OEM Trend
On February 3, ZEEKR issued a statement addressing the premature leak of details regarding its ZEEKR 8X. The company noted that the unscheduled release disrupted its planned communication cadence, adding that it has engaged with relevant parties to reiterate its commitment to maintaining order and fairness in product announcements. As ZEEKR's flagship launch for the first half of the year, the 8X has now entered the intensive testing phase ahead of mass production.
On February 3, AVATR officially announced that its latest model under the Huawei Qiankun Strategic Cooperation 2.0 will be named the "AVATR 06T." This new vehicle will be among the first to feature Huawei's next-generation LiDAR system. Reports indicate the AVATR 06 is a station wagon, sporting a family-style front fascia and a roof-mounted LiDAR unit.
Mercedes-Benz has cut official guide prices on select models, a move expected to provide some relief to strained dealers. The China Automobile Dealers Chamber of Commerce recently confirmed that Mercedes-Benz adjusted suggested retail prices for certain models on February 1, with reductions averaging around 10%.
Hyundai Motor Group's January figures reveal a mixed performance. Hyundai's total sales slipped 1% year-on-year to 307,699 units, while Kia climbed 2.4% to 245,557. Breaking it down, Hyundai's domestic sales jumped 9% to 50,208, but overseas volumes dipped 2.8% to 257,491. Kia, meanwhile, saw domestic demand surge 12.3% to 43,129, with international sales edging up 0.5% to 202,428.
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner has publicly acknowledged that the decision to rename the combustion-engine A4 to the A5 was misguided, confirming that the A4 badge will return with future model updates. The confusion stems from a sweeping 2023 overhaul that assigned odd numbers to combustion models and even numbers to electrics. Consequently, the A4 became the A5, the A6 became the A7, and the S4 and RS4 were rebranded as the S5 and RS5. Yet the strategy backfired. Global research indicates dealer inquiries have surged by over 40%, with nearly one-quarter of potential buyers reporting that they struggle to distinguish the hierarchy and positioning of the lineup.
Supply Chain News
Aptiv: For the year ended December 31, 2025, the company reported full-year revenue of $20.4 billion under U.S. GAAP, a 3% increase from the previous year. Adjusted for currency and commodity volatility, revenue grew 2%. Regionally, North America gained 5%, Asia rose 3%, and South America—Aptiv's smallest market—climbed 7%, while Europe declined 2%.
On February 3, ZF Friedrichshafen AG announced it has signed a long-term supply agreement with the BMW Group for passenger car drivetrain systems. The deal centers on the supply and continued evolution of the proven 8-speed automatic transmission (8HP). Worth billions of euros, the contract extends into the late 2030s, cementing a foundation for both companies' open technology roadmaps and low-carbon mobility goals.
On February 3, Hirain and Sanechips Technology formally inked a strategic partnership agreement. The two companies will align with the evolving demands of the smart vehicle industry, focusing on intelligent connectivity, autonomous driving, and smart cockpits. They plan to collaborate on joint innovation and develop integrated software and hardware solutions for intelligent vehicles.
On February 3, Zhuoyu Technology and Hirain officially signed a strategic partnership to deepen collaboration on the industrialization of core assisted-driving technologies. The alliance aims to expand into frontiers like mobile robotics and Robotaxis, shaping a new landscape for intelligent mobility. Under the agreement, the two will jointly develop solutions on mainstream and cutting-edge chip platforms. By fostering a two-way empowerment model that spans R&D, production, and the supply chain, they hope to boost their responsiveness and delivery capacity in the ADAS market while exploring scalable paths for mobile robots and Robotaxi applications.
Guangnian Engine recently hosted a global product and technology launch in Suzhou, showcasing a full portfolio spanning start-stop batteries, light mobility power, and energy storage systems. During the event, the company announced it had secured 1 billion yuan in intended strategic financing and signed partnership agreements with multiple distributors totaling over 30 million yuan in orders.
HYD Investment Limited—a joint venture formed by EVE Energy, Huayou Cobalt, and PT Daaz Bara Lestari—has officially signed a framework agreement with Indonesian state mining company ANTAM and state battery company IBC. The partners will collaborate to build a comprehensive new energy industrial chain in Indonesia, marking a significant milestone in EVE Energy's global expansion strategy.
Industrial Economy
The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index closed down 0.65% on February 3, with most major Chinese stocks retreating. XPENG plunged more than 8%, while Baidu and NIO both dropped over 3%. Bilibili slipped more than 2%, whereas Pinduoduo and New Oriental bucked the trend, gaining over 2%.
The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has announced that the window for adjusting domestic refined oil prices will open at midnight on February 3. Monitoring data from the NDRC Price Monitoring Center shows international oil prices rose and then fell during the current cycle (January 20–February 2). Starting at midnight on February 3, retail ceiling prices for gasoline and diesel will increase by 205 yuan and 195 yuan per ton, respectively. On a national average basis, prices for No. 92 gasoline, No. 95 gasoline, and No. 0 diesel will rise by 0.16 yuan, 0.17 yuan, and 0.17 yuan per liter. That means filling a 50-liter tank with No. 92 gasoline will cost an extra 8 yuan.
The Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center recently closed its first round of market-oriented financing, raising over 700 million yuan. The round attracted prominent investors such as the Beijing AI Industry Investment Fund, E-Town Capital, the Beijing High-Precision Fund, and TH Capital, alongside strategic investments from industry players like Baidu and Kyland Technology. Proceeds will be channeled into the technical iteration and large-scale deployment of two core platforms—"Embodied Tiangong" and "Huisi Kaiwu"— accelerating the evolution of embodied intelligence robots toward greater autonomy and usability.
Policy Situation
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and seven other departments have issued the "Safety Guidelines for Cross-Border Transfer of Vehicle Data (2026 Edition)." The guidelines state that vehicle data processors must apply for security assessments regarding cross-border data transfers through a domestic legal entity. If no domestic legal entity exists, a domestic branch must file the application. Where multiple domestic subsidiaries belong to the same group company and have similar data export scenarios, the parent company may file a consolidated application. The guidelines prohibit splitting data volumes to bypass security assessments, such as by using standard contracts for data that requires formal evaluation. Processors are required to conduct self-assessments and address risks in accordance with the "Measures for Security Assessment of Outbound Data Transfer," the "Provisions on Promoting and Regulating Cross-Border Data Flow," and the "Guidelines for Declaration of Security Assessment of Outbound Data Transfer (3rd Edition)." Materials must be submitted to cybersecurity authorities. Only after passing the security assessment may processors proceed with data transfers; if circumstances arise that compromise data security, a re-assessment is mandatory.
