.8 billion (USD 16.8 billion) in 2030, according to Guosen Securities. An industry group forecasts that by 2040, about half of global battery demand will be replaced by solid-state or semi-solid batteries.
China held a more than 70% share of the global car battery market in 2025, based on installed capacity. Japanese and South Korean companies are stepping up their own ASSB development programs in an effort to catch up.
In Japan, Toyota Motor aims to commercialize EVs with ASSBs between 2027–2028, working with Idemitsu Kosan and Sumitomo Metal Mining to prepare for mass production. Nissan Motor is targeting commercialization by fiscal 2028, while Honda Motor is aiming for the latter half of the 2020s.
But the path to widespread ASSB adoption differs significantly between Japan and China. Chinese firms are actively developing and deploying semi-solid batteries as a bridge to ASSBs, while Japanese companies for the most part have not pursued semi-solid battery development.
At a major battery exhibition held in mid-May in Shenzhen, enthusiasm for new battery tech bubbled over as attendance reached a record high.
At the booth of battery maker Gotion High-tech, crowds gathered around a semi-solid battery pack that the company expects to be installed in cars from major manufacturers from as early as this year.
"The ultimate goal for battery companies is to install all-solid-state batteries in vehicles," said a company representative at the booth. Gotion has already completed a production line with a capacity of two gigawatt-hours for ASSBs. It aims to significantly lower costs in the future—down to RMB 1 (USD 0.1) per watt-hour—by expanding production of materials like sulfide-based solid electrolytes.
Battery makers CALB and EVE Energy, along with automakers such as <a href="/company/chery">Chery</a> and <a href="/company/gac">GAC</a>, are likewise pursuing commercialization of ASSBs while using semi-solid technologies. The Chinese players are working with semi-solid batteries in part because "they need to continuously release new products in short cycles, or else they'll lose to the intense competition in the country," according to an employee at a Japanese battery company.
But challenges to widespread adoption remain. "Semi-solid batteries can utilize about 80% of existing production lines, whereas all-solid-state batteries require new lines, meaning double or more the required investment," said Tang Jin, senior researcher at Mizuho Bank. "Costs are particularly burdensome in the initial stages, when economies of scale aren't yet achievable."
As long as production of ASSB-equipped vehicles remains limited to around 20,000–30,000 units, some think the price of ASSBs could be more than five times that of current lithium-ion batteries. Companies like Gotion are looking to cut costs, but it is unclear whether there will be enough demand for mass production.
Stable mass production will also require the creation of new manufacturing processes and supply chains.
But China has the world's largest market for electrified vehicles, with EV and plug-in hybrid car sales totaling about 16 million units annually, nearly half of new car sales. The puts Chinese companies in a position to accelerate the adoption of new technologies and stay ahead of rivals elsewhere.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/technology/china-s-byd-saic-motor-eye-evs-with-all-solid-state-batteries-in-2027">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.0722vps.aieehr01.top/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.
Note: RMB figures are converted to USD at rates of RMB 6.79 = USD 1 based on estimates as of June 8, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

China's BYD, SAIC Motor eye EVs with all-solid-state batteries in 2027

East Asia

China

Battery

… bringing its total fundraising over the past three months to more than RMB 1 billion (USD 147.2 million). Investors include a Liangxi fund managed by Broad Vision Funds, Yangzhou Longtou Xinli, ZBJL Capital, ThunderSoft, Kingswood Inks, and returning investor CAS Investment Management. An unnamed listed company also participated. The company’s valuation has surpassed RMB 10 billion (USD 1.5 billion). —<a href="https://36kr.com/p/3836068296209537">36Kr</a></li>
</ul>
whereRelatedArticle
<h3>SG Enviro, E3A Healthcare, Volant, and others made recent headlines:</h3>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">SG Enviro, a Singapore-headquartered industrial water and wastewater engineering company, completed its Series A round with backing from Emerald Ventures and Seeds Capital.</li>
<li aria-level="1">E3A Healthcare, a Singapore-founded medical technology company focused on women’s health, completed its Series A and Series A1 rounds. The funding was led by Kapok Capital, with participation from Watten Capital, Kangaroo Mommy, and Solebay Capital.</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.volantaerotech.com/en">Volant Aerotech</a>, a developer of eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft, raised nearly RMB 1 billion in a Series C+ round. The financing was led by China Life Investment, with participation from Minjin Investment, Nio Capital, CoStone Capital, and existing shareholder China Internet Investment Fund (CIIF).</li>
</ul>
If there are any news or updates you'd like us to feature, get in touch with us at: <a href="mailto:hello@0722vps.aieehr01.top">hello@0722vps.aieehr01.top</a>.
Note: RMB, SGD figures are converted to USD at rates of RMB 6.79 = USD 1 and SGD 1.29 = USD 1 based on estimates as of June 9, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

Deals in brief: Handshake Finance, Clear Robotics raise funding; VoidZero joins Cloudflare; GIC invests in Supabase and Ramp; and more

Venture Capital

Private Equity

Investment

Merger &amp; Acquisition

Singapore

Thailand

South Korea

New Zealand

Southeast Asia

Europe

Oceania

Shi Xiaoxin, senior director of product planning at <a href="/company/xpeng">Xpeng’s</a> robotics arm, left the company earlier this month, according to 36Kr.
Shi spent more than four years at Xpeng’s <a href="/industry/robotics">robotics</a> business, a period that covered the integration of Pengxing Intelligence, the team’s incorporation into Xpeng, and the full development cycle of the Iron humanoid robot, from prototype iteration to production preparation. He was one of the early figures involved in building Xpeng’s humanoid product system from the ground up.
Shi holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Nanjing University and a master’s degree in information technology from the University of Technology Sydney. Earlier in his career, he worked overseas in commercial service robotics and oversaw Aldebaran’s Nao robot as Asia-Pacific technical lead. He led several robotics deployment projects at major international technology exhibitions and was among China’s early specialists in humanoid interaction and product implementation.
Around 2021, Shi joined Xpeng’s robotics business. In 2023, after Xpeng completed its acquisition of Pengxing Intelligence and formally committed to developing the Iron humanoid robot, Shi became the product lead responsible for defining the full Iron product line and deploying Iron as an in-store guide.
Public information shows Shi remained active in the field as recently as May, when he spoke as a guest lecturer at ShanghaiTech University about Xpeng’s approach to mass production design for humanoid robots. His departure one month later came as the company prepared for Iron’s next production phase.
Xpeng has not officially announced any personnel change. The timing is notable because 2026 is expected to be a decisive year for Iron’s production rollout. Xpeng chairman He Xiaopeng has said the next-generation Iron robot will be unveiled in the fourth quarter, with scaled production by year’s end and commercial deliveries in China and overseas in 2027. In the first quarter of this year, Xpeng began building a full-chain humanoid robot production base in Guangzhou.
Shi’s next move is unclear. Multiple sources said he is not currently looking for a job. One person familiar with the matter said Shi has turned down offers from several leading robotics companies and new energy vehicle makers, and plans to take a short break before deciding on his next role.
KrASIA features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3839560961116417">article</a> was written by Chen Tong and Fang Tingyu for 36Kr.

Xpeng loses product lead before Iron robot enters critical phase

Xpeng Motors

Robotics

Deep Tech

Embodied Intelligence

… data-tmfx-note="1">Note: RMB figures are converted to USD at rates of RMB 6.79 = USD 1 based on estimates as of June 9, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

WeChat opens the door to phone-based AI agents, on its own terms

WeChat

Artificial Intelligence

… enterprise customers are shifting toward long-term supply chain partnerships. Both trends create more conditions for sustainable profitability.
This <a href="https://xueqiu.com/2854806290/393502109">article</a> was adapted based on a feature originally written by Robin and published on IPO Zaozhidao. KrASIA is authorized to translate, adapt, and publish its contents.
Note: RMB figures are converted to USD at rates of RMB 6.79 = USD 1 based on estimates as of June 9, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

Longsys targets edge AI storage in Hong Kong dual listing push

AI Infrastructure

Hong Kong

… Jordan. Jordan Brand revenue rose from about USD 2.8 billion in 2018 to around USD 7 billion in 2024, accounting for 13.6% of Nike’s revenue. It has effectively become an independent brand inside Nike. No sportswear company has replicated that model, including Nike itself.
The second barrier is that basketball’s return profile has changed. Even if a Jordan-like star emerged today, recreating Jordan Brand’s trajectory would be difficult in a slower category. Li-Ning must figure out how to turn Curry and his portable independent brand into a growth engine rather than an expensive marketing line item.
KrASIA features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3836116289877385">article</a> was written by He Zhexin for 36Kr.
Note: RMB figures are converted to USD at rates of RMB 6.79 = USD 1 based on estimates as of June 9, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

Why Curry Brand chose Li-Ning over Anta

Li-Ning

Consumer Economy

… director Liu Yu and valued at USD 1.3 billion, sources told 36Kr.
<h3>Doubao turns toward monetization and overseas growth</h3>
Doubao’s commercialization is the fourth priority. 36Kr previously reported that Doubao is expected to <a href="https://0722vps.aieehr01.top/doubao-prepares-paid-subscriptions-as-bytedance-seeks-ai-returns">launch paid subscription plans</a> in late June and connect with Douyin E-commerce to expand monetization.
In early May, Doubao updated subscription options in the app store, with monthly plans ranging from free to RMB 500 (USD 73.6). On June 3, Doubao announced an upcoming professional version for workplace productivity needs, including software development, data analysis, design, workflow automation, financial analysis, and scientific research.
Several sources told 36Kr that Doubao had surpassed 200 million DAUs after the Lunar New Year. One source said Doubao’s user acquisition budget is now low, while high DAU has brought heavy inference and operating costs. Monetization at this stage is meant both to slow the pace of growth and help the product generate its own cash flow.
whereRelatedArticle
Slide deck generation is viewed as the main entry point for paid user behavior. One person close to Doubao said the company wants to strengthen slide deck generation to build revenue from white-collar professionals in sectors such as finance and law. Doubao also plans to launch an enterprise version and connect with internal company systems, though the exact integration model is still under discussion.
The idea reflects similar trends overseas. Anthropic disclosed that Claude Code <a href="https://www.anthropic.com/news/anthropic-raises-30-billion-series-g-funding-380-billion-post-money-valuation">reached USD 2.5 billion in annualized recurring revenue (ARR)</a> in February, more than double its level at the start of the year. Cash flow from enterprise development use cases reportedly helped Anthropic surpass OpenAI in ARR earlier this year, despite Anthropic being founded later.
Doubao’s challenge is to reposition itself from a free general-purpose chatbot into a paid office assistant that improves productivity. But the market it wants to enter is already crowded. A Doubao source said ByteDance found through its research that many solution providers already occupy the enterprise AI tool market, meaning a late-arriving Doubao will face higher acquisition costs.
Overseas expansion is also a key task this year. <a href="https://www.jiemian.com/article/13832319.html">Jiemian News</a> previously reported that Dola, Doubao’s overseas app, surpassed ten million DAUs by the end of 2025. According to 36Kr, Dola’s 2026 target is 30 million DAUs by year’s end. With overseas AI chatbots largely dominated by ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, Dola’s strategy is said to focus on more niche markets rather than regions like Europe and the US, where competition is tighter.
KrASIA features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3838454229027072">article</a> was written by Zhou Xinyu for 36Kr.
Note: RMB figures are converted to USD at rates of RMB 6.79 = USD 1 based on estimates as of June 9, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

ByteDance sets four AI priorities for 2026

Doubao

Foundation and Large Models

Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC), a major Chinese state-owned automaker, is struggling with intense price competition in the <a href="/industry/ev">electric vehicle</a> market, reporting losses of RMB 8,300 (USD 1,221.8) per vehicle sold under its brands at one point in 2025.
The rapid deterioration in the company's performance could impact negotiations over its joint venture contract with Japan's Honda Motor, an agreement that is set to expire in 2028.
"In China's market in 2025, the decline in prices for our main models was the steepest in the past five years," GAC said in materials distributed in mid-March, when it said it expected a net loss for the year ending December 2025. This would mark the company's first full-year loss since its listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2010.
GAC's EV brand Aion ranked third in retail sales of new energy passenger vehicles in China in 2023, behind <a href="/company/byd">BYD</a> and Tesla. The line was seen as a success, especially as the state-owned automaker had fallen behind in EVs for younger buyers.
But conditions changed dramatically in just two years. In 2025, GAC's sales of vehicles under its own brands, just over 30% of total sales, fell 20% from the previous year to 600,000 units. Including joint ventures, overall sales dropped 14% to 1.72 million units. The results contrast with those of rivals such as BYD and <a href="/company/geely">Geely</a>, which posted increases over 2024, as well as newer players like <a href="/company/xiaomi">Xiaomi</a> and <a href="/company/xpeng">Xpeng</a>, which also gained ground.
Aion, which had been growing, relied heavily on business use sales, such as for ride-hailing and taxis, leading some to note that its brand image among general consumers had fallen.
GAC said it offered discounts of RMB 15,000–30,000 (USD 2,208–4,416.1) at dealerships in an effort to bolster sales, but volumes failed to recover and the discounts eroded profit margins.
In addition, rising material costs and higher fixed expenses because of lower factory utilization pushed per-unit costs up 20% to RMB 121,600 (USD 17,899.7), higher than revenue per unit of RMB 113,300 (USD 16,678). As a result, at the gross profit level, the company incurred a loss of RMB 8,300 (USD 1,221.8) for each vehicle sold.
Amid these developments, attention is turning to GAC Honda, a joint venture co-owned by GAC and Honda Motor. The two automakers agreed to a 30-year contract in 1998, and the following year Honda became the first major Japanese player to begin passenger car production in China, laying the foundation of its business in the country. The agreement is now set to expire in two years.
Honda's earnings have also deteriorated. On May 14, the company reported a net loss for the fiscal year ended March, its first since going public. While much of this was because of losses associated with halting EV development in North America, the slump in its China business was also significant.
GAC Honda's sales had grown to 800,000 units in 2020, but the company lagged in the shift to new energy vehicles in the Chinese market. Sales fell to 340,000 units in 2025, down 60% from 2020. While Toyota Motor and Nissan Motor have been rolling out new EV models, GAC Honda has not introduced any additional models since April 2025.
In mid-April, Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe traveled to Guangzhou, where he met with GAC executives to discuss the joint venture.
GAC appears eager to continue the venture. Although its sales are falling, GAC Honda still accounts for 20% of the Chinese automaker's annual revenue. In the materials disclosed in mid-March, GAC said that under GAC Honda's five-year plan, business is expected to begin improving significantly in 2027. But GAC will need to improve its own performance to remain an attractive business partner if it wants to persuade Honda to extend the life of the venture.
The company also established a joint venture with Toyota in 2004, dubbed GAC Toyota. The partnership began with the production of the Camry sedan. Sales of new vehicles by GAC Toyota rose 0.3% in 2025, according to Toyota. The two automakers are strengthening their cooperation on EV development.
GAC is partnering with Chinese firms as well. In June, the company plans to launch its first EV under a new energy vehicle brand developed with <a href="/company/huawei">Huawei Technologies</a> called Qijing. The brand, aimed at the high-end segment, will incorporate technologies from Huawei and battery maker <a href="/company/catl">Contemporary Amperex Technology</a>, or CATL.
In April, total new vehicle sales in the Chinese market, including exports, dropped 2.5% on the year. Despite headwinds such as a reduction in a tax credit for the purchase of new-energy autos, GAC secured a 4% sales increase, supported in part by the launch of new Aion models. The company aims to capitalize and recover with an additional rollout in June.
"Honda hasn't made any decisions yet about what to do with the joint venture," a person familiar with the matter said. To find a meaningful result for the venture, both GAC and Honda will need to identify a winning strategy for the Chinese market, which has greatly changed over the past 30 years.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/automobiles/china-s-gac-lost-1-200-per-vehicle-in-2025-as-honda-tie-up-deadline-nears">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.0722vps.aieehr01.top/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.
Note: RMB figures are converted to USD at rates of RMB 6.79 = USD 1 based on estimates as of June 8, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

China's GAC lost USD 1,200 per vehicle in 2025 as Honda tie-up deadline nears

Transportation

Electric Vehicles

Mobility

The Jinko group, the world's largest solar panel maker, will enter the data center business, supplying power directly from its plants to meet the growing demand from the spread of <a href="/industry/ai">artificial intelligence</a>.
In the desert city of Zhongwei, known as a historical Silk Road hub in what is now the Ningxia autonomous region in inner China, a plan emerged in April to build a RMB 24.5 billion (USD 3.6 billion) data center.
The plan was the result of an agreement between the local government and Jinko Power Technology, part of the Jinko group. The company operates power plants that mainly use solar panels produced by JinkoSolar, the group's panel manufacturer. Construction of the data center is set to begin this year, with a goal of completion by 2028.
The facility will be a one-gigawatt data center. It will spread out over 530,000 square meters. A dedicated power plant will be built to supply electricity directly, creating a stable source of revenue.
Operating data centers in tandem with power plants is known in China as computing power coordination, a term that was included for the first time in a government policy document released in March outlining policies for this year. In Japan, it is known as watt-bit collaboration.
But uniquely in this case, a solar panel maker is taking the lead.
"While a lot of companies are focusing on bundled sales with storage batteries to diversify revenue beyond panels," an employee at a major competing Chinese solar panel maker said. "Running a data center is unusual."
At the end of 2025, Jinko Power had cash and deposits of RMB 5.8 billion (USD 853.8 million). Construction costs will be covered through a combination of company funds and borrowing. Multiple banks, such as China Construction Bank and CTBC Bank are reportedly considering financing. The company is also exploring the establishment of a joint venture with outside investors.
Behind the major investment is the underutilization of solar power facilities in China, an issue known as curtailment. The curtailment rate rose to 5% last year from 2% in 2020, according to a calculation using data from China's National Energy Administration, and then jumped to 9% in the January-March period this year.
China accounted for about 60% of new solar installations globally in 2025, according to the International Energy Agency, with 415 gigawatts added. But the development of costly transmission infrastructure has not kept pace.
China's western inland regions, which have extensive open space and abundant sunlight, are ideal for large power plants, while demand for electricity is concentrated in eastern coastal areas with major cities such as Shanghai. The government is promoting an initiative known as "Eastern Data and Western Computing," in which data processing for AI in the east is handled by data centers in the west.
AI, the main driver of rising power demand, is well suited to data centers distant from concentrations of demand. AI operates through training, which builds foundational models, and inference, which applies them. The training process largely can be conducted at any time and place.
Jinko decided to run the data center itself because revenue in the external power supply business depends on factors such as securing long-term contracts and maintaining an advantage in price negotiations. By shifting from an electricity supplier to a company that generates and manages demand, it aims to stabilize earnings.
In China, a phenomenon known as involution—excessive competition driven by heavy investment in industries prioritized by the government—has happened repeatedly, and solar panels are no exception. JinkoSolar reported a net loss of RMB 6.8 billion (USD 1.0 billion) for the fiscal year ended December, and a loss of RMB 1.3 billion (USD 191.4 million) for the January-March quarter this year.
In 2025, the government began promoting efforts to curb this kind of disorderly price competition. Expanding power demand for data centers is one such example.
But in Zhongwei, state-owned power giant China Datang Group also began operating wind and solar power plants in May to directly supply data centers. Even in the distant desert, the involution trap is not easily escaped.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/energy/chinese-solar-giant-jinko-to-supply-power-to-desert-ai-data-center">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.0722vps.aieehr01.top/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.
Note: RMB figures are converted to USD at rates of RMB 6.79 = USD 1 based on estimates as of June 8, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

Chinese solar giant Jinko to supply power to desert AI data center

Energy