OEM TrendLeapmotor marked the start of its North American expansion on July 6 by officially entering the Mexican market. Its first model, the Leapmotor B10, has completed local certification and deliveries have begun. Local consumers can now experience and purchase the vehicle at over 40 authorized outlets nationwide.Porsche is shifting its electric vehicle focus to the all-new all-electric Cayenne. Consequently, the automaker has stopped accepting new personalized orders for the all-electric Macan and Taycan, though existing production schedules remain unchanged. Sources noted that consumers can still purchase carefully configured inventory vehicles at authorized dealers. The adjustment does not affect current owners, whose after-sales service and rights remain intact.Tesla announced via its official Weibo account on July 6 that the Model Y L has launched simultaneously in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the United Arab Emirates. In the U.S. market, the Model Y L starts at $61,990 and is available exclusively in an all-wheel-drive, long-wheelbase version. Compared to the standard Model Y, the wheelbase has been extended by 150mm (5.9 inches) to 3,040mm, while the body length has grown by roughly 180mm (7 inches). The rear now features a third row of seats, adopting a 2+2+2 six-seat layout.Dongfeng Motor's R&D headquarters shared on July 6 that the company's first mass-produced model featuring an indigenous Steer-By-Wire (SBW) system has officially passed the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's announcement process. This confirms the technology meets national regulatory requirements, paving the way for mass production. The shift to "steer-by-wire" means the mechanical connection between the steering wheel and wheels is completely eliminated. Steering commands are transmitted entirely via electronic signals. This allows steering feel, response characteristics, and even future functions to be updated remotely via OTA—much like a smartphone operating system.Geely Holding Group has officially signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Gree Electric Appliances. Under the agreement, the two parties will focus on the electrification, intelligence, and digital transformation of the automotive industry. Combining Geely's experience in smart electric mobility with Gree's expertise in HVAC technology and smart manufacturing, they aim to collaborate on areas ranging from joint R&D of in-vehicle smart hardware and smart manufacturing supply chains to logistics, warehousing, industrial internet, user ecosystems, smart transportation, and home appliances.Supply Chain NewsBosch announced on July 6 that it has recently launched public road validation tests for its urban intelligent driving assistance solution in Yokohama, Japan. The test vehicle is equipped with a one-step, end-to-end advanced solution jointly developed by Bosch and WeRide. This marks another critical step in the global expansion of Bosch's China-developed intelligent driving solutions, accelerating its global commercial layout.Aishida's humanoid robot subsidiary and Zhiyuan Robotics officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement on July 6. According to the agreement, the two parties will deepen cooperation across five areas: procurement orders and product delivery, commissioned manufacturing of embodied AI robots, supply chain collaboration, technical support and scenario-based empowerment, and equity investment or joint venture establishment.MINIEYE officially launched its Combo full-link unmanned logistics closed-loop solution on July 6, simultaneously unveiling a four-wheeled footed robot developed by its subsidiary, Yaoxing Power. By combining the Bamboo Robovan with the four-wheeled footed robot, the company achieves fully unmanned coverage ranging from logistics transfer to last-mile home delivery for the first time.German auto parts supplier Continental AG has reached an agreement to sell its industrial division, ContiTech, to private equity firm Lone Star Funds. The move streamlines Continental's portfolio, allowing it to focus entirely on its core tire business. Continental stated the transaction is expected to close by the end of the year, generating approximately 3.1 billion euros in cash upon completion. The agreement also includes an earn-out provision of up to 250 million euros.Data from the Tianyancha App shows that Sunwoda Power Technology recently underwent a business registration change, with its registered capital increasing from approximately 132 billion yuan to 140.9 billion yuan. Founded in October 2014 and led by legal representative Wang Mingwang, the company's business scope includes software development and sales, operation of new energy vehicle charging facilities, and R&D and sales of charging equipment and accessories. It also covers the R&D, production, and sales of lithium-ion batteries, materials, chargers, EV battery modules, power battery systems, battery management systems, and power management systems. The company is jointly held by entities including Sunwoda Huizhou New Energy Co., Ltd.Industrial EconomyIndustry data released on July 6 indicates that planned production for China's lithium battery market—encompassing energy storage, power, and consumer sectors—will reach approximately 283 GWh in July 2026, up 5.6% month-on-month; energy storage cells account for 42.9% of this total. Globally, planned lithium battery production stands at 296 GWh for the same period, a 5.3% increase. This marks the fifth consecutive month of record highs. Although June and July are traditionally the off-season for the lithium battery industry, production schedules continue to break records. Industry insiders believe this reflects a systematic upgrade in demand structure, with global lithium battery demand shifting from being driven solely by new energy vehicles to multi-polar growth.Robot Era completed a new funding round of 1 billion yuan on July 6. The round was led by Chengtong Fund, the state capital operation company under the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC), with participation from several large state-owned enterprises including Jiangxi Guokong, Guoyuan Equity, Yufu Zhongxin Fund, and Hangzhou Capital. Additionally, CICC Renault, Jiukun Ventures, Hony Capital, Juntai Capital, and Shenghe Capital followed on as investors. Existing shareholders, including Hou Xue Capital, Qingkong Tiancheng, and Qianshan Capital, continued to increase their investments. Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), recently wrote that "the adjustment to the energy-saving and new energy vehicle and vessel tax policy is a landmark step in implementing 'oil-electric equality' in China's auto industry. It represents a critical tax optimization as the new energy sector transitions fully from a policy-supported phase to a market-mature stage." He believes the reform favors the trend toward pure electrification and aligns perfectly with the long-term goals of high-quality and balanced market development. Cui noted that oil-electric equality does not mean a one-size-fits-all approach; rather, it involves establishing a fair tax system based on technical attributes, emission characteristics, and usage scenarios to match rights with responsibilities.According to customs statistics, domestic robots are accelerating their global reach in the first five months of this year. Exports of various separately listed robots totaled 10.377 million units, with a total value reaching 19.99 billion yuan. Products have been shipped to more than 150 countries and regions worldwide, with the European Union and ASEAN serving as primary destinations. In terms of specific categories, China's robot exports have formed a diversified matrix pattern.Policy SituationIndian government and auto industry officials recently joined several automakers for a press conference to publicly defend the mandatory promotion of E20 ethanol gasoline. They addressed public concerns regarding potential corrosion and performance drops in older vehicles produced before 2023 when using E20, stating that years of testing and after-sales data have found no evidence of widespread vehicle damage. Automakers including Maruti Suzuki and Toyota stated that older vehicles can safely use E20, with relevant tests revealing no cause for concern. Stakeholders acknowledged that E20 reduces fuel economy by 3% to 3.5%, but noted that its higher octane rating offsets this disadvantage in the long run. India plans to mandate the nationwide supply of E20 gasoline with a minimum Research Octane Number (RON) of 95 starting April 1, 2026. This is expected to reduce crude oil import foreign exchange expenditures by approximately 430 billion rupees in fiscal year 2026. The target of achieving 20% ethanol blending—originally set for 2030—has been met ahead of schedule.
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