News
China’s HiPhi Z looks to carve its own niche in a competitive EV market (Feature)
Only the remarkable survive in China’s hyper-competitive electric vehicle sector. Amidst the price war initiated by players like Tesla, analysts have stated that some of the country’s automakers may not survive. HiPhi, a young company that has made some waves in China’s premium segment, intends to be one of the country’s prime carmakers, even after the price war.
It is then pertinent for HiPhi to ensure that its second flagship, the Z, is compelling enough that potential buyers would consider it over more established rivals. This is easier said than done. In the United States, one can see that the number of all-electric cars is steadily increasing. This situation is more pronounced in China, with 155 new battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles set to be unveiled this year alone.
HiPhi is headquartered in Shanghai, and the company launched in 2019 with the HiPhi X, an SUV. The X was quite successful, with the China Automotive Technology & Research Center noting that the all-electric SUV was one of the country’s best-selling premium EVs in 2021. The HiPhi Z is the company’s second vehicle, and it comes in the form of a shooting brake that’s available in both four-seat and five-seat configurations.
The Z is a pretty eye-catching car, with its aggressive lines and unashamedly futuristic exterior. But apart from its looks, it also has some bite. It features a total system power of 494 kW and 820 Nm of torque. The vehicle has an official 0-100km/h acceleration time of 3.8 seconds, which may seem underwhelming compared to some popular electric cars like the Model 3 Performance and Model S Plaid. But as per a longtime Tesla owner, the Z has some characteristics that warrant a serious look nonetheless.
Jason Man (known in the online electric vehicle community as Jay in Shanghai), has not only experienced Tesla’s lineup of electric cars. Being a longtime EV advocate, he has also tried out domestic electric vehicles like the NIO ET7, NIO ET5, and the ZEEKR 001. And in a conversation with Teslarati, he remarked that the HiPhi Z still stood out somewhat. It may not be as brutally quick as Tesla’s fastest cars, but it does offer something substantial to those who choose to get behind the wheel of the vehicle.
Jay was fortunate enough to take the Z around the track during the HiPhi Z Track Experience at Goldenport International Circuit in Beijing. Initially, attendees of the event were driven around the track by a professional driver, but they were also given the chance to take the Z around the track for a spin. HiPhi noted that it was still developing a dedicated Track Mode for the Z, but even as is, it was already quite capable around the track.
The longtime Tesla owner told Teslarati that the Z handled very well during its entire track run. It hugged the corners well, and it was surprisingly nimble despite its large size. Surprisingly enough, the Z was actually comfortable even at high speeds. Its ride was not harsh and NVH was also good.
“I was shocked at how well this car handles on the track. Even at the high speed section on the track, I felt fully in control of the car. It was very confident around the corners. I felt that the wider rear tires and active rear-wheel steering helped a lot with the handling, giving me excellent grip when cornering. This gave me the confidence to push the car to the limit,” the longtime EV owner said.
HiPhi has so far sold over 1,000 units of the Z this year, which is quite impressive considering that the vehicle itself sells for a premium at 610,000 yuan ($88,690). This hints that little by little, the company is establishing a presence in the Chinese market.
And just like leaders such as Tesla, it is only just getting its stride. As per the company in a comment to Teslarati, HiPhi’s next project is its most ambitious project yet: a five-seat family SUV called the HiPhi Y. That vehicle is poised to be more affordable, but the EV maker would have to dig deep to compete in that segment. China’s premium SUV segment, after all, is already home to another “Y” — the Tesla Model Y, which is one of the country’s best-selling premium SUVs.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
News
Tesla lands new partnership with Uber as Semi takes center stage
Tesla and Uber will work together, using the company’s all-electric Semi, to make sustainable Class 8 electric trucks more affordable with three main strategies: Subsidized Pricing, Predictable Growth, and Optimization of Utilization.
The Tesla Semi has led to a new partnership between the company and Uber, as the two are launching a program that aims to revolutionize logistics by making sustainable commercial vehicles more accessible.
Uber announced on Tuesday that it was planning to launch the Dedicated EV Fleet Accelerator Program in a new partnership with Tesla. Uber’s Freight division is mainly responsible for the new program, which it calls a “first-of-its-kind buyer’s program designed to make electric freight more affordable and accessible by addressing key adoption barriers.”
Tesla and Uber will work together, using the company’s all-electric Semi, to make sustainable Class 8 electric trucks more affordable with three main strategies: Subsidized Pricing, Predictable Growth, and Optimization of Utilization.
- Subsidized Price: Fleets purchasing Tesla Semis through this program will receive a subsidy on the purchase price.
- Predictable Growth: Fleets will integrate their Tesla Semis into Uber Freight’s dedicated solutions for shippers for a pre-determined period. This creates an opportunity for carriers to forecast revenue with confidence, while shippers gain consistent access to reliable, zero-emission capacity.
- Optimize Utilization: Uber Freight taps into its extensive freight network to match carriers with consistent, high-quality freight from our strong shipper base—helping ensure the addition of these Tesla Semis stay fully utilized and carriers see dedicated, real, measurable returns from the start
Tesla will work directly with interested companies to iron out technical details about the Semi, as well as its cost of ownership based on the tailored needs of their business. Fleets can expect savings on the first day, Uber says, as they will avoid diesel fuel costs and reduced maintenance, a widely known advantage of EVs.
Uber announced that it had partnered with select carriers to pilot the Dedicated EV Fleet Accelerator Program prior to its launch:
“During the 2-month pilot program, the Tesla Semis showcased both reliability and efficiency for Uber Freight’s shipper network. Over 394 hours of drive time, carriers covered 12,377 miles. With an average net energy consumption of just 1.72 kWh per mile and only 60 hours of total charge time, these results highlight the operational viability of Tesla Semis on demanding freight lanes. “
In its press release launching the program, Uber effectively highlights how the use of the Semi can impact a company’s margins and profitability through fuel savings, reduced maintenance costs, and lower total cost of ownership.
This is something that turns so many people away from gas cars and toward EVs, so it’s no surprise that Uber wanted to emphasize this point on a larger scale with a company that utilizes a fleet of vehicles.
Tesla Semi shows strong results in ArcBest’s real-world freight trial
Tesla has been experimenting with a select group of companies, as well. It partnered with PepsiCo. several years ago, in an effort to launch a pilot program for the Semi. It had excellent results, showing higher efficiency, lower costs, and an exceptional ability to handle long runs.
Drivers have had a lot of positive things to say:
The Semi will enter mass production next year, but we anticipate that some companies will commit to Uber’s new platform well before then.
Tesla will recall Powerwall 2 units in Australia after a handful of property owners reported fires that caused “minor property damage.” The fires were attributed to cells used by Tesla in the Powerwall 2.
Tesla Powerwall is a battery storage unit that retains energy from solar panels and is used by homeowners and businesses to maintain power in the event of an outage. It also helps alleviate the need to rely on the grid, which can help stabilize power locally.
Powerwall owners can also enroll in the Virtual Power Plant (VPP) program, which allows them to sell energy back to the grid, helping to reduce energy bills. Tesla revealed last year that over 100,000 Powerwalls were participating in the program.
Tesla announces 100k Powerwalls are participating in Virtual Power Plants
The Australia Competition and Consumer Commission said in a filing that it received several reports from owners of fires that led to minor damage. The Australian government agency did not disclose the number of units impacted by the recall.
The issue is related to the cells, which Tesla sources from a third-party company.
Anyone whose Powerwall 2 unit is impacted by the recall will be notified through the Tesla app, the company said.
Tesla is launching Cybertruck orders in a new market, but there’s a bit of a catch.
The Cybertruck was launched in the Middle East earlier this year, as Tesla launched the ability to place a reservation for the all-electric pickup in the United Arab Emirates. It would be the first market outside of North America that would have the ability to place an order for the Cybertruck.
Tesla confirms Cybertruck will make its way out of North America this year
Other markets where the vehicle has been widely requested, like Europe and Asia, have still not approved the vehicle to be sold to the public, mostly because of size and design restrictions.
However, in the UAE, Tesla is opening up the ability for those who placed reservations for the vehicle to finally put in their order. The Order Configurator is only available to those who have already placed a reservation; it is not yet available to the public.
Tesla said it would open up the public online configurator across the Middle East in the coming weeks:
If you’re in the UAE and you have a Cybertruck reservation, you can now order your new truck
The public will get access in the coming weeks. https://t.co/KJaP7NEfiT
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) September 16, 2025
The UAE is not the only country that will have access to the Cybertruck, as fans in other Middle Eastern countries will also be able to place orders soon. Tesla announced back in April that Saudi Arabia and Qatar would also have Cybertruck deliveries.
These vehicles will be built at Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas plant just outside of Austin, as Gigafactory Berlin and Gigafactory Shanghai, two factories located in the same hemisphere as the Middle East, do not have established lines for Cybertruck production.
As for the other markets, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has hinted that the company could develop a smaller Cybertruck for those markets, as he admitted that in the long term, it likely made sense to build a more compact version for regions where roads are traditionally tighter.
Elon Musk hints at smaller Tesla Cybertruck version down the road
There has been no evidence of Tesla developing this more compact version, but it could eventually happen.
Tesla lands new partnership with Uber as Semi takes center stage
Tesla recalls Powerwall 2 units in Australia
Tesla launches Cybertruck orders in a new market with a catch
-
Elon Musk2 weeks agoTesla’s next-gen Optimus prototype with Grok revealed
-
News2 weeks agoTesla launches new Supercharger program that business owners will love
-
Elon Musk2 weeks agoTesla Board takes firm stance on Elon Musk’s political involvement in pay package proxy
-
News2 weeks agoTesla deploys Unsupervised FSD in Europe for the first time—with a twist
-
News2 weeks agoTesla explains why Robotaxis now have safety monitors in the driver’s seat
-
News2 weeks agoTesla is already giving Robotaxi privileges hours after opening public app
-
Elon Musk2 weeks agoElon Musk says Tesla will take Safety Drivers out of Robotaxi: here’s when
-
Elon Musk1 week agoElon Musk is setting high expectations for Tesla AI5 and AI6 chips