OEM Trend
On September 7, Xiaomi Group founder, chairman, and CEO Lei Jun announced that Xiaomi Auto's cumulative deliveries have officially surpassed 800,000 units. This milestone was reached just 29 months after the company began its first deliveries on April 3, 2024.
On September 7, Li Auto announced that its self-developed batteries are now equipped in the Li Auto L8, L6, and i8, with plans to roll them out across the entire lineup. For the fourth quarter, the strategy is as follows: The first batch of the new Li Auto MEGA uses CATL's 5C ternary lithium batteries, but will switch entirely to Li Auto's in-house 5C ternary lithium batteries once production is ready. Similarly, the Li Auto i9 will launch with CATL cells before transitioning to self-developed 5C batteries as production ramps up. The company will unveil the 2026 Li Auto i6 in Q4, featuring its proprietary 5C battery and Mahe chip. Pre-orders open at the end of September, with deliveries starting in early November.
On September 7, addressing reports of 4,000 global job cuts at Jaguar Land Rover, JLR China stated that there are currently no organizational optimization plans for the China market. Operations in China remain normal, with sales, after-sales service, and the dealer network all functioning as usual.
On September 7, smart China announced that the early bird program for the smart #2 is imminent. Positioned as a two-seater pure electric micro car, the model is viewed as the electric successor to the smart fortwo. According to official information, the new car is built on a 100% proprietary ECA electric compact architecture and styled by Mercedes-Benz's global design team.
WM Motor, once one of the "Four Little Dragons" among EV startups, has resurfaced on asset auction platforms. Alibaba's judicial auction platform shows that eight inventory vehicles under WM Motor New Energy Vehicle Sales (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. were sold on September 4. With a starting bid of 200,000 yuan, the lot sold at the reserve price—averaging just 25,000 yuan per vehicle.
Supply Chain News
On September 7, Changzhou Xingyu Automotive Lighting Co., Ltd. announced disciplinary actions, citing the significant impact caused by the improper handling of new college graduates in early August. Following a management meeting, the company decided to deduct 12 months' salary from General Manager Zhou Xiaoping for management negligence. Deputy General Manager Li Shujun, who bore direct leadership responsibility, had his duties adjusted—no longer overseeing human resources—and received a six-month salary deduction. HR Director Yu Zhiming was dismissed, and HR Minister Li Mei was demoted and transferred. It is also understood that local authorities in Changzhou are set to release their own penalties for Xingyu. In August, the company faced widespread public scrutiny after terminating contracts with 107 recent graduates.
On September 7, Desay Battery stated on an investor interaction platform that its subsidiary's energy storage battery cells in Hunan are currently operating at full capacity.
Recently, CATL formally signed strategic cooperation agreements with Xi'an Taijin New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. and Shenzhen HKC New Materials Co., Ltd., among others. The parties will establish a deep, long-term strategic partnership covering core areas such as centralized procurement of copper foil equipment, joint capacity building, cost pricing, joint R&D, and shared green energy.
Willand's new smart lawn robot, the Navimow H5 Pro, has been confirmed to feature RobustSense's fully solid-state digital LiDAR, the E2. This marks the E2's first mass-market application since its global debut at the WAIC in July. Built on RobustSense's self-developed flagship SPAD-SoC chip, the launch of this new product signifies a critical leap for the "Peacock" project—from chip to product to customer application—officially entering an accelerated phase of mass adoption.
Industrial Economy
On September 7, data from the General Administration of Customs, compiled by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, showed that in July 2026, automobile exports reached 1.092 million units—up 2.2% month-on-month and 57.5% year-on-year. Export value hit $18.98 billion, climbing 4.1% from June and 60.4% from a year earlier. For the first seven months of 2026, total exports stood at 6.399 million units, a 53.7% annual increase, generating $110.78 billion in revenue, up 54.9%.
On September 7, a new report from Omdia forecast that in the second half of 2026, Chinese panel makers will capture 65.2% of global automotive display shipments, rising from 59% in the first half.
On September 7, data from the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) revealed that India's retail vehicle sales in August grew 17.51% year-on-year.
SENAD recently closed a new funding round worth nearly 200 million yuan. This marks SENAD's fourth funding round in six months.
Policy Situation
On September 7, the Supreme People's Court held a press conference to release the "Opinions on the Trial of Cases Involving Artificial Intelligence Disputes According to Law." This is the first document on judicial adjudication rules for AI issued by the country's highest judicial body. The Opinion focuses on key social concerns such as AI face-swapping, algorithmic price discrimination, celebrity impersonation for sales, autonomous driving, and intellectual property protection. It clarifies adjudication rules, defines behavioral boundaries, and establishes legal liabilities to ensure the healthy and orderly development of AI. Notably, regarding autonomous and assisted driving, the Opinion specifies liability rules for damage caused by relevant vehicles. It provides clear provisions on the applicability of liability for two hotspots: combined fault by multiple parties causing damage, and false advertising of a vehicle's intelligent attributes. This offers clear guidance for victims seeking legal recourse and for the industry's standardized development.
Recently, the Shanghai Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Automotive Industry Branch of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade issued a statement regarding the scheduling of the Beijing and Shanghai auto shows. Following a special coordination meeting on September 3, the parties reached a consensus: to maintain the existing pattern of holding the Beijing Comprehensive Auto Show in April of even years and the Shanghai Comprehensive Auto Show in April of odd years. The Beijing Auto Show, scheduled for March 2027, will debut as a professional thematic exhibition.
