Gasgoo Munich- On May 29, at the Future Mobility Pioneer Conference, NIO founder and Chairman William Li declared the automotive sector has entered a new era defined by four distinct characteristics.First, the industry has entered the "final stage" — and the most brutal competition has arrived. From January to April, domestic auto consumption fell 18.9% year-on-year, while retail sales in the first few weeks of May saw the decline widen to over 24%. Even brands with superior technology and products face severe market tests. Li believes the next year or two will be fiercely competitive; although the price war is fading, sales pressure is mounting in the absence of price incentives.Second, the inflection point for battery-electric vehicles is accelerating. In April, the domestic penetration rate of new energy vehicles hit 65.4%, with pure electrics accounting for 68.9% of that mix. Pure electrics have now become the dominant powertrain and continue to grow rapidly. Compared with last year, pure EV penetration has surged by more than 10 percentage points, with demand rising across every market segment.Third, the market is shifting from a period of brand "infancy" to maturity. Smart EV technology is converging: powertrains are settling on pure electricity, replenishment on charging, and electronic-electrical architectures on central integration with zone control. Convergence is also happening in sensors and computing power. As products mature, buyers are looking beyond simple specifications and range to focus on the full-scenario experience, meaning brand value is playing an increasingly critical role.Fourth, competition is moving from relying on a "single competitive edge" to a battle of systems. Given the immense length of the automotive supply chain, isolated breakthroughs cannot sustain overall competitiveness. To survive the final stage, companies must build comprehensive system capabilities across the entire chain — from R&D, supply chain, and manufacturing to user service and digitalization.