This is the first of a monthly series about China’s MIIT list that unveils upcoming vehicles long before their official launch. Today, with cars from Baojun, iCar, Leapmotor, Toyota, and Voyah. Huawei is ever-present, supplying motors and software to almost everybody. There’s a truck too, and an H8 motorbike. 
Every month, the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) publishes a list of new vehicles that have been approved for production. This is a remnant of the old planned economy. Automakers in China must request government approval for every new model and for facelifts of existing models. Production without approval is prohibited. The list includes passenger cars, vans, trucks, motorbikes, and scooters. There are specialized categories too, like street-sweeping cars and ambulances. For years, automakers have been trying to stop MIIT from publishing the list, but so far, without any success.
MIIT requires automakers to supply basic information and a set of photos of each new car. The specs include size, engine size, engine horsepower, and top speed. For EVs, automakers must hand over motor horsepower and battery type, but range is not required. Also, automakers don’t have to reveal the definite name of the new models. Most do, but not all. Some automakers like to do a bit of fooling around, supplying photos with several model names, or without any names at all.
Let’s get into September’s list of upcoming cars in China.
iCar is an off-road SUV brand under Chery Automobile. iCar is best known for the super cool V23. The V27 is iCar’s new flagship SUV. It has a boxy design, with a little Land Rover inspiration, perhaps, but it looks way better than the old British-Indian thing.
The side windows are huge; that’s a new trend in China, with a low beltline and a wide D-pillar. There are large mirror stalks, wide wheel arches, and lidar units on the front bumper. The iCar V27 is a sizable vehicle at 193 inches long, with a 4792-pound curb weight. It has an EREV powertrain, with a 141 hp 1.5 turbo ICE range extender and a 105 kW electric motor. iCar is also working on a dual-electric motor version, with double the power.  
Baojun is a brand under SGMW, a joint venture between SAIC (50.1%), General Motors (44%), and Guangxi Auto (5.9%). The Huajing S is a new SUV, jointly developed with Huawei, the Chinese tech and automotive giant. Huawei supplies various systems, including Huawei ADS 4.0 ADAS, and the HarmonySpace 5.0 smart-cockpit system. That’s Huawei tech in a partially-American car. The Huajing (华境) name refers to the Huawei (华为) connection.
The SUV is based on SGMW’s Tianyu Architecture L platform. It is a big car for a Baojun at 206 inches long, with a hefty 5,445-pound curb weight. The Huajing is a PHEV, with a 141 hp 1.5 turbo and a 134 hp electric motor, good for a 118 mph top speed.
Leapmotor, spelled as one word, is a Chinese NEV maker. The Lafa 5 is the brand’s first compact hatchback. It is a great-looking car with a sporty design. It has a darkened light bar, black alloy wheels, and a lidar atop the windscreen. The car in the photos is painted in a racy color called Lightning Yellow.
The Lafa 5 is based on the LEAP 3.5B platform. It’s 174 inches long, with a 3670-pound curb weight. It is a rear-wheel drive car with 214 hp and a 106 mph top speed. Leapmotor will launch the new hatchback in Europe as well. There, it will be called the Leapmotor B05. The company says it will compete with the mighty Volkswagen Golf. 
[Ed Note: It looks like a combination of a Kia EV6, a VW Golf, and a Porsche Macan. -DT]
ORA is an affordable electric vehicle brand under Great Wall Motor (GWM). ORA makes wacky stuff, like the Ballet Cat, the White Cat, or the Black Cat/R1. In recent years, GWM has neglected ORA a little bit, busy as it was with building the Tank brand. ORA hasn’t launched a new car since 2022. Until now. The new ORA 5 is a small hatchback with a fuzzy retro-modern design that somehow works. It has a sharp nose, round-ish headlights, roof rails, and an empty behind. Size: 176 inches, with a 3395-pound curb weight. It has a 200 hp electric motor and a 106 mph top speed.    
Qingling is a Chinese commercial-vehicle brand owned by Qingling Isuzu Motors, a joint venture between China’s Qingling Motors (50.1%) and Japan’s Isuzu Motors (20%), with the remaining shares held by other investors. The company offers a wide range of trucks and pickup trucks. One of its latest models is the Qingling QL4252BEV, a 3-axle 6×4 electric semi-truck tractor unit. The design focuses on aerodynamics, featuring a flat-panel grille, sharply angled windscreen, integrated headlights, and a large roof-mounted wind deflector. In China, this futuristic style is often referred to as the “Stormtrooper design.”
The truck is powered by two electric motors, each producing 342 hp, for a combined output of 684 hp. Its top speed is 55 mph. The maximum permissible total mass of the quasi-trailer it can tow is 40,000 kg — equivalent to about 44 US short tons (88,185 pounds).
Souo is a motorcycle brand under Great Wall Motor, the same company that owns ORA. Last year, Souo launched the S2000, a giant Honda Gold Wing-style tourer with a 154 hp 2.0-liter H8 engine. The new Souo LH2000-4 has the same powertrain, combined with a completely different body, with a retro Harley-Davidson-style design. The MIIT images show two variants: one with a windshield and saddle bags, and one without. The exhaust pipes are different, too. It is 100 inches long with a 71.2-inch wheelbase and a 941-pound curb weight. The top speed is 124 mph.
 
Toyota is from Japan, but the new bZ7 is more Chinese than Japanese. It is a new electric sedan, designed & developed in China. The manufacturer is the GAC-Toyota joint venture. Toyota buys the DriveOne electric motors from Huawei. Toyota is the first non-Chinese car maker to use Huawei motors. Huawei also supplies the ADS 4.0 ADAS and the HarmonySpace 5.0 smart-cockpit system. Those are the same systems as in the Boajun Huajing S. The Toyota bZ7 is a typical Chinese electric sedan with a long wheelbase and a 202-inch length. The curb weight is 4927 pounds. It has a 277 hp electric motor at the rear and a 112 mph top speed. 
Voyah is a luxury NEV brand under Dongfeng Motors. The Taishan 9L is Voyah’s new top-SUV model. It is a massive machine with a giant grille, loads of bling, big 22-inch wheels, darkened lights, and a lidar. The Taishan name refers to a famous mountain in Shandong. The Taishan 9L has a PHEV powertrain, combining a 147 hp 1.5 turbo with two electric motors (201 hp front and 308 hp rear). The top speed is 124 mph. It is a six-seat car. It’s 206 inches long. It is a little heavy, weighing in at 6084 pounds. That’s hefty, even for China. Guess who supplies the ADAS and the smart cockpit? Yes, it is Huawei again; the same systems as in the Baojun Huajing S and the Toyota bZ7.
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Man, what happened to Toyota? This is a company that was so good at chassis and engine design that they literally broke the American car industry, and now they’re repackaging BMWs, Subarus, Huaweis, and there was even a GM at one point, which really should’ve led to an honorable suicide somewhere in the corporate hierarchy.
Fun new feature! Looking forward to future installments.
The side windows are huge; that’s a new trend in China, with a low beltline
Can’t wait for this trend to spread to the West. We’ve been trapped in bunkers for too freakin’ long.
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