Multiple Automakers and Suppliers Reveal Updates: Aito M6 Bookings Top 100,000; L3 Seen as Essential for Autonomous Driving

Harmony Intelligent Mobility announced that since the Aito M6 launched pre-sales on March 23, total reservations have exceeded 100,000 units. Positioned as a large five-seater SUV targeting young families, the model is available in both extended-range (starting at RMB 269,800) and battery-electric versions (starting at RMB 289,800). At the High-Level Forum on Intelligent and Electric Vehicle Development (2026), Jin Yuzhi, Senior Vice President of Huawei, stated that Level 3 (L3) autonomous driving is an essential phase on the path toward full autonomy and cannot be skipped. Achieving Level 4 (L4) requires at least a tenfold improvement in safety and depends heavily on extensive data accumulation. Lu Fang, Chairman of Voyah Auto, noted that the "fierce and unhealthy competition" seen in 2023 has significantly improved. While market competition remains intense, it is now trending toward healthier dynamics, with unfair competitive practices declining. Yu Cheng, General Manager of Global Product Development at Deepal Auto (a subsidiary of Changan Automobile), revealed that the company’s first-generation fuel cell system outperforms industry averages by over 10% across multiple metrics and has already been deployed in the Deepal SL03 hydrogen-electric variant currently on sale. The second-generation system is under development, aiming for leading performance and substantial cost reduction, with plans to launch a new fuel-cell passenger vehicle in 2027. Li Bin, founder of NIO, commented that the rapid iteration of smart EVs leads to resource waste and called for standardizing battery cells and unifying chip architectures, which could generate over RMB 100 billion in industry-wide cost savings. Following its suspension of custom orders for the Model S and Model X, Tesla is now inviting select customers to purchase limited-edition “Signature Series” Plaid models. Jiangsu Yueda Automotive Group clarified that reports claiming Chery Automobile had taken over HiPhi’s Yancheng factory are false. The facility remains owned by Yueda Kia and previously only collaborated with Human Horizons for HiPhi vehicle production. Seres Automobile Co., Ltd. has been granted authorization for a utility model patent titled “Vehicle-Mounted Toilet and Vehicle.” The device can be fully concealed beneath the seat when not in use. BMW’s next-generation iX3 M Performance model, the iX3 M60 xDrive (NA5), is expected to enter production in March 2027. RunChip Microelectronics has secured multiple intelligent cockpit project nominations from BAIC Group and will supply integrated cockpit controllers based on Unisoc’s T7870 platform. Sigmastar Technology stated that its first automotive-grade main LiDAR chip was launched at the end of 2025 and is scheduled for vehicle integration and small-scale mass production in Q2 2026. Its second blind-spot LiDAR chip is expected to debut in Q4 2026. Cui Dongshu, Secretary-General of the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), forecasts that China’s total auto wholesale volume in 2026 will reach 34.8 million units, up 1% year-over-year; new energy passenger vehicle wholesale sales are projected at 17.3 million units, rising 13% YoY; and exports are expected to hit 6.5 million units, also growing 13% YoY. Fang Haifeng, an expert at China Automotive Technology & Research Center, predicts that by 2030, new energy vehicles (NEVs) will account for more than 70% of China’s auto market, with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) as the dominant technology path and plug-in hybrids (including range-extended models) continuing to gain market share. According to the “Technology Roadmap for Energy Conservation and New Energy Vehicles,” all conventional-fuel passenger cars will be hybridized by 2035, and hybrid powertrains will represent over 65% of conventional-fuel commercial vehicles by 2040. A former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Deputy Director of the National Advisory Committee for Building a Manufacturing Power also stated that NEVs will become the absolute market mainstream by 2030, with domestic penetration exceeding 70%, and China is expected to achieve its goal of becoming a global NEV powerhouse ahead of schedule by the end of the “15th Five-Year Plan” period (2026–2030). According to data from the China Automotive Battery Industry Innovation Alliance, national production of power and energy storage batteries totaled 177.7 GWh in March 2026, up 25.5% month-over-month and 50.2% year-over-year. Cumulative output for Q1 2026 reached 487.4 GWh, a 49.3% increase compared to the same period last year.