VW ID.ERA 9X
Now that April 2026 has been studied, let’s focus on the latest launches on the Chinese market. This month is very busy as a lot of models present at the Beijing Auto Show are entering the market. As a result we have 12 new models hitting the charts, including 3 foreigners. To fully understand the scope of the Chinese market, make sure you consult our Exclusive Guide to all 190 active Chinese Brands.
1. Chery QQ3 EV (8,494 sales)
The Chery QQ3 EV revives a legendary nameplate and is an all-electric, third generation rebirth of Chery’s iconic urban hatchback. It shifts from a basic budget vehicle to a tech-focused, space-efficient urban commuter. The QQ3 EV eatures a rounded “Light Geometry” silhouette that pays homage to the classic first-generation QQ. It incorporates oval projector LED matrix headlights, aerodynamic body lines, flush door handles, a floating roof, and a standard power tailgate. Built on an ultra-flat EV platform using “Space Max” engineering, pushing the wheels to the corners to provide an 85% cabin space efficiency. It comes with a minimalist two-tone interior, 256-color ambient lighting, and extensive storage including a 375L boot, a 70L front trunk (frunk), and a 35L compartment beneath the rear seats. The dashboard is dominated by a massive 15.6-inch 2.5K floating central touchscreen paired with an 8.8-inch driver instrument cluster. The system is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 processor running AI voice interaction.
The QQ3 is 4,195 mm long, 1,811 mm wide and 1,573 mm tall with a 2,700 mm wheelbase. There are two available Lithium Iron Phosphate battery packs: 29.5 kWh for a 310 km CLTC range and 41.3 kWh for a 420 km CLTC range. The car supports DC fast charging to replenish the battery from 30% to 80% in 16 minutes. It is priced from 58,900 to 78,900 yuan (7,450-9,975€ or US$8,700-11,600) and will compete with the likes of the Geely Xingyuan aka EX2 (68,800-87,800 yuan), Wuling Bingo (56,800-66,800 yuan), MG 4 (68,800-102,800 yuan) and Leapmotor A10 (65,800-86,800 yuan). In terms of sales prospects, Chery reported receiving 56,789 orders “shortly” after launch, although without specifying the amount of time it took to reach this figure. Regardless, this is still very impressive and calls for a high bar for success.
Bar for success: 13,000 monthly sales
2. Leapmotor D19 (4,455 sales)
Leapmotor is on a roll at the moment, reaching a record 5th place in the wholesales brands ranking in April. And this momentum is set to continue as it has recently launched new models in 2 months: after the A10 hatch in March, here comes the D19. It is an upper-large, three-row flagship luxury SUV which debuts the brand’s premium D-series line. Built on the advanced LEAP 4.0 architecture, it targets executive and family buyers by blending massive footprint dimensions with ultra-premium interior technology. I spoke about the D19 in my domestic brands coverage of the Beijing Auto Show 2026. The D19’s claim to fame is the largest EREV battery in the world at 80.3 kWh, enabling a 500km run with the ICE turned off. More on this later. In terms of exterior design, the D19 adopts Leapmotor’s “Technology Natural Aesthetics 2.0” styling language. It features a prominent “Range Rover-esque” boxy silhouette, a full-width interactive LED light bar, an active aerodynamic lower grille, three-stage projector headlights, and flush door handles.
It is 5,252 mm long, 1,995 mm wide, and 1,780 mm tall, riding on a generous 3,110 mm wheelbase (similar in size to a Toyota Land Cruiser or BMW X7) and available in high-comfort 6-seat or 7-seat configurations. The luxury cabin mimics high-end MPVs with Nappa leather upholstery, second-row zero-gravity reclining seats (up to 120 degrees), a climate-controlled 8.1L refrigerator, integrated folding work tables, and an industry-first onboard oxygen generator. The dashboard includes a 17.3-inch central touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster, and a massive 60-inch AR head-up display (HUD). Rear passengers get an independent 21.4-inch 3K entertainment screen. The vehicle’s central computing domain relies on dual Qualcomm Snapdragon 8797 chipsets. The EREV variant features a 80.3 kWh CATL pack for up to 500 km electric (approx. 1,300 km combined) while the BEV manages up to 720 km pure electric range and 0 to 100 km/h in under 3 sec.
The D19 is priced from 219,800 to 269,800 yuan (27,800-34,100€ or US$32,400-39,700) which makes it compete with the likes of the AITO M9 (183,900-269,800 yuan), BYD Great Tang (250,000-320,000 yuan) and IM LS8 (261,800-311,800 yuan). This is new ground for Leapmotor and the first monthly sales result is already quite respectable. We don’t need much more to consider the vehicle a success.
Bar for success: 6,000 monthly sales
3. Buick Electra E7 (2,562 sales)
Buick isn’t faring to badly at the moment in a dark context for foreign manufacturers in China: sales are down -11.2% over the first four months of 2026, placing it at #17 in the brands charts vs. #20 over the Full year 2025. April sales are down -34% though. The E7 is the 5th model under the Electra NEV sub brand after the Encasa (1,482 sales in April), E5 (788 sales), L7 (470 sales) and E4 (2 sales) which have all flopped so far.
The E7 is a mid-size PHEV SUV specifically developed to challenge dominant local brands in China. It comes at 4,850 mm long, 1,910 mm wide, and 1,676 mm tall with a 2,850 mm wheelbase. Despite the Electra moniker historically used for pure EVs, this model introduces Buick’s next-generation “True Dragon” (Zhenlong) Plug-in Hybrid Pro technology, aiming to offer zero range anxiety alongside premium cabin tech.
Equipped with a 32.6 kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery pack, it delivers up to 235 km of pure EV range (CLTC) and a massive 1,630 km total combined range on a full tank and charge. It supports DC fast charging that adds 100 km of range in 10 minutes. The E7 is very competitively priced from 159,900 to 199,900 yuan (20,700-25,300€ or US$23,500-29,400) and even temporarily starts at 154,900 yuan (19,600€ or US$22,800) with launch incentives. It will fight the likes of the Chery Fulwin T9L (129,900-186,900 yuan) or the Lynk & Co 08 EM-P (175,800-228,800 yuan) as well as some foreigners such as the Nissan NX8 (159,900-209,900 yuan).
Bar for success: 5,000 monthly sales
4. VW ID.ERA 9X (2,326 sales)
As covered in the most impressive carmakers at the last Beijing Auto Show, Volkswagen seems to have finally woken up in China after falling to #4 brand in both March and April. At the Show, it presented no less than four new NEV models including this ID.ERA 9X. The 9X is an extra-large, three-row luxury crossover developed by the SAIC-VW joint venture. It is Volkswagen’s first mass-production EREV. It comes at 5,207 mm long, 1,997 mm wide, and 1,810 mm tall with a 3,070 mm wheelbase, incorporates a glowing VW emblem, full-width LED matrix lighting, an automatic side step, and an aerodynamic posture. The interior features a front passenger touch screen, an integrated 21-inch top-mounted rear display and an onboard fridge.
The ID.Era 9X relies on a highly efficient 1.5L turbocharged inline-4 range-extender engine (based on VW’s EA211 EVO 2 platform, delivering 105 kW/141 hp) acting strictly as a generator to feed the electric powertrain. It is available in a 295 hp single rear electric motor or 510 hp dual electric motors reaching 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds. There are two battery options: 51.1 kWh LFP for a 267 km CLTC pure EV range and 65.2 Ternary NMC for a 406 km CLTC put EV range and 1,651 km comprehensive range. The ERA.9X is priced from 309,800 to 359,800 yuan (39,200-45,500€ or US$45,600-53,000) and will compete with the likes of the Li Auto L9 (559,800 yuan),AITO M8 (359,800-459,800 yuan) and IM LS9 (332,800-362,800 yuan).
Volkswagen needs all the fire power it can get to reverse mediocre results (-46.8% in April) so we will place the bar to success rather high.
Bar for success: 6,000 monthly sales
5. Voyah Taishan X8 (1,505 sales)
Dongfeng’s Voyah premium brand is in great shape so far this year with sales up 20.9% in a falling market. The new Taishan X8 (or Titan X8) is a full-size 5-seat flagship SUV built on Dongfeng’s Tianyuan Architecture and employing a high-voltage 800V platform. It comes at 5,200 mm long, 2,025 mm wide, and 1,814 mm tall, riding on a massive 3,090 mm wheelbase. The X8 is the dedicated 5-seat derivative of the larger 6-seat Taishan flagship. It employs the brand’s signature “Kunpeng Spreading Wings” design ethos, featuring a massive, silver vertical-waterfall front grille integrated with ultra-slim daytime running lights inspired by ancient oracle bone script. It is fitted with illuminated semi-hidden door handles.
The interior showcases the first automotive deployment of Huawei’s HarmonyOS 5.2 Smart Cockpit configured around dual independent 15.6-inch 2K central touchscreens. The X8 is available as a PHEV (44.5 kWh LFP pack for 310 km pure EV range or 65 kWg ternary NMC battery for 370 km pure EV range) and also as a BEV featuring 98 kWh or 120 kWh battery capacities, generating a maximum pure electric driving range of up to 727 km (CLTC). The X8 is priced from 302,900-389,900 yuan (38,300-49,300€ or US$44,600-57,400) and will compete with the Li Auto L7 (301,800-359,800 yuan), Zeekr 8X (356,800-500,800 yuan), AITO M7 (249,800-389,800 yuan) and AITO M8 (359,800-459,800 yuan). The X8 received 20,000 orders within 20 hours or its pre-sales launch and 40,000 after 13 days. Voyah wants the X8 to become the brand’s bestselling model, a title currently held by the Dreamer MPV with 6,995 sales in April.
Bar for success: 6,000 monthly sales
6. Aion N60 (884 sales)
GAC’s Aion sales are stable year-on-year over the first four months of 2026 (-3.2%) to roughly 90,000 units. This is a very respectable level and the N60 is aiming at pushing this further. It is a compact electric crossover focused on interior space, comfort, and value rather than sporty styling. Its exterior uses a clean, aerodynamic EV design with a full-width LED light bar, slim headlights, hidden door handles, and a tall roofline that gives it a slightly MPV-like silhouette. It is 4,615 mm long, 1,860-1,883 mm wide and 1,673 mm tall with a 2,775 mm wheelbase, prioritising rear passenger room. Inside, the cabin follows the minimalist trend common among newer Chinese EVs, centered around a large touchscreen infotainment system and a digital instrument display.
Mechanically, the N60 is built as a front-wheel-drive EV powered by a 165 kW electric motor. Depending on the version, it offers LFP battery packs ranging from about 45.6 kWh to nearly 70 kWh, with claimed CLTC driving ranges between 410 km and 610 km. One of the standout aspects of the vehicle is its technology package: even relatively affordable trims include LiDAR-based advanced driver assistance systems, 4D radar, automated parking features, and GAC’s latest ADiGO intelligent cockpit software — features that are usually reserved for more expensive EVs. Indeed the Aion is aggressively priced from 105,800 to 125,800 yuan (13,400-15,900€ or US$15,600-18,500). This puts it against vehicles such as the BYD Sealion 05 (117,800-145,900 yuan) and Toyota bZ3X (109,800-159,800 yuan). Its stablemate – and similarly priced – the Aion i60 is a PHEV variant and has reached almost 10,000 sales in April. Approaching this would make the N60 a success.
Bar for success: 7,500 monthly sales
7. Exeed EX7 (564 sales)
Chery’s premium brand Exeed sales are in dire straits at -58.2% over the first four months of 2026. The carmaker definitely needs fresh blood and the EX7 aims at fixing this situation. It is a high-performance luxury mid-to-large five-seater SUV, coming at 4,988 mm long, 1,975 mm wide, and 1,710 mm high, riding on a 3,000 mm wheelbase. The EX7 features a seamless, full-width LED daytime running light bar integrating the brand lettering. It incorporates flush, hidden door handles, frameless doors, and a high belt line. The rear is outfitted with a full-width taillight bar and a specialised “Little Blue Light” auxiliary driving status indicator. The EX7’s main feature remains its brake-by-wire electronic mechanical braking setup, replacing conventional hydraulic architecture with independently controlled wheel-braking motors.
The interior is dominated by a seamless, bezel-less 30-inch 6K ultrawide integrated screen spanning the centre and passenger sides. It is supplemented by a separate floating driver instrument panel and an augmented reality heads-up display (AR-HUD). The vehicle includes a 2,880-watt “Bo Ya” premium sound system utilising up to 31 speakers (including headrest units). It comes equipped with a 9.2-litre dual-temperature (-18°C to 50°C) smart refrigerator. As is the case for a lot of recent Chinese launches, there are EREV and BEV variants for the EX7. The EREV claims a combined CLTC range over 1,500 km thanks to a 41.16 kWh battery, while the BEV featuring up to 97.6 kWh CATL battery for a CLTC range up to 726 km. The EX7 is priced from 199,900 to 263,900 yuan (25,300-33,400€ or US$29,400-38,900) and will compete with the likes of the Leapmotor D19 (219,800-269,800 yuan) and Fang Cheng Bao Bao 7 (179,800-239,800 yuan). Given depleted sales, the EX7 instantly becomes the brand’s best-seller for its first month in market. We’d want it to climb higher to have a real effect on the carmaker’s overall sales in China.
Bar for success: 5,000 monthly sales
8. Geely Galaxy Starshine 7 (519 sales)
Geely has recently established itself as the #2 brand in China below BYD (even though it is #1 year-to-date in 2026) thanks to surging sales and the help of its Galaxy NEV sub-brand. The Starshine 7 is a new addition to the growing Galaxy lineup, it’s a mid-size PHEV sedan coming at 4,958 mm long, 1,915 mm wide, and 1,505 mm tall, sitting on a spacious 2,852 mm wheelbase and adopts the sub-brand’s signature design language. The front end is highlighted by a large trapezoidal “Galaxy Waterfall” grille with distinct vertical chrome inserts which makes it look like a much more expensive model than what it is (more on this below). Note the sedan features traditional pull-out door handles instead of hidden ones.
The dashboard layout features a wraparound cockpit housing a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster for the driver and a floating 15.6-inch central infotainment display. The Starshine 7 offers a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated inline-4 engine (82 kW / 110 hp) coupled with a 28.3 kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery This gives it a pure electric range of up to 170 km (CLTC). It is priced very competitively between 112,800 and 142,800 yuan (14,300-18,100€ or US$16,600-21,000) and competes with the BYD Qin L (96,800-153,800 yuan). In terms of sales prospects, the smaller Starshine 6 could only muster 8,262 sales over the first four month of the year, so we will limit our hope for the Starshine 7.
Bar for success: 5,000 monthly sales
9. Shangjie Z7T (285 sales) and Z7 (152 sales)
The Z7 is a premium, full-size smart electric coupe developed as a joint venture between state-owned automaker SAIC Motor and tech giant Huawei. Sold through Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) network, the Z7 debuted alongside a shooting brake wagon variant called the Z7T and which is selling better for now. The exterior design of the Z7 has been likened with the Porsche Taycan from almost every angle, just as the Z7T resembles a Taycan Sport Turismo. The front also reminds us of the super successful Xiaomi SU7. The rear features a single, full-width “Star River” LED taillight strip that utilises an intricate sparkle/crystal effect. The Z7 is a large sedan coming in at 5,036 mm long, 1,976 mm wide, and 1,465 mm tall with a 3,000 mm wheelbase.
Inside, the centrepiece is a floating central touchscreen that can electronically extend forward/backward and rotate left/right to actively face either the driver or the front passenger based on who is interacting with it.The interior features “Alps Healthy Cabin” design, using degradable/adsorptive materials and water-ion air conditioning tech to purify air and hydrate skin. There are two powertrain options: RWD 354 hp single motor and AWD 582 hp dual-motor. The AWD version reaches 100 km/h in 3.44 seconds. The vehicle uses Huawei’s “Jingwhale” ternary NMC batteries, either 81 kWh or 100 kWh, the latter achieves a class-leading maximum CLTC range of up to 905 km and it can recover 200 km of range in just 5 minutes. The Z7 is priced from 229,800 to 309,800 yuan (29,100-39,200€ or US$33,800-45,600), with the Z7T commanding a flat 10,000 yuan premium. Its main competitors are the Xiaomi SU7 (219,900-303,900 yuan) and Zeekr 001 (269,800-329,800 yuan). These are untested grounds for Shangjie. The H5 SUV peaked at 10,672 wholesales last November but has fallen back to just 3,852 in April. We’d want higher figures to call the Z7/Z7T a success.
Bar for success: 7,500 combined monthly sales
10. Cadillac Vistiq (80 sales)
The Vistiq is a premium three-rod large luxury SUV manufactured in China ia the SAIC-GM joint venture. It comes at 5,222 mm long, 2,026 mm wide, and 1,799 mm tall, with a 3,094 mm wheelbase and slips between the Lyriq and flagship Escalade IQ. The front design embraces Cadillac’s “IQ” electric family aesthetic, featuring an expansive, closed-off black crystal shield grille with intricate interior patterning and a prominent chrome brow. The China-spec Vistiq adopts a 2+2+2 six-seat layout, placing a strong emphasis on acoustic comfort and multi-screen entertainment. The dashboard features a 33-inch wraparound display that merges the digital instrument cluster and infotainment into one glass pane. Rear passengers are treated with dual 12.9-inch entertainment screens mounted behind the front seats.
It is offered in either a single-motor RWD for 342 hp or a dual-motor AWD for 594 hp. The latter reaches 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds. Charging speed is disappointing for the price, adding roughly 127 km of range in 10 minutes. Indeed the Vistiq is priced from 468,800 to 508,800 yuan (59,300-64,300€ or US$69,000-74,900) and will compete with the Zeekr 9X (465,900-599,900 yuan), NIO ES8 (406,800-456,800 yuan), Li Auto L9 (409,800-439,800 yuan) and AITO M9 (469,800-569,800 yuan). Foreign competitors include the pricier BMW X7 and Audi Q7. Cadillac’s best-selling model in China in April was the XT5 at 3,429 sales, so prospects for the Vistiq are limited.
Bar for success: 2,000 monthly sales
11. Arcfox Wendao V9 (8 sales)
Arcfox is BAIC’s premium brand and the Wendao V9 is its first luxury MPV, as well as the first one for BAIC Group. It is a full-size luxury minivan coming at 5,300 mm long, 1,980 mm wide and 1,850 mm tall, riding on an ultra-spacious 3,200 mm wheelbase. Positioned as the brand’s flagship “Oriental Tech MPV,” it entered pre-sales at the Beijing Auto Show. The Wendao V9 features a commanding, conservative, yet upscale profile utilising Arcfox’s “ARC-FLOW” design language. It has a prominent front “star ring-style” vertical waterfall grille with heavy chrome accents, just like the Chinese like them.The cabin is laid out in a 7-seat (2+2+3) configuration, shifting into a high-tech minimalist layout. The front row gets a 15.6-inch main infotainment screen while the rear passengers enjoy a ceiling-mounted drop-down screen.
The vehicle claims a world-first for an MPV by integrating a full structural anti-roll cage within its body. The V9 is an EREV utilising A 1.5-liter 158 hp turbocharged 4-cylinder engine acting purely as a generator paired with a 304 hp electric motor. Lower trims feature a 37 kWh LFP pack (216 km CLTC electric range), while premium trims use a 53.4 kWh Ternary NMC (315 km). The V9 is priced aggressively at 219,900 to 286,900 yuan (27,800-36,300€ or US$32,400-42,200), undercutting competitors such as the WEY Gaoshan (285,800-353,800 yuan), Voyah Dreamer (309,900-709,900 yuan) and Denza D9 (309,800-600,600 yuan). Playing in the same sandpit is the BYD Xia (206,800-277,800 yuan). The V9 generated good traction when its pre-sales started at the Beijing Auto Show last month with over 8,000 orders placed within its first 48 hours. This is encouraging.
Bar for success: 3,000 monthly sales.
12. Aion Hyptec S600 (2 sales)
The second Aion launch of the month is the Hyptec S600 SUV. It serves as a heavily updated, restyled version of the previous Hyptec HT. The S600 retains its fastback, coupe-styled crossover silhouette. Higher-end variants retain the distinctive rear gull-wing doors carried over from the Hyptec HT, creating a dramatic entry style reminiscent of the Tesla Model X. The rear is cleaned up with a sleek, horizon-inspired full-width LED light bar and an integrated twin rear spoiler to reduce drag and add visual aggression. The cockpit features a clean, minimalist layout with a slim 10.25-inch digital dashboard pushed close to the windshield, and a large 17.3-inch floating central touchscreen.
The S600 offers both pure battery electric (BEV) and extended-range hybrid (EREV) options. The EREV combines a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 petrol engine (118 kW / 158 hp) acting strictly as a generator with an electric motor. It carries a 36 kWh LFP battery, providing an electric-only range of 170–180 km (CLTC) before the petrol engine kicks in. The BEV is available as single motor RWD and dual motor AWD. Official prices are yet unknown after the vehicle’s debut at the Beijing Auto Show. Competitors will include the Tesla Model Y, Li Auto L6, IM LS6, BYD Sealion 07 and Denza N7. The Hyptec sub-brand remains niche in China so our sales forecast is limited.
Bar for success: 1,000 monthly sales
Login
