In the Chinese auto industry, the first "billion-level vehicle" enterprise has officially appeared. On May 28, SAIC Group announced that cumulative production and sales exceeded 100 million units, becoming China's first auto group to reach this number.
To many, seeing this news might elicit a first reaction of "wow" or "impressive". But actually, in the context of the entire history of China's automotive industry development, the significance of this achievement is far greater than many imagine. It means the Chinese auto industry has finally truly moved from being a follower to entering the T1 league.
Thinking carefully, China truly started mass-producing family cars only in these few decades. From the 1958 "Phoenix" sedan to the later Santana, then Buick, Passat, GL8, Roewe, MG, IM, many Chinese consumers' initial impressions of cars actually bear the imprint of SAIC.
To some extent, you can even view SAIC as a timeline of China's automotive industry. It might not be the brand with the highest traffic, but its presence is involved in many key moments.
Compared to historical achievements, what I find more meaningful is SAIC's current transformation. It is no longer like that traditional, steady large factory from the past, but is striding hard towards intelligence and new energy.
The car marking the 100-millionth unit this time is the IM LS9 Hyper, a product that doesn't follow traditional auto manufacturer thinking. Features include full steer-by-wire, an 800V platform, three motors, a 520-line LiDAR, Nvidia Thor chips, L3-level redundancy capabilities, etc. This is no longer slow transformation, but a direct charge into the first echelon of the new energy sector.
Even the 100-millionth owner is not an ordinary consumer, but Momenta CEO Cao Xudong. This detail is worth noting because Momenta is itself one of the core domestic intelligent driving companies, and many of SAIC's intelligent driving capabilities come from cooperation between the two. Previously, the relationship between car companies and suppliers resembled client and vendor dynamics, but now it is increasingly resembling a technical community. This is because the automotive industry is no longer about competing on engines and chassis, but on chips, AI, and software capabilities, seeing who can enter the smart car era faster.
Another very obvious change is that SAIC now increasingly feels like a global enterprise. This handover ceremony was not simply holding a launch event in Shanghai, but coordinated simultaneous deliveries across the UK, Indonesia, Singapore, and multiple domestic cities. Brands such as MG, Roewe, IM, Wuling, Volkswagen, and Buick appeared together. What it wants to convey is quite direct: SAIC is not just a large factory in the Chinese market, but a true global automotive group.
In fact, SAIC's cumulative overseas sales have now exceeded 7 million vehicles. Especially MG, which has won first place in European sales for Chinese brands for 11 consecutive years.
In the past, many people believed the core competitiveness of Chinese cars going overseas was price. But now the situation has changed; more and more European users are starting to accept that Chinese cars are not just high cost-performance but actually possess technology. Especially in the last two years, the biggest change in Chinese new energy vehicles is not just spec competition, but intelligence beginning to lead globally. From intelligent driving and cabins to charging efficiency and electronic architecture, many things developed in the Chinese market are starting to influence overseas brands in return.
This is why traditional giants like Volkswagen and Audi are increasingly deeply binding with Chinese supply chains and Chinese intelligent driving companies. Because they have found that the technology developed in today's Chinese market is likely the standard answer for the next generation of global cars. SAIC, as one of the oldest and most extensive automotive systems in China, now clearly does not want to miss this opportunity.
Of course, SAIC has always had a very obvious label over the past years: huge volume, but not young enough. Especially in the new energy era, many people feel it lacks some internet flair, even its presence isn't that strong. But from these recent moves, it is clearly felt that it is changing, desperately reinforcing intelligence, youthfulness, and globalization. Even the way it expresses at launch events is starting to look more like a tech company.
So compared to the matter of SAIC breaking 100 million vehicles, what I care more about is that the giant which once represented China's traditional automotive industry is now trying to transform back into a new player of the new energy era. This is more meaningful than selling 100 million vehicles.
