OEM Trend
On April 20, Qijing Auto officially announced that its GT7 has secured approval for L3 autonomous driving testing in specific scenarios from the Guangzhou government. Testing will take place on designated expressways in the city. According to reports, the GT7 is a joint creation between Huawei's Qiankun and GAC. The new model features a top-tier 896-line LiDAR and an integrated dual-focus vision system, capable of covering both wide-angle and telephoto perception simultaneously, placing its hardware specs at the forefront of the industry.
On April 20, China Reform Holdings Corporation announced that Xu Siwei, its Party Secretary and Chairman, met with a delegation led by Zhu Huazhong, Party Secretary and Chairman of Changan Automobile. The two sides exchanged views on deepening strategic cooperation, expanding collaborative areas, and serving national strategies, laying the groundwork for future partnership.
On April 20, Lynk & Co's official WeChat account announced that its first GT concept sports car will make its global debut at the 2026 Beijing International Auto Show, which opens on April 24. Official teaser images reveal a partial silhouette of the new car, featuring smooth, fluid body lines with pebble-like curves and textures. The triangular rear window design echoes the styling of models like the Lynk & Co 10. Additionally, the rear features a full-width taillight with sharp edges, delivering a visual effect described as "softness with strength."
On April 20, Wang Junjun, general manager of Dongfeng Yipai Automotive Technology, announced that the first flagship six-seat SUV from Yijing Auto will be named the Yijing X9. He revealed that the X9 boasts a length of 5.3 meters and a wheelbase of 3.1 meters. It is among the first to feature a full-stack solution including the new generation of Huawei Qiankun intelligent driving, the new HarmonyOS cockpit, and an 896-line dual-optical-path image-grade LiDAR. The Yijing X9 will make its first appearance on April 23 at the Huawei Qiankun Ecosystem Technology Conference, followed by a global showcase on April 24 at the Beijing Auto Show.
Intellectual property data from Tianyancha shows that a patent application filed by SERES Automobile Co., Ltd. for a "personalized motion sickness prevention method, device, equipment, medium, and vehicle" was recently published. The abstract indicates the patent relates to motion sickness prevention technology. The method involves: acquiring vehicle driving status and road environment data associated with a motion sickness feedback signal actively triggered by a user while the vehicle is in motion to form motion sickness sample data; updating a personalized motion sickness prevention model for the corresponding user based on the sample data; and utilizing the model to generate driving recommendation information to reduce the user's motion sickness risk based on real-time driving data. The application states that by updating the personalized model based on user-triggered feedback and associated driving data, and then using this model to generate recommendations based on real-time data, the accuracy and convenience of the motion sickness prevention function are effectively improved.
Changan Automobile is considering building a plant in Spain, following other Chinese automakers in establishing production bases in the European country, according to sources familiar with the matter. The plant is likely to be located in northern Spain, with two sources noting that the Aragón region is under review. The sources did not disclose the specific scale of the planned project and cautioned that no final decision has been made yet.
Supply Chain News
On April 20, South Korean battery maker Samsung SDI said in a statement that it has signed an agreement with Mercedes-Benz to supply batteries for the German automaker's next-generation electric vehicles. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
On April 20, it was exclusively learned that CATL plans to release technology products related to sodium-ion batteries, condensed matter batteries, and fast charging at its "Super Tech Day" event tomorrow (April 21). On April 15, during its first-quarter 2026 financial report, CATL confirmed the April 21 event under the theme "Polar Realm Appointment." At the time, the company stated this would be its most tech-dense launch since inception, featuring new technologies, products, and ecosystems addressing the industry's most pressing concerns.
On April 20, it was learned from Gotion High-Tech that the company plans to launch its fifth-generation lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery for all-scenario applications in mid-May, covering passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, energy storage, and low-altitude aircraft. The new fifth-generation LFP battery boasts a maximum energy density of 205 Wh/kg. The super-fast-charging version can charge from 10% to 70% state-of-charge (SOC) in under 4.5 minutes. The ultra-long-life version supports a warranty of over 10 years for automotive use and a 30-year lifespan for energy storage applications. Gotion High-Tech will hold its 2026 Global Technology Conference in Hefei on May 16, where the technology will be officially released.
Industrial Economy
Domestic retail price limits for refined oil products will face a new adjustment window at 24:00 on April 21. Tracking data from institutions on recent international crude oil price changes predicts that the downward adjustment for this round will far exceed the 50 yuan per ton threshold. Consequently, retail prices are highly likely to be cut, marking the first reduction of 2026. The specific adjustment amount will be subject to the final announcement by the National Development and Reform Commission.
On April 20, the intraday gain of the main lithium carbonate futures contract expanded to 3%, trading at 181,020 yuan per ton.
On April 20, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released its "Global Energy Assessment" report showing that while global energy demand growth slowed to 1.3% in 2025, electricity consumption rose by 3% year-on-year. Electric vehicles and data centers have become the core drivers of this power demand growth.
On April 20, Spraying Robot (Wuxi) Co., Ltd. announced the completion of a new financing round amounting to tens of millions of yuan. This round was led by Wuxi Jinyu Qihang Enterprise, with participation from existing shareholder Yuandu Venture Capital. The raised funds will primarily be used to advance industrial embodied scenario implementation, product iteration, and market expansion.
On April 20, Yingshen Intelligence, a company specializing in embodied general large models and robotics, announced that it has completed consecutive Angel, Angel+, and Pre-A financing rounds, accumulating nearly 100 million yuan. The Angel and Angel+ rounds were led by Hundsun Electronics, with participation from Songhe Capital, Hangzhou Runmiao Fund, Beijing Future Star, and Dongguan Talent Fund. The Pre-A round was led by Shenzhen High-tech Investment Group, with Xiaochi Capital and existing shareholder Zhuoyuan Asia participating. Blue Bridge Capital acted as the long-term financial advisor.
In recent years, an increasing number of listed companies have ventured into the hydrogen energy industry, with over 260 companies now involved. These are primarily concentrated in the machinery, power equipment, basic chemicals, and automotive sectors. Recently, companies such as Foton Motor, Zhongfu Shenying, and Sinopec have revealed their latest business progress and plans in the hydrogen energy field.
