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China NEV News Roundup: Denza N8L EV Debuts as September's Mega Launch Week Begins

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China NEV September launch week

China's EV market entered the densest new-model week of the year on September 14. BYD Denza's first all-electric large SUV and Wey's 高山 (Gaoshan) Smart Edition hit the market, while Li Auto, Fangchengbao, Hongqi, Arcfox, GAC Aion and XPeng line up launches through September 20. Behind the product wave, CAAM's August data showed NEVs hitting a record 60.6% of monthly auto sales as exports surged past one million units for a third straight month. This roundup covers BEV, PHEV and EREV powertrains across the week's headlines.

Denza N8L EV: 960 km on a 130 kWh Blade battery

BYD's premium Denza brand launched the all-electric N8L on September 14 — the nameplate's first pure-EV variant, ending its plug-in-hybrid-only run. It is a three-row "large six-seat safety luxury SUV" at 5,200 × 1,999 × 1,820 mm with a 3,075 mm wheelbase.

The headline number is a 130.15 kWh second-generation Blade Battery delivering up to 960 km CLTC — the longest range in its six-seat class per the brand. A single-motor rear-wheel-drive unit makes 370 kW (about 503 hp) and a top speed of 240 km/h. Denza claims a 10%–97% flash charge in roughly 9 minutes on a high-power stall. It rides on God's Eye 5.0 (lidar + 30 sensors), Yunyan-A dual-chamber air suspension and rear-wheel steering for a 4.58 m turning radius, and adds a 208 L powered frunk unique to the EV.

Final pricing was disclosed at the September 14 launch event; the EV sits above the existing N8L PHEV line (from ¥299,800, approx $42,000 USD). We link Denza's official channels rather than speculate on the exact figure.

Denza N8L EV

Wey 高山 Smart Edition: bigger-battery PHEV MPV

Great Wall's Wey brand launched the 高山 (Gaoshan) Smart Edition on September 14, opening orders the same day. The 高山8 / 高山9 PHEV Smart Editions upgrade the battery to 53.9 kWh, lifting CLTC pure-electric range to 270 km (210 km WLTC) from the previous 172 km WLTC — enough for roughly a week of urban commuting.

The 高山9 measures 5,410 × 1,960 × 1,890 mm with a 3,275 mm wheelbase and a 2+2+2 layout with co-rail sliding and dual zero-gravity rotating seats. Both grades run a 2.0T Hi4 performance AWD and standardize Coffee Pilot 4 with an Nvidia Thor-U chip and front/rear dual lidar. A limited-time starting price of ¥265,800 (approx $37,000 USD) applies; an HEV variant is due in Q4 2026.

Wey 高山 Smart Edition

Li Auto i9: the brand's first second-generation pure-EV flagship (Sep 16)

Li Auto will unveil the i9 on September 16 at 19:30 Beijing time — the first model on its second-generation pure-electric platform and a deliberate counterpoint to the range-extender L9. It is a six-seat flagship SUV at 5,225 × 1,970 × 1,752 mm with a 3,168 mm wheelbase and a class-low 0.215 Cd.

A dual-motor AWD system makes 400 kW, drawing a 101 kWh 5C battery on an 800V architecture for 680 km and 705 km CLTC variants. Peak charging is 520 kW — about 400 km recovered in 10 minutes — backed by Li Auto's own 2,000-plus supercharging stalls. The cabin gets four zero-gravity seats with a 180-degree rotating second row, four lidar sensors and the in-house Mahem M100 chip for map-free NOA. Pricing will be disclosed at the September 16 event; pre-launch analyst estimates place it in a ¥400,000–500,000 (approx $56,000–70,000 USD) bracket.

Li Auto i9

Fangchengbao Formula S / S GT: BYD's first sedans (Sep 16)

Fangchengbao — BYD's off-road lifestyle sub-brand — breaks its SUV habit on September 16 with the Formula S sedan and Formula S GT shooting brake, its first passenger cars that aren't SUVs. Pre-orders opened August 20 at ¥230,000–280,000 (approx $32,000–39,000 USD); final pricing lands at the Shanghai launch.

Both share an 800V platform, second-gen Blade Battery and CTB structure. Rear-wheel-drive versions make 245 kW or 300 kW; the dual-motor AWD hits 490 kW (about 666 hp) with 0–100 km/h in the 3-second range. Battery options of 76.7 and 92.1 kWh return up to 900 km CLTC, with a 9-minute 10%–97% flash charge claimed. The不同的iator is DiSus-M magnetorheological suspension — previously a million-yuan-class feature — plus God's Eye B ADAS and rear-wheel steering on the GT.

Fangchengbao Formula S

Hongqi H7 PHEV: large plug-in sedan (Sep 16)

FAW Hongqi will launch the H7 PHEV on September 16. The mid-large plug-in sedan (5,060 × 1,997 × 1,480 mm, 2,970 mm wheelbase) is in presale at ¥191,800–231,800 (approx $25,000–32,000 USD) with a launch-intent price of ¥181,800–221,800; final pricing is to be confirmed at the event. It pairs a 1.5T plug-in hybrid system with up to 240 km CLTC electric range and runs a 8295P cockpit chip with the 司南 (Sinan) intelligent driving system.

Hongqi H7 PHEV

Arcfox αT7: Huawei-assisted EREV + BEV coupe SUV (Sep 16)

BAIC's Arcfox will launch the αT7 on September 16 — a coupe-style large SUV (5,020 × 1,989 × 1,730 mm, 3,040 mm wheelbase) offered in both extended-range and battery-electric forms. Presale pricing is ¥137,800–174,800 (approx $19,000–24,000 USD); final pricing is to be confirmed.

The EREV uses a 1.5L range extender for up to 320 km CLTC electric range, while the BEV reaches 715 km. Huawei Qiankun ADS 5 Pro handles driver assistance. It is aimed at younger buyers who want SUV space with sedan looks.

Arcfox αT7

GAC Aion i60 (2027): L4-ready smart SUV (Sep 15)

GAC Aion will launch the 2027 AION i60 on September 15. The compact SUV upgrades its intelligent driving suite with a 192-line lidar and an L4-class end-to-end algorithm, and will be offered in both extended-range and battery-electric variants. Aion is pitching the new i60 on smart-driving performance rather than raw specs.

GAC Aion i60

XPeng G9L: long-wheelbase flagship SUV (Sep 17)

XPeng will launch the G9L on September 17 — a long-wheelbase flagship SUV. Separately, XPeng has begun rolling the first right-hand-drive G9L units in Guangzhou for an Australia launch and a 64-market export plan, underscoring the brand's overseas push alongside its domestic product cadence.

XPeng G9L

Tesla Model Y Performance goes on sale in China (Sep 11)

Tesla China listed a new Model Y Performance all-wheel-drive variant on September 11 at ¥369,000 (approx $51,500 USD) — the first Performance version since the refresh and the fifth Model Y grade sold locally (alongside RWD, long-range RWD, long-range AWD and the six-seat Model YL).

It does 0–100 km/h in 3.5 s, tops out at 250 km/h and carries a 659 km CLTC range. A 250 kW supercharge adds about 250 km in 15 minutes. Hardware highlights include 21-inch wheels, adaptive suspension with continuously variable dampers, V2L exterior power and a 16-inch center screen with an 8-inch rear display.

Tesla Model Y Performance

Market & industry

CAAM August data: NEV share hits a record 60.6%. The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers reported August NEV sales of 1.643 million units (+17.8% YoY) on output of 1.653 million (+18.9%), lifting NEVs to a record 60.6% of monthly new-car sales. Total auto sales were 2.71 million (−5.1%). Exports reached 1.01 million (+65.3%) for a third consecutive month above one million, with NEV exports of 526,000 (+130%). For January–August, auto exports hit 7.15 million (+66.7%) and NEV exports 3.44 million (+120%), confirming an NEV-led export shift.

Foton at IAA Transportation 2026 Hannover (Sep 14–20). Foton Motor showcases seven new-energy commercial vehicles plus six self-developed components, marking its "European Strategy." The lineup includes the GALAXUS R9 PHEV (already field-tested in Spain), the overseas launch of the CAVAN C1, the hydrogen-and-electric CAVAN BEACON heavy truck, the eGALAXUS D3 medium truck, the DAYSTAR light truck, the TUNLAND V9 PHEV pickup and the eAURORA bus. Under its 3040 plan, Foton targets 400,000 overseas units annually by 2030 with 30% from new-energy products; exports rose 44.3% YoY to 149,000 units through August 2026.

Tracking (recent, no major new development today)

  • Xiaomi SkyNomad N70 / N90 EREV SUVs launched September 7 from ¥209,900 (approx $29,000 USD), locking 10,000+ orders in four minutes — covered previously; no new development today.
  • BYD Qin MAX DM-i launched September 10 from ¥99,900 (approx $14,000 USD) — a B-class plug-in sedan with 230 km EV range; steady order intake continues.

Image credits: Arcfox αT7 and XPeng G9L photos are self-hosted manufacturer imagery at evandauto.com/img/. Other items use the EV & Auto Club brand placeholder pending verified official imagery. Source links below.

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Tags: electricvehicles, EV, china

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