Gasgoo Munich- What were the major headlines in the new energy vehicle market this week?EVE Energy responds to U.S. patent lawsuit and Section 337 investigation, denying infringementGasgoo reported on July 24 that EVE Energy announced it had noted LG Energy Solution and its subsidiaries filed a patent infringement lawsuit against it in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas on July 21, local time. Concurrently, they petitioned the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) for a Section 337 investigation. As of this announcement, EVE Energy has not yet received formal legal documents regarding these cases.Image source: EVE EnergyIn the filing, EVE Energy stated it highly respects intellectual property rights while firmly defending its own innovations. The company emphasized that proprietary technological innovation remains the cornerstone of its development.Based on comprehensive technology tracing and patent comparisons, EVE Energy maintains that its products do not infringe upon the patents in question.In response to the allegations, EVE Energy will review case materials and assemble a specialized legal team to actively defend itself. The company intends to leverage U.S. legal procedures to protect its legitimate rights and interests.Gasgoo Take: EVE Energy is hardly alone. Patent litigation has emerged as the sharpest weapon in the power battery industry’s era of "stock competition."Ford and Geely form Spanish JV to share vehicle production capacityFord Motor and Geely Auto reached an agreement on July 23 to establish a joint venture in Valencia, Spain. By sharing production capacity, the partners will manufacture multi-energy vehicles for both the Ford and Geely brands in Europe. This move supports Ford's aggressive product offensive while accelerating Geely's strategy of localizing production in Europe.Ford stated that, pending regulatory approval, the joint venture will officially launch operations in the first half of 2027, with the first new model rolling off the assembly line in 2028.According to the plan, the joint venture will continue producing the popular Ford Kuga. It also aims to start production of a new member of the Ford Bronco family in 2028 — a rugged compact SUV. Additionally, the venture will launch a new Ford crossover, designed by Ford and developed jointly with Geely, also slated for 2028 production.The latest data indicates that Geely Auto sold 474,000 vehicles overseas in the first half of 2026 — a 158% year-on-year surge — making it one of the fastest-growing Chinese automakers in international markets.Gasgoo Take: This joint venture is a classic win-win, serving the needs of both parties. Ford revitalizes its Spanish plant, while Geely trades "capacity sharing" for a ticket to localized production in Europe.Tesla Q2 net profit slips 5% to $1.1 billionGasgoo reported on July 22 that Tesla released its latest earnings. Despite a 25% jump in global deliveries to 480,126 units in the second quarter, net profit fell 5% to $1.1 billion, missing Wall Street expectations. The decline was driven by shrinking automotive gross margins and increased capital spending on artificial intelligence projects.Image source: TeslaTesla’s total revenue surged 26% to $28.2 billion in the second quarter, with automotive revenue climbing 23% to $20.5 billion. According to Reuters, the automotive gross margin stood at 16.3% for the quarter, falling short of Wall Street’s 18% forecast. Automotive remains Tesla’s critical revenue pillar, while robotaxis and other ventures have yet to generate significant income.Tesla plans to invest more than $25 billion this year, focusing heavily on AI-driven new businesses like robotaxis and humanoid robots. Following the earnings release, Tesla’s shares fell roughly 4% in after-hours trading.Gasgoo Take: Deliveries are up 25%, yet profits are down 5% — Tesla’s dilemma of "growing volume without growing profit" is intensifying. The narrative of growth is decoupling from the logic of profit, a pressing issue Tesla must address now.One in three plug-in hybrids sold in Europe now comes from ChinaGasgoo reported that, according to Bloomberg, Chinese brands captured more than one-third of new plug-in hybrid sales in Europe last month. As automakers actively promote plug-in hybrids to skirt potential tariff risks, their market share has surged.Data from market research firm Dataforce shows that in June, Chinese automakers like BYD and Chery secured a 34% share of European plug-in hybrid deliveries — a record high. Meanwhile, the market share for Chinese brands in pure electric and non-plug-in hybrid segments remained relatively flat.Dataforce analyst Julian Litzinger noted that Chinese automakers are rushing to boost sales before the EU potentially imposes tariffs on plug-in hybrids. According to German newspaper Handelsblatt, while only pure electric vehicles made in China currently face high tariffs, plug-in hybrids could soon be added to the list. The EU has not yet commented on whether additional levies are planned.Litzinger suggested Chinese automakers are "betting that by the time tariffs land, their market penetration and dealer networks will be firmly established. If the EU forces through tariffs, the severe blow to the local economy would be too high a price to pay."Gasgoo Take: Chinese automakers are wielding plug-in hybrids as a "spear" to accelerate penetration before potential tariffs hit. Yet, this record high comes from a "head start." The real test begins the day those tariffs actually land.Aion to unveil first model with new logo on July 28Gasgoo learned that Zhang Xiong, president of Aion's Hyper business unit, announced at a recent user event that Aion will launch a completely new independent model line. The debut model is a mid-to-large pure electric sedan featuring Aion's newly optimized illuminated AION logo. Set to be unveiled on July 28, it aims to become the "ultimate pure electric" choice for young users.Image source: AionAs the flagship of Aion's new series, this mid-to-large sedan fills a long-standing gap in the brand's lineup. It also marks the first mass-production application of the company's refreshed logo.According to the company, the new logo sheds the previous rigid mechanical aesthetic, opting instead for minimalist, soft lines to reshape its visual identity. The illuminated design, paired with dual-layer LED light strips at the front and rear, ensures high visibility at night.Preview images show the new model adopting a fastback coupe silhouette with a subtle rear spoiler. It features five-spoke sport wheels paired with yellow DriveQ high-performance brake calipers — a signature shared with the Hyper brand. The exclusive warm yellow paint job further underscores its sporty intent, marking a distinct departure from Aion's previous focus on practical, family-oriented vehicles.Gasgoo Take: A new logo, a mid-size coupe, and a youth-focused positioning — this is a pivotal battle for Aion's move upmarket. Changing the badge is easy; the real test will be whether the vehicle's substance can truly sell the new brand story.
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