BYD to start testing L3 autonomous driving on highways in China
Competition to advance L3 autonomous driving technology is revving up in China, as a fresh batch of automakers is now being allowed to test their self-driving systems on highways and expressways. Among the latest is Chinese vehicle giant BYD, which has joined Mercedes and BMW in receiving permits to test their L3 technology on high-speed roads.
BYD just announced that it has received permits to test vehicles with L3 autonomous driving systems on high-speed roads in Shenzhen. The automaker was first granted a license to do so in China on July 21, which the company said in a statement on its official Weibo account. Reuters reported that, earlier this month, BMW Group also said that it had received a test license for L3 self-driving on highways in Shanghai. Mercedes Benz just announced that it too plans to carry out L3 autonomous testing on designated highways in Beijing.
A pioneer in L3 autonomous driving, Mercedes-Benz recently unveiled its Drive Pilot system in the US and European markets as the world’s first certified SEA Level 3 system, and the only one capable of being deployed in the US. Its Drive Pilot, available for the S Class only, is legally approved for testing in very limited regions, Nevada, California, and Germany with expansion expected soon. In China, the company is now adapting its L3 systems to China’s infrastructure and traffic conditions, where it has been testing on closed roads since 2021. Since then, the research team has been making continuous improvements “by adapting to local road signs and markings and optimizing algorithms,” according to China Daily.
IM Motors, the electric vehicle brand of stated-owned SAIC Motor and e-commerce giant Alibaba, has also applied to the government for product entry of L3 cars, with the company saying its models are among the first to enter the country’s L3 pilot program, according to Reuters. IM Motors announced last week that it too was granted permission to test L3 vehicles on high-speed roads in Shanghai, alongside BMW.
The jump from L2 to L3 is a huge upgrade, with the automakers essentially taking on the responsibility for traffic accidents in place of the driver, which signals a crucial shift from assisted to automated driving. SEA Level 3, known as “conditionally automated driving,” grants drivers the freedom to do other things, while the technology manages most aspects of driving, including watching the road and monitoring traffic situations without human intervention. Human drivers are, of course, required to take the wheel when summoned.
China, the world’s largest vehicle market, has also granted permits to automakers Arcfox and Deepal to test their L3 systems on closed roads in the country.
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Environment
Podcast: new Tesla Model S/X, Robotaxi is sort of coming, Xiaomi breaks EV Nurburgring record, more
In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss the new Tesla Model S and Model XX, Robotaxi is sort of coming, Xiaomi breaking the EV record at Nurburgring, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
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Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
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Environment
Chevy closes in on Tesla with the Equinox and Blazer EVs ‘right in the heart of the market’
Chevy is narrowing the gap with Tesla in the US, thanks to its new Equinox and Blazer EVs. After outselling Ford, Chevy is now the fastest-growing EV brand in the US.
Chevy EV registrations triple in April as Tesla slips
GM is outpacing rivals in the US with a full lineup of 13 all-electric vehicles. Its biggest star so far has been Chevy, with new EVs like Equinox and Blazer seeing strong demand.
In the first quarter, Chevy became the fastest-growing domestic EV brand, outpacing Ford. According to the latest registration data from S&P Global Mobility (via Automotive News), Chevy is not slowing down. It’s actually closing in on Tesla.
Although new EV registrations fell for the first time in over a year in April, Chevy more than tripled its share. Tesla remained the top-selling EV brand with 39,913 registrations, 16% fewer than in April 2024.
Chevy registered 9,160 EVs in April, more than triple (+215%) that of last year. Its share of the EV market rose to 9.4%, up from just 2.8% last April.
The Chevy Equinox EV was the third most popular model, behind Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3, with 5,424 registrations. Tesla Model Y registrations fell 42% to 18,978, while Cybertruck registrations slipped 23% to 1,680.
To be fair, Tesla already said earlier this year that the new Model Y changeover would impact production in the first quarter.
Chevy’s Blazer EV ranked sixth with 2,662 registrations in April. S&P Global Mobility analyst, Tom Libby, explained that “They have the Equinox and the Blazer right in the heart of the market and they’re really benefiting from that.”
| US EV Registrations April 2025 | % Change from April 2024 | |
| Tesla | 39,913 | -16% |
| Chevy | 9,160 | 215% |
| Ford | 5,534 | -33% |
| BMW | 4,812 | 8.7% |
| Hyundai | 4,796 | -25% |
| Cadillac | 3,829 | 104% |
| Nissan | 3,316 | 52% |
| Rivian | 3,109 | -30% |
| Mercedes-Benz | 2,392 | -19% |
| Acura | 2,315 | – |
The Chevy Equinox EV, or “America’s most affordable 315+ mile range EV,” starts at just $34,995. No wonder it’s selling like hotcakes.
Through May, Chevrolet has sold over 37,000 electric vehicles in the US, outpacing Ford, which has sold 34,000. We will learn more when GM reports second quarter sales on July 1.
With leases starting at just $289 per month, the 2025 Chevy Equinox EV is a pretty good deal right now. Chevy is also offering 0% APR for 60 months on all 2025 EV models. Ready to try one out for yourself? You can use our links below to find Chevy EV models in your area.
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