China’s BYD to add DeepSeek AI to its affordable EVs

: Battery materials
25/02/11

China's largest electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD on Tuesday announced plans to integrate software from AI start-up DeepSeek into 21 of its models at no extra cost, including one model under $10,000.

All models with the God's Eye advanced driver assistant software (ADAS) will come at no extra cost, chairman Wang Chuanfu told an event livestreamed from Shenzhen.

Chuanfu said autonomous driving would no longer be a rarity but a "necessary tool", one that will become an "indispensable tool like safety belts and airbags" within a few years.

BYD said it would offer advanced autonomous driving features on all of its 18 models priced above 100,000 yuan ($13,686).

The carmaker will also include AI on three models below Yn100,000. BYD had previously only offered ADAS on models above $30,000, in line with US EV maker Tesla, which has similar features on its EVs priced above $32,000. The system includes remote parking and autonomous highway navigation.

Smart driving features in EVs require Argus-assessed metals such as gallium — in gallium nitride — and germanium in semiconductors.

AI growth and data centre demand is expected to increase the use of compound semiconductor materials including gallium nitride, gallium arsenide and indium phosphide.

BYD sold around 4.2mn EVs last year in China — including battery EVs (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs) — dominating the domestic market of 11mn EVs, up by 40pc on the year (see graphs).

DeepSeek integration threatens exports

The integration of AI into BYD cars is the latest indication that competition in the Chinese EV market is hotting up, although several market participants fear that the integration of DeepSeek AI may threaten sales into export markets, particularly the US, where there is antipathy towards Chinese AI.

Chinese EV maker Leapmotor, partner of carmaker Stellantis in Europe, launched its own smart-driving EV on Tuesday priced under Yn150,000 ($20,535), using its own AI.

Prior to BYD, the cheapest affordable EV with comparable smart driving features was SAIC-GM-Wuling's $15,000 Baojun Yunhal model.

Other Chinese EV makers have also announced integration of DeepSeek technology into their models.

Chinese carmaker Geely Group — parent to brands such as Volvo and Polestar — announced that it will integrate the DeepSeek R1 model into its EVs, alongside its own Xingrui AI model, which it announced that it was training last month. It has largely distinguished software in its Geely brand

The future of EVs is an "electric intelligence vehicle", Pan Jian, co-chair of CATL, the world's largest battery maker, said at the World Economic Forum last month, with intelligence fast becoming inseparable from EVs.

By Chris Welch

Global EV battery installations 2023-24 GWh

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25/03/20

Canberra backs Li battery projects in Western Australia

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Altilium produces first 100pc recycled cells at UK BIC

25/03/18

Altilium produces first 100pc recycled cells at UK BIC

London, 18 March (Argus) — UK-based battery recycler Altilium has produced its first cells using end-of-life electric vehicle (EV) batteries and gigafactory waste at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UK BIC) in Coventry. The cells will now undergo a validation study with a leading carmaker, Altilium said. EU regulations require EV batteries to have minimum levels of recycled lithium, cobalt and nickel from 2031, with the level rising in 2036. "This milestone marks the first time full battery circularity has been achieved in the UK, from recovering critical minerals… to manufacturing a new battery for validation with a leading UK automotive OEM," Altilium chief operating officer Christian Marston said. Altilium's planned recycling plant in Teesside will produce 30,000 t/yr of cathode active material, enough to meet nearly 20pc of forecast UK demand by 2030. Altilium's recycled materials are also of a higher quality than mined materials, and offer significant reductions in climate change impacts and cost, according to research by Imperial College London released last month. Lifecycle analysis has determined that Altilium's recycled materials could have a 74pc smaller climate change impact than primary mined materials from a Chinese supply chain, according to consultancy Minviro. By Chris Welch Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Toyota to build UK battery recycling plant

25/03/18

Toyota to build UK battery recycling plant

London, 18 March (Argus) — Japanese automaker Toyota plans to build a recycling plant in the UK to process spent electric vehicle batteries. The Toyota Circular Factory will be located in Burnaston in Derbyshire, UK, the site of an existing Toyota manufacturing plant which already produces Corolla vehicles. In its first phase, the factory will be able to process 10,000 vehicles each year, recovering the nickel, cobalt, lithium, graphite and other battery materials, as well as recycling other parts of the vehicle. "As a next step for the Toyota Circular Factory concept, we plan to roll out similar operations across Europe," Leon van der Merwe, vice-president of Circular Economy at Toyota Motor Europe, said. "And we're not stopping at our own facilities — we are eager to collaborate with other organisations who share our passion of circularity and commitment to carbon neutrality." Toyota says it is committed to being fully carbon neutral by 2040 and having a 100pc reduction in carbon in its European vehicle line-up by 2035. By Thomas Kavanagh Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

S Korea's automotive output, sales, exports rise in Feb

25/03/18

S Korea's automotive output, sales, exports rise in Feb

Singapore, 18 March (Argus) — South Korea's automotive output, domestic sales and exports rose in February compared with a year earlier, with the country closely monitoring potential US trade measures. The country's auto output rose by 17pc on the year to almost 352,000 units in February, according to South Korea's trade and industry ministry (Motie). Domestic sales rose by 15pc on the year to around 133,000 units, supported by a 30pc reduction on individual consumption tax on passenger cars until the first half of 2025, which has been capped at 1mn Korean won ($690). Exports rose by 17pc on the year to almost 233,000 units, with auto export revenue hitting an all-time high for the month of February at $6.07bn. Motie is planning to collect the automobile industry's opinions on the possibility of US trade measures, and will continue to closely monitor the potential impact and prepare "prompt" response measures, it said on 18 March. Eco-friendly vehicle domestic sales rose sharply by 50pc on the year to about 60,350 units in February, while exports rose by 32pc to almost 69,000 units. Eco-friendly vehicles in South Korea refers to hybrids, battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrids and hydrogen-fuelled vehicles. Hybrid domestic sales were up by 25pc on the year to about 44,600 units, while BEV domestic sales almost quadrupled to about 14,300 units, which Motie attributed to the EV subsidies it introduced in January. The January support measures included additional 20pc subsidies for young South Koreans' first EV and highway toll fees exemptions for EV owners until 2027. But BEV exports in February dipped by 2pc on the year to about 23,150 units, while hybrid exports continued to rise by almost 62pc to about 39,500 units. By Joseph Ho South Korea's car exports in 2025 units South Korea's domestic car sales in 2025 units Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Japanese firms invest in French rare earths producer

25/03/17

Japanese firms invest in French rare earths producer

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