Domestic Brands Near 50% Share in Premium NEV Market; Aito M9 Deliveries Top 280,000

Chinese domestic brands are rapidly rising in the premium new energy vehicle (NEV) market. Data shows that in China's passenger car segment priced above RMB 300,000, the market share of domestic brands surged from 24.9% in 2023 to 40.97% in 2025, and is projected to exceed 50% for the first time in 2026. Yu Chengdong revealed that as of March 3, 2026, Harmony Intelligent Mobility (Hongmeng Smart Mobility) had delivered a cumulative total of 1.28 million vehicles, including over 280,000 Aito M9 units and more than 15,000 Zeekr S800 units—despite the latter having been on the market for only nine months—and the Zeekr S800 has ranked as the best-selling luxury vehicle priced over RMB 1 million for five consecutive months. Brands such as Li Auto, NIO, and Denza have also demonstrated strong performance in this premium segment. Technology has become the key to breaking through the market. Harmony Intelligent Mobility recently unveiled its next-generation dual-path, image-grade LiDAR with a resolution of 896 lines, capable of detecting low obstacles as small as 14 centimeters. XPeng, BYD, and other automakers are also intensively advancing their intelligent driving technologies. Meanwhile, sales of BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi (collectively known as BBA) continue to decline, prompting them to increasingly partner with Chinese tech companies to develop advanced intelligent driving solutions. Experts note that in the era of electrification and intelligent connectivity, technological capability and innovation have become the core pillars supporting premium vehicle pricing and consumer acceptance.