Welcome back to the podcast. Today, S-AIC reports 1.6 million EVs. The smart hashtag 6 in the news,

and China's EV market accelerates in December. Plus, stay tuned. Later in the show, I'll tell you

how large CATL's own battery swapping network has now grown to. Welcome to Evie News, China,

the podcast dedicated to the world's largest electric vehicle

markets. Each day, I bring you the latest headlines, insights and analysis from the heart

of China's booming EV industry and decode how fast-moving developments in the East are shaping

the global EV landscape. We'll start with SAIC Motor. They sold 4.5 million vehicles last year. That's up 12%. It's self-owned brands, accounting for 2.9 million units or 65% of sales in the group. The numbers underscore SAIC's scale and growing appetite for international markets. But what about EVs? Well, new energy vehicles supercharged

the growth. The group sold 1.64 million electric vehicles last year, a record for a single

year. The Wuling Hongwang mini EV, a little diminutive powerhouse, contributed 436,000 units last year.

In fact, it's led its segment for 65 consecutive months and shows no sign of slowing down.

Though whether such dominance can last in an increasingly crowded market, it always remains to be seen.

The figures show SAIC fighting on two fronts. At home, its own brands are scaling rapidly and gobbling up market share from legacy joint ventures.

Abroad, its reach now spans 170 countries. Europe remains the prize, accounting for some 300,000 units last year,

another five regions, including the Americas and the rest of Asia, are each nearing 50,000 units each.

SAIC has found its rhythm now, like many of its Chinese competitors, it must find its profit margins.

China's makers of new energy vehicles have met the state's five-year goals with room to spare.

We find out today that wholesale sales reached 15.3 million units in 2025. That's a 25% increase on the previous year. Yet the record hides a more

frantic reality. Monthly sales swing wildly as buyers chase at times shifting local or provincial

subsidies. Last December, sales rose by 4% across the country compared with the year earlier to 1.6 million units,

the six month in a row above 1 million EVs sold in China. But volume was down a bit from November,

about 8%. Buyers were rushing to use up tax breaks before they expired at the end of last year,

while local trading schemes created a kind of patchwork of demand across the country.

...