When a car slowly drives towards the delivery stage, what people see might be an ordinary new car delivery; but when this car becomes the first hundred millionth vehicle in the development history of China's automotive industry, the meaning it carries far exceeds the product itself.
On May 28, SAIC Motor Group's "Global First Hundred Millionth User Delivery Ceremony" was held at the World Living Room at North Bund in Shanghai. With the completion of delivery to the world's first hundred millionth user, SAIC Motor Group has become the first automotive group in China to surpass 100 million cumulative production and sales. This is not only an important milestone in the company's development history, but also writes a new chapter for China's automotive industry.
100 million vehicles, is a number, and also a history of industrial growth spanning over seven decades. Looking back at the development history of China's automotive industry, SAIC has always been an important participant and witness. In 1955, the Shanghai Internal Combustion Engine Parts Manufacturing Company was established; in 1958, the "Phoenix" sedan was born, achieving an important breakthrough in Shanghai's sedan manufacturing field. From initial exploration and start-up, to the opening of the joint cooperation era, to the growth of independent brands and new energy transformation, SAIC's development trajectory is closely intertwined with the development context of China's automotive industry.
In 1983, the Santana rolled off the line, promoting the modernization process of China's automotive industry; in 1997, Shanghai GM was established, creating industry attention with "Shanghai Speed"; in 2006, the Roewe brand was born, opening a new stage for independent brand development; in 2016, the Internet car Roewe RX5 was launched; in 2020, IM Motors was established, further layout of the smart electric vehicle track.
In the constantly changing market environment, SAIC has always promoted technological innovation and product upgrades around the concept of "Understanding cars better, understanding you better". From localization system construction to Internet car exploration; from fully-by-wire chassis, solid-state and semi-solid-state battery R&D, to AI large models and intelligent driving technology applications, every technological iteration has become an important support for its stride to a new stage.
At this delivery ceremony, the highly anticipated first hundred millionth delivery model is the IM LS9 Hyper.
As an important manifestation of the phase results of SAIC's technology system, the IM LS9 Hyper is equipped with fully-by-wire four-wheel steering technology, 520-line ultra-vision LiDAR, and NVIDIA Thor chip, and adopts a global 800V high-voltage platform and Star Super Extended Range technology. At the same time, the new car is the first to be equipped with the SAIC Gold Label Hurricane Three-Motor, and jointly with Zijinshan Laboratory to first release "Intrinsic Safety" technology, further extending safety capabilities to the information and system levels.
It is worth noting that the world's first hundred millionth user is Momenta CEO Cao Xudong. As an important partner representative of SAIC's intelligent driving ecosystem, his conversion from partner to user identity also became a major highlight of this delivery ceremony. Both sides continue to carry out technical co-creation in the field of intelligent driving, and relevant results have been applied to multiple independent and joint venture brand models.
If the first hundred millionth vehicle reflects technical accumulation, then the delivery scenarios covering the global market demonstrate the results of SAIC's systematic development.
On the day of the event, more than ten whole vehicle brands under SAIC and nineteen car models participated in the "Global Relay Delivery" simultaneously. From Shangjie Z7, Huajing S, Roewe M7, MG4 semi-solid-state battery version, to Wuling Starlight 560, Maxus eDeliver5, Hongyan Heavy Truck, Yujin Dana T1, Sunwin Pure Electric Bus, and Iveco Juxing EV, different brands and products covered diverse scenarios such as personal travel, family cars, commercial logistics, and public transportation.
Meanwhile, models such as VW ID. ERA 9X, AUDI E7X, and Buick Zhijing E7 also made a joint appearance, showcasing the latest results of SAIC promoting technical synergy and product innovation in the "Joint Venture 2.0" stage.
Starting from the Shanghai main venue, the delivery scenes were successively presented in domestic cities such as Nanjing, Liuzhou, Taiyuan, as well as overseas areas such as the UK, Indonesia, and Singapore. This delivery activity spanning regions and time zones not only connected global users but also reflected the layout results of SAIC continuing to promote international development.
After years of development, SAIC has formed a global system covering R&D, manufacturing, logistics, sales, and services. Nowadays, its products and services cover over 170 countries and regions, with cumulative overseas sales exceeding 7 million units. Whether it is the layout of R&D and innovation centers, or the construction of production manufacturing and distribution service networks, all provide strong support for its global development.
In fact, the value behind 100 million vehicles is not only reflected in scale.
For the automotive industry, every vehicle corresponds to a real user, a life story, and a travel experience. From family users to corporate clients, from public welfare workers to logistics practitioners, users of different identities together constitute the vivid picture behind this "100 million vehicles".
And at the event scene, "users" also became the true protagonists. Whether they are pioneer users experiencing new technologies for the first time or ordinary consumers who have long followed the brand development, they jointly witnessed this historic moment, and gave the "100 million vehicles" a meaning with more warmth.
Standing at a new node looking back, SAIC completed a growth journey from chasing to running alongside, and then to participating in leading over seven decades; facing the future, 100 million vehicles is more like a new starting line.
Summary: Coming from the traditional automotive era, against the background of new energy, intelligence, and globalization accelerating continuously, China's automotive industry is welcoming a new competitive landscape. For SAIC which has already entered the "Hundred Million Era", how to continue promoting technological innovation, deepening global layout, and meeting users' constantly upgrading needs may become an important topic for the next stage.
From the starting exploration in 1955 to welcoming the world's first hundred millionth user in 2026; from the first car rolling off the production line to cumulative production and sales exceeding 100 million vehicles, this report records the development journey of an enterprise and also reflects the constant forward steps of China's automotive industry. So, standing on the new starting point, what story will SAIC Motor Group write in the next chapter?
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