OEM Trend
Fast Tech: June 21. Following the launch of the 2027 Leapmotor C-series, Leapmotor revealed plans to host a "Tech Day" in the third quarter, unveiling a raft of innovations. Meanwhile, more distinctive and differentiated products are in the pipeline. The company says its long-term commitment to full-domain in-house R&D has built a strong foundation, with its intelligent driving business now keeping pace with industry leaders and closing in on the first tier. Back in March, Leapmotor executives described the brand as a "slow burner" that leverages a late-mover advantage, predicting a full breakout in both vehicle lineup and technology by 2026, with several unannounced projects set to follow.
Fast Tech: June 21. Porsche is pushing a new round of cost-cutting negotiations, effectively abandoning expansion plans and entering a period of production contraction. Chief Executive Michael Leers stated that the goal is to reach an agreement with employee representatives on cost reductions before the summer plant shutdown in July. These fresh cuts will layer on top of previously established measures, targeting the elimination of roughly 3,900 positions by 2029. Vehicle output for the year is set to fall below last year’s figure of approximately 280,000 units. Porsche insists it will sustain profitability even as production and sales shrink, aiming to deepen collaboration with its group sister brand Audi to meet targets, while retaining the entry-level 718 model line. Previously, Porsche was dropped from Germany’s blue-chip DAX index, and last year it recorded its steepest delivery decline since 2009, having downgraded its annual outlook four times.
The Star Market Daily: Recently, XPeng Vice President Yu Peng took to social media to address rumors suggesting that China’s new national standards for L3 and L4 autonomous driving mandate the use of sensors like LiDAR. He dismissed claims circulating on social media that "L3 requires dual redundancy and L4 requires LiDAR" as fake news, noting that the relevant document, "Safety Requirements for Automated Driving Systems," is publicly accessible and does not mention LiDAR at all. The rumor lacks any basis in the regulations and contradicts the official explanatory notes. The standards are public, and the explanations are in black and white; fabricating stories without reading the source material violates the fundamental principles of journalism.
IT Home: Li Auto recently announced via Weibo that the 150,000th mass-produced Li Auto L6 has rolled off the assembly line. The Li Auto L6 is a pure electric SUV under the Li Auto brand. Deliveries began on September 27, 2025, with an official starting price of 249,800 yuan.
Fast Tech: Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance recently announced that cumulative deliveries of the AITO M9 series have topped 290,000 units, with nationwide deliveries of the all-new generation beginning earlier this month. Officially launched on May 27, the model starts at 479,800 yuan. The new vehicle boasts over 40 industry-first technologies, including a suite of 40 sensors and six LiDAR units working alongside 4D millimeter-wave radar. It also debuts the Huawei Qiankun Intelligent Driving ADS 5 and the Omni-directional Collision Avoidance 5.0 system, delivering all-scenario, all-weather safety protection.
Cailian Press: German automaker Volkswagen Group recently indicated that amid rising geopolitical tensions and intensifying industry competition, it is accelerating its business restructuring. Reports suggest the company will slash 19,000 jobs in Germany by the end of this year, with a total of roughly 50,000 cuts targeted by 2030. Speaking at the annual general meeting, Group CEO Oliver Blume noted that the restructuring overhaul has been underway for more than a year and a half. Key measures include reducing management and operational costs, optimizing plant layouts, streamlining the organizational structure, and accelerating R&D — all aimed at bolstering long-term competitiveness.
Jiemian News: Recent reports indicate that Hyundai Motor Group is set to acquire SoftBank’s remaining 9.65% stake in Boston Dynamics, making the robotics firm a wholly-owned subsidiary. The purchase price has been set at 500 billion won (approximately $325 million).
Components Makers | Supply Chain News
Sina Auto: Recently, against a backdrop of sluggish market conditions and a 5.6% year-on-year decline in domestic auto sales for the first quarter of 2026, CATL still delivered a blockbuster financial report. Revenue hit 129.131 billion yuan — already surpassing the full-year 2025 revenues of Li Auto, NIO, and XPENG combined. Net profit attributable to shareholders reached 20.738 billion yuan, outstripping the combined total of seven leading Chinese automakers.
Gasgoo: Recently, a new energy battery project by Sunwoda (300207) — representing a total investment of 5.367 billion yuan — officially secured environmental impact assessment approval and will be located in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Intelligent Connected New Energy Vehicle Technology Eco-port in Shunyi. The project involves the construction of four lithium-ion battery cell production lines and four PACK assembly lines. Once fully operational, it will boast an annual capacity of 41.32 GWh, with an estimated annual output value of approximately 9.5 billion yuan by 2030.
Gasgoo: Recently, Anting Town in Shanghai’s Jiading District signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Ningbo Xuanwu Technology, marking the decision to locate Xuanwu’s national headquarters in Anting. Once operational, the project will attract high-end technical talent and drive collaborative innovation across the supply chain. It aims to reinforce the regional intelligent connected vehicle sector and further consolidate Anting and Jiading’s core competitive edge in automotive electronics.
Fast Tech: Recently, Honda R&D, a subsidiary of Honda, officially signed a multi-year joint development agreement with U.S. solid-state battery startup QuantumScape. The two parties will combine their technological strengths to advance automotive solid-state batteries and the development of mass production processes. This partnership goes beyond simple battery procurement. Leveraging QuantumScape’s solid-state platform, the companies will work together on cell performance optimization, automotive-grade validation, and the development of manufacturing processes. The goal is to achieve large-scale application of solid-state batteries in Honda’s electric vehicles and power equipment, with Honda handling the cell manufacturing independently.
Industrial Economy
Cailian Press: June 21. Iron phosphate and lithium iron phosphate — critical raw materials for EV and energy storage batteries — have seen prices climb steadily throughout the year, keeping market sentiment high. Reports indicate that a 400-kilogram bag of lithium iron phosphate now costs over 25,000 yuan, compared to just 10,000 yuan a year ago. Despite the price doubling, demand remains robust. An industry executive told reporters that booming exports of new energy vehicles and energy storage products are driving sustained demand for lithium iron phosphate, a major factor behind this round of price increases. Beyond downstream demand, rising costs for upstream raw materials are another key driver pushing prices higher.
IT Home: June 21. Cui Dongshu of the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) published an analysis of the passenger car market in May 2026, identifying "pressure on total volume and significant structural divergence" as a defining feature. Cui noted that the contrast between "cold internal combustion engine sales and hot new energy demand" is now the central focus. The core driver behind the decline in domestic retail sales is the "collapse of the ICE market," which has pushed the retail penetration rate of new energy vehicles to a record 62.9% — a pace of electrification that is exceeding expectations.
Cailian Press: Recently, the CPCA released preliminary estimates based on terminal performance, projecting that retail sales of passenger cars in June will reach approximately 1.65 million units, a 9.3% increase from May. Of this, new energy vehicle retail sales are expected to hover around 1.05 million units, up 10.5% month-on-month, representing a penetration rate of roughly 63.6%. The gap between new energy vehicles and traditional internal combustion engine cars continues to widen.
Policy Situation
Gasgoo: Media reports suggest that the European Commission is planning to impose new tariffs on plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) imported from China. Citing senior EU officials and industry insiders, the reports state that the Commission has completed its preparations and could swiftly implement the tariff measures should it secure support from a majority of EU member states. If the new tariffs are enacted, the specific rates could align with the countervailing duties currently levied against Chinese-made battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) — adding up to 35% on top of the EU’s standard 10% import duty. The European Commission declined to comment on the reports.
