Brazil blacklists China’s BYD, how batteries might get a quality upgrade: 7 EV reads

We have put together stories from our coverage on electric and new energy vehicles from the past two weeks to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.1. Tesla outraces China’s BYD in pure electric car sales to regain world’s top spotTesla has regained the global pure electric vehicle (EV) crown for the first time since the fourth quarter of 2024, after its deliveries rose 6.5 per cent year on year in the three months ending March.2. Chinese carmakers bet on solid-state batteries to drive next EV phaseSAIC Motor’s MG4 became the world’s first mass-produced model equipped with a semi-solid-state battery. Photo: APChinese electric vehicle (EV) batteries are set to become safer and more powerful, as carmakers including SAIC Motor and Chery Automobile outline road maps for the commercialisation of solid-state technology.3. Brazil blacklists China EV giant BYD for its slave labour conditionsBrazil’s labour ministry on Tuesday added Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD to a registry of employers found to have subjected workers to conditions analogous to slavery, limiting access to state financing and increasing reputational risks in its most important market outside China.4. More foreign marques face a do-or-die moment as Chinese buyers shun petrol carsA number of underperforming international car brands are likely to either exit the mainland Chinese market or scale down operations, as losses mount due to falling sales and shrinking market share.5. Chinese cars squeeze out Asian rivals in Europe as exports top 1 millionA photo taken on April 10, 2026, shows vehicles to be exported at Tianjin Port in north China’s Tianjin. Photo: XinhuaChinese carmakers are rapidly gaining ground in Europe, squeezing out Asian rivals such as Japan and South Korea as exports to the region surge past 1 million units for the first time, according to an industry report.6. China’s energy bosses push for tighter rules as overcapacity bitesThe chairmen of China’s battery and solar giants have called for more top-down regulations to rein in cutthroat competition, warning that unchecked overcapacity is squeezing profits and threatening the industry’s stability.7. How China’s EV battery king CATL powers up profits while EV makers struggleCATL’s market share in the domestic EV battery market hit an 18-month high of 50 per cent in January. Photo: AFPWhile China’s electric vehicle (EV) makers are struggling amid fierce competition, battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL) is consolidating its dominance, building its profits while erecting technological barriers to increase its pricing power.Further Reading