Defining Global Models, Chinese Automakers Make a Second Push Overseas

At the 2026 Chengdu Auto Show, Chery brought two special new cars -- the Fulwin T7 defined as the "first native global car of the Intelligent Electric Era", and the new Arrizo 7 "developed according to global standards from the project initiation".

Just looking at product capability, they might not be stunning, but the signal behind them is crucial -- Chinese automakers have started building cars for more than 100 countries from the very first day of R&D, instead of building for the Chinese market first and then exporting. These two cars are just an introduction. Behind them is a rapidly lengthening global model catalog and a paradigm shift across the industry.

Domestic Car Market: Why We Must Look Outward

To understand the rise of global models, we must first see the current situation in the domestic market: If 2025 relied on policy support to maintain "record total volume", then entering 2026, as subsidies phase out and demand overdrawn appears, the slump has spread from profitability to sales levels.

The root cause of this round of fierce competition is not complicated: structural overcapacity, high product homogeneity, and weak demand growth combined, car companies can only exchange price for volume, finally conceding profits to consumers and channels.

In 2025, Chinese automobile production and sales hit a record high of 34.4 million vehicles, but this boom relied heavily on trade-in subsidies and purchase tax exemptions. Starting 2026, new energy vehicle purchase tax changed from exemption to half collection, compounded by earlier demand overdrawn, the market clearly cooled.

According to CPCA data, narrow-sense passenger car retail in July was about 1.506 million, down 18% year-on-year; retail in August is estimated at about 1.58 million, with a year-on-year decline widening to 21.7%; 1-7 month automotive consumption fell 13.2%. The only resilient segment is new energy, August retail penetration rose to about 65%, but fuel-powered cars shrink fast -- the total pie is shrinking while competition intensity rises.

As of mid-2026, the domestic car market slump is reflected simultaneously in sales, profits, and channels, with a continuing worsening trend. Stock competition, excess capacity, and product homogeneity patterns remain unchanged. Going outward has completely changed from an optional option to a mandatory one -- overseas markets are no longer just volume exports, but also profit exports and capacity exports.

What is a Global Model?

Global models are not a new concept. Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Golf, which we are familiar with, are classic global models. Compared to this, the current wave of Chinese automakers has its uniqueness -- built on the technological gap of new energy and intelligence, compounded by the capability of multiple power routes in parallel and global regulation adaptation.

Shifting from "China Defined, Global Sales" to "Global Native + Regional Customization" is the development logic behind Chinese global models. Global market demands, regulations, and usage scenarios are brought upfront to the R&D starting point, rather than adapting after product finalization.

First is platform architecture. The same platform is compatible with pure electric / plug-in hybrid / extended range / fuel, Left-hand drive / Right-hand drive, multiple climates and regulation levels, covering more markets with fewer platforms. The competition of global cars is actually competition of platform reuse efficiency.

Regarding power routes, Chinese automakers adopted a dual-line strategy of "Pure Electric for Developed Markets, Plug-in Hybrid for Emerging Markets", hedging against global charging infrastructure differences and tariff barriers for pure electric models in some markets.

Regarding industry regulations, Chinese global models need to pre-install regulations like safety, emissions, data, battery passport at the R&D stage, shifting from passive response to certification to active benchmarking against the highest global standards.

Global models transform the complexity of targeting more than 100 countries from a sales challenge into R&D capability; upgrading globalization from a sales behavior into a systematic capability.

If the 1.0 Model of Chinese automaker exports outputs "cars", then the 2.0 or 3.0 Models output the "system for building cars".

What is the Difference Between Global and Non-Global Models?

Currently, many Chinese automaker models are going overseas, but the truly "Global Native" representative works concentrate on a few. Their common point is prioritizing global regulations, L/R drive, multiple power upfront at the R&D starting point; the difference lies in each automaker's unique global strategy.

SAIC MG's MG4 is based on the SAIC Star Pure Electric Dedicated Platform, designed by a China-UK team, with Global R&D, Global Quality, Global Sales, debuted in Europe in 2022. In 2024, its European sales broke 80,000, becoming Europe's best-selling Chinese pure electric car for a while.

Geely Galaxy E5/EX5 is based on the GEA Global Intelligent New Energy Architecture. L/R drive was designed concurrently from the initial development (most in the industry only make L/R and then modify for export). Named "Galaxy E5" domestically and "Geely EX5" overseas, as of early 2026, it covered 35 countries, is the A-segment pure electric SUV export champion, and received dual five-star safety ratings from Euro NCAP and ANCAP. It pushed platform reuse efficiency to the extreme.

As the first global model of the LEAP3.5 Architecture, Leapmotor B10 made its global premiere at the Paris Auto Show, developed according to European leading standards, whole vehicle compliant with regulations of 53 countries and regions, and chassis jointly tuned with Maserati team under Stellantis. Overseas leverage Stellantis channels and Spanish factory for implementation.

Dolphin G is BYD's first model developed specifically for Europe, benchmarked against Toyota Yaris and Renault Clio. BYD Vice President Li Ke once stated "This car is BYD's first model truly tailored for the European market, rather than based on a Chinese market model adjusted", marking BYD upgrading from "selling domestic hits (Yuan PLUS, Song PLUS)" to "forward development for regions".

As for Chery Fulwin T7 (Lepas L6), during R&D it completed surveys of more than 5,000 users in 15 typical countries, covered 95% of global road types, designed according to 2026 version E-NCAP, whole vehicle testing over 6 million kilometers. Overseas homologous car Lepas L6 launched in South Africa and Thailand before domestic version, being the latest carrier of Chery's multi-brand + deep localization strategy.

Proton e.MAS 7, exclusive for Southeast Asian market, Geely licensed the platform and technology of Galaxy E5 to Malaysia Proton, where Proton produced and sold under local brand and local factory.

The six models mentioned above represent different strategies for global models, including Global Platform (MG4, EX5), European High Standard Premiere (B10), Regional Exclusive Forward Development (Dolphin G), and Platform Licensing (e.MAS 7). Of course, despite different strategies, the R&D starting point targets the global market.

Automaker Overseas Expansion, Each Showing Their Unique Skills

Doing global models is the same, but trade-offs differ.

First is the difference between heavy assets and light assets. BYD built its own factories, fleet, charging network, moving the whole industry chain overseas, pursuing long-term control; Leapmotor, Xpeng, GAC leverage Stellantis channels, Magna OEM to enter with light assets, exchanging others' systems for speed and low risk. The former has high investment but deep moat, the latter is flexible but controlled by others.

Second is the difference between single brand and multi-brand. SAIC MG bets on one century-old European brand, using MG4 to break through Europe; Chery uses Tiggo, Omoda, Jaecoo, EBRO multi-brand layered coverage for different price points and markets, deriving multiple local identities from the same platform.

Finally is the difference between global models and regional exclusive. Geely, Leapmotor tend to one global model to rule the world, such as EX5 and B10, amortizing costs via platform reuse; BYD, Chery go further, forward developing exclusive models for specific regions including Dolphin G and Lepas, achieving a finer balance between platform and localization. Strategies have no high or low, each chose the route most suitable for them.

The current status of Chinese cars going overseas is coexistence of non-global and global models -- Tiggo 8, Song PLUS DM-i, Haval H6, Changan CS55, Wuling Bingo, etc., are typical of becoming famous domestically then exporting; Geely EX5, B10, Dolphin G, Fulwin T7, etc., are representatives targeting global from project initiation.

Overview of Chinese Automaker Export Data

After breaking 2 million in 2021, China's auto exports entered a super high-speed growth channel: 2023 overtook Japan to top global first with 4.91 million; 2025 reached 7.098 million, holding first place for three consecutive years; first seven months of 2026 exported 6.14 million more, July alone 1.043 million, standing at 1 million for two consecutive months, industry expectation full year could attack 10 million mark.

In five years, the scale of Chinese auto exports grew nearly 2.5 times, completing the leap from "million level" to "10 million level".

Structure wise, first seven months this year, Chinese new energy vehicle exports reached 2.909 million, up 1.2 times year-on-year, accounting for nearly half of total exports, of which July alone proportion exceeded 50% for second consecutive month.

Plug-in hybrid models are the biggest variable in new energy exports: on one hand can bypass EU countervailing duties targeting pure electric, on the other hand in Middle East, Latin America, Southeast Asia with weak charging infrastructure, can balance low energy consumption and no range anxiety, triggering dual-line strategy of "Pure Electric for Developed Markets, Plug-in Hybrid for Emerging Markets".

Enterprise level, Chery led 2025 with 1.344 million, BYD jumped to second with 1.054 million, SAIC 950,000 for third. As for first half of this year, Chery, BYD continued to lead by a landslide, Geely exports already exceeded 2025 full year.

Regarding export destinations, 2025 Mexico surpassed Russia for first time to become top destination country, first half of 2026 Russia fell back, replaced by Brazil, UK, Australia. Market diversification is very key for export business risk resistance, this is also the reason global models must possess multi-market adaptation capability.

Model Globalization, Impact Not Just Overseas

Global models target global, but also have不可忽视 impact and significance for domestic market.

Currently Chinese top automaker export proportion generally exceeds 40%, domestic price war "blood loss" is partially offset by overseas profits, favorable for industry profit repair and anti-involution policy effectiveness; capacity and R&D costs amortized by global market, relieving domestic stock competition pressure.

And after global standards lowered to domestic, Fulwin T7 designed according to 2026 version E-NCAP standards, underwent 6 million km verification entered market at 100,000-class price, equivalent to bringing global highest safety and quality standards downgraded to most competitive market segment, Chinese consumers can buy global standard products at lower price.

And for overseas markets, Chinese automakers are positively entering high regulation markets like Europe with products meeting global strictest regulations, "Manufacturing for Market" localization strategy transforms Chinese automakers from external operators to local industry participants, this is key to gaining political legitimacy in trade protectionism era.

It can be foreseen that Chinese automaker competition in overseas markets will also upgrade from single car price-performance to logistics, charging, after-sales, finance and brand system competition.

Jiashi Summary

At Chengdu Auto Show, Chery launched two global models, parameters perhaps not stunning, but native global car identity itself is also a microcosm of Chinese auto industry situation and ambition.

The essence of global models is internalizing global market complexity into enterprise R&D capability. Difference from old model is not where cars sell, but for whom cars are born.

From Corolla to Golf, every generation of global car in automotive history reshaped the industry structure of an era -- this time, the row of definers appeared Chinese automakers.

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