OEM Trends | OEM Trend
IT Home: On January 22, Zhao Changjiang, executive director and executive vice president of Luxeed, fired back at skepticism surrounding the "world's lowest drag coefficient for a mass-produced SUV." "The world's lowest drag coefficient isn't just hot air—it's wind-tunnel proven!" he declared. Zhao noted that the Luxeed R7 achieved a drag coefficient of 0.217 under national standard conditions, tested by CATARC at 120 km/h. "It stands as the lowest verified and notarized drag record for a mass-produced SUV that complies with national standards," he added.
Gasgoo: On January 22, IM Motors announced cumulative deliveries of the LS6 have topped 100,000 units. The LS6 originally hit the market on October 12, 2023, and has seen continuous upgrades since. IM Motors stated that its next-generation LS6 officially launched on September 10, 2025. The new model is positioned as a "super large five-seater smart SUV," offering both pure electric and extended-range versions, with an official guide price ranging from 197,900 to 269,900 yuan.
Gasgoo: Li Yunfei, general manager of BYD Group's branding and public relations department, took to social media to declare: "We have consistently been the primary target of 'black PR' and smear campaigns! We accept media criticism and oversight, but we will absolutely not tolerate the fabrication of false information, malicious rumors, or slander from black PR and unscrupulous media." Li vowed to pursue such cases to the end without leniency. He also announced a reward of up to 5 million yuan for clues, a policy that remains in effect indefinitely.
Gasgoo: Dongfeng Motor has successfully delivered the first battery box body from its 16,000-ton integrated die-casting production line. This delivery marks a key breakthrough for Dongfeng in the lightweight and integrated manufacturing of core components for new energy vehicles.
Cailian Press: Changan Automobile and Midea Group recently held a signing ceremony for a comprehensive strategic partnership. Building on existing cooperation in digitalization, smart manufacturing, green energy, and logistics, the two sides will deepen collaboration in car-home connectivity, components, and omni-channel marketing. Looking ahead, they aim to shift car-home connectivity from "technical synergy" to "actual user experience," creating a smarter, more comfortable "human-vehicle-home" ecosystem through efficient system integration and intuitive scenario design.
Kechi Technology: The interim administrator for Human Horizons, HiPhi's parent company, has issued a "Draft Reorganization Plan" to all creditors, outlining clear plans for debt repayment, the path to resuming production, and after-sales support. This move suggests HiPhi could become the first automaker in 2026 to secure a restart through reorganization. The plan reveals two potential investors are currently in negotiations. The reorganization involves five secured creditors with claims totaling 1.156 billion yuan, and 2,462 ordinary creditors with total claims of 12.476 billion yuan.
IT Home: Volkswagen's core brand group announced plans to achieve cumulative cost savings of 10 billion euros by 2030 by streamlining management and integrating production systems. The proposal calls for reducing the number of board members in the core brand group by roughly one-third before summer 2026. Sources say board seats will drop from 29 to 19. Post-adjustment, the board structures of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, ŠKODA, and SEAT/Cupra will be highly unified, with each brand retaining just four core executives responsible for operations, finance, sales, and human resources. Key functions like R&D, procurement, and production will be centralized under the Wolfsburg headquarters.
Supply Chain News | Supply Chain News
Jiemian News: Lizhong Group announced on January 22 that its subsidiaries, Lizhong Mexico and Tianjin Lizhong, received a nomination notice from an international automaker for an aluminum wheel project. Production is expected to begin in mid-2027. With an 8-year lifecycle, the project is projected to generate approximately 1.37 billion yuan in sales. The nomination does not rule out the possibility of other projects sharing the same product components.
Gasgoo: Jidou Auto has signed a tripartite strategic agreement with ThunderSoft and its automotive graphics software subsidiary, Rightware. The parties will combine their strengths in system development, graphics tools, and cockpit scenario applications to provide global automakers with end-to-end smart cockpit HMI full-stack solutions, driving the evolution of in-vehicle visual interaction toward immersive, scenario-based, and personalized experiences.
Gasgoo: Welling Motor Robot Parts recently launched a new generation of high-precision joint modules for humanoid robots. These modules serve as highly integrated core motion units, covering both harmonic and planetary technology paths. The harmonic joint module features an integrated design combining a high-power-density frameless torque motor, servo drive, harmonic reducer, and encoder. Similarly, the planetary joint module uses a mechatronic design, integrating a frameless torque motor, driver, high-rigidity planetary reducer, and encoder.
Gasgoo: EYOU Robot Technology's automated production line for robot joints officially commenced operations yesterday at the Zhangjiang Robot Valley in Shanghai. As the world's first line dedicated to the full-process automated manufacturing of robot joint modules, its launch is viewed as a critical breakthrough in the mass production capabilities for core humanoid robot components.
Gasgoo: Eaton is working with advisors to evaluate strategic options for its automotive business division, including a potential sale or spin-off, according to sources familiar with the matter. The division could be valued at up to $5 billion. Discussions regarding the spin-off are ongoing, and it remains uncertain whether Eaton will proceed. The unit primarily produces control systems and transmission systems. An Eaton spokesperson declined to comment.
Industrial Economy Focus | Industrial Economy
Shanghai Securities News: Data shows that as of noon on January 21, 578 A-share listed companies have released performance forecasts, while 29 have issued performance reports. Overall, the trend of steady growth has solidified, industrial structures continue to optimize, and the conversion between old and growth drivers is accelerating noticeably. In the industrial sector, emerging fields like semiconductors, new energy vehicles, and artificial intelligence (AI) have delivered standout performances. Companies largely attribute their growth to the accelerated implementation of AI and rising prosperity in the NEV supply chain, with technological innovation becoming a core driver of high-quality development. Meanwhile, non-ferrous metal companies saw earnings rise alongside prices for commodities like gold and copper, while breakthroughs in overseas business became a major factor for many firms' performance gains.
Cailian Press: Data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) shows that from January 1 to 18, retail sales of new energy passenger vehicles nationwide reached 312,000 units—a 16% drop from the same period last year and a 52% decline from the previous month. Year-to-date retail sales stand at 312,000 units, down 16%. On the wholesale side, manufacturers moved 348,000 NEVs during the same period, down 23% year-on-year and 46% month-on-month, bringing cumulative wholesale volumes to 348,000 units, a 23% annual decrease.
Policy Situation | Policy Situation
Jiemian News: The Shenzhen Local Financial Regulation Bureau has released the "Action Plan for the Insurance Industry to Assist Technological Innovation and Industrial Development (2026–2028) (Draft for Solicitation of Comments)." The proposal includes optimizing NEV insurance supply by researching "basic plus variable" insurance products. It encourages insurers to align with the trend of smart driving by strengthening data cooperation with developers, manufacturers, and operators to accumulate risk analysis data and refine insurance products for autonomous vehicles. In specific scenarios like urban transport, the city will explore commercial insurance products for the "vehicle-body separation" model. The plan also pushes for the establishment of sound repair and claims standards to reasonably reduce the maintenance and usage costs of new energy vehicles.
