Gasgoo Daily presents a selection of the latest developments from China's automotive industry. Here are the key stories in this edition.
Octopus Energy, Ampace and CATL Sign MOU on Smart Home Storage for Europe
UK-based Octopus Energy, Ampace and CATL have signed a strategic memorandum of understanding to jointly explore smart residential energy storage solutions for the European market. Under the division of responsibilities, Ampace will develop and manufacture battery cells, battery management systems and energy storage systems, supported by CATL's technology and supply-chain coordination, while Octopus Energy will contribute its European customer channels, dynamic electricity-pricing algorithms and virtual power plant (VPP) access services. The partners will prioritize markets including the UK, France and Spain.
Built around smart home storage as a hub, the cooperation connects rooftop solar, smart charging, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and virtual power plants, turning household storage assets into dispatchable grid nodes to cut household electricity costs and boost the flexibility and resilience of Europe's grid. The agreement extends the Octopus Energy–CATL partnership into residential energy following their European heavy-duty truck battery-swapping cooperation announced in June; the two companies plan to explore and introduce co-branded home energy solutions for European households.
BAIC BJEV October Sales Reach 32,502 Units, Up 34.98% Month on Month
BAIC BJEV's latest production and sales data show October 2026 sales of 32,502 units, up 6.42% year on year and 34.98% month on month, again surpassing the 30,000-unit monthly mark. Cumulative sales for January–October reached 195,878 units, up 37.90% year on year. By brand, ARCFOX sold 26,325 units in October, up 12.56% year on year, while STELATO sold 6,174 units — ARCFOX remains the main sales driver, with STELATO tasked with expanding the brand into the premium market.
BAIC BJEV is covering different segments through its dual-brand lineup: ARCFOX targets the mainstream NEV market, with the Alpha T7 focused on family SUV demand in pure-electric and extended-range versions and the Beta S3 positioned as a large-space pure-electric family sedan offering charging and battery-swapping options; STELATO targets the high-end market, with the G9 as a luxury hardcore SUV and the V8 aimed at the premium family MPV segment. Notably, October sales rose more than 30% month on month but only 6.42% year on year — whether the short-term growth can become sustained as new models enter delivery remains to be seen.
Manifold AI and JDT Join Forces on World Models and Embodied Intelligence
Manifold AI and JDT (JD Technology) have signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement to collaborate on world model deployment in JD scenarios, computing infrastructure construction and data services, building a closed technical loop for continuous model iteration and jointly developing vertical-domain embodied-intelligence robot solutions to accelerate technical validation and commercialization.
The cooperation covers three core directions: integrating Manifold AI's embodied brain with JDT's computing base and data service system, training a domestic SOTA world model on domestic computing infrastructure and developing brain API products with industry influence; jointly delivering integrated algorithm-computing-vertical-scenario solutions backed by JD's internal business scenarios and external industrial opportunities; and co-building a frontier joint laboratory, co-applying for research projects and participating in national and industry standard-setting to improve the embodied-intelligence ecosystem. Manifold AI said it will work with JDT and industry partners to validate world-model and embodied-intelligence technologies in real scenarios and explore sustainable commercialization. The deal links the model, computing and scenario-data chain, pushing domestic embodied-intelligence technology from R&D toward scaled commercial validation — JDT has been building its physical-AI system around supply-chain scenarios, computing clusters and scenario data, while Manifold AI focuses on world models and embodied robot brains.
