Automaker Trends | OEM News
IT Home: On March 8, Grace Tao, a vice president at Tesla, posted on Weibo with an update on the company's latest charging network expansion in China. She noted that Tesla operates the world's largest proprietary charging network. To date, the company has built over 2,500 Supercharger stations and more than 12,000 Supercharger piles in the Chinese Mainland, along with 650 destination charging stations — many of which are already open to vehicles from other brands.
IT Home: Li Yunfei, general manager of BYD's Brand and Public Relations Department, recently fielded questions from the media in Shenzhen's Pingshan district. Addressing concerns that battery swapping and fast charging represent divergent paths — and might spark a conflict between the two — Li offered a clear verdict: "While they are different models, both are viable. They represent different paths to the same destination!"
Jiemian: According to ZEEKR, the brand has completed its first customer deliveries in Germany and simultaneously launched sales in Italy, Spain, and Portugal. ZEEKR has now established a presence in over 10 European countries, with France set to follow in its expansion plans.
Gasgoo: Recently, ARCFOX confirmed it has entered a deep partnership with CATL's "Choco-Swap" initiative. The two parties will work together to upgrade the user energy replenishment experience, aiming to build an open, efficient, and convenient new ecosystem for new energy vehicles.
IT Home: Chery recently announced that the first mass-produced EXEED EX7 has rolled off the assembly line, debuting the aviation-grade EMB technology to cut braking response time by at least 50ms. As the first model of the EXEED 3.0 era, the car's standout feature is its status as the first mass-produced vehicle equipped with an aviation-grade electro-mechanical braking system (EMB). The EXEED "Feiyu Chassis" has also been upgraded to stage 3.0. The EXEED EX7 is slated for an official launch in the first quarter of 2026.
Jiemian: At its 2026 dealer partner summit, SAIC-GM announced plans to roll out more than ten new or refreshed models annually over the next three years, covering pure electric, plug-in hybrid, and other powertrain options. Under this roadmap, 2026 is shaping up to be a major product year for the joint venture. Several new models from the Buick Electra family have already been scheduled for release.
Jiemian: Intellectual property data from Tianyancha shows that Xiaomi EV has recently been granted a patent for a "vehicle air duct structure, fender, and vehicle." The abstract indicates the technology relates to vehicle design, featuring stacked outer and inner plates with air channels formed between them. The innovation is designed to reduce wind resistance during driving, thereby extending the vehicle's range.
Parts Makers | Supply Chain News
Gasgoo: Nexperia recently notified customers of a sudden disruption affecting its core office and production systems. The incident occurred at 19:02 on March 3, when Nexperia B.V. — the Dutch headquarters — batch-disabled office accounts for all employees in China, blocking access to critical environments like Office 365 and SAP systems. Consequently, certain production workflows, such as the SAP order-to-production process for customer wafers, were interrupted. Nexperia China stated in the announcement that most business operations have been restored through contingency plans, ensuring basic production capabilities.
Gasgoo: Recently, the Ningbo Embodied Intelligence Robot Innovation Center under PIA Automation signed a cooperation agreement with BODEN AI. The two sides will collaborate on the R&D and application of embodied intelligence, integrating hardware, data, and scenario resources to drive the technology from the laboratory into industrial frontline operations.
Gasgoo: Visteon recently released its financial report for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024. Financially, Visteon posted net sales of $948 million in Q4 2024 and $3.768 billion for the full year. On the profit side, net income came in at $74 million for the quarter and $201 million for the year. Profitability was robust: adjusted EBITDA reached $110 million in Q4 and climbed to a record $492 million for the full year, demonstrating strong earnings resilience.
Gasgoo: China Automotive Engineering Research Institute (CAERI) and Yangzhou Dongsheng Automotive Co., Ltd. have formally signed a strategic partnership agreement to establish a joint "Automotive Parts Testing Strategic Laboratory." This collaboration marks a significant leap in R&D and testing capabilities for Dongsheng, and a crucial step in collaborative innovation for China's auto parts industry, injecting "national team" level momentum into technical breakthroughs for domestic brands.
Gasgoo: Reports indicate that Japanese auto supplier DENSO has launched a takeover bid for Kyoto-based electronics group Rohm Semiconductor, with an offer value of up to 1.3 trillion yen ($8.2 billion). If completed, the deal would create a major force in Japan's power semiconductor sector, chips widely used in electric vehicles and data centers. The bid was reportedly submitted in February or earlier; Rohm has established a special committee to review the offer. Should Rohm reject the proposal, DENSO may initiate a hostile takeover.
Industrial Focus | Industrial Economy
CLS: At a State Council briefing, the director of the Department of Development Strategy and Planning at the National Development and Reform Commission stated that during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, west-to-east power transmission capacity will exceed 420 million kW. By 2030, non-fossil fuels are expected to account for 25% of total energy consumption.
Fast Tech: Following the 10-working-day adjustment cycle, the domestic refined oil price adjustment window will open on March 9 at 24:00. CNPC warned that oil prices are set to rise sharply this round, potentially causing queues at stations as drivers rush to fill up. The company advises vehicle owners to refuel between March 7 and March 9 to avoid the peak. According to media calculations based on current trends, prices for 92-octane gasoline, 95-octane gasoline, and diesel will increase by 0.39 yuan, 0.41 yuan, and 0.42 yuan per liter, respectively.
Gasgoo: PaXini Tech has recently closed a Series B funding round exceeding 1 billion yuan. With the completion of this round, the company also announced that its valuation has successfully topped the 10 billion yuan mark.
