XPeng begins localized EV production in Europe with plans to expand
Six months after announcing plans to begin EV production in Europe with the help of contract manufacturer Magna Steyr, XPeng Motors has begun rolling two initial all-electric models off those assembly lines overseas. The Chinese automaker continues to deepen its presence in the EU to gain a larger market share.
While XPeng Motors remains one of the more popular Chinese BEV brands in its native country, the company has continued to expand to new markets over the last half-decade or so. We’ve extensively covered XPeng’s expansion into Europe, where it now sells its EVs in 12 different countries in the region, including the Netherlands where we have test driven several of its models.
As you may recall, the EU implemented a probe into the Chinese automakers that the European Commission believes had been “unfairly” subsidized as exports into the region by the boatload. To combat this alleged advantage, Europe imposed tariffs on imports of EVs built in China, including marques like NIO, BYD, and XPeng.
That has not deterred Chinese automakers, who continue to import from China by the boatload while setting up local production to alleviate some of those duties. In May 2024, we reported that Magna Steyr’s president confirmed nearly every Chinese EV automaker, including XPeng Motors, had been in touch with the contract manufacturer about localized EV production in Europe.
This past March, the Austrian production arm of Magna International confirmed it was finalizing two EV assembly contracts with two Chinese brands – XPeng and GAC Group, which could begin as early as June. Today, six months after those reports arose, XPeng has confirmed EV production is underway in Europe at Magna Steyr.
XPeng begins assembling two EVs in Europe via Magna
In a Weibo post earlier today, XPeng confirmed the start of EV production in Europe, confirming that its G6 and G9 models have begun rolling off Magna Steyr’s assembly lines in Graz, Austria.
As you may recall, Magna Steyr was once home to production of the short-lived Fisker Ocean SUV and the Jaguar I-Pace, which has also been discontinued (although Jaguar isn’t bankrupt like Fisker). That left plenty of production space for Magna to fill, hence why so many Chinese automakers inquired.
This is a win-win for both Magna and XPeng. The former finds a potential long-term contract partner (more on that in a second). At the same time, the latter finally establishes localized EV production in Europe, avoiding most of the tariffs imposed by the EU.
The initial report out of Austria in March stated that both XPeng and GAC were planning to utilize a Semi-Knocked-Down (SKD) build process, in which pre-fabricated components are imported from China into Austria before being assembled locally at Magna Steyr.
The report also stated that the Chinese Automakers were initially only investing a minimal amount of funds into a small number of EV assemblies in order to test markets in Europe. Given XPeng’s growing presence overseas and today’s Weibo post, it has found a viable EV production solution in Magna and is already preparing for further expansions to secure more of Europe’s automotive market. Per the post (translated from Chinese):
In Q3 2025, Xpeng Motors officially launched its first localized production project in Europe at the Magna plant in Graz, Austria, with the first batch of the Xpeng G6 and G9 vehicles rolling off the production line. The plant will also produce more Xpeng models in the future. Xpeng Motors is deepening its presence in the European market with a richer product offering, continuing to accelerate its globalization journey with ‘Made in China’ technology.
There is no word yet on what other XPeng EVs may eventually be assembled in Europe, but I could see the new P7 making its way to Austria next. We will see!
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First Solar just cut the ribbon on a huge new factory in Iberia Parish, Louisiana, and it dwarfs the New Orleans Superdome. The company’s $1.1 billion, fully vertically integrated facility spans 2.4 million square feet, or about 11 times the size of the stadium’s main arena.
The factory began production quietly in July, a few months ahead of schedule, and employs more than 700 people. First Solar expects that number to hit 826 by the end of the year. Once it’s fully online, the site will add 3.5 GW of annual manufacturing capacity. That brings the company’s total US footprint to 14 GW in 2026 and 17.7 GW in 2027, when its newly announced South Carolina plant is anticipated to come online.
The Louisiana plant produces First Solar’s Series 7 modules using US-made materials — glass from Illinois and Ohio, and steel from Mississippi, which is fabricated into backrails in Louisiana.
The new factory leans heavily on AI, from computer vision that spots defects on the line to deep learning tools that help technicians make real‑time adjustments.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry says the investment is already a win for the region, bringing in “hundreds of good-paying jobs and new opportunities for Louisiana workers and businesses.” A new economic impact analysis from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette projects that the factory will boost Iberia Parish’s GDP by 4.4% in its first full year at capacity. The average manufacturing compensation package comes in at around $90,000, more than triple the parish’s per capita income.
First Solar CEO Mark Widmar framed the new facility as a major step for US clean energy manufacturing: “By competitively producing energy technology in America with American materials, while creating American jobs, we’re demonstrating that US reindustrialization isn’t just a thesis, it’s an operating reality.”
This site joins what’s already the largest solar manufacturing and R&D footprint in the Western Hemisphere: three factories in Ohio, one in Alabama, and R&D centers in Ohio and California. Just last week, First Solar announced a new production line in Gaffney, South Carolina, to onshore more Series 6 module work. By the end of 2026, the company expects to directly employ more than 5,500 people across the US.
Read more: First Solar pours $330M into a new South Carolina solar factory
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No, it’s not the new Bolt. GM’s design team previewed a new high-riding “sporty Chevrolet EV” that should be brought to life.
Is Chevy launching a new sporty EV?
This is the all-electric vehicle Chevy should sell in the US. General Motors’ design team released a series of sketches previewing a sporty new Chevy EV.
Although it kinda looks like the new 2027 Chevy Bolt EV as a higher-sitting compact crossover SUV, the design offers a fresh take on what it should have looked like.
The new Bolt is essentially a modernized version of the outgoing EUV model with a similar compact crossover silhouette. Nissan adopted a similar style with the new 2026 LEAF as buyers continue shifting from smaller sedans and hatchbacks to crossovers and SUVs.
Will we see the sporty Chevy EV in real life? It’s not likely. For one, the “exploration sketch” is by GM China Advanced designer Charles Huang.
GM Design posted the sketches on its global social media page, but the caption read “Sporty Chevrolet EV for the China Market.”
It’s too bad. The Bolt could use a sporty sibling like an SS variant. Chevy introduced the Blazer EV SS (check out our review) for the 2026 model year, its fastest “SS” model yet. Packing up to 615 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, the Chevy Blazer SS can race from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds when using Wide Open Watts (WOW) mode.
Will the Bolt be next? I wouldn’t get my hopes up. And if GM does bring the sporty Chevy EV to life, it will likely only be sold in China. Like all the fun cars these days.
What do you think of the design? Would you buy one of these in the US? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
While deliveries of the 2027 Bolt are set to begin in early 2026, Chevy is offering some sweet deals on its current EV lineup, including up to $4,000 off in Customer Cash and 0% APR financing for 60 months.
Ready to test drive one? You can use our links below to find Chevy Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado EVs at a dealership near you.
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Environment
Podcast: Electricity is the base currency, Tesla Robotaxi crashes, new Porsche Cayenne EV, and 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 electricity becoming the base currency, Tesla Robotaxi crashes, the new Porsche Cayenne EV, 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 are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
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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