On paper, the deal looks like a conventional automotive tie-up. BYD will supply vehicles from both its core brand and premium line. One of the cars will lead the men’s first-team bus into home fixtures. Branding will appear on training kit sleeves and across LED boards at Man. City’s home ground, the Etihad Stadium.  

But the substance runs deeper. BYD will also install EV charging points and battery energy-storage systems at the team’s football academy, embedding its tech into the club’s operational infrastructure.  

For the car maker, the Manchester City BYD partnership fits into a broader football strategy. The company has already aligned itself with major tournaments like UEFA EURO 2024, using sport as a high-vis bridge into European markets. Football offers what auto shows cannot: weekly global reach, emotional equity and cultural relevance.  

And the football club? Well, Man. City has long positioned itself as a data-driven, innovation-first type club. BYD’s emphasis on engineering supremacy gives this partnership credibility, rather than it being a superficial badge swap. 

The Manchester City BYD partnership: Why Premier League football? 

There is geographic logic at play too. Europe remains a key battleground for Chinese EV brands facing regulatory scrutiny and tariff headwinds in other markets. This is important because BYD has struggled in the past with a reputation as a cheap knock off of Tesla vehicles. 

That perception is changing though. Now, in many markets outside China, their popularity and reputation are growing. In 2025, BYD outdid Tesla to become the world’s highest selling EV manufacturer. Aligning with a high-profile Premier League powerhouse offers legitimacy in connection to a brand known for elite performance. 

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For a brand that started life as a Shenzhen battery supplier this is no small feat. BYD’s rise is not one built on hype or design theatrics either. It’s a story of control. Control over supply chains, cost, and an increasingly global narrative.  

Getting BYD out of the lab

Founded in 1995 by engineer Wang Chuanfu (王传福), BYD started life producing rechargeable batteries for consumer electronics. At a time when Japanese incumbents dominated the sector, Wang pursued a labour-intensive, cost-efficient manufacturing model that undercut rivals. 

BYD’s first big moment came in 2003 when the company acquired a struggling state-owned carmaker, taking its first step into automotive manufacturing. Early models fell afoul of criticism for being poor-quality rip offs of competitor models. But behind all this fire, BYD was accumulating something that would become the bedrock of their success: production capability and battery expertise.  

The Buffett signal 

It was an American company – and big-name investor – that pulled BYD out of the reputational dirt. In 2008, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway picked up a minor investment in BYD. The decision was made on the advice of Charlie Munger, who famously called Wang Chuanfu a ‘combination of Thomas Edison and Jack Welch.’ 

The endorsement provided a cash injection and global legitimacy. At a time when the EV market was still highly speculative, that legitimacy shifted BYD’s rep from provincial automaker to serious clean-tech contender.  

Vertical integration as a strategy 

Your run-of-the-mill EV startup often outsources critical components. Batteries are case in point here. They’re expensive and strategically sensitive. But BYD already had this critical component locked it. Over time, the company expanded in-house production to include semi conductors and power electronics.  

This vertical integration proved decisive during global chip shortages and supply chain distruptions. While competitors grappled with halted production lives, BYD’s internalized ecosystem kept its margins insulated. Its Blade Battery further cemented its identity as an engineering-first rather than market first type of brand.  

How BYD overtook Tesla at home 

Now all BYD needed was a fast lane. It got one with China’s EV boom. Benefiting from favourable industrial policy and a rapidly growing domestic EV market, BYD hit go on an aggressive growth strategy. This strategy broadened its portfolio from compact city cars to premium sedans and SUVs. Their competitors stayed niche.  

The brand narrative shifted accordingly. Once viewed as a low-cost imitator, BYD increasingly became framed as a national industrial champion – proof that Chinese manufacturing could compete at scale in one of the world’s most complex industries. 

How BYD overtook Tesla globally  

With its domestic market secured, BYD turned its eyes abroad, expanding into Europe, Southeast Asia, Latin America and Australia. The overseas growth model relied on local distribution networks and, on occasion, overseas manufacture to mitigate tariff exposure.  

In January 2026, BYD outsold Tesla 10-to-1 in Australia, signaling a massive shift in Western-aligned consumer preference. However, the U.S. remains a fortress. While BYD dominates the American electric bus market from its California factory, it has yet to sell a single passenger car there due to 135% tariffs. 

A brand on the rise 

By 2026, BYD’s direction has sharpened further. Commitments to advancing next-gen battery chemistries and broadening its model range have come alongside accelerating international expansion.  

BYD’s ascent illustrates an interesting model of brand-building: industrial depth first, global perception second. The ambition is clear. BYD isn’t looking to be anything less than a leader. The question facing it over coming years is, can it’s business model translate manufacturing supremacy into enduring global brand equity. 

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They didn’t build the vehicle alone. It was developed jointly with GAC Aion handling manufacturing and CATL on battery supply. JD brings mountains of consumer data and massive retail power, completing the triumvirate.  

The car is designed to make EV ownership cheaper and easier. It features CATL’s battery-swap system, capable of a 99-second replacement and around 500 km of range, as well as a battery-vehicle separation sales model that keeps upfront costs low (retail price has not been officially confirmed, but market commentary places it around RMB 100k–120k – about US $14,000 – 16,800). Inside, it runs a Huawei-powered cloud OS with terabyte-level storage and access to 20,000 apps. 

The JD.com car launch came with a dose of theatre. The first model, branded JD 001, went under the virtual hammer starting at just RMB 1. After more than 23,000 bids and over 260,000 viewers, the price topped RMB 78.19 million (about US $11 million). JD later clarified this was purely a marketing stunt and no one actually paid the hefty auction price, though they are giving away a UT Super to one of the bidders.  

JD’s entry to the industry adds another heavyweight to China’s smart-mobility race. From Alibaba’s local-life logistics and mapping ambitions to Huawei, Baidu, and Xiaomi pushing software, AI, and design into the driver’s seat, the line between tech firm and carmaker is blurring fast. 

A JD.com car launch wouldn’t be happening if it wasn’t for the smart-vehicle wave we seem to be sitting at the crest of – one breaking with data power, not horsepower. The players that once delivered parcels, powered phones, or ran app ecosystems are now competing to own the digital layer of China’s roads. JD has always been about data-driven logistics, even when selling coffee or running supermarkets. Putting those dots together makes smart-vehicles look like a logical step, not a wild detour. 

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But it seems the two brands have pulled off one of the most unexpected brand pairings of the season. Their new campaign, cheekily titled So Mc-Benz (就很麦驰), promotes two very different launches: McDonald’s White Truffle French Ham Angus Thick Beef Burger and Mercedes’ new all-electric CLA.  

The teasing started early. Mercedes-Benz kicked things off with a missing car poster – a tongue-in-cheek ad featuring a McDonald’s-themed CLA that immediately sent social media talking. McDonald’s followed with an animated visual where, as a burger was sliced, the Mercedes three-point star gradually emerged.  

When the collaboration officially launched, Mercedes released an ad that playfully mimicked McDonald’s signature burger-ad cinematography: glossy close-ups, slow pans, and silky textures, but focused on the new car instead. ‘Soft bun or soft headrest? Smooth butter or smooth superscreen?’ read the captions, blending food and automotive language into a sensory crossover. 

Offline, McDonald’s co-branded six stores across six major cities. Visitors could check in, explore themed vehicles, and enjoy a burger from a Mercedes seat. Each city’s car carried its own twist of burger-inspired emblems, playful details like horns on mirrors to keep the collab memorable.  

Adding to the resonance was one unexpected link: table tennis star Wang Chuqin, who happens to be both a McDonald’s brand ambassador and part of Mercedes-Benz’s New Voice lineup. His dual role created perhaps the only natural bridge between the two brands and drew extra attention online. 

So, what are McDonald’s and Mercedes doing together? For McDonald’s, the campaign adds a layer of premium sheen to its Angus line. For Mercedes-Benz, it borrows McDonald’s humour and pop-culture fluency to close the gap with younger audiences.  

The result may not feel like the most natural of partnerships. Mercedes-Benz have a track record of difficult collaborations in China, but the McDonald’s one seems to be working. Fans are already posting check-in photos with the co-branded CLA display cars at McDonald’s stores, and Wang Chuqin’s dual ambassador role is doing a lot of the distribution work. It does still beg the question: when has this whole collaboration craze gone too far? 

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The concept is simple: instead of a conventional studio, a Mercedes-Benz V-Class serves as the location for deep-dive conversations between hosts and guests, who reflect on business, life and inspiration.  

From Mercedes-Benz’s perspective, it’s a chance to sell the image of their cars as the height of luxury. What kind of car is so quiet and comfortable you could turn it into a recording studio? 

For Xiaoyuzhou, the project explores how podcasting can move out of headphones and into physical, mobile spaces and ties into a theme they’re very in to, listening on the go. It also plays into another theme for them, which is collaboration with notable luxury brands. Louis Vuitton put their name to a podcast about two years ago, and more recently both Prada and Tiffany & Co. have also taken to Xiaoyuzhou’s airwaves. Mercedes-Benz is a nice name to add to that list.  

China’s podcast scene is still relatively young but growing fast, especially among urban professionals who crave something quieter than short-video noise. Xiaoyuzhou, launched in 2020, has carved out that niche by curating long-form, reflective conversations – a sort of antidote to doom-scrolling.  

The key to a good collaboration is that both brands align. That’s very much the case here. With its track record of luxury collaborations, Xiaoyuzhou is hitting the right notes with its user-base of young professionals. Mercedes-Benz aids this ambition neatly by being both aspirational and a place where this userbase is likely to listen to a podcast. Ultimately, both brands are in the business of movement, Mercedes physically, Xiaoyuzhou mentally.  

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Apollo Go’s licence – numbered 001 – gives them permission to test driverless vehicles, sometimes known as robotaxis, on Dubai streets. Throughout the rest of 2025 they’ll roll out 50 robotaxis with a view to putting 1,000 into action by 2028, providing they all meet performance and safety standards.  

Although this is their first large-scale project on the international stage, Apollo Go has a pretty sizable market share in China. They operate in 16 Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, and have already clocked 14 million rides and over 200 million km of driverless travel.  

The model they’re putting to Dubai’s roads is the RT6, a sixth-gen autonomous vehicle capable of what’s known as Level 4 autonomous driving – meaning it can operate without a human driver under a range of harsh weather conditions and can re-route itself if needed. These cars will gather data as they navigate the world. Back at HQ, engineers use the collected data to improve performance, making the real-world deployment of autonomous vehicles an important part of their development.  

And the development race is on. Big players in the tech world are already looking to carve themselves out a corner of the autonomous vehicle market – one that is expected to be worth USD 300–400 billion in revenue by 2035.  

In the U.S., Tesla is putting test vehicles to road in a handful of cities. But China, where robotaxis like the RT6 are becoming a common sight in major cities, seems to be emerging as the global leader. The fact that Chinese companies already have sights set on the international stage is another reason to believe they’re coming out on top.  

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For the launch, Land Rover teamed up with the China edition of the global fashion and culture magazine ‘Another Man’ on a campaign that brings together the musical elements and cool factor of the “Brit Sound”. The magazine also collaborated with Chinese rock band ‘New Pants’ to produce a music video/advert, in which the band’s “Sad Punk” character, dressed in a costume, chases the car as it’s driven by the band.

As part of the launch, Land Rover sponsored the viral Another Man 1st anniversary party, where celebrities and indie musicians rubbed shoulders. Not only did influencers take photos with the “Brit Sound” limited-edition SUVs at the event, but musical guests also performed with the vehicles on stage. Another Man also hosted a photoshoot featuring additional musicians and bands with the car, including rock bands such as Young Dan (回春丹), Berlin Psycho Nurse (柏林护士) and Queen Sea Big Shark (后海大鲨鱼).

On Weibo, China’s Twitter-like platform, the topic is based on the limited model’s tagline, “listen to yourself, you can do it (purple)” (#听自己的紫定行#), which reached number 16 on the Hot Search list with 54.15 million views. The hashtag uses a pun by replacing “指” from “指定” (zhi ding, definitely) with “紫” (zi, purple) to emphasise both the free spirit of “Brit Sound” and the colourway.

With the current EV boom in China, luxury cars have a tough year ahead. On 20 July, Land Rover announced that it would subsidise the new value-added tax on luxury cars for anyone who purchases a Range Rover or Defender between 20 and 31 July. The new limited-edition Land Rover campaign is also a move by the brand to bring back the desirability of its vehicles and better compete with EVs, especially domestic brands.

Need to boost your China strategy? Dao Pro delivers bespoke insights on marketing, innovation, and digital trends, direct from Chinese sources. Find out more from our Dao Strategy Team here.

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There are 19 CEOs who have appeared on the list consecutively, 25 first timers and 6 returnees. Among the select few at the top are familiar names such as Ma Huateng, Lei Jun of Xiaomi and Wang Chuanfu of BYD. This is also the fifth time Wang Chuanfu has been named one of the “best CEOs” in China by Forbes. BYD earned 170.36 billion RMB (23.77 billion USD) in Q1 2025, up 36% year-on-year (YoY) with a record-breaking net profit of 9.16 billion RMB (1.28 billion USD). Xiaomi also reported “history-making” positive results in the same quarter. This year’s ranking marks Ma Huateng’s return to the “best CEOs” list after 4 years.

The CEOs of several “new consumption” companies were also on the list, including Wang Ning of POP MART, Zhang Hongfu of Mixue and Xu Gaoming of Laopu. This means the “big three” new consumption listed companies on the HKEX were all represented among the “best CEOs”. CHAGEE and GoodMe’s CEOs were also featured, following extraordinary IPOs by both companies.

The list encapsulates the best of the top executives from China’s listed companies. It also reflects shifts in the tech, automotive and pharma industries. Three women made it to the top, though this marks a decline from last year. The ranking highlights how Chinese companies performed over the past year and how they’re likely to evolve next year. However, it seems the list is more about the companies than the executives themselves.

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At the same event, Xiaomi also launched its AI Glasses, which can be used not only as a camera, but also Bluetooth earbuds and AR. Optimised for Asian facial features, the 40-gram specs will set you back 1,999 RMB (278.54 USD). The latest Xiaomi Pad 7S Pro will feature the new in-house XRing-O1 chip and is priced at 3,299 RMB (459.68 USD). Xiaomi also announced other devices, including smart watches and a foldable phone.

• #小米发布会 Xiaomi launch event: 25.27 million views on Weibo in the last 24 hours, ranking number 1 on the Hot Search list
• #小米YU7价格 Xiaomi YU7 prices: 9.30 million views on Rednote, ranking number 1 on the Hot Topics list

The launch event also served as a showcase for Xiaomi’s Human x Car x Home ecosystem. Xiaomi announced plans to build an open ecosystem that can be integrated with other brands. The first partners announced include BYD, GAC Toyota and Zhengzhou Nissan. Xiaomi founder and CEO Lei Jun even took a swipe at Apple, remarking that the American tech giant had given up on building cars, which is why Xiaomi cars will take care of Apple users. By ensuring compatibility with other cars and devices, Xiaomi’s ecosystem may just emerge as a new industry standard.

Need to boost your China strategy? Dao Pro delivers bespoke insights on marketing, innovation, and digital trends, direct from Chinese sources. Find out more from our Dao Strategy Team here.

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These made-in-China electric quadricycles are small, fast and easy to park, require no license plate, no driving license and no insurance. Another main draw for these young people is how they look. For prices between 10,000 RMB (1,392.86 USD) and 20,000 RMB (2,785.71 USD), you can get your “dream car”, be it a Porsche or Aston Martin, just smaller. Like the Ghost Fire Boys, the “old timers’ delight” gangs also drive in hordes and cruise their territory for fun.

• #老头乐已经成了县城年轻人的新鬼火 old timers’ delight is now the new “ghost fire” for small-town youth: 15.51 million views on Weibo, ranking number 26 on the Hot Search list

Like the modded “ghost fire” scooters, these quadricycles are dangerous to the driver and those around them. Not only does the “car” appearance provide a false sense of security, but the diminutive size also makes it hard to spot among other taller automobiles. The cheap build quality and the driver’s tendency to ignore traffic rules don’t help. The underlying youth subculture resembles biker gangs or the hot rod culture of the past, but with a unique small-town Chinese flavour stemming from economic uncertainty and a more diverse society that values expression.

Need to boost your China strategy? Dao Pro delivers bespoke insights on marketing, innovation, and digital trends, direct from Chinese sources. Find out more from our Dao Strategy Team here.

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