- Changan Nevo raised the official guide price of its LiDAR-equipped Q07 SUV due to soaring automotive-grade chip costs.
- The decision follows a similar recent price hike by BYD, highlighting the impact of component cost fluctuations on the EV industry.
Changan Automobile's sub-brand Nevo has raised prices for certain trims of an electric vehicle (EV) model, reflecting how rising chip costs are beginning to pass through to retail product prices.
The brand increased the price of the LiDAR versions of its Q07 SUV (sport utility vehicle) by 3,000 yuan ($440) due to a significant surge in global automotive-grade chip costs, according to a statement released on Thursday.
The new pricing policy will apply to LiDAR versions of the Q07 produced from May 7 onward. Vehicles manufactured before that date will not be affected by the price increase.
The model, which includes LiDAR configurations, was launched in October 2025. It currently offers nine versions with starting prices ranging from 129,800 yuan to 176,800 yuan.
The starting prices for its three LiDAR-equipped versions are 156,800 yuan, 166,800 yuan, and 176,800 yuan, respectively.
The affected trims are equipped with the Tianshu smart driving assistance system, which supports features such as highway navigation pilot and customized parking.
In terms of hardware, they are equipped with one LiDAR and Horizon Robotics' J6M smart driving chip, capable of delivering 128 TOPS of computing power.
The pricing move highlights a broader industry trend facing Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) makers. Recently, BYD also raised the optional upgrade price for its advanced driver assistance system by more than 20%.
BYD announced on April 28 that it was raising the optional fee for the LiDAR version of its God's Eye driving assistance system from 9,900 yuan to 12,000 yuan, citing a massive spike in storage hardware costs as the primary reason for the adjustment.
The price hikes by both automakers demonstrate the direct impact of supply chain hardware price volatility. Car manufacturers are grappling with hardware cost pressures as they attempt to popularize smart driving features for the mass market.
($1 = 6.8393 yuan)
