Author: Guan Hongye
Who Leads the Tide — A Milestone for SAIC's 100 Million Vehicles and a Watershed Moment for the Chinese Automotive Industry.
Rivers surge and peaks compete. In the 2026 Chinese automotive market, unprecedented scenes are surging forward.
Local brands have broken through a market share of 60%, new energy vehicle penetration is approaching 40%, and export volume has ranked first globally for two consecutive years... This is not merely a pile of numbers, but a profound structural transformation. Chinese cars have shed the old label of "large but not strong", and now stand on the map of the global automotive industry, using wheels as the brush and mountains and rivers as the ink to write their own majestic footnotes.
Amidst the magnificent progress of Chinese automobiles, on May 28, 2026, SAIC Group became the first domestic automaker to reach this historic milestone with a cumulative production and sales volume of 100 million vehicles.
The formation of any industry's landmark volume is not the work of a day or two, but the result of long-term resonance between the general trend of the times, industrial iteration, and corporate resolve.
Behind the "100 million vehicles" lies not only the ceiling of one company's growth, but a microcosm of China Manufacturing's independence, autonomy, and self-strengthening, and even more so, an epic of growth where the enterprise and industry grow in sync and share in the ups and downs.
Understanding SAIC's "100 million vehicles" is to understand the growth code of Chinese automobiles moving from large to strong, breaking the cocoon and becoming a butterfly.
Protagonist: A Global Relay of 100 Million Trusts
On the afternoon of May 28, the Shanghai North Bund World Living Room. This place has witnessed a century of tides on both sides of the Huangpu River, the exchange and dialogue of Chinese and foreign civilizations, and many historic moments when China opened its doors to the world. And today, a "Global Relay Delivery" spanning the Asian and European continents is about to unfold here.
The camera starts from the banks of the Huangpu River, sweeps across the ocean, and lands in London — a young doctor receives the keys to the MG4 EV from his grandfather, inheriting the legacy; it turns to Jakarta, where an Indonesian men's football national player sits in the Wuling Eksion, heading towards the distance; it comes to the Singapore DHL regional center, where a batch of Maxus eDeliver5 pure electric light trucks goes into operation, mission accomplished. In Shanghai Anting, in Liuzhou, Guangxi, in Lantian, Shaanxi... 15 brands, 18 models, multiple time zones, multiple cities succeeding each other, completing a historic delivery spanning mountains and seas, resonating in sync.
The special thing about this delivery is that users were pushed to the center of the stage. There was no deliberate positioning, only a handoff of keys stick after stick, and a silent relay of 100 million trusts.
The 100 millionth user was Momenta CEO Cao Xudong. This is highly symbolic — Cao Xudong not only became the 001st owner of the LS9 Hyper himself, but also announced at the delivery site that L3 autonomous driving will be launched first by SAIC.
There are more stories worth remembering.
Luo Zhenyu, founder of the GetAPP, became the 001st experimenter of the Huajing S; former German national football player Yang Chen chose the ID.ERA 9X, as its golden hybrid and long-termism were in sync; 85-born village secretary Pang Fuqiang delivered meals to elderly people left behind using a Wuling Rongguang pure electric vehicle; a tech media blogger was moved by the Huawei smart driving of the Shangjie Z7; bulk users such as DHL and Jiading Bus — behind every commercial vehicle is a "wealth creation tool" for the strivers.
This is a delivery ceremony without an absolute protagonist, yet where everyone is the protagonist. 100 million vehicles is not just a number rolling over on the production line, but 100 million real, specific, and warm choices.
And only SAIC has the capability to complete such a global relay: Wuling deepens into the people's livelihood and inclusive market, MG flies the flag of Chinese brands going global, IM Motors pushes into the global high-end intelligent manufacturing track, Shangjie promotes the inclusiveness of intelligent technology for the public, plus a mature and profound matrix of joint venture brands — this is no longer a simple delivery, but a panoramic parade of SAIC's seventy-year system competitiveness, a comprehensive practical exercise.
Scale: Three Leaps Behind 100 Million Vehicles
Fifteen brands, eighteen models, multiple time zones, 100 million trusts — this ruler measuring the thickness of the Chinese automotive industry clearly records the deep value at the three levels of enterprise, industry, and country.
Enterprise Dimension: From an alley workshop to a giant of 100 million vehicles.
In 1955, the Shanghai Internal Engine Parts Manufacturing Company was established, with only workshops in alleyways and a group of enthusiastic workers. In 1958, workers hammered out the first Phoenix brand sedan with hammers — "A golden phoenix flies out of a straw nest". Seventy years later, SAIC became China's first automotive group to break through 100 million cumulative production and sales.
What is more noteworthy is the structural change: over ten years, the proportion of local brands rose from 38.0% to 65.0%, new energy penetration rose from 0.2% to 36.4%, and overseas sales increased from 697,000 vehicles to 1.071 million vehicles. This is a profound transformation of "trading structure for scale" — numbers are adjusting, quality is leaping. Outside of 100 million vehicles, challenges still exist, but SAIC has bid farewell to the old era of making money solely from joint ventures; the sequel to scale will be written by technology-driven.
Industry Dimension: From "Market for Technology" to "Defined by China".
SAIC's 100 million vehicles is a bright mirror of the rise of Chinese automobiles. Forty-odd years ago we traded market for technology; today Chinese car companies begin to export technology, standards, and ecosystems to the world.
Especially "Autonomous, New Energy, Export" — the New Three Items have become the core support of the Chinese automotive industry. Local brands have broken through a market share of 60%; new energy penetration is approaching 40%. SAIC started with 1,125 new energy vehicles from the 2010 World Expo and ended 2024 with 1.368 million vehicles delivered at terminals; semi-solid-state batteries, zero-combustion magic cube batteries, and other technologies lead the world; exports have ranked first globally for two consecutive years. SAIC products are distributed in over 170 countries, with cumulative overseas deliveries exceeding 7 million vehicles; MG has been the top-selling Chinese brand in Europe for 11 consecutive years.
In 2025, Chinese automobile production and sales ranked first globally for 17 consecutive years, and new energy vehicles ranked first globally for 11 consecutive years. Innovation has moved from "single-point breakthroughs" to "systematic promotion". SAIC has cumulatively invested over 150 billion yuan in R&D, with nearly 25,000 valid patents. Semi-solid-state batteries were mass-produced first, steer-by-wire was implemented, and dual L4 licenses were secured — hard-core technology has moved from the "bookshelf" to the "store shelf".
National Dimension: From Economic Pillar to World Business Card.
In 2023, China's automotive industry output value reached 11 trillion yuan, accounting for nearly 10% of GDP, exceeding real estate for the first time as the primary economic pillar, with direct and indirect employment exceeding 30 million people. Strong automobiles mean strong manufacturing; strong manufacturing means a stable Chinese economy.
SAIC's globalization is upgrading from "Product Going Global" to "Value Chain Going Global". Relying on three R&D centers and four overseas manufacturing bases, the self-operated RoRo fleet has reached 41 ships, with routes covering the globe. This is not just growth in export data, but a profound reconstruction of global capabilities. The technology and products of Chinese intelligence are bringing greener and smarter travel choices to global users — this is the most vivid world meaning of "Made in China".
Genetics: The Underlying Logic of 100 Million Choices
100 million vehicles is not just a number. It is more like a milestone, leading us to look back: on what basis did this group reach today?
Over seventy years of prosperity, leading the way through multiple waves of industry changes, is not accidental. Amidst the ups and downs where wind tunnels alternate one after another and frivolity prevails, SAIC has precipitated three core genes: dare to break through, good at coexisting, and valuing original intentions — this is the fundamental confidence for enterprises to cross cycles and resist risks, and the most precious spiritual base color for high-quality industrial enterprises in China.
Dare to break through, do not stick to the comfort zone.
In 1958, workers in an alley workshop hammered out the Phoenix brand sedan with hammers — "A golden phoenix flies out of a straw nest". This is the simplest interpretation of "knowing cars": even without conditions, create conditions to build cars and let Chinese people drive their own sedans.
In 1987, the localization rate of the Santana was only 2.7%. Zhu Rongji proposed "Never do substitute engineering". The Shanghai Automotive Gear Factory sent 43 people to Germany to disassemble and transport second-hand transmission equipment. In 1989, the domestic Santana transmission was born, with quality fully meeting standards. By 1993, the localization rate exceeded 80%.
In 2016, SAIC and Alibaba crossed boundaries to launch the Roewe RX5, the world's first mass-produced Internet car. Jack Ma sighed that "the driving force needed for innovation to land is huge", but SAIC dared to be the first to move, evolving cars from mechanical tools into intelligent terminals. This breakthrough was the starting point of "understanding you" — users need not just transportation, but a partner connected to digital life.
In the Intelligent Electric Era, from mass-producing semi-solid-state batteries to implementing steer-by-wire, from dual L4 licenses to AI large models on cars, SAIC has always responded to "how to understand users better" with technological breakthroughs — range anxiety? Solved. Control pain points? Solved. Smart experience? From understanding commands to predicting needs.
Not sticking to past achievements, not following industry trends blindly, seeking survival in change and developing in innovation — this is the development base color that SAIC has always followed.
Good at coexisting, do not build cars in isolation.
In the 1980s, SAIC gathered the strength of the city to overcome parts localization. German experts taught technology, Chinese workers learned craftsmanship. German experts sent coffee for Chinese workers, Chinese workers invited German experts home for Chinese New Year. Cooperation was to let Chinese users have cars of world-class quality — this is the original intention of "understanding you" in itself.
In 1998, the Shanghai General Motors project was built and put into production in just 23 months, creating "Shanghai Speed". The chairman of General Motors of the US sighed: "We brought the management and technology of General Motors in the US to Shanghai General Motors, we also want to bring the construction speed of Shanghai General Motors back to the US."
Today, SAIC never becomes an "ecosystem island". With Huawei, the Stelato was launched, bringing high-level intelligent driving into the 150,000 yuan family bracket; in-depth co-creation with Momenta, intelligent driving solutions empower IM Motors, Volkswagen, Audi, Buick, Cadillac, and other brands; together with tech companies such as OPPO, Doubao, and Horizon Robotics, they turn AI large models, intelligent cockpits, and chip computing power into smooth experiences that users can touch and feel.
The 100 millionth user is the Momenta CEO — partners becoming car owners, this is the most vivid persuasiveness of an open co-creation ecosystem.
Openness is not dependency, coexistence is not compromise, but turning external resources into own technology, product, and service capabilities, ultimately benefiting thousands of users.
Valuing original intentions, not betraying trust.
The iron law of Santana localization "Never do substitute engineering" continues today in every factory and production line of SAIC. From promoting the concept change with small matters like "Toilet Revolution" to making "exquisiteness" the vow of quality work — users do not understand technical parameters, but they understand "This car is reliable to use".
Fengxiang supplied bumpers for Shanghai General Motors. The first batch of products met the standards, but General Motors required higher quality. The general manager said nothing and sawed off that bumper on the spot: "Customers are God. What God does not want is to be sawed off."
This obsession with quality eventually turned into the reputation of "10-year fade-proof paint", "zero self-ignition battery", "300,000 kilometers without major overhaul". Quality is the baseline of "understanding you". No "understanding" can leave "reliability". SAIC exchanged 70 years of quality adherence for 100 million times of trust choice by users.
Three cultures, one lineage. Breakthrough makes SAIC constantly break boundaries; coexistence makes SAIC gather global wisdom; original intention makes SAIC win user trust. These three genes eventually converge into one simple promise: Know cars, understand you better.
Knowing cars is the extreme pursuit of core technology. Understanding you is to accurately implement every frontier technology into a perceivable and enjoyable美好 travel experience for users. "Know cars, understand you better" is not a slogan, but an action guideline that runs through SAIC.
Just as the temperature conveyed by the global delivery ceremony — no deliberate positioning, only a handoff of keys stick after stick, and 100 million trusts completing the relay.
Journey: 100 Million Is Not the End, The New Journey Surpasses the Past
In 1955, a starting point of a small alley workshop.
In 1983, the first Santana assembly was off the line, localization rate 2.7%. The German Spiegel asserted the project might fail.
In 2006, the first Roewe 750 was off the line, breaking the ice for local brands.
In 2016, the first Internet car Roewe RX5 was launched.
On May 28, 2026, the global 100 millionth user was delivered.
This is a long-distance run spanning over 70 years. Every leg was accompanied by doubts and challenges, and every step stepped on the key nodes of the Chinese automotive industry.
100 million vehicles is a milestone and also a watershed. The era of wild growth for the Chinese automotive industry has ended, and the old path of extensive scale expansion and homogeneous low-price competition has reached its end. SAIC has bid farewell to the traditional thinking of "scale priority" and is accelerating the deep transformation into a user-oriented high-tech travel company.
On the technical end, deepen the "Three Electrics", intelligent driving, digital chassis, AI cockpit, and promote technology equality; on the market end, consolidate the local brand base, deepen the globalization strategy, and promote the full-range global export of brands, technology, standards, and ecosystems; on the industrial end, persist in open coexistence and build a more vital intelligent travel ecosystem.
From the faint starlight in Shanghai alleyways to the industrial galaxy of 100 million volumes; from passively following overseas standards to proactively defining the industry's future; from a single vehicle manufacturing enterprise to a technology travel service provider with a full domain layout — SAIC's 70 years is an engineering history of a single enterprise, and more so, an evolutionary history of the Chinese automotive industry's turbulent advancement, seeking light and rising upward.
Now, standing on a new starting point, SAIC's next 100 million vehicles will also present a more distinct new posture: Local brands as the flag, global as the boundary, technology as the core. The road ahead will be run faster and travel farther, making Chinese automobiles not only have the weight of scale, but also the power of technology, the gold content of brands, and truly stand at the top of the world.
100 million is not the end — the road ahead is long, the journey is not yet finished.
