People's Daily published a front-page analysis on August 26, 2026, the first in a series on China's new energy vehicle industry, tracing how the country built a generational lead by running electrification, intelligence and connectivity on three parallel tracks.
According to the report, China's NEV sales grew more than 930-fold from 17,600 units in 2013 to 16.49 million units in 2025, while the penetration rate climbed from 0.08% to 47.9%. China has ranked first globally in NEV production and sales for 11 consecutive years since 2015. In the first half of 2026, overseas sales of Chinese NEVs increased 1.2 times year on year.
The article attributes the leadership to a complete industrial chain, sustained policy support, and rapid iteration in intelligent driving and smart cockpit technologies, noting that the triple-track strategy of electrification, intelligence and connectivity has created a structural advantage that competing markets have found hard to replicate quickly.
Image: Automotive technology showcased at a global mobility show. Source: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).
