China new models September 2025: Zeekr 9X and Li i6 appear

Zeekr 9X

Now that September wholesales data has been covered, let’s focus on the latest launches on the Chinese market. This month we have 8 models appearing in the charts, all Chinese! It’s another particularly successful month, with 2 models already reaching their bar for success as soon as their first month of sales. To fully understand the scope of the Chinese market, make sure you consult our Exclusive Guide to all 188 active Chinese Brands.

1. Arcfox T1 (10,096 sales)

BAIC’s Arcfox was originally launched as an upmarket electric brand. It has gone downmarket with the launches of the alpha S, S5, T and T5. As a result, the brand’s sales are up 87.5% through September. The T1 hatchback EV is yet another territory for the brand, drastically going low-cost. One year after the launch of the uber-successful Geely Xingyuan, we are seeing the appearance of direct competitors such as this T1. It comes in at 4,337 mm long with a 2,770 mm wheelbase. The design follows the “Arc-Flow” language with a rather original back end with striking taillight motifs. There are two range options, 320 km and 425 km, with the launch staggered: the 425 km range in early September and the 320 km range in mid-October therefore not yet appearing in this month’s wholesales figures. 

Inside, the car is equipped with an 8.8-inch instrument cluster, a 15.6-inch floating central screen, and a so-called “Extreme Clean Cabin” system that uses a nano‐level soft anti-fouling layer for low odour, low VOCs, and baby-safe materials. In terms of engine, the T1 uses a 70 kW (94 hp) motor and for the longer-range version a 42.3 kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery pack supplied by CALB. It is priced at a cutthroat 62,800 to 87,800 yuan (7,600-10,600€ or US$8,800-12,300) and undercuts its main competitor the Geely Xingyuan (68,800-98,800 yuan), with the Wuling Bingo S (66,800-79,800 yuan), BYD Yuan Up (74,800-119,800 yuan) and MG 4 (68,800-102,800 yuan) also in the same boat. The T1 has already sold over 10,000 wholesales in September, which is its bar for success. 

2. Fang Cheng Bao Tai 7 (8,128 sales)

Launched in November 2023, BYD’s Fang Cheng Bao has been very successful so far, reaching a record 22,749 units in September. This is mainly due to this new Tai 7, which is the brand’s fourth model after the Bao 5, Bao 8 and Tai 3. True to the brand’s DNA, the Tai 7 is a rugged off-road SUV with a Defender-like boxy design, which has become the norm for Chinese off-road vehicles, so no real originality here. The Tai 7 is 4,999 mm long, 1,995 mm wide and 1,865 mm high. The model highlights include a double-wishbone front suspension, five-link rear suspension, “DiSus-C” intelligent body control system plus “Tire Stability Control” that lift the bad wheel to allow the vehicle to continue driving up to 80 km/h for 30 km in the event of a blowout. The Tai 7 has a lidar and is equipped with BYD’s God Eye B suite of driver assists for the top-specs.

It uses a 1.5 T petrol engine plus electric motor(s). The RWD variants employ a 200 kW (≈268 hp) motor and either a 26.6 kWh or 35.6 kWh Blade LFP battery delivering 135 km or 200 km electric-only range (CLTC). The AWD version adds a 160 kW front motor (≈215 hp) and uses the 35.6 kWh pack to deliver 190 km electric range. The comprehensive combined range is claimed at up to 1,300 km, 0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds and fuel-consumption at 4.9 L/100 km. Inside, the Tai 7 has no less than seven screens, including a 12.3-inch instrument panel, a 15.6-inch central infotainment, a 26-inch head up display and two 13-inch screens for the back seats. Priced from 179,800 to 219,800 yuan (21,700-26,600€ or US$25,300-30,900), the Tai 7 competes with the likes of the BYD Tang New Energy (179,800-207,800 yuan), AITO M9 (183,800-248,800 yuan) and Haval Raptor New Energy (165,800-208,800 yuan). Given the monthly volume record for a Fang Cheng Bao model was reached by the much less expensive Tai 3 last June at 12,017, the Tai 7 has already passes its bar for success.

Bar for success: 7,500 monthly sales

3. Wuling Bingo S (6,273 sales)

The Wuling Bingo S is the 2nd competitor to the Geely Xingyuan to be launched this month. The model is in line with the previously launched Bingo and Bingo Plus that have started to make their way into international markets, notably Indonesia. There’s the option of dual-tone body colours. It’s a five-seater hatch EV measuring 4,265 mm long, 1,785 mm wide, and 1,600 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2,610 mm. Rear leg space is particularly generous at 882 mm. It’s available with two range options: 325 km (via a 31.9 kWh battery) and 430 km (41.9 kWh pack).

Inside, its features include an 8.88-inch instrument panel, a 12.8-inch floating central screen, wireless charging (50 W), and an infotainment system supporting HiCar, Carlink and CarPlay. Its price, from 66,800 to 79,800 yuan (8,100-9,600€ or US$9,400-11,200), can go down to 63,800-76,800 via subsidies. Competitors include the Geely Xingyuan (68,800-98,800 yuan), Arcfox T1 (62,800-87,800 yuan) and the MG 4 (68,800-102,800 yuan). The Bingo S is already a success, having secured 55,840 orders within its first 48 hours on sale. Although benefitting from an already strong start at over 6,000 wholesales for its first month, we expect greater heights for this model.

Bar for success: 10,000 monthly units

4. Dongfeng Aeolus L8 (3,568 sales)

New launches are rather rare at Dongfeng, so this Aeolus L8 PHEV is a small event. The brand needs all the help it can get, as its wholesales are off -23% over the first 9 months of 2025 and it has fallen around the 30th place in the carmakers ranking, below the likes of Lynk & Co, Aion and Deepal. The L8 is 4,762 mm long, 1,910 mm wide and 1,677 mm high with a 2,825 mm wheelbase. It is powered by the “Mach Electric Hybrid” system combining a 1.5-litre turbo engine, an electric motor and a 30.3 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery, producing a combined output of 265 kW (~355 hp).

The model’s claim to fame is its range. Officially, the vehicle offers two CLTC pure-electric ranges (112 km and 185 km) depending on variant. In independent testing by China Automotive Technology & Research Center (CATARC), the Aeolus L8 achieved a remarkable real-world all-electric range of 248 km and a total comprehensive driving range of 2,245.3 km. Fuel consumption was measured at just 2.4 L/100 km. The SUV also features a fast-charging capability (20 % to 80 % in 18 minutes via 3C charging) and a high level of driver assistance tech (28 level-2 ADAS functions). Despite its size and features, the L8 is priced from a tiny 119,900 to 139,900 yuan (14,500-16,900€ or US$16,900-19,700). Its main competitors include the Jetour Shanhai L7 Plus (119,900-165,900 yuan), Nevo Q07 (129,800-176,800 yuan) and the BYD Sealion 06 New Energy (139,800-163,800 yuan). The cheaper L7, launched in May 2023, peaked at 5,746 wholesales last August, so we are cautious for our bar for success for the L8

Bar for success: 5,000 monthly sales

5. Shangjie H5 (1,901 sales)

Shangjie, SAIC for international markets, is a cooperation between SAIC and phone maker Huawei and the 5th brand under HIMA (Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance),  It comes after AITO (Seres), Luxeed (Chery), Stelato (BAIC BluePark) and Maextro (JAC). It’s the cheapest brand of the group so far. The H5 is the brand’s first model and a mid-size SUV. The vehicle offers both pure-electric (BEV) and extended-range electric (EREV) variants: the BEV version achieves up to 655 km CLTC range while the EREV model claims a 1,360 km combined range and fuel consumption of 4.44 L/100 km. Measuring 4,780 mm long, 1,910 mm wide and with a wheelbase of 2,840 mm, the Shangjie H5 packs substantial size for its segment.

It also features Huawei’s advanced ADS 4 driver-assistance system, the first time a sub-200,000 yuan HIMA model includes this system. A 192-wire LiDAR is also featured as standard on the H5. As is the case with previous HIMA models, the H5 has generated huge interest among Chinese car buyers, securing over 50,000 refundable orders within 18 hours. Shangjie’s factory is situated in the Lingang area of Shanghai, near Tesla’s gigafactory, and has an initial planned annual production capacity of 250,000 vehicles. The H5 is priced from 159,800 to 199,800 yuan (19,300-24,100€ or US$22,500-28,100) and competes with the likes of the BYD Sealion 06 New Energy (139,800-163,800 yuan), Deepal S07 (149,900-197,900 yuan) and Voyah Courage (196,900-242,900 yuan).

Bar for success: 8,000 monthly sales

6. Roewe M7 (1,091 sales)

The Roewe M7 is a mid to large PHEV sedan at 4,940 mm long, 1,890 mm wide and 1,510 mm high with a 2,820 mm wheelbase. Under the hood it uses SAIC’s “DMH 6.0 Super Hybrid” system combining a 1.5-litre petrol engine and a front electric motor, paired with a 19.7 kWh LFP battery. The electric motor produces 137 kW (~184 hp) and the petrol engine 82 kW (~110 hp). The CLTC pure-electric range is rated at 160 km and the comprehensive hybrid range at 2,050 km, with fuel consumption claimed at 2.91 L/100 km. On the technology and interior front, the Roewe M7 includes high-end features such as a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 15.6-inch 2.5K central control screen powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip, and advanced comfort amenities like a 527 L trunk and multiple storage spaces.

Notably, it introduces the AI assistant based on ByteDance’s “Doubao” large-language model, which supports multi-intent commands and learns context via long-context memory. Suspension and ride comfort are also emphasised: the top trim offers an “AI mCDC” electromagnetic suspension system that scans the road surface ahead and actively adjusts damping for smoother ride. The M7 is priced from an unbelievably low 85,800 yuan (10,400€) to 102,800 yuan (12,400€ or US$12,100-14,500). Competitors include the Geely Galaxy A7 (89,800-125,800 yuan) and BYD Qin Plus (79,800-179,800 yuan). Roewe is doing well in 2025 with sales up 43.8% to 124,887 through September but still ranks at a lowly 29th place. Exceptional value for money will help the M7 find its public.

7. Zeekr 9X (686 sales)

The 9X is Zeekr’s first PHEV model and is the brand’s new flagship. It measures 5,239 mm long with a 3,169 mm wheelbase, placing it firmly in the full-size luxury SUV segment. Under the skin, it uses Zeekr’s new “SEA-S” architecture and a high-voltage 900 V hybrid system, with variants delivering up to 1,381 hp, an electric-only range of up to 355 km (CLTC) and a total mixed driving range of around 1,200-1,250 km. On the inside and in terms of features, the 9X boasts premium luxury appointments: a six-seat 2+2+2 layout, large digital displays including dual 16-inch screens at the front and a 17-inch screen on the ceiling for the rear passengers, rotating second-row seats, a premium Naim audio system, and advanced driver-assistance systems including LiDAR and high-level computing power for autonomous or semi-autonomous driving.

The SUV also features advanced chassis and suspension technology – dual-chamber air suspension, electronically controlled damping, and a 48V active stabiliser bar in higher trims – aiming for both sporty performance (0–100 km/h in as little as 3.1 s) and refined ride comfort.  The 9X is  luxury vehicle, priced from 465,900 to 599,900 yuan (56,300-72,500€ or US$65,500-84,400). It competes with the AITO M9 (469,800-589,800 yuan), Lynk & Co 900 (309,900-416,900 yuan), Denza N9 (389,800-449,800 yuan), NIO ES8 (406,800-446,800 yuan) as well as the Mercedes GLS (1m-1.2m yuan). Despite its hefty price, the 9X received 42,667 within one hour of presales start. The cheaper Lynk & Co 900 (also Geely-owned) has peaked at 7,380 sales in August so sales potential is here.

Bar for success: 5,000 monthly sales

8. Li i6 (404 sales)

Li Auto has become popular thanks to its range of lookalike EREVs and has only recently decided to jump into the BEV sandpit. The Mega minivan, launched last year, disappointed, while the i8 launched last August has reached almost 8,000 units in two months. Now comes the cheaper i6, with only a modest first month tally. It features a distinctive design with headlights within the bumper only. The i6 is five-seat SUV at 4,950 mm long, 1,935 mm wide and 1,655 mm high, with 1 3,000 mm wheelbase. On the technical side, the Li i6 comes with an 87.3 kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery, supports 5C charging (which allows a rapid addition of ~500 km in about 10 minutes), and offers up to a CLTC-rated range of 720 km in the rear-wheel-drive version.

The vehicle also brings advanced features including dual-motor all-wheel-drive (in higher spec), LiDAR on the roof, and dual-chamber air suspension, representing a high level of tech in its class. The cockpit is full of screens. At the front first with two 15.7-inch displays including one for the passenger, a large ceiling-mounted 21.4-inch screen, there is even a small screen on the steering wheel! The i6 is priced from 249,800 to 269,800 yuan (30,200-32,600€ or US$35,100-37,900), making it the brand’s cheapest BEV so far, and compared to 339,800 yuan for the i8. The i6 is in the same price range as absolute blockbusters such as the Tesla Model Y (263,500-313,500 yuan) and Xiaomi YU7 (253,500-329,900 yuan).

Bar for success: 8,500 monthly sales

This month we also welcome the Stelato S9T (1,239 sales), a station wagon version of the S9, and the Yangwang U8L (178 sales), an enlarged version of the already imposing U8.