OEM Trend
At a briefing following Changan Automobile Group's global strategy launch on April 21, Chairman Zhu Huarong announced plans to strategically integrate Avatr and Deepal. The goal is to form a mid-to-high-end brand cluster capable of 1.5 million units by 2030. Avatr targets 500,000 units, while Deepal aims for 1 million. Zhu noted that integration will boost efficiency, with completion expected by the end of this year.
Geely Auto Group officially announced on April 21 that it will unveil China's first natively developed Robotaxi prototype at the 2026 Beijing International Auto Show opening on April 24. A deep-customized version for Cao Cao Mobility is slated for mass production and commercial launch in 2027.
On April 21, Xiaomi EV confirmed that the Xiaomi Vision Gran Turismo is set to appear at the 2026 Beijing International Auto Show, marking its debut at a domestic auto show. The Xiaomi Vision GT originally premiered at Xiaomi's global launch at MWC 2026 in Barcelona on the night of Feb. 28, with the physical concept car displayed on-site from March 2 to 5.
On April 21, Li Auto released an official poster announcing the debut of the Amap Mobility AI Agent. The poster outlines collaboration details including "precise understanding of complex mobility commands," "multi-turn dialogue for flexible route adjustments," "customized personalized navigation solutions," and "intelligent planning of long-distance charging paths." The day before, Amap released a product trailer showcasing its ability to actively understand vague and complex intents in mobility scenarios.
Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said in an interview that the company is considering further cuts to vehicle production capacity—potentially up to 1 million units—to minimize overcapacity and meet its cost targets.
Data from Qichacha shows that Jieshou NIO New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. was recently established. Its business scope includes integrated circuit chip manufacturing and design, auto parts R&D, and AI application software development. Equity penetration data reveals the company is indirectly wholly owned by NIO Holding Co., Ltd.
Multiple sources indicate that Dreame Technology's car-building project, codenamed "Starry Sky," has entered a substantive phase. According to internal information, Dreame plans to start mass production and delivery of its first sports sedan model in 2027. The business currently falls under the internal "First Incubator," with a team size of approximately 1,000 people.
Supply Chain News
On April 21, Toyota Boshoku (China) Co., Ltd. and Huaqin Technology Co., Ltd. officially signed a joint venture agreement. The two parties will jointly fund a new company focused on the R&D and sales of smart cockpit control products and software. This move marks the cross-sector integration of a traditional interior giant and a smart electronics leader, accelerating the layout of next-generation mobility spaces.
News on April 21: Japanese semiconductor manufacturer ROHM announced it successfully completed the development of its 5th-generation Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFET in March. Compared to the previous generation, the new product reduces on-resistance by approximately 30% at a junction temperature (Tj) of 175°C through device structure improvements and manufacturing process optimization.
Recently, the unveiling ceremony of Suzhou Hangsheng Autoliv Automotive Electronics Co., Ltd. was held at the Hangsheng East China High-End Intelligent Manufacturing Base in Changshen Economic and Technological Development Zone. This marks a new stage of substantive operation for the strategic partnership between Hangsheng Electronics and Autoliv. The inauguration represents a critical step from strategic synergy to physical operations, achieving a deep integration of local automotive electronics strength and global top-tier safety technology.
Industrial Economy
The window for adjusting domestic refined oil prices will open at 24:00 on April 21. Monitoring by the National Development and Reform Commission's Price Monitoring Center shows international oil prices oscillated downward during this cycle (April 7 24:00 – April 21 24:00). Starting April 21 24:00, retail prices for gasoline and diesel will be lowered by 555 yuan and 530 yuan per ton, respectively. Nationally, this translates to a decrease of 0.44 yuan, 0.46 yuan, and 0.45 yuan per liter for No. 92 gasoline, No. 95 gasoline, and No. 0 diesel. This adjustment is the eighth window this year and the first cut since the start of the year. Filling a 50-liter tank with No. 92 gasoline will cost 22 yuan less.
On April 21, DeepWay announced that its Pre-IPO round has attracted significant additional funding, with cumulative proceeds exceeding $310 million—a record for the largest single-round financing in the heavy-duty truck autonomous driving sector in the past five years. The round was led by Stone Capital from the UAE, with participation from Australia's superannuation fund NGS Super and Xiamen Guosheng Fund. Existing shareholders ABC Impact and Nanjing Ronghe Venture Capital also increased their stakes.
A "price hike wave" is spreading through the auto industry, with over a dozen NEV makers announcing increases. The tire sector is also seeing intensive adjustments; since mid-April, more than 70 companies have issued "price hike letters," with Bridgestone and others following suit. Rising raw material costs are a core driver, but most adjustments fail to fully cover the cost increase. Data shows the average production cost of all-steel tires exceeded 970 yuan per piece in March, up nearly 7% from January. However, with most companies hiking prices by only 1% to 5%, tire makers may still be unable to fully offset the rising costs even after the price increases.
Policy Situation
On April 21, the General Office of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government issued a notice on the "Implementation Plan for the National Digital Economy Innovation and Development Pilot Zone (Shanghai)." The plan proposes building digital technology innovation platforms. It calls for the construction of data innovation platforms in fields such as embodied intelligence, autonomous driving, and scientific research. It encourages dominant entities in the data sector to build local data technology innovation platforms with functions like concept verification and pilot testing. The goal is to cultivate 2–3 high-quality incubators in the data technology field.
Personnel Changes | Change of personal
On April 21, Marelli released a key executive announcement: Cao Ziyue, General Manager of the Lighting Business Unit Asia Pacific, will expand his remit to cover Marelli's global lighting business. He will act as interim President of the Lighting Business Unit and formally join the company's Global Executive Committee. Following this appointment, Cao will focus on business execution, operational performance, and client relationship maintenance to ensure the stable operation and high-quality development of Marelli's global lighting business.
