On Thursday, shares of Chinese electric vehicle startups advanced against the broader market trend. XPeng Inc. (XPEV.US) and NIO Inc. (NIO.US) both rose more than 4%, while Li Auto (LI.US) climbed nearly 1%. The upward movement follows reports that European automotive giant Stellantis is in discussions with Chinese EV makers, including XPeng and Xiaomi, regarding potential cooperation in European operations. Although negotiations remain exploratory, they involve substantive discussions on capital and production capacity collaboration.