China’s EV makers to cut charging times; Tesla rival Li Auto’s expansion: 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. China’s EV and battery makers race to cut charging times to under 10 minutesBattery makers and electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers have seized on the Beijing Auto Show to showcase technologies promising shorter charging times in a race triggered by BYD and Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL).2. Li Auto targets BMW and Mercedes with premium SUVs in Middle East, Asia-PacificLi Auto’s flagship L9 SUV is displayed at Auto China in Beijing on April 24. Photo: ReutersLi Auto, one of Tesla’s major rivals in mainland China, has set its sights on the Middle East and Asia-Pacific, with its premium intelligent models poised to take on petrol car brands such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz.3. China’s CATL touts landmark energy-storage order for sodium-ion batteriesThe world’s largest EV and energy-storage system (ESS) battery maker announced on April 27 that it would deliver 60 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of sodium-ion batteries to Beijing-hyperstrong-technology" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="120821" data-entity-type="organization">Beijing HyperStrong Technology over three years in a landmark deal for the new battery technology.