From drones to AI, the EV industry is embracing tech-forward design

Other concept models in China are pushing boundaries such as the XPeng AeroHT Land Aircraft Carrier, a six-wheel hybrid MPV with a docking two-seat electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Meanwhile, many EVs now sport giant infotainment displays, AI voice assistants and software-driven personalisation options. BYD’s Fang Cheng Bao brand explicitly emphasises customisation and digital lifestyle features for a younger generation.

The overarching design trend is clear: EV makers are turning vehicles into high-tech living spaces and gadgets, using novel features to stand out in an increasingly crowded market.

Also read: Introducing Xpeng, the Chinese company building the future with EVs, flying cars and robots

China’s electric vehicle manufacturers are no longer content with domination at home—they are aggressively setting their sights overseas. BYD, now China’s largest automaker by sales, illustrates this ambition clearly: the company aims to sell half of its vehicles outside China by 2030, a staggering goal that would catapult it into the ranks of the world’s top-selling auto brands. This global push comes on the heels of breakneck growth in China. BYD’s sales have surged from under 430,000 units in 2020 to 4.27 million in 2024 (including hybrids), overtaking longtime joint-venture giants. Having achieved scale at home, BYD and its peers are rapidly turning outward. 

Early signs back this up. In the first quarter of 2025, BYD’s EV sales in Europe more than quadrupled year-on-year to over 37,000 units, giving it about a 4.1 per cent share of Europe’s battery-electric market. Chinese EV brands collectively are gaining ground across Europe—in some months of 2023, Chinese manufacturers (including MG, BYD, NIO, XPeng, etc.) captured roughly 10 to 11 per cent of Western Europe’s new electric vehicle registrations, a record high that has drawn intense scrutiny from regulators.

Markets like Southeast Asia and Latin America are also seeing an influx of Chinese EVs, often at price points and vehicle segments underserved by legacy competitors. For example, BYD has been exporting affordable models like the Atto 3 (also known as the Yuan Plus) to countries such as Thailand and Brazil, where they quickly became top sellers in the EV category. XPeng, another prominent Chinese electric vehicle maker, entered 30 new global markets in 2024 and plans to expand to 30 more in 2025, focusing on Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Latin America (notably avoiding the US for now due to trade barriers).

This global march of Chinese EV players is reshaping the industry’s landscape and prompting responses from incumbents. Established Western and Japanese automakers, which once counted on China as a growth market for their own cars, now find themselves defending home turf against an onslaught of high-tech, competitively priced Chinese EVs. European regulators have even launched probes into whether Chinese EV imports benefit from unfair subsidies, and the EU has maintained import tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars.

However, consumer interest in these new entrants is real—their value proposition (often more features for less money) is hard to ignore. The United States remains largely off-limits to Chinese automakers due to tariffs and political restrictions on Chinese tech, but Chinese companies are making inroads virtually everywhere else.

Crucially, Chinese EV manufacturers enjoy structural advantages that bolster their global expansion. Many have deep vertical integration and cost-efficient supply chains, partly thanks to China’s dominant battery industry and economies of scale at home. BYD, for instance, produces its own batteries and a large share of its components in-house, helping it undercut competitors on price while still turning a profit. This has allowed them to make high-end EV tech accessible at mass-market prices, a strategy that forces others to respond or lose ground. Western automakers are feeling the squeeze: Tesla, for example, saw its first-ever annual drop in market share in 2024 as Chinese rivals surged, and is now racing to develop a cheaper model to compete.

The story of BYD’s Titanium 3 electric SUV is about much more than one vehicle’s specifications—it encapsulates the convergence of design innovation, market strategy and competitive dynamics that is defining the current chapter of the auto industry. With its blend of high-tech features (from drones to advanced AI driving aids) and low pricing, the Titanium 3 demonstrates how Chinese EV makers are rewriting the rules of competition.

The rapid global expansion of these brands—even as they force faster innovation from the old guard—points to a future where consumers worldwide will have a far greater variety of electric cars to choose from, many originating from China and other Asian nations.

The takeaway is clear: the EV landscape is transforming quickly, driven by cross-pollination of technologies (automotive and high-tech) and fierce competition that is erasing old boundaries. Companies that can combine technological prowess, efficient manufacturing, and smart branding are increasingly setting the pace.

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