2025 Shanghai Summit on Intelligent and New Energy Vehicles Fosters Industry Consensus

The 2025 China (Shanghai) Intelligent and New Energy Vehicle Summit: Uniting Industry Consensus

On April 22, 2025, the Intelligent and New Energy Vehicle Summit, hosted by the Automotive New Media Alliance, took place in Shanghai. The event saw participation from nearly a hundred representatives from government, industry, academia, and research, including Yao Jingyuan, a special researcher from the State Council, and Ye Shengji, the chief engineer of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

The summit focused on the opportunities and challenges currently facing the automotive industry, engaging in in-depth discussions on topics such as the safety of new energy vehicles, standards for intelligent driving, and global market strategies. According to data from CAAM, China has maintained its position as the world’s largest producer and seller of new energy vehicles for ten consecutive years. In the first quarter of 2025, the country’s automobile exports reached 1.54 million units, marking a year-on-year increase of 16%.

Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the National Passenger Car Market Information Joint Conference, noted that although the export growth rate has slowed compared to the same period in 2024, Chinese automotive companies are increasingly establishing themselves in emerging markets such as Southeast Asia and South America. He highlighted that the growth potential in the global South remains a crucial support for China’s automotive exports.

Addressing the challenges of industrial transformation, Ye Shengji emphasized that safety in new energy vehicles must be a fundamental priority. He pointed out that there is currently an exaggerated promotion of intelligent driving technologies, which may mislead consumer perceptions. This perspective was met with strong agreement from attending companies.

From a macroeconomic perspective, Yao Jingyuan offered development suggestions, drawing on his extensive experience at FAW (First Automobile Works). He stressed the significant role of automotive consumption in stabilizing the broader economy, stating, “Compared to the real estate and stock markets, the automotive market needs continuous policy support.” He called for an acceleration in the construction of charging infrastructure, particularly to enhance service networks in lower-tier markets. Data indicates that in the first quarter of 2025, the sales of new energy vehicles in county-level markets grew by 21% year-on-year; however, the coverage rate of charging stations remains inadequate at less than 35%.

Yin Dan, deputy director of the New Energy Vehicle Business at the National Information Center, delivered a keynote speech analyzing the characteristics of the new energy passenger car market in the first quarter of 2025. He noted that under the influence of policy incentives, the market for low-priced vehicles below 150,000 yuan continues to expand. Since the second quarter of 2023, this segment has maintained a steady increase in market share. Pure electric models have achieved record penetration rates, particularly in the micro-car market, though caution is advised due to the anomalous spike in sales of A00-class models in March.

In response to the evolving competitive landscape of the industry, businesses must focus on enhancing product technology and operational efficiency to build differentiated competitive advantages. The summit brought together representatives from over thirty automotive companies, including Dongfeng Motor, Jiangqi Group, Mengshi Technology, LanTu Automotive, and Geely, encompassing both domestic brands and joint ventures.

Fan Xianrong, president of the Automotive New Media Alliance, stated that the industry must not only address challenges posed by increasing external trade barriers but also alleviate safety concerns associated with the ongoing technological advancements. He remarked, “Transitioning from the expansion of production and sales to enhancing quality and efficiency is an essential path for the maturity of China’s automotive sector.” This dialogue, rich with industry insights, has set new coordinates for the high-quality development of China’s automotive industry.

This summit provided an excellent platform for understanding the national macroeconomic situation, as well as the current state and trends of automotive industry development.