Automotive Morning Briefing: Key Industry Updates for October 16, 2025

Automotive Daily Report – October 16, 2025

On October 15, six departments including the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration released a notice regarding the “Three-Year Doubling Action Plan for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Service Capacity (2025-2027).” By the end of 2027, the plan aims to establish 28 million charging facilities across the country, providing over 300 million kilowatts of public charging capacity to meet the charging needs of over 80 million electric vehicles. This initiative is expected to double the current charging service capacity.

The National Energy Administration noted that while China’s charging infrastructure has developed rapidly in recent years and can generally meet the current demand for electric vehicle charging, several challenges persist. These include an uneven public charging network layout, the need to optimize facility functionality, insufficient service provision in residential areas, the need for enhanced power supply security, and the necessity to improve operational management efficiency. Policies are needed to address these issues.

On the same day, regarding China’s complaint to the World Trade Organization (WTO) about India’s electric vehicle and battery subsidy measures, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Commerce stated that China has requested consultations with India at the WTO. The measures in question are alleged to violate several obligations, including national treatment, and constitute import substitution subsidies prohibited by the WTO. The spokesperson highlighted that numerous trade measures by India have raised concerns among WTO members. China urges India to adhere to its commitments to the WTO and promptly correct its erroneous practices.

The Ministry of Commerce’s spokesperson also mentioned that these measures provide unfair competitive advantages to India’s domestic industries, harming China’s interests. China will take resolute actions to protect the legitimate rights and interests of its domestic industries.

On October 15, FAW Energy (Changchun) Technology Co., Ltd. was established with a registered capital of 200 million yuan. The company’s scope of business includes industrial design services, energy storage technology services, contract energy management, and the sale of biomass fuels (excluding hazardous chemicals). FAW Energy is wholly owned by China First Automobile Works Group Corporation.

In recent years, automotive companies have increasingly engaged in cross-industry actions related to the supply chain.

On the same day, Changan Automobile signed a strategic cooperation agreement with JD Group in Beijing. Under this agreement, the two parties will engage in comprehensive, multi-field cooperation, exploring smart logistics vehicles and intelligent operation systems, jointly developing and producing new energy autonomous intelligent vehicles, and creating modular automotive supply chain logistics solutions.

There have been reports indicating that Zeekr has received an overwhelming number of orders for its new model, the Zeekr 001, surpassing expectations with over 10,000 pre-orders, setting a new record for daily sales. However, this surge in demand may pose challenges for battery supply, potentially extending delivery times for related models. As of October 11, the current version of the Zeekr 7X has sold out, and certain models with 100 kWh battery versions are experiencing longer delivery cycles.

Industry experts suggest that the delivery cycle issues for Zeekr may be linked to the rapid growth in overall sales at Geely Automobile Group, affecting supply chain resource allocation.

On October 15, the Wey brand’s Gao Shan 7 was officially launched at a price of 285,800 yuan. This model is a 7-seat MPV aimed at family users, featuring 128-line laser radar and standard equipped with Great Wall’s third-generation intelligent driving system, CoffeePilot Ultra. It utilizes Hi4 intelligent four-wheel drive hybrid technology and boasts a minimum turning radius of just 5.6 meters, making it agile in tight spaces.

On October 15, Waymo, the autonomous driving technology company under Alphabet, announced plans to launch a driverless ride-hailing service in London next year. Waymo has partnered with Moove, a car financing company, to prepare for the service launch and is actively engaging with local and national regulatory authorities to obtain the necessary approvals.

On October 14, Stellantis announced plans to invest $13 billion in the United States over the next four years to expand its operations and increase manufacturing capacity in this crucial market. This investment will involve launching five new and 19 updated models, aiming to boost the group’s automotive production in the U.S. by 50% and create over 5,000 new jobs across its factories in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana.

On October 15, Hyundai Motor India revealed plans to invest 450 billion rupees before the fiscal year 2030, aiming to position India as its second-largest market globally. This investment will include the launch of 26 new products, focusing on electric and luxury vehicles, while enhancing export contributions and market reach.