One article to understand the future direction of intelligent electric vehicles
"The 15th Five-Year Plan period is a critical phase for China's new energy vehicle (NEV) industry to shift from scale expansion to quality and efficiency enhancement, as well as the decisive stage for transforming from an automotive giant into a powerhouse. The sector will fully enter a new development phase characterized by marketization, intelligence, greenness, and internationalization," said Su Bo, Deputy Director of the National Manufacturing Powerhouse Construction Strategic Advisory Committee, at the 2026 High-Level Forum on Intelligent Electric Vehicle Development held recently. He emphasized that NEVs are not only a strategic pillar industry but also a key carrier of new quality productive forces, and the transformation wave toward electrification, intelligence, and sustainability in the automotive industry is irreversible.
Experts attending the meeting emphasized that, looking ahead, the entire industry must uphold intelligence and sustainability as foundational pillars. By pursuing cross-sector ecosystem integration and a strategy of global reach combined with local adaptation, China's new energy vehicle sector can achieve high-quality, sustainable development.
"Vehicle-Road-Cloud Integration" Opens a New Era of Advanced Autonomous Driving
"2026 marks the inaugural year for global autonomous driving," said Jin Yuzhi, Senior Vice President of Huawei and CEO of HIMA. China is steadily advancing L3 autonomous vehicle access policies, while the U.S. is accelerating legislation this year to raise the annual allowance for autonomous vehicles from automakers to 9 thousand units. Given the progress in both China and the U.S., two leading tech nations, the global autonomous driving industry is poised for a golden growth period.
Today, China's new energy vehicle intelligence has progressed from the large-scale deployment of driver assistance to a critical phase for commercializing L3 and L4 autonomous driving, evolving from single-vehicle intelligence toward an integrated "vehicle-road-cloud" system paradigm.
Su Bo pointed out that the intelligent connected vehicle industry has entered a new phase. The commercialization of L3 and L4 autonomous driving is at a critical juncture, with concentrated efforts to break through "chokehold" technologies such as automotive-grade chips, in-vehicle operating systems, and next-generation batteries. Professor Ouyang Minggao from Tsinghua University stated that industry competition has shifted from isolated technology races to comprehensive system challenges encompassing full-process safety, all-climate ultra-fast charging, all-condition efficiency, and solid-state battery technologies. Intelligence will deeply integrate with electrification, redefining the value proposition of automotive products.
On the technical implementation front, leading enterprises and tech companies are accelerating their deployment. Zhao Fei, General Manager of Changan Automobile, stated that in 12 last year, Changan received the first batch of L3 autonomous driving access permits. Recently, it was approved for an L4-level Robotaxi test license. Leveraging the Changan Tianshu Intelligent Test Center built by a national laboratory, the company achieved 24-hour continuous testing. According to Jin Yuzhi, Huawei's ADS high-end intelligent driving system has been installed in over 140 units. Through its multi-sensor fusion solution and five-dimensional safety system, it has improved assisted driving safety to 4.2 times that of human drivers, proactively avoiding risks over 479 thousand times. Yu Kai, Founder and CEO of Horizon Robotics, introduced the upcoming "Star Sky" series, the industry's first cockpit-driving integrated chip. This innovation can reduce costs by 1500 to 4000 yuan, break down R&D barriers between cockpits and driving systems, and achieve integrated whole-vehicle system collaboration.
Li Keqiang, professor at Tsinghua University's School of Vehicle and Mobility, highlighted that single-vehicle intelligence faces limitations such as blind spots in perception, failure to recognize long-tail scenarios, and bottlenecks in logical decision-making. "Vehicle-Road-Cloud Integration" is the essential path to solving safety challenges and achieving advanced autonomous driving. It enables a new paradigm featuring super-line-of-sight full perception, collaborative optimal decision-making, intrinsic security protection, and ecosystem co-construction. This approach breaks down data silos among automakers and reduces algorithm R&D costs. Currently, China has launched pilot programs for intelligent connected vehicle access and "Vehicle-Road-Cloud Integration" applications, promoting an innovation strategy with dual-wheel drive to achieve integrated development of "smart vehicles, intelligent roads, and powerful clouds."
Multi-energy solutions enable green and low-carbon goals
China's new energy vehicle industry has shifted from single-electrification to a comprehensive green development model encompassing full-lifecycle green manufacturing, multi-energy synergy, and closed-loop battery recycling. Green transformation is now evolving from policy-driven initiatives into industry self-motivation and market necessity.
Su Bo pointed out that in 2025, the penetration rate of new energy vehicles in China reached 47.9%, is projected to exceed 50% in 2026, and will surpass 70% by the end of the 15th Five-Year Plan, becoming the dominant segment of the automotive market. Green transformation of the automotive sector requires establishing a full lifecycle carbon accounting, carbon footprint, and carbon trading system to drive green and low-carbon upgrades across industrial and supply chains, ensuring sustainable industry development.
On the technology roadmap, the industry has established a green energy landscape dominated by pure electric vehicles with diversified complementary solutions. According to Minggao Ouyang, the share of renewable energy in power generation will exceed 55% between 2030 and 2035. Electric vehicles will become the optimal platform for efficient utilization of green electricity. Pure battery electric vehicles (BEVs) will dominate the passenger car market, with a BEV-to-plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) ratio reaching 7:3 in 2030, increasing to 8:2 by 2035.
Li Shufu, Chairman of Geely Holding Group, stated that Geely has dedicated over 20 years to methanol vehicle R&D, promoting methanol as a green energy source for heavy-duty transportation. With its high energy density and superior lifecycle economics, methanol represents a key pathway for energy security and green transition. BMW Group Senior Vice President Becker committed that BMW will achieve near-zero emissions by 2050, reducing carbon output by 6000 million tons cumulatively between 2035 and 2039, with supply chain decarbonization reaching 30%. Currently, 100% of electricity used in BMW factories comes from renewable sources. The company leverages digital twin technology and AI management during production to build a highly flexible, data-driven manufacturing system. BYD Group Chief Scientist and Automotive Chief Engineer Lian Yubo introduced the third-generation Blade Battery and fast-charging technology. As of 2026/4/1, BYD has established 5000 fast-charging stations and plans to complete 20000 more by year-end, addressing charging anxiety and enhancing energy efficiency.
The power battery recycling and green governance system continues to improve, with the industry accelerating the development of a full lifecycle management framework covering "traceability, collection, cascading use, and recycling." This includes implementing policies such as integrated vehicle-battery scrapping and digital ID-based traceability. GAC Group Chairman Feng Xingya stated that the company will advance supply chain decarbonization by leveraging intelligent management to build a green smart manufacturing ecosystem and fulfill its low-carbon commitments across the entire value chain.
Build an integrated ecosystem where "automotive + N" industries thrive together.
Ecosystem integration is a key pathway for the new energy vehicle industry to break traditional boundaries and cultivate new quality productive forces. The automotive sector is transitioning from "large industry, small ecosystem" to "large industry, large ecosystem." Deep cross-industry, cross-domain, and cross-entity collaboration has become the norm. Vehicles are now deeply integrated with energy, transportation, information and communications, artificial intelligence, and financial services, establishing a new industrial ecosystem pattern characterized by co-created value and shared benefits.
Industry experts note that the convergence of industrial ecosystems is defined by the integration of technologies, application scenarios, and cross-sector collaboration. Deep integration of chips, operating systems, batteries, AI, and other technologies shifts the competitive advantage from isolated breakthroughs to systemic strength. Vehicles are evolving from mere transportation tools into mobile energy storage units, intelligent spaces, and computing terminals, enabling scenario-based fusion that meets users' diverse and emotional needs. Cross-industry partnerships among automakers, tech companies, internet platforms, energy firms, and financial institutions are fostering a collaborative ecosystem for shared growth.
Zhao Fei stated that Changan Automobile is collaborating cross-industry with JD.com, Haier, Huawei, CATL, and ICBC to integrate real industries with capital, traffic, and technology, building a synergistic industrial ecosystem. Feng Xingya noted that GAC Group is constructing an innovation ecosystem with Huawei, Tencent, Alibaba, and WeRide, advancing full-scenario layouts in charging/swapping, microgrids, flying cars, and robots to meet users' mobility needs across the entire lifecycle. Alibaba Cloud provides 60% computing power for Chinese autonomous driving R&D. Through end-cloud collaborative large models, it is redefining smart cockpit experiences, enabling in-vehicle ordering, shopping, navigation, and payment, while connecting the Alibaba ecosystem. JD leverages its supply chain, logistics, and over 4000 auto-care stores to deliver integrated parts, talent development, and intelligent fulfillment services, driving deep integration between manufacturing and service sectors.
Cross-industry technology integration is expanding industrial boundaries. Gao Dapeng, Chairman and President of Desay SV, believes that the automotive industry in China is demonstrating significant innovation spillover effects. Low-altitude economy and embodied intelligence have emerged during the new energy transformation of vehicles. Intelligent driving technologies are spilling over into low-altitude economy, embodied intelligence, robotics, and other fields, enabling cross-domain technology reuse. Vehicle-grid interaction and integrated photovoltaic-storage-charging systems are driving deep fusion between vehicles and energy networks. Cutting-edge technologies such as AI large models, physical AI, and world models are being deeply integrated with automobiles, propelling intelligent driving from functional implementation toward cognitive intelligence. Ouyang Minggao stated that one future industry model could be a horizontal integration model driven by value chains, centered on intelligence and brand marketing, forming non-automaker-led brand alliances.
Experts recommended that the industry jointly build cross-category common technology platforms, unify intelligent driving safety data standards, and co-create cross-industry ecosystem business models to achieve complementary advantages and enhance overall industrial competitiveness.
From Product Globalization to Ecosystem Globalization
Internationalization is the essential path for China to evolve from a major automotive nation into a global automotive powerhouse. Data provided by Wang Lang, Vice President of Chery Automobile Co., Ltd., reveals that China's automotive exports are at a historic inflection point: 2024 saw 586 million units exported, rising to 710 million in 2025, with projections exceeding 750 million by 2026. The industry has shifted from trade expansion to structural growth, moving from cost leadership driven by vertical integration to systemic global competitiveness. "Pure vehicle trading has hit its ceiling; geopolitical tensions and trade barriers are forcing a model overhaul. Chinese automakers must transition from 'Chinese companies operating overseas' to 'local entities with Chinese DNA.' This is not merely a strategy to navigate trade barriers but the inevitable destination for true global operations," Wang said.
Su Bo emphasized that international expansion and localization are urgent tasks for the automotive industry during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. We must uphold high-level opening up, build a mutually beneficial global supply chain, accelerate the shift from exporting products to exporting ecosystems, proactively address international competition, promote Chinese technical standards globally, and enhance China's influence and leadership in the new energy vehicle sector.
Leading enterprises have achieved significant results in their global expansion. Yang Xueliang, Senior Vice President of Geely Holding Group, stated that in terms of global布局，Geely coordinates global resources, leverages international brands such as Volvo and Lotus, and collaborates with partners like Renault to transition from product exports to full value chain exports. By the year 2030, Geely aims to achieve total global car sales exceeding 650 million units, with new energy vehicles accounting for 75% of the total and overseas sales representing more than one-third of its global volume.
Wang Lang believes that China's automotive export models are continuously evolving, driven by five key trends: First, accelerated global manufacturing布局 with the establishment of full-process overseas factories to achieve regionalized production and localized delivery. Second, comprehensive ecosystem output, shifting from complete vehicle exports to a "fleet-style" collaboration across battery cells, chips, smart connectivity, energy networks, and financial services. Third, technological leadership replacing price advantages, leveraging core technologies like autonomous driving and software-defined vehicles to secure brand premiums. Fourth, normalization of compliance governance, where addressing trade barriers and regulatory requirements has become the fundamental logic for Chinese automakers' global survival. Fifth, national-level support through risk early warning systems and credit insurance frameworks to mitigate macroeconomic risks.
Gao Dapeng stated that China's long-term stable policies, a single ultra-large-scale market, and full-chain industrial collaboration are three elements difficult to replicate overseas. The path for Chinese automotive globalization must achieve modular output, balance risk with personalized needs, integrate into local industrial ecosystems, and adhere to long-termism and systematic planning. Feng Xingya emphasized that the core of Chinese automakers going global lies in establishing a foothold through hard power and integrating via soft power. GAC leverages its domestic advantages in technology, quality, and services to advance international supply chains, ecosystems, digitalization, and financial collaboration. It invites overseas users and dealers to co-define vehicle models, driving Chinese automobiles onto the world stage.
Source: Online