In July 2026, monthly sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China exceeded 60% of total new vehicle sales for the first time, while cumulative market share surpassed 50%. These two "firsts" combined mark that NEVs have truly crossed the watershed of claiming "half the territory."
Viewed within a longer timeline, 2026 holds another identity: as NEVs move from niche to mainstream, this year is seen as the critical transition point where the industry shifts from the "electrification" first half to the "intelligentization" second half.
In September, nine government departments including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) jointly issued the 15th Five-Year Plan for the Development of the Intelligent Connected New Energy Vehicle Industry, setting targets for NEV passenger car and commercial vehicle sales shares to reach 70% and 40%, respectively, by 2030. Also this year, L3-level autonomous driving is regarded as the "year one of mass production," with AI large models being deployed in vehicles at scale, accelerating the shift from "Software-Defined Vehicles" to the era of "AI-Defined Vehicles."
Behind the dual leap in market penetration and technological main航道, the landscape of China's NEV and intelligent connected vehicle industry is undergoing a new reconstruction: demand-side changes are driving supply-side transformations.
As the industry reaches another critical inflection point, beyond the diverse consumer-facing auto shows, the sector needs a B2B platform that centrally presents transformation directions and implementation paths, meeting consumer-side changes through supply-side innovation to win at the start of the second half.
From December 2 to 5, Automechanika Shanghai 2026 (AMS 2026) will be held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). As Asia's largest B2B trade fair covering the entire automotive industry chain, it will bring together 7,600 exhibitors from home and abroad, spanning 16 halls and mezzanine exhibition spaces with a total display area of 390,000 square meters. The NEV and Intelligent Connected section, located in Halls 5.1 and 6.1, will cover nearly 46,000 square meters—a 20% increase over 2025—and feature approximately 700 exhibitors (with more than 30 making their debut), comprehensively showcasing the development and transformation panorama of China's NEV and intelligent connected vehicle industry.
With the event approaching, key brands, exhibition formats, and product technology highlights for the AMS 2026 NEV and Intelligent Connected section have been gradually revealed—forming a strategic layout of "5 Regional Industrial Clusters + 3 Industry-Specific Zones," outlining the full landscape of China's NEV and intelligent connected vehicle development in the second half.
5 Major Regional Industrial Clusters Debut, Redefining "Automotive Industry Belts"
If the first half was defined by the success of cluster-based competition, how should industrial clusters continue their path in the second half? This is undoubtedly the biggest highlight of this edition's AMS NEV and Intelligent Connected section.
Anhui: From "Top Production Province" to "Technology Source"
Anhui's label is scale. In 2025, Anhui produced 1.7941 million NEVs, ranking first nationwide for the first time; in the first half of 2026, it retained the top spot with 881,800 units. Beyond leading in scale, Anhui is accelerating its advancement toward becoming a source of technology and full-chain collaboration.
At this AMS, the "Anhui Intelligent Connected NEV Industrial Cluster" will debut as an exhibition group, partnering with brands such as NIO, Sungrow Power, and iFLYTEK to showcase powertrain systems (battery, motor, electronic control), intelligent cockpits, and intelligent acoustic solutions.
NIO will present its fully self-developed electric drive systems and multi-platform 400V/900V product portfolios, reflecting high-voltage platforms and deep vertical integration. Sungrow Power will focus on NEV electronic controls and onboard power supplies, launching four electric drive products covering the entire N1, N2, and N3 markets: EM3E integrated motor-controller, EE54 primary-auxiliary drive multi-in-one, EA52 auxiliary drive three-in-one, and EE80 heavy-duty truck primary-auxiliary drive multi-in-one. These products prioritize high voltage, integration, and platformization, featuring compact size, flexible adaptability, and excellent performance. iFLYTEK will primarily share overall solutions for intelligent cockpits and intelligent acoustics.
Anhui's strategy binds complete vehicles with components, software with hardware, and multiple technical routes together under the banner of "technology sourcing." Moving from leading in total vehicle output to clustered exports of powertrain systems and intelligent cockpits, it demonstrates an industrial ecosystem characterized by OEM-supplier synergy, integrated software-hardware capabilities, and parallel multi-technology routes.
Changzhou: One Vehicle Project Grows into a Chain
The establishment of Li Auto's factory in 2016 laid the foundation for the city's automotive industry chain construction over the subsequent decade. By 2025, Changzhou had become the only "Double Trillion City" in China to achieve breakthroughs in both GDP and NEV industry scale.
At this AMS, "Changzhou · NEV Industry Highland" will reappear, centering on Li Auto and bringing together charging facilities and upstream supply chain enterprises to collectively present the development trends of Changzhou's full NEV industry chain.
Changzhou's approach uses "chain thinking" to bind upstream and downstream players. Evolving from a single vehicle project to vehicle-led traction, core component coordination, and closed-loop energy-connectivity integration, it showcases an industrial ecosystem of chain aggregation and full-chain export. This also mirrors current competition: the battle in the NEV and intelligent connected vehicle industry is no longer about a specific model, but the entire chain.
Chongqing: Traditional ICE Hub Accelerates Transformation
Chongqing is one of the six major hubs of the traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) era. This time, it will participate in AMS for the first time as the "Chongqing Intelligent Connected NEV Industrial Cluster," clearly signaling its intent to accelerate transformation.
The exhibition group's vehicle-end technologies and products will be centrally presented by representative brands AITO and Avatr. Beyond complete vehicles, Beidou Zhilian will offer solutions including AIBOX, high-tier cockpit-driving fusion computing platforms, low-orbit satellite-based RTK high-precision positioning terminals, air-space-ground-sea satellite communication terminals, and integrated cockpit-driving-control systems, covering autonomous and assisted driving, communication navigation, and intelligent cockpits. Qingshan Industrial will unveil the GI-Drive 2.0 multi-in-one electric drive assembly, distributed electric drive assemblies, and high-performance planetary gear reducers, along with P13 hybrid systems and P1 range extenders, providing customized power solutions for different vehicle types. Lanshan Electronics will highlight its LS-N636 high-computing-power, high-safety automotive-grade MCU products, meeting specific computational requirements and supporting software ecosystems.
Notably, companies specializing in intelligent driving, AI, and embodied intelligence such as Western Zhilian and Niumu Intelligence are also part of the exhibition group, displaying physical robots and systems for automatic deployment, AI early warning, big data, and intelligent warning robots. This illustrates Chongqing's new industrial landscape, transitioning from a traditional vehicle hub to comprehensive technical solutions, and accelerating transformation from automotive to AI and embodied intelligence.
Additionally, during the exhibition, the Chongqing delegation will host the "Yumao Global · Smart Engine Future" forum. Leveraging policy announcements and AMS's international exhibition platform effect, it aims to enhance the global recognition of Chinese characteristic industrial clusters and support Chinese automotive supply chain enterprises in deepening their globalization efforts.
Hubei: Convergence of Optoelectronic Information and "China's Car Valley"
Hubei is a key representative of the central region's automotive industry base. As a consistently participating industrial cluster, this time it presents not just the transformation of an ICE hub, but the integrated development of optoelectronic information technology and "China's Car Valley."
At this AMS, the "Hubei NEV and Intelligent Connected Industrial Cluster" will focus on the convergence of vehicular optical communication and intelligent connected vehicle software. Guangting Information will introduce its "Super Software Factory," using a "1 Basic Platform + N Agents" architecture to integrate large models with automotive knowledge graphs, covering the entire process of requirement analysis, AI development, testing, and project management to achieve human-machine collaboration. Tuocai Technology will provide high-purity semiconductor materials applied in key areas such as integrated circuit chips and infrared imaging.
This model of light-vehicle fusion, software-hardware synergy, and material support reflects Hubei's unique path in NEV and intelligent connected transformation: while grounded in practical transformation as a traditional ICE hub, it is also leveraging advantageous industries to look ahead, laying out next-generation technologies and products.
Longquan: Gear Shift of a County-Level Cluster
Niche segments also offer micro-samples of cluster competition. Zhejiang Longquan possesses the nation's largest block-shaped industrial cluster for automotive air conditioning. The popularization of electrification and intelligence, along with the surge in electric commercial vehicles, is pushing it onto the track of NEV thermal management.
The "Longquan Thermal Management Industrial Cluster," which has participated continuously for many years, will partner with local brands such as Innovation, Sanqian, Santian, and Xinjin at this AMS. They will present the transformation from ICE cooling products to NEV whole-vehicle thermal management technologies, with products covering key technologies for electric compressors, solenoid valves, dryers, radiators, and other electric vehicle and electronic air conditioning system components.
The gear shift of a county-level cluster, viewed against the broader industrial backdrop, illustrates that this transformation is not confined to head cities and regions but is penetrating into niche tracks—affecting every link in the chain.
3 Industry-Specific Zones Debut, Building Depth for the Second Half
If the first half achieved domestic leadership, how does the industry build depth and go overseas as competition enters the second half? The inaugural setup of3 industry-specific zones partially answers these questions.
Automotive Semiconductor Ecosystem: Frontline Battle for Domestic Supply Chain Strengthening
As the market shifts to stock competition and industry profit margins face pressure, leading automakers are accelerating self-developed chip initiatives. The debut "Automotive Semiconductor Ecosystem" zone, through holistic hall displays linked with conference forums, aims to place semiconductor chips, complete vehicles, and Tier 1 suppliers in the same arena, empowering the industry to continuously strengthen its domestic supply chain.
This AMS focuses on the entire automotive-grade semiconductor industry chain. Leading brands such as Ruidi Microelectronics, Guangtong Yuanchi, and Tongfei will present rich products across various fields, including chip design, third-generation power semiconductors, vehicular computing chips, MCUs, sensors, automotive certifications, and vehicular electronic accessories, demonstrating technical achievements in strengthening the domestic supply chain for core components.
Quality Certification Standards: Crossing the "Standard Gate" Before Going Global
Similarly debuting is the "Quality Certification Standards" zone. As Chinese automakers' globalization evolves from product export to systematic overseas expansion, requirements such as EU data compliance and algorithm regulation are forcing enterprises to enhance localized operations and compliance capabilities. The significance of this zone is to enable enterprises to align with international norms while also promoting Chinese innovative standards globally.
The zone anchors itself in IATF 16949, the internationally recognized automotive quality management system technical specification. Partnering with industry associations and renowned certification bodies such as AIAG, IAOB, BSI, and CQC, it brings together standard-setters, training institutions, certification agencies, and regulatory bodies to construct an ecosystem for implementing automotive quality management standards.
The concurrent Asia-Pacific Quality Summit, taking the update of the IATF 16949:2026 standard as an opportunity, invites government agencies, automakers, and experts from China, Europe, and the US to provide guidance on quality management systems, quality tools, carbon management, and overseas compliance strategies. Through OEM-supplier matchmaking activities, it helps supply chain enterprises connect with international OEMs, boosting the internationalization of China's automotive industry.
Air-Ground Intelligent Connectivity: Three Industries Move Toward Integrated Development
As the core supply chain of intelligent connected NEVs rapidly extends into embodied robotics and low-altitude aircraft sectors, the third debut zone, "Air-Ground Intelligent Connectivity," emerges. It creates an immersive experience space themed "Air-Ground Synergy, Intelligent Future," presenting the deep integration of three industries from separate development into unified supply chains, collectively forming a core growth pole in smart manufacturing.
Leading enterprises in niche fields such as Galileo, Jingwei Hirain, Suzhou Guoxin, Neolix, Xingtu Zhilian, and Zhuoyue Yihang will appear together. Integrating low-altitude intelligent equipment, ground intelligent carriers, core technology foundations, and testing/certification support, they will fully present the end-to-end industrial system from "automotive-grade chips - electronic hardware and controllers - software algorithms - system integration and intelligent chassis - finished equipment and unmanned systems - testing verification and inspection certification." This promotes cross-domain linkage between ground vehicles, low-altitude equipment, and communication networks, showcasing China's cutting-edge capabilities in integrated air-ground intelligent mobility to the world.
"5+3" Content Reveals Three Emerging Industry Trends
Synthesizing the preliminary content released by the 5 regional industrial clusters and3 industry-specific zones, three emerging industry trends can be observed, guiding development and innovation in the second half.
First, deepening industrial transformation is generating full-chain demands for cultivating regional industrial clusters and deploying frontier technologies. After NEV market penetration crossed the 50% watershed, competition is no longer limited to single products but has shifted to systematic battles involving OEM-supplier synergy and integrated software-hardware capabilities. Anhui's upgrade from a production giant to a technology source, and Changzhou's construction of a complete NEV chain ecosystem based on vehicle projects, exemplify how regions are arranging innovation chains around industrial chains.
Second, traditional ICE industry hubs are facing a critical window for transforming into intelligent connected NEV bases. Manufacturing foundations accumulated in the ICE era are migrating to the NEV track. Chongqing leverages its existing automotive industry base to iterate from complete vehicles to diversified technical solutions; Hubei drives the fusion of optoelectronic information and automotive industries; Zhejiang Longquan upgrades its traditional automotive air conditioning cluster to a NEV thermal management industry. These are vivid samples of industrial leaps in old bases.
Third, automotive supply chains are accelerating extension into embodied robotics and low-altitude aircraft, with the three industries moving toward deep integration. Automotive-grade chips, controllers, algorithms, chassis, and testing/certification have high homology and reuse potential. Consequently, intelligent connected vehicles are no longer just a single terminal industry but a core growth pole for smart manufacturing. The cross-domain linkage shown in the Air-Ground Intelligent Connectivity zone and the embodied intelligence integration in the Chongqing group indicate that supply chain spillover "from cars to air, from cars to robots" is occurring.
In summary, as China's NEV production and sales rise annually and the second half officially begins, the industry's globalization has upgraded from product export to full value chain localization. Predictably, AMS 2026, with its comprehensive "5+3" layout, will not merely be a display of products and technologies, but a panoramic presentation of China's NEV and intelligent connected vehicle industry—from technological breakthroughs to scaled implementation, and from domestic leadership to global positioning.