Automaker Trends | OEM NewsGasgoo: On July 28, Xiaomi EV unveiled powertrain details for its Pengcheng series. The lineup features the in-house Xiaomi Kunlun range extender, a system designed to slash long-term ownership and maintenance costs. A standout feature is fuel flexibility: the entire range runs on 92, 95, or 98 octane gasoline. That means drivers aren't locked into premium fuel, offering greater flexibility on long-distance trips and cutting daily fuel expenses.Gasgoo: Stellantis and Mutares SE & Co. KGaA struck a deal on July 28: Stellantis is selling its entire stake in the Free2move car-sharing business to Mutares. Subject to customary closing conditions, the transaction is slated to wrap up by the end of 2026.Keji: Volkswagen Group moved on July 28 to clarify reports that CEO Oliver Blume had urged the EU to slap tariffs on Chinese-made plug-in hybrids. The statement set the record straight: Blume never explicitly called for new levies. His remarks, made during the first-half 2026 earnings call, actually stressed weighing all options to ensure fair competition—including supporting Chinese automakers' localization in Europe. If the EU does impose tariffs, Blume argued, they shouldn't exceed the levels already in place for pure electric vehicles. While the EU has already enforced anti-subsidy tariffs on Chinese EVs, plug-in hybrids remain untouched—for now. Chinese brands captured over a third of Europe's new plug-in hybrid sales in the first half, and Brussels has already laid the groundwork for potential tariffs on that segment.Jiemian: Mercedes-Benz Group released its second-quarter earnings on July 28. Revenue slipped 3% year on year to 32.06 billion euros, weighed down by market headwinds in some regions. Yet profitability staged a comeback: net profit rose 13% to 1.09 billion euros, while adjusted EBIT climbed 16% to 2.30 billion euros.Keji: Volvo is preparing to launch a new ultra-luxury flagship sedan, codenamed "556," according to a July 28 report. Positioned to rival the Maextro S800, the D-segment car will top the current S90, marking the highest-specification sedan in Volvo's century-long history. It's being built exclusively for China, using a joint development model similar to the XC70, with teams from Volvo China and Geely China splitting the workload.Gasgoo: vivo has recently adapted its digital car key system for GAC Toyota vehicles. The first compatible model is the Bozhi 7 electric sedan, which hit the market in March. More models from the brand are expected to gain support soon.Parts Makers | Supply Chain NewsGasgoo: Visteon officially released its second-quarter financial report on July 28, 2026. The supplier posted net sales of $960 million and net income of $49 million, with adjusted EBITDA reaching $116 million.Gasgoo Embodied AI: On July 28, Lightwheel AI and Rhino Tech signed a strategic partnership aimed at bridging the gap from data generation to edge processing and on-site deployment. The collaboration focuses on integrating Guanglun's data platform with Huixi's edge chips and domain controllers. Together, they'll validate the synchronous collection, processing, and transmission of multimodal data, aiming to create a reusable hardware and software reference design that cuts future integration costs.Industry Focus | Industrial EconomyCailian: European semiconductor stocks opened lower on July 28. ASML, BE Semiconductor, STMicroelectronics, and Infineon all slipped between 2% and 3%.Cailian: China's National Energy Administration released charging infrastructure data for the first half of 2026 on July 28. By the end of June, the country's total EV charging connectors reached 23.06 million—a 43.2% annual surge. Public chargers numbered 5.01 million, up 22.3%, with a combined rated power of 247 million kilowatts and an average output of roughly 49.35 kilowatts per connector. Private chargers, meanwhile, jumped 50.4% to 18.05 million units, with an installed capacity of 155 million kilovolt-amperes.IT Home: At a media roundtable for the 2026 World Intelligent Connected Vehicle Conference, a deputy director from the Beijing Bureau of Economy and Information Technology revealed a milestone: L2 driver-assist systems were equipped in 77.5% of new passenger cars sold in Beijing in the first half of 2026. That figure is well above the national average for the same period.Cailian: Plug-in vehicles captured 37.7% of Germany's new car market in the second quarter of 2026, a sharp rise from 28.6% a year earlier. Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 26.5% of the mix, while plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) made up 11.2%. By comparison, those segments held just 18.4% and 10.2% respectively in the second quarter of 2025.Policy Dynamics | Policy UpdatesCailian: Guo Shougang, director of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's Department of Equipment Industry, outlined the progress of China's intelligent connected vehicle sector at a July 27 roundtable. Looking ahead, the ministry will fast-track the "15th Five-Year Plan" for the industry and implement the National Standardization Development Outline. The focus is on breaking through core technologies, accelerating key standards, and deepening "vehicle-road-cloud" integration pilots. The ministry also aims to streamline production and road access approvals to build a cohesive ecosystem across the entire supply chain.Personnel Changes | Executive MovesGasgoo: SAIC Motor announced leadership shifts on July 28 across its passenger car units, SAIC Motor and SAIC GM. Lu Xiao has been appointed general manager of SAIC Motor, while Xu Ping succeeds him as general manager of SAIC GM. Both executives bring deep experience from the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC), spanning R&D, planning, and management. The reshuffle is designed to foster the exchange of electrification expertise between SAIC's independent and joint venture divisions.Jiemian: FAW Group has named Nie Qiang as the new CEO of its Hongqi brand, effective July 28. Nie, formerly the vice president of FAW Toyota and head of its sales arm, will now oversee all operations at the group's marketing center—including sales, after-sales, distribution, and brand marketing. The role had been vacant for 15 months since the previous departure in April 2025.
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