August 12 Automotive News: Leapmotor A05 officially launches from 63,900 RMB, Xpeng G9L pre-orders from 259,800 RMB, 2027 Seal 06 from 99,900 RMB; July NEV retail penetration rate breaks 65% for the first time, ICE vehicles plunge 44%, passenger vehicle exports 918,000 units up 87.8%; mandatory autonomous driving standard GB 44721 released, MIIT cracks down on rushed vehicles; Samsung SDI acquires 49.99% stake in GM battery JV; CATL steps back, Li Auto cuts deeper into battery cell definition, white-box battery trend accelerates.
I. New Car Launches/Pre-orders/Debuts
Leapmotor A05 Officially Launches, Starting at 63,900 RMB
On August 12, Leapmotor A05 was officially launched with multiple trim levels, starting at 63,900 RMB. The new car also released 7 exterior color options, providing more personalized choices for consumers. The A05 further enriches the product lineup in the 100,000 RMB pure electric sedan segment.
Xpeng G9L Pre-orders Open, Starting at 259,800 RMB
On August 11, Xpeng released the all-new G9L, available in pure electric and super extended-range powertrain options, with pre-order prices starting at 259,800 RMB. The vehicle also underwent water-land-air 720-degree seven-layer safety testing. Xpeng Chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng stated at the launch event that high quality, high safety, and globalization are the bottom lines of vehicle manufacturing.
2027 Seal 06 Officially Launches, Starting at 99,900 RMB
The 2027 Seal 06 was officially launched at prices starting from 99,900 RMB, continuing BYD's Ocean Network product lineup with a focus on cost-effective pure electric mobility.
Chery Fengyun T7 Pre-orders Open, Xiangjie G9 Pre-orders Break 15,000 Units in 72 Hours
Chery Fengyun T7 made its debut and officially opened pre-orders at starting prices of 109,900 RMB, with 600km range as standard across all trims. Meanwhile, Xiangjie G9 showed strong pre-order performance with over 15,000 orders in 72 hours, demonstrating market enthusiasm for high-end smart electric SUVs.
Qijing GX7 Debuts with HarmonyOS Cockpit 6, Launching in H2
Qijing Auto's first SUV, the Qijing GX7, debuts with HarmonyOS Cockpit 6 based on the MoLA 2.0 architecture, featuring the Chat Intelligence Agent and the physical smart pet "Hamengmeng." The vehicle is expected to be priced between 300,000 and 350,000 RMB, with a launch planned for the second half of this year.
SAIC Volkswagen ID.ERA 5S Pre-orders/Mercedes EQ GLC Launches/Dongfeng eπ Nano 01 Launches
Multiple new cars launched on the same day: SAIC Volkswagen ID.ERA 5S opened pre-orders; Mercedes EQ GLC officially launched; Dongfeng eπ Nano 01 Zhiqu Edition entered the market at 59,800 RMB starting. Additionally, Volkswagen Anhui's Zhongyu 09 completed MIIT registration, accelerating joint venture NEV transformation. Dongfeng Nissan NX7 also made its debut.
II. Policy/Regulations/National Standards
Mandatory Autonomous Driving Standard GB 44721 Released, Effective July 2027
The MIIT-organized Intelligent Connected Vehicle Autonomous Driving System Safety Requirements (GB 44721-2026) was officially released, planned to take full effect from July 1, 2027. The standard applies to M-class (passenger) and N-class (cargo) vehicles equipped with L3 (conditional autonomous driving) and L4 (high automation) systems.
Five core requirements:
OEM lifetime responsibility: OEMs must establish safety assurance capabilities covering the entire product lifecycle from design to post-deployment.
Autonomous driving level no lower than a qualified human driver: System safety must meet at least the level of a competent and attentive human driver, with minimum risk strategy.
Clear HMI requirements: L3 vehicles must monitor driver attention and be ready for takeover at any time.
Triple inspection threshold: Simulation tests, track tests, road tests, and third-party comprehensive inspection are all mandatory.
Stricter than international standards: Innovation in unified standardized test scenario system, better suited to Chinese road conditions.
MIIT Cracks Down on Rushed Vehicles, 82 New Automotive Standards Implemented
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology organized meetings with road motor vehicle inspection agencies to regulate competition order and improve quality. The meeting required holding the product safety bottom line and strengthening risk identification and testing verification for radical innovation designs. The National Automotive Standards Technical Committee has sought public comments on 3 new energy vehicle type approval test procedures, proposing to increase the reliability driving test mileage to 30,000 km. 82 new automotive standards implemented simultaneously, marking comprehensive tightening of rushed vehicle regulation.
MIIT Abolishes Battery Second-life Utilization Policy, 100 Companies Removed from Compliance List
MIIT officially abolished the second-life utilization provisions in the "New Energy Vehicle Waste Power Battery Comprehensive Utilization Industry Standards Conditions (2024 Edition)," ceasing announcement management for second-life utilization enterprises. The announced 100 second-life utilization enterprises (including Shanghai BYD, Huayou Resources, SVOLT, Gotion High-tech, REPT Battram, GEM, etc.) were removed from the compliance list. The recycled utilization enterprise list remains valid.
III. Industry Data/Production/Sales/Exports
July NEV Retail Penetration Rate 65.1% Breaks 65% for First Time, ICE Vehicle Sales Plunge 44%
Data from CPCA showed that national passenger vehicle retail sales in July 2026 reached 1.461 million units, down 20.9% year-on-year, down 8.8% month-on-month. The NEV retail penetration rate broke 65% for the first time at 65.1%, up 11.6 percentage points from the same period last year. Pure ICE vehicle retail sales plunged 44% year-on-year, nearly halving; mild hybrid vehicles declined only 4%, remaining the only resilient sub-segment.
July Passenger Vehicle Exports 918,000 Units Up 87.8%, H1 Belt and Road Exports 1.135 Million NEVs
July passenger vehicle exports reached 918,000 units, up 87.8% year-on-year, marking two consecutive months above 1 million units. Data compiled by CAAM from General Administration of Customs showed that in January-June 2026, China's automobile commodity exports to Belt and Road countries totaled 83.67 billion USD, up 30.8% year-on-year, accounting for 57.5% of total automobile export value. Exports of complete vehicles reached 3.381 million units (up 48.1%), while NEV exports reached 1.135 million units (up 59.4%).
July National Passenger Vehicle Retail 1.461 Million Units Down 20.9%, H1 Cumulative 10.173 Million
National passenger vehicle retail in July 2026 was 1.461 million units, down 20.9% YoY, down 8.8% MoM. Year-to-date cumulative retail was 10.173 million units, down 20.3% YoY. The market showed continued pressure, month-on-month weakness, and extreme structural differentiation.
Leapmotor July Sales Break 100,000 Units for First Time, Leading New Forces
In July, Leapmotor pushed monthly sales past 100,000 units for the first time, becoming the first new force brand to reach this scale, ranking first in new force sales. Additionally, Leapmotor registered 25,393 units in Italy in January-July, with cumulative overseas exports exceeding 113,000 units.
BAIC Group July Sales 117,636 Units, Overseas Up 29% YoY
BAIC Group sold 117,636 units in July, of which 29,148 units were overseas, up 29% YoY. BAIC Group also held its 40 millionth vehicle delivery ceremony at its R&D base.
IV. Corporate Dynamics/Capital/Globalization
Samsung SDI Acquires 49.99% Stake in GM Battery JV and Reaches Cooperation Agreement
On August 11, Samsung SDI announced an agreement with General Motors to jointly develop next-generation EV batteries. Samsung SDI agreed to acquire all 49.99% shares in SynergyCells, the Indiana-based JV, and take over operations. Synergy Cells has a design annual capacity of 27GWh with a planned investment of $3.5 billion, currently under construction. This gives Samsung SDI its first standalone battery plant in North America.
Volkswagen to Sell IAV Stake/GM to Invest $4.5 Billion in Supply Chain Security
Volkswagen plans to sell a majority stake in engineering subsidiary IAV to Accenture, further focusing on core business. GM announced plans to invest $4.5 billion to secure key component supply, strengthening supply chain autonomy.
BYD Partners with Sinopec on Flash Charging Stations/Volkswagen Invests in Dalian Battery Co./CATL Signs Strategic Agreement
BYD partnered with Sinopec to advance flash charging station construction. Volkswagen invested in establishing PowerCo Battery in Dalian. CATL signed a five-year strategic agreement with Lianyungang Public Transport.
Li Auto Second-Gen AI Glasses Livis Expected in H2 Next Year
Li Auto revealed that the second-generation Li Auto AI Glasses Livis are expected to arrive in the second half of next year, with a native HarmonyOS version also under development. The new Li L9, L8, and L6 already support AI glasses-guided parking.
Avatr Chen Zhuo: IPO Progressing/Toyota's First Non-Founder President Ohta Passes Away
Avatr Technology President Chen Zhuo stated the brand must maintain independence in compute scheduling and vehicle solutions, avoiding becoming a hardware integrator. The company's IPO-related work is progressing steadily per regulatory requirements. Meanwhile, Toyota former president and former Keidanren chairman Shoichiro Ohta passed away on August 8 at age 93. He was Toyota's first non-family president, leading the launch of the Prius and other models.
V. Technology/Supply Chain/Battery/Intelligence
CATL Steps Back, Li Auto Cuts Deeper: Leapmotor D99 Cell Model and Battery White-Box Trend
On August 7, Leapmotor founder Zhu Jiangming handed the D99 to CATL founder Zeng Yuqun. The D99 is distinctive in that CATL only supplies the innermost cell, while Leapmotor handles battery pack (Pack), BMS, and integrates via CTC technology with the vehicle structure. This marks the battery industry's shift from gray-box to white-box, with OEMs gradually reclaiming battery definition rights.
Li Auto went further with the all-new L8 featuring Li Auto self-developed cells manufactured by Sunwoda. In H1 2026, CATL's power battery system revenue reached 192.1 billion RMB, up 46% YoY, with global power battery usage share exceeding 40%. When battery packs no longer lock in customers, safety becomes the key to building consumer mindshare.
Huawei Qiankun ADAS Surpasses 12.2 Billion km/ZF 8-Speed Hybrid Transmission Mass Production in Shanghai
Huawei Qiankun intelligent driving has accumulated over 12.2 billion km of assisted driving mileage. Volkswagen China's self-developed ADAS briefing revealed plans for highway L3 autonomy by 2028. Additionally, ZF's 8-speed hybrid transmission achieved mass production in Shanghai with 95% localization rate; Chuanghang Technology's Malaysia base commenced operations; South Korea-Armenia lithium mining cooperation agreement signed; BoTai Vehicle Networking won chip supply for cockpit-piloting integration.
This article was first published on EX1000.COM. Follow the platform for real-time automotive news updates.
