Chip Prices Surge 180%—EVs Face Widespread Price Hikes

Due to rising upstream raw material costs, supply chain disruptions, and intense competition from the AI industry for chip manufacturing capacity, automotive-grade DRAM prices have surged dramatically since the second half of 2025. DDR4 prices have jumped by over 150%, DDR5 has skyrocketed by 300%, and overall DRAM prices have risen by 180%. The increased cost of memory chips alone has added RMB 1,000 to RMB 3,000 to the per-vehicle cost of new energy vehicles (NEVs). Lu Fang, Chairman of Voyah, advised consumers to purchase vehicles as soon as possible, while NIO’s CEO William Li acknowledged that automakers are at a disadvantage in competing for chips against AI companies and computing centers. Chery’s premium brand Exeed has already raised the price of its high-end ET5 model by RMB 5,000, and the newly launched Zeekr 007 GT is expected to see a price hike of RMB 5,000 to RMB 8,000, highlighting rapidly mounting pricing pressure at the retail level.