I went inside China to the world’s largest EV maker’s summit. Here’s what I saw
When you think about the biggest names in electric vehicles, Tesla or BYD probably come to mind first. But the largest electric vehicle producer by sheer numbers isn’t either of these car giants—it’s Yadea, the Chinese powerhouse behind an enormous array of electric two- and three-wheelers. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit China and attend Yadea’s annual retail summit, an expansive event hosting over 4,000 global dealers and showcasing what felt like an endless variety of electric rides.
It was an eye-opening that you can relive with me by watching my video from the event below. Or just keep reading for the full details!
The retail summit, held in Wuxi, China, was equal parts impressive product showcase and dealer-focused presentations. Navigating through a bustling hall filled with thousands of attendees was daunting, especially when breaks saw everyone flood the floor at once. It definitely showcased just how broad the company’s reach is, with dealerships spanning the globe. Yadea recently surpassed 100 million electric two-wheeler sales, underscoring just how massive their global reach has become.
Capturing footage and pictures of every vehicle on display was nearly impossible, but I did my best to highlight the extensive diversity in Yadea’s lineup.
Yadea’s design ethos clearly recognizes that different riders have vastly different needs, whether it’s high-performance scooters packed with cutting-edge technology, or adorable mopeds designed around current fashion trends and popular licensing agreements. Although some of these designs lean heavily toward Chinese consumer preferences—the company’s largest market—there’s no shortage of international influences woven into their offerings, proving Yadea’s global ambitions are well underway. From automotive inspiration to more childish and fun-looking rides, there’s seriously something for everyone.
Admittedly, not every model suited me—particularly some of the more “cutesy” scooters clearly aimed at a demographic less familiar in Western moped commuting circles. But considering how universally popular two-wheel commuting is in China, Yadea clearly knows its audience. In China, commuting by scooter or moped transcends typical demographics, becoming a practical transportation option for everyone, regardless of age or gender. That’s a pretty sharp contrast with many Western markets, where motorcycles and mopeds still largely remain associated with younger demographics and male riders. Suffice it to say, you don’t see a lot of bubbly, cartoonish mopeds or child seats in the west, but they were all over the expo in various fascinating forms.
Yadea isn’t just about stylish scooters, though. They showcased a robust selection of utility and fleet vehicles, from sturdy police patrol units to versatile three-wheeled cargo haulers. I’m personally a huge fan of their electric trikes, which range from rugged utility vehicles perfect for agricultural use to enclosed commuter vehicles ideal for running errands or taking kids to school. While these trikes are incredibly popular throughout Asia, they’ve yet to fully catch on in Western markets—something I believe is overdue after spending quality saddle time in them. The versatility of these three-wheelers makes them an excellent option for urban environments with congested streets, offering enhanced stability, cargo capacity, and ease of operation compared to traditional two-wheelers or larger vehicles.
Beyond trikes and mopeds, Yadea impressed me with their comprehensive foray into practically every two-wheeled electric category imaginable. They featured trail bike-style dirt bikes, substantial full-sized electric motorcycles, and even a broad spectrum of electric bicycles designed for fitness, mountain biking, and commuting. Standouts included the popular Trooper, beloved by fans of the moped-style bikes, and the growing lineup of stand-up electric scooters, such as the affordable Starto scooter designed specifically to target budget-conscious consumers in markets like the U.S.
The diversity in Yadea’s electric bicycle lineup has continued to grow over the several years I’ve followed it closely. The sporty fitness models I saw feature lightweight frames and sleek designs aimed at urban commuters and recreational riders looking to blend exercise and convenience. Their mountain e-bikes boast robust frames, powerful mid-drive motors, and quality suspension, ready for challenging trails and off-road adventures. The commuter-style e-bikes are practical, with designs optimized for daily use, complete with integrated lights, fenders, and racks to accommodate everyday necessities. Basically, they’ve come a long way and branched out into very specific cycling niches that we hadn’t seen from Yadea only a few years ago.
Naturally, I couldn’t leave without testing as many of these rides as possible. Rainy conditions and a slippery rock slab floor outside the exhibition hall made for tricky testing conditions, but miraculously, I kept the rubber side down on everything I test-rode.
From fat-tire mopeds like the Trooper e-bike to practical scooters like the Starto, it was easy to see why these models are already gaining traction internationally. The Starto scooter, in particular, struck me as an ideal entry-level model—affordable, practical, and perfect for urban commuting. Its simplicity and affordability position it perfectly for new riders who may have previously considered electric vehicles too expensive or complicated.
I’ve tested other Yadea electric kickscooters and have been impressed, but several of them have loftier prices thanks to fancier features, full-suspension, and higher performance. The Starto’s basic design helps keep it within reach of more commuters.
Throughout the day, I was consistently impressed by the sheer number of electric vehicles on display. The vast range highlighted Yadea’s commitment to addressing nearly every possible niche in the electric mobility market. But perhaps even more striking was the scale and detail of Yadea’s dealer support system. Dealers benefit from extensive training programs, robust diagnostic tools, and a comprehensive range of accessories and upgrades. Conversations I had with dealers from all over the world highlighted the unique challenges and successes of bringing these electric vehicles to their respective markets. Many shared stories about the ease of working with Yadea as well as the brand’s name recognition helping to win over new riders.
Last year, I toured one of Yadea’s eight global factories, gaining insight into the meticulous manufacturing processes behind these vehicles. Witnessing the production process highlighted the precision, technology, and quality control standards that underpin every product Yadea manufactures. This year’s summit completed the picture, demonstrating Yadea’s equal commitment to customer-facing operations. From their expansive product lineup to their global dealer network, Yadea is making two-wheeled electric transportation accessible and appealing worldwide.
Yadea’s global impact is truly impressive. They operate on nearly every continent, with robust sales networks spread around the world. This international presence isn’t just about market share, it’s also about driving the global adoption of electric mobility solutions. Yadea’s products help reduce emissions and traffic congestion while providing affordable and accessible transportation options to millions worldwide.
When discussing true global impact, few can rival Yadea’s sheer reach and scale. Even the major electric automakers like BYD and Tesla are playing for a distance second place when it comes to annual units sold. After spending time immersed in Yadea’s latest offerings and engaging with their global dealer community, it’s clear that Yadea isn’t just leading in volume—they’re also at the forefront of innovation, design, and customer support, truly defining the future of electric mobility.
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A new whitepaper by heavy truck makers PACCAR and Dragonfly Energy that incorporates real-world fleet trial data and Environmental Chamber Testing conducted at the PACCAR Technical Center seems to indicate that over-the-road truck drivers are ready to embrace battery power and reduce emissions – just not while they’re driving.
The whitepaper, titled Reducing Idle Time & Fuel Costs: Lithium Powered Solutions for Commercial Fleets, looked at different ways to reduce harmful diesel emissions across the duty cycles of a number of different fleet operations, and what they found was that powering a truck’s auxiliary and cabin systems with a high-voltage lithium-ion battery dramatically reduced engine idle time even under worst-case operating scenarios.
Another report by a group called the Clean Air Task Force showed that idling heavy-duty diesel engines while drivers are “hoteling” in their trucks (they’re parked, but running the engine to power the sleeper cab’s climate controls, kitchens, or electronics) exacts a heavy toll on both drivers and shipping fleets.
Idling not only burns fuel and increases operating costs at 0 MPG, it also emits a dangerous cocktail of harmul pollutants that pose direct health risks to drivers, rest stop employees, and nearby communities. Diesel exhaust contains fine particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), and numerous airborne toxins that are known carcinogens, making them a serious problem even to those who think climate change is a global conspiracy from “Big Science” to keep those plucky young oil billionaires in the place.
From a mechanical standpoint, extended idling also accelerates engine wear, degrades emission-control systems, increases maintenance, and shortens engine life.
Battle Born semi batteries
By adding a relatively high capacity hybrid battery (like Dragonfly Energy’s Battle Born brand batteries) to the something like a PACCAR Kenworth T680 (at top), drivers can stay parked for several hours, operating their sleepers’ refrigerators, ACs, or heaters without the noise and emissions and costs of diesel – and they probably sleep better too, without the drone of neighboring diesels cranking on around them all night.
“We believe idle reduction remains one of the most immediate and cost-effective ways fleets can reduce fuel consumption and emissions while improving driver comfort. But just as important, the industry is increasingly focused on operational efficiency and maximizing asset utilization,” explains Wade Seaburg, chief commercial officer at Dragonfly Energy. “We believe our collaboration with PACCAR not only validates the performance of our LiFePO₄-powered solutions, but also highlights how they help fleets maximize uptime, extend equipment life and get more out of their assets.”
The electrification of the auxiliary systems also reduces engine hours, stretching out the time between scheduled maintenance and reducing operational downtime.
In other words, the hybridization of OTR trucks is a win-win-win. The full whitepaper is available for download at BattleBornBatteries.com/Lithium-Powered-Idle-Reduction. Take a look at it yourself, then let us know what you think of the idea in the comments.
SOURCE | IMAGES: PACCAR, Dragonfly Energy; via AP Newswire.
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French car brand Renault believes they’ve got the key to more affordable EV batteries, and their new LFP tech promises to slash the costs of production by 40%. The result? New, desirable EVs with a sub-20K price tag that aren’t made in China.
Spanish news site Motorpasión is reporting that Renault, like Ford, is embracing a more affordable lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery chemistries that are safer, cheaper, and less dependent on rare mineral mining than conventional li-ion batteries.
That’s a big change from the recent past. Because they’re less energy dense and weigh a bit more than comparably-sized lithium-ion NMC (nickel-manganese-cobalt) batteries, European automakers looked down on LFPs. But with Chinese automakers like BYD, MG, and Leapmotor flooding Europe with affordable LFP-powered EVs, that stigma is fading fast.
Fun, affordable LFP vehicles
The stability, battery life, and cost advantages of LFP have become too compelling to ignore — especially as global lithium and nickel prices continue to fluctuate, making long-term business projections difficult. Renault’s decision to embrace LFPs then, is less about catching up on the Chinese’ technology than it is about catching up catching up on the Chinese’ economics, and acknowledging that affordability is the real barrier to mass adoption.
That was the thinking behind Renault’s relaunch of the R5 E-TECH (sold as the Le Car in the US) and the announcement that a new Twingo would be coming soon.
It was also the thinking behind the French carmaker’s decision to launch the new Ampere vehicle software development sub-brand back in 2023. At the time, the stated goals were to improve (what are now called) Renault’s software-defined vehicles and, separately, to reduce manufacturing costs of new EVs by 40% – which, if you’ll notice, is just about what the switch to LFP chemistries will enable them to do.
“Creating a new model of company specializing in electric vehicles and software running as of today: How better to illustrate our revolution and the boldness of our teams?” asked Luca de Meo, Renault Group CEO, at Ampere’s launch. He answered his own question, saying, “Instill a sustainable corporate vision and ensure it is reflected in each and every process and product. Build on the Group’s strengths and review the way we do everything. Form a tight-knit team and work for the collective. Harness our French roots and become the leader in Europe. Assert our commitment to our customers, our planet and those living on it.”
Renault is set to launch an all-new, all-electric version of its iconic Twingo minicar from the 1990s in the next few months (at top). The car is targeted straight at the BYD Dolphin and is expected to have a starting price of about €17,000 (just under $20,000 US).
SOURCE: Motorpasión; images via Renault.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
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