Gasgoo Daily presents a selection of the latest developments from China's automotive industry. Here are the key stories in this edition.
FAW-Volkswagen's Tavendor Export Model Rolls Off the Line with 1,600 Middle East Orders
On November 11, FAW-Volkswagen announced that the first Tavendor custom-developed for the Middle East market had rolled off the line and been delivered at its Changchun base the previous day, extending the joint venture's export lineup from the Sagitar and Magotan sedans into SUVs. Technical Vice President Gu Yunbin handed the keys to a Volkswagen Middle East representative at the ceremony; Matthias Ziegler, Board Member and General Manager of Volkswagen Middle East, said the model fits local needs in design, space, configuration and technology.
Cumulative orders for the Sagitar, Magotan and Tavendor have exceeded 8,600 units since September 2025, with Tavendor orders at 1,600, according to First Finance Vice President Song Yulang; the Middle East market, centered on Saudi Arabia, accounts for about 85% of FAW-Volkswagen's export sales. Vehicle exports began just over a year ago — the first 554 Magotan and Sagitar units rolled off in Changchun in September 2025 and entered the Middle East that November. FAW-Volkswagen has adapted models to overseas climates, road conditions and regulations and built a production-logistics-after-sales support system, with plans to push the Tavendor into the top five in its local segment as competition shifts toward sales and localized service.
DSAT and Volcano Engine Sign Cooperation to Jointly Develop Cockpit Systems
On November 11, Dongfeng Stellantis Automotive Technology (Wuhan) Co., Ltd. (DSAT) and Volcano Engine signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement in Wuhan, covering joint development of smart cockpit systems, application software co-creation, SoC chip product planning and forward-looking technology research, making DSAT the first joint-venture automaker to adopt Volcano Engine's AI cockpit assistant.
DSAT's models will fully integrate the AI cockpit solution, prioritizing edge-side intelligence: voice wake-up and intent understanding run on local computing power, data is processed on the vehicle rather than uploaded to the cloud, and over 90% of core functions remain available offline. DSAT, established in August this year in the Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone with about RMB 8.2 billion in registered capital from six parties including Dongfeng Motor and Stellantis, plans four new energy models from 2027 on both battery-electric and plug-in hybrid routes; Dongfeng leads core NEV and intelligent-connectivity R&D, while Stellantis provides brands and the global sales network.
Earlier groundwork includes an October direct procurement bid for Volcano Cloud product rental services worth RMB 23.32 million awarded to Beijing Volcano Engine Technology Co., Ltd., and a group-level agreement between Dongfeng Motor and Volcano Engine signed in April this year on smart cockpits, enterprise digitalization and AI cloud platforms.
GAC AION i60 Makes Its Overseas Debut, Officially Enters the Indonesian Market
On November 7, GAC Indonesia held the AION i60 launch event in Jakarta, marking the model's Southeast Asian debut and first regional entry in a right-hand-drive version. Already locally assembled in Indonesia, the model reflects GAC's long-term commitment to the market, which it treats as a key pivot for right-hand-drive markets across Southeast Asia. The launch centered on the "GAC Listens" theme and the "Made for E-quality" slogan, built on four pillars: design, comfort, safety and reliability.
In China, the AION i60 has posted monthly sales above 10,000 units for ten consecutive months and cumulative deliveries of 100,000 units within 11 months of launch. The model measures 4,685 × 1,854 × 1,660 mm on a 2,775 mm wheelbase, with rear legroom of 1,037 mm and headroom of 1,020 mm. It offers eight-layer cushioning seats with front-row massage, ventilation, heating and memory; rear seatbacks reclining to 137 degrees; an integrated refrigerator; a 658 L trunk expanding to 1,876 L; and a 15.6-inch 2.5K display running ADiGO 6.0.
Safety features include a cage body with 72% high-strength steel, 1,500 MPa hot-stamped steel in the core cabin, six airbags, GAC Magazine Battery 2.0 and 15 L2-level ADAS functions. A 75 kWh battery delivers NEDC range of over 602 km, with 3C fast charging taking 30% to 70% in about 15 minutes under specific test conditions; GAC's internal testing indicates 3,000 charge cycles, roughly 1.5 million km. GAC Indonesia is also building after-sales coverage and will run Drive Experience events in November and appear at the 2026 GAIKINDO Jakarta Auto Week.
