Chinese electric car manufacturers are being closely watched around the world. It’s clear they have taken years of advantage over some traditional automakers. While Tesla remains the leader in electric vehicles, the Chinese giant BYD comes second, with Volkswagen trailing far behind in third place.
Herbert Diess, the former CEO of Volkswagen, who oversaw the launch of the company’s first electric vehicles (like the ID.3), recently had a conversation with William Li, the head of the Chinese startup Nio. Nio is known for the Nio ET7, an electric car boasting a theoretical range of 1,000 km, thanks to its massive 150 kWh battery.
During their meeting, William Li asked Herbert Diess, “What impresses you most about Chinese startups that make electric cars?” Diess’s response, shared on X (formerly Twitter), was enthusiastic and full of praise.
“I am truly impressed”
Herbert Diess stated that Chinese startups are “energetic, very fast, they learn very quickly, some of them make mistakes, but they learn quickly to correct those mistakes. I think they are very creative when it comes to car design, and they try everything, so I am truly impressed by many of these startups.”
Bin Li posted: “Had a great conversation today at the company with Mr. Herbert Diess, former CEO of Volkswagen Group. Very interesting words from Herbert! Mr. Diess praised China’s new smart electric vehicle startups. Although the competition is tough, the drive to innovate is… pic.twitter.com/t3S0y4xbY7”
— DriveGreenLiveGreen (@DriveGreen80167) September 11, 2024
It must be said that Chinese car manufacturers have evolved tremendously in recent years. Chinese startups are numerous, and we can of course mention Nio, but also Li Auto, Xpeng, Leapmotor, and Aiways. Most of these companies are creating electric cars whose features, finishes, and materials rival those of European or American productions. Quite the opposite, actually. They are using cutting-edge technologies that have yet to arrive at traditional manufacturers.
A recharge in just 11 minutes
The most striking example: Li Auto started selling its Mega model a few months ago, an electric car equipped with ultra-fast charging. It only takes 11 minutes to charge from 10% to 80%. The interior of the car is just as fascinating, with screens everywhere and stunning features. For instance, mini-fridges, which are becoming increasingly common in Chinese electric cars.
Li Auto Mega
Meanwhile, Volkswagen is going through one of the worst periods in its history, with probable waves of layoffs starting in June 2025 and the closure of two factories on the horizon. However, it’s worth noting that Chinese startups are not necessarily in the best shape either: they are not profitable at the moment. But at least they manage to offer very interesting electric cars from a technical standpoint.
