Southeast Asia has emerged as one of the hottest EV markets and could boost Tesla at a time when demand is slowing in its two biggest markets: China and the US

In a Weibo post, the Chinese tech giant said it has 59 stores in 29 cities that will take orders for its new EV, to be launched on March 28

The slowdown has fuelled intensifying competition in China's EV market, led by a fresh round of deep cuts by Tesla-beating carmaker BYD

The European Commission said increasing imports from China risked injuring the region's carmakers at a magnitude "that would be difficult to repair”

Both firms have seen their market shares squeezed by local rivals such as smartphone-maker Huawei and electric vehicle giant BYD, while a larger economic slowdown shadows China

US president has strong political motives for ordering a US review of the security risks presented by Chinese vehicles, analysts say

The world’s two biggest EV-makers have been locked in a drawn-out and brutal price war in China since the beginning of last year

Reports of BYD’s plans to expand production in Mexico spurred speculation that the EV giant was looking for a way into the US car market

The White House said the probe could lead to restrictions being imposed on Chinese EVs due to concerns about "connected" car technology

BASF is getting out and VW may follow. China said in response it hopes businesses in Xinjiang "cherish" their opportunities and not believe "rumours" about forced labour

Chinese carmaker is doing a study on building a factory in Mexico, which would export cheap EVs to the US; other plants are also opening or planned in Thailand, Hungary and Brazil

China and Indonesia account for 70% of global supplies of nickel, but producers in the countries have become unprofitable after the battery metal shed more than 80% of its price since last year