China’s top maker of electric vehicles (EV) wants to pay a lot less for car parts in the new year, a demand that signals there is no end in sight to a vicious price war nor economic gloom marked by lower wages and uncertain prospects.

The carmaker urged its suppliers to send over their quotes by December 15 and officially mark down prices starting next year, executive vice-president He Zhiqi wrote in an email circulated on social media on Wednesday.