In response to connectivity restrictions faced by vehicle infotainment systems overseas, Zeekr has launched a "Cross-border Guardian" feature within its mobile app, allowing users to submit one-click requests for self-unlocking. Additionally, Zeekr is developing an overseas anti-theft function toggle, enabling users to activate or deactivate this feature via their smartphones before traveling abroad. If not manually enabled, the function will remain inactive; once activated, users can still unlock related features through the app. Chery Group announced that its cumulative global sales have surpassed 20 million units, maintaining its position as China’s top passenger vehicle exporter for 23 consecutive years. In June 2026 alone, Chery exported 191,062 vehicles, setting a new record for monthly Chinese auto exports for the fourth consecutive month. On July 23, Dongfeng Yipai launched its mid-to-large SUV, the Yipai M8, offering five variants with official guidance prices ranging from RMB 179,800 to RMB 219,800. A limited-time promotional price starts at RMB 165,800, and the model received over 10,000 orders within four hours of launch. Mitsubishi Motors plans to invest THB 16 billion (approximately USD 475 million) to expand its hybrid vehicle production capacity in Thailand, reinforcing the country's role as a core manufacturing and export hub. Volkswagen Group has revised down its 2026 revenue forecast, now expecting annual revenue to decline by up to 3%, compared to its previous outlook of flat to 3% growth. Persistent sales declines in China are intensifying its operational pressures. CATL reported RMB 276.917 billion in revenue for the first half of 2026, up 54.80% year-over-year, and net profit attributable to shareholders of listed companies reached RMB 43.284 billion, an increase of 41.98% year-over-year. The company intends to distribute a cash dividend equivalent to 15% of its semi-annual net profit—approximately RMB 6.493 billion—or RMB 14.11 per 10 shares (pre-tax). STMicroelectronics reported Q2 2026 net revenue of USD 3.49 billion, up 26.0% year-over-year, and net income of USD 222 million, compared to a net loss of USD 97 million in the same period last year. On a non-GAAP basis, earnings per share stood at USD 0.31, exceeding market expectations. Valeo reported H1 2026 sales of EUR 10.4 billion, up 0.7% year-over-year, with original equipment (OE) sales reaching EUR 8.5 billion, down slightly by 0.6% year-over-year. The company maintains its full-year guidance of EUR 20–21 billion in sales and an operating margin of 4.7%–5.3%. Lens Technology and Tuoyuan Intelligence signed a strategic cooperation agreement to collaborate in the field of embodied intelligence, integrating Lens’ precision manufacturing capabilities with X-Era Lab’s motion models and system platforms to drive the implementation of a closed-loop solution combining “models + physical bodies + scenarios.” Axera Tech established a wholly owned subsidiary, “Axera Computing,” to spin off its AI inference business and focus exclusively on on-device and edge-side inference computing power, inheriting the “Axera Tongyuan” NPU technology roadmap from its parent company. The U.S.-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released a study on Waymo’s autonomous taxis, analyzing approximately 50 million miles of driving data from 2021 to 2024. The findings show that Waymo’s accident rate is 68% lower than that of human drivers, with most incidents being minor and not attributable to Waymo. Only in Austin was the accident rate slightly higher due to limited sample size. The report notes that current data remains insufficient and more mileage is needed to validate safety conclusively. In the first half of 2026, China’s total auto exports amounted to RMB 635.82 billion, up 48.3% year-over-year, reaching over 210 countries and regions worldwide. Of this, new energy vehicle (NEV) exports totaled RMB 360.68 billion, surging 68.7% year-over-year. Total vehicle exports reached 5.31 million units, up 53% year-over-year, including 1.07 million units exported in June alone—a 73% year-over-year and 8% month-over-month increase. Russia reclaimed its position as China’s largest auto export destination, receiving 448,157 complete vehicles in H1 2026, up 148% year-over-year; June exports to Russia alone totaled 84,451 units, an increase of 58,053 units. The China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) forecasts that domestic passenger vehicle retail sales in July 2026 will reach approximately 1.52 million units, with NEV sales expected at 980,000 units, achieving a record-high monthly penetration rate of 64.5%. Overall sales are projected to dip slightly from June due to seasonal weakness, weather conditions, and demand pulled forward by June’s end-of-quarter push, with internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle sales declining more sharply. In H1 2026, cumulative domestic passenger vehicle sales totaled 8.701 million units, of which 4.704 million were NEVs, resulting in an average penetration rate of 54.1%. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), despite disruptions in natural gas markets caused by Middle East tensions, global electricity demand is projected to grow by 3.6% in 2026 and 3.8% in 2027, driven by rising demand from industry, appliances, cooling, electric vehicles, and data centers. Renewables are expected to surpass coal as the largest source of electricity generation in 2026, with solar power generation increasing by approximately 600 terawatt-hours (TWh), potentially overtaking wind to become the second-largest renewable electricity source.