What moved China's new-energy vehicle market this week?
Leapmotor's Zhu Jiangming: Carmakers must not sell at a loss
On January 9, Gasgoo learned that Leapmotor founder Zhu Jiangming, in an interview with People's Daily, weighed in on the NEV price war. "Carmakers absolutely must not sell at a loss. We need positive gross margins — that's our consistent stance. Stick to market mechanisms, cultivate advantages through free competition, make products better, improve quality, and lower costs. Only then will both the industry and consumers benefit," he said.
Image source source: Leapmotor
He also argued that China's NEV industry will keep accelerating over the next five years, with market share rising at a pace that won't be slow. "I predict NEVs will account for 80% to 90% of auto sales in China within the next three to five years — a very large market. Globally, thanks to advantages in economics, user experience and intelligence, NEVs will gradually penetrate many countries, with broad growth prospects."
Asked about the traffic effect of high-profile executives, Zhu said: "For a company, the priority is still to get the product right. Only when the product is right does promotion truly help. Focus on technology and product first."
Gasgoo's take: Zhu's stance goes straight to the core of today's industry squeeze: the price war isn't sustainable. How automakers balance short-term share against long-term health has become an existential test.
Harmony lntelligent Mobility Alliance's Shangjie Z7 officially announced
On January 8, Huawei's Harmony lntelligent Mobility Alliance announced a new model — the Shangjie Z7 — with the tagline "More than next-gen — more to expect."
Official Image sources suggest a fastback previously teased, featuring a roof-mounted lidar, a small blue accent light and semi-recessed door handles.
Shangjie (SAIC) is the smart car brand co-created by SAIC and Huawei — the fifth brand under Harmony Intelligent Mobility — developed under Huawei's Smart Selection model. Richard Yu, Huawei's Executive Director, head of the Product Investment Committee and chairman of the Terminal BG, has said Shangjie will launch two new models this year, including a premium fastback billed as Harmony Intelligent Mobility's most stylish design.
For now, Shangjie has only one model on sale: the mid-size SUV Shangjie H5, launched on September 23, 2025, and priced at CNY 159,800 to CNY 199,800.
The H5 is developed from the SAIC Roewe ES39, equipped with Huawei's smart cockpit and driver-assistance systems, and built on SAIC's Nebula all-electric platform.
Gasgoo's take: A late entrant to Harmony Intelligent Mobility, Shangjie is now racing to catch up. The Z7's announcement adds fresh uncertainty to the fastback market.
DREAME's "Starry Sky Project" concept car debuts
On January 7, Dreame's Starry Sky Project subsidiary said it showcased the Nebula (Xingyun) Next 01 Concept at this year's CES.
Image sources show a pure-electric hypercar in green, with a front end featuring multi-functional aero structures, active side airflow management and active rear aero components. The headlights use four light strips of varying lengths in an "L" layout for strong recognition. Details include multi-spoke alloy wheels, yellow brake calipers and perforated front discs.
Image source: Starry Sky Project
In profile, the concept's front and rear fenders are pronounced, paired with large side-wing endplates and a hidden A-pillar design. The six-spoke "petal" wheels again pair with yellow front calipers and perforated discs.
On performance, reports say the concept uses a quad-motor system with a combined output of 1,399 kW (1,876 hp). Together with active aero, it claims a 0–100 km/h time of 1.8 seconds.
Public filings show Starry Sky Project (Shanghai) Automotive Technology Co., Ltd. is DREAME's vehicle-making entity, established on January 8, 2025. It is controlled by Dreame founder and CEO Yu Hao, who holds about 77.76% through a layered shareholding structure.
Gasgoo's take: A smart-cleaning giant crossing into smart mobility, Dreame's auto story is just beginning. We'll be watching what comes next.
CATL and NIO sign five-year strategic cooperation pact
According to the companies, CATL and NIO recently signed a comprehensive five-year pact in Hefei, Anhui, to deepen collaboration across technology, ecosystem and market. The goal: jointly drive technological iteration and business model innovation in NEVs.
On the technology front, they will focus on long-life batteries and swap-compatibility technologies, pursue multiple technical routes and prioritize early adoption to raise overall product competitiveness.
On the ecosystem side, the two will push standard-setting for battery swap and share swap-network resources, while strengthening collaboration under business models such as battery-as-a-service (BaaS) to build an open, shared swap ecosystem.
On the market side, they plan joint brand promotion at home and abroad to boost global reach and share.
The agreement marks a new phase of full-ecosystem, deep collaboration between NIO and CATL, with a structured, long-term framework to navigate industry shifts together.
As key NEV players, CATL and NIO had already established a stable partnership.
Gasgoo's take: The upgraded alliance between CATL and NIO invites a fresh look at battery swapping — and may prompt the market to reassess swap as a viable replenishment pathway.
NIO to build integrated stores in lower-tier markets
At the ceremony marking NIO's 1 millionth mass-produced vehicle, co-founder and president Qin Lihong laid out the 2026 plan: "Sell good cars, deliver good service, and build the infrastructure."
Qin said 2026 sales will focus on mid-to-high-end large vehicles, with the network expanding into promising lower-tier markets. NIO is preparing its first batch of integrated stores, expected to open before the Lunar New Year, selling models from NIO, ONVO and Firefly simultaneously. The company is also accelerating its charging and swapping infrastructure to support its multi-brand strategy.
Image source: NIO
Since the first ES8 rolled off the line in 2018, NIO has transitioned from a single brand to a three-brand portfolio. Founder, chairman and CEO William Li said the 1 million milestone is a new starting point, with NIO entering its third phase centered on high-quality growth. He emphasized a more grounded approach and steady share gains in China — for instance, reaching a 5% to 10% market share.
Gasgoo's take: Long seen as "premium," NIO's move to build integrated stores in lower-tier markets signals a pivot to scale. Reaching more customers at lower cost will also be a stress test for its swap model and service system.
