1. BYD plans giant Brazil factory to scale electric bus and truck production Chinese carmaker BYD plans to build a new factory in Brazil within the next three years after rising demand for electric buses filled its existing production capacity and forced the company to redraw its manufacturing strategy in the country. 2. Beijing approves first L3 autonomous cars in leap towards ‘hands-off’ driving Beijing has approved China’s first two cars with level 3 (L3) autonomous driving capability, taking a leap towards widely deploying self-driving technology in the world’s largest automotive market. 3. Xpeng steps up ‘go global’ drive with Malaysian assembly hub for Southeast Asia Workers conduct final checks on an Xpeng new energy car at the firm’s plant in Zhaoqing, Guangdong province, on October 9, 2023. Photo: Xinhua Chinese EV maker Xpeng plans to establish a production base in Malaysia targeting Southeast Asian customers, in its latest move to expand overseas to improve profitability. 4. China’s EV battery giants wade into shipbuilding to bolster Beijing’s dominance China’s leading battery makers for electric cars – Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) and Gotion High-tech – are adding momentum to the country’s efforts to build new-energy vessels, with their latest products supplied to large ocean carriers amid an accelerated decarbonisation drive. 5. China’s Geely Auto raises bar on car safety with world’s largest test centre Geely Auto, mainland China’s second-largest carmaker by sales, has doubled down on its push to improve vehicle reliability by launching a 2 billion yuan (US$283.5 million) facility for safety tests, bucking the trend of price competition in the world’s largest automotive market. 6. China’s approval for L3 self-driving cars to stimulate slowing mainland market Semi-autonomous cars with L3 technology are likely to spur sales on the mainland next year. Photo: Reuters Nearly 270,000 cars with self-driving systems that allow drivers to be “hands off” under certain conditions will be sold in China next year as Beijing allows carmakers to build such vehicles, according to Daiwa Securities. 7. Luxury EV built with Huawei tops Porsche’s Panamera and BMW’s 7 Series in China Chinese EVs, already the envy of the global automotive industry, have raced to the top of the luxury segment after a new model co-developed by Huawei Technologies outsold Porsche’s Panamera and BMW’s 7 Series in the world’s largest car market.