Do Chinese EVs get software updates over-the-air?
OTA maturity is now a key differentiator — and Chinese OEMs are ahead of the European mainstream here. Here's what each brand delivers.
Update cadence by brand (2026)
- Xpeng XmartOS: monthly points, quarterly major (biggest OTA changelist in the industry)
- NIO NIO OS: 4–8 week cadence, includes NOMI voice assistant updates
- BYD DiPilot / DiLink OS: quarterly major, monthly infotainment
- Zeekr OS: 6-week cadence with clear release notes
- Li Auto Li OS: 4–6 week, includes AD Max updates
- MG iSmart: 3-monthly average — less aggressive
What actually changes
Infotainment: new features, UI redesigns, added apps (Netflix, YouTube in Europe on some).
Driver-assist: unlock of new ODD (operational design domain), tweaks to lane-change confidence, parking-assist expansion.
Battery management: charge-curve optimisation, cold-weather pre-conditioning refinements.
Powertrain: rare but occasional — Xpeng once added 30 kW of peak power via OTA.
Practical setup
Cars need cellular connection (embedded eSIM) or Wi-Fi. Most OEMs bundle 4G/5G for 5–10 years.
Updates run overnight while parked. Some (major powertrain releases) require dealer intervention.
- 01Every major Chinese brand OTAs regularly.
- 02Xpeng and NIO lead on cadence.
- 03Cellular + Wi-Fi handled by the OEM.
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