OEM Trend
On July 20, Yang Bo, assistant vice president of user operations at Shanghai NIO Automobile, announced that the company will deliver its 130,000th new ES8 this week. The all-new NIO ES8 all-electric SUV officially launched on the evening of September 20, 2025, priced between 406,800 and 446,800 yuan for the full vehicle purchase, or 298,800 to 338,800 yuan under the battery leasing option.
On July 20, Honda and GAC Group officially signed a strategic renewal agreement for their joint venture, GAC Honda Automobile Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "GAC Honda"). While maintaining the existing 50:50 equity structure, the parties extended their cooperation term to 2038. To date, GAC Honda's cumulative vehicle sales have surpassed 11 million units, with a product matrix covering sedans, SUVs, MPVs, and the full spectrum of new energy vehicles.
On July 20, Fangchengbao Auto announced that cumulative sales of its Titanium 7 model have surpassed 200,000 units, making it the fastest boxy SUV to reach that milestone.
On July 20, SAIC Group announced that the SAIC Volkswagen ID. ERA 5S has officially rolled off the production line. The vehicle will be Volkswagen's first sedan globally equipped with city NOA advanced autonomous driving capabilities. It features the "Xingyun Zhixing" advanced driver-assistance system and the "Yunqi Zhicang" smart cockpit, and is set to officially launch in the third quarter of this year.
Supply Chain News
On July 20, EVE Energy announced in a filing that director and senior executive Liu Jianhua plans to increase his shareholding in the company within six months of the disclosure. The proposed purchase totals 100,000 shares, to be made through centralized bidding or bulk trading.
On July 20, Blackstone announced that an affiliated private equity fund will make a "significant investment" in Futronic, a South Korean supplier of high-precision actuators for industrial robots and the automotive industry. According to the statement, Futronic founder Jin-ho Ko will remain as chairman and CEO, partnering with Blackstone to accelerate the company's global expansion.
UBTECH's Korean partner, Deoksan JMR, has recently signed a cooperation memorandum of understanding with AJIN Industrial, a leading South Korean auto parts maker. Moving forward, UBTECH, Deoksan JMR, and AJIN Industrial will collaborate to promote verification projects for industrial humanoid robots, such as the Cruzr Y1 and Walker S2, on South Korea's first automotive parts production line, pushing humanoid robots from demonstration validation into real industrial scenarios.
Industrial Economy Focus
On July 20, statistics from Horgos Customs showed that in the first half of this year, leveraging its location and corridor advantages, the Horgos Port—the country's largest land port for commodity vehicle exports—saw a continued surge in auto exports. A total of 219,000 vehicles were exported, up 25.7% year-on-year. Both export volume and growth rate hit record highs for the period, marking Horgos as a core growth driver for the quality and efficiency improvement of Xinjiang's foreign trade.
On July 20, citing data from the China Automobile Dealers Association (CADA), news emerged that in June 2026, the national used car market volume reached 1.6184 million units—up 1.05% month-on-month but down 2.36% year-on-year—with a transaction value of 107.158 billion yuan. For the first half of 2026, cumulative used car transactions totaled 9.7132 million units, a 1.50% year-on-year increase, or an additional 143,100 units compared to the same period last year. Cumulative transaction value for the half-year stood at 638.53 billion yuan.
Data released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on July 20 shows that in the first half of the year, a batch of Chinese industries with international competitive advantages accelerated their growth. In the field of intelligent robotics, quadruped robots developed in China account for nearly 70% of global sales. Meanwhile, the country has produced more than 400 humanoid robot models, comprising over half of the global total.
On July 20, AAA (American Automobile Association) stated that resurgent conflict in the Middle East has pushed oil prices higher, with the U.S. national average for retail gasoline breaking back above $4 per gallon.
On July 20, JPMorgan strategists said that AI-related stocks are unlikely to remain under pressure for long, as strong earnings growth and improved valuations are expected to reignite demand—especially among semiconductor companies. The team, led by Mislav Matejka, noted in a report that semiconductor stocks have decoupled from improving earnings prospects. Substantial supply growth won't appear until 2028, so it is "too early" to price in a semiconductor inflection point now; fundamentals may remain constructive, and the relative strength index of these chip stocks is rapidly approaching "oversold" territory. The strategists added that if capital expenditure expectations from hyperscale data center operators stay strong, investors should "re-enter the sector this summer."
Policy Dynamics
Starting August 1, the national standard Safety Requirements for Maintenance and Repair of New Energy Vehicles (GB/T 47439—2026) will officially take effect. The standard establishes systematic safety requirements for the maintenance and repair of new energy vehicles. Its content covers personnel qualifications and site conditions, pre-work preparations, risk screening and emergency response, specific operational workflows, and safety protocols during operation. In terms of scope, the standard focuses primarily on the maintenance of high-voltage systems in new energy vehicles and hydrogen supply systems in hydrogen fuel vehicles.
