Flooded by China's First 100-Million-Unit Car Manufacturer! Why Did SAIC Motor Set a New Record?

For the Chinese automotive industry, May 28, 2026 is a memorable day.

With the "Global 100 Millionth User Handover Ceremony" held at the Shanghai North Bund World Living Room, SAIC Motor Chairman Wang Xiaoqiu handed the 100 millionth vehicle IM LS9 Hyper to Momenta CEO Cao Xudong, marking the birth of the first Chinese automotive group with cumulative production and sales exceeding 100 million units!

This is not only a milestone moment for SAIC, but also a glory belonging to Made in China and the Chinese automotive industry. Looking back at the journey of China's first 100-million-level car manufacturer, SAIC's success is traceable.

Over 70 years of deep cultivation: SAIC achieved a "small goal" of one hundred million

Success never happens overnight. From 0 to "one hundred million", SAIC Group experienced over 70 years of deep cultivation, with generations exerting huge efforts. In 1955, the Shanghai Internal Combustion Engine Parts Manufacturing Company was established, and Shanghai's automotive industry started from there. In 1958, workers knocked out the first "Phoenix Brand" sedan with hammers, achieving a "zero breakthrough" for Shanghai sedan manufacturing.

Then in 1983, the Shanghai Volkswagen Santana came off the line, opening the door for joint venture cooperation; in 1997, Shanghai GM was established, creating the "Shanghai Speed" of 23 months to build a factory and produce vehicles; in 2006, the independent brand Roewe was born, and in 2016, the world's first Internet car Roewe RX5 was launched; in 2020, the high-end smart electric brand IM Motors was established.

From the Santana localization community to joint venture 2.0 technology co-creation, from Internet cars to full wire-controlled chassis, solid-state/semi-solid-state batteries, and AI large models on vehicles. In fact, every leap was an advancement in "knowing cars" capability, a inheritance of the original intention to "know you". SAIC's "Knows Cars, Knows You Better" user philosophy has been consistent throughout.

The 100 Millionth Delivery Vehicle, IM LS9 Hyper!

As SAIC's 100 millionth delivery vehicle, the IM LS9 Hyper's status cannot be underestimated. It is the masterpiece of SAIC's 70 years of technology accumulation, opening a new era for the "New Three Major Components" of new energy vehicles. The IM LS9 Hyper is equipped with next-generation chassis technology, featuring the industry-first full wire-controlled four-wheel steering; next-generation intelligent driving hardware, 520-line ultra-view LiDAR + NVIDIA Thor chip; next-generation three-electric system -- Full-domain 800V high-voltage platform and Star Super Extended Range. It comprehensively pre-embedded redundant capabilities for continuous evolution towards L3 and above advanced intelligent driving. Meanwhile, the IM LS9 Hyper is the first to be equipped with SAIC's Gold Label Hurricane Three-Motor, effortlessly joining the Performance 3-second Club; it also collaborated with Purple Mountain Laboratories to launch the world-first "Endogenous Security" technology, expanding the car safety boundary from "Physical Security" to "Information and System Security", making it an essential security cornerstone of the AI era.

It is worth mentioning that SAIC's 100 millionth user was just Momenta CEO Cao Xudong! Momenta is SAIC's core strategic partner in the intelligent driving field. The intelligent driving technology deeply co-created by both parties has empowered multiple independent and joint venture brands. From partner to car owner, this is a two-way journey between the manufacturer and the user, and even a deep resonance among smart car ecosystem partners.

Global relay delivery staged, SAIC Motor departs for the next 100 million

The 100 millionth delivery is just the beginning. Departing from the Shanghai main venue, relay deliveries took place in multiple domestic cities such as Nanjing, Liuzhou, Taiyuan, as well as countries like the UK, Indonesia, and Singapore. SAIC's full brand and full product matrix worked in synergy, creating a new narrative mode for Chinese car brands.

Among them, independent brands went all out: Shangjie Z7, Huajing S, Roewe M7, MG4 Semi-solid-state Battery Version, Wuling Starlight 560, Maxus eDeliver5, Hongyan Heavy Truck, Yuejin Danan T1, Sunwin Pure Electric Bus, Iveco Juxing EV, etc., were delivered successively, covering diverse scenarios such as personal travel, family life, commercial operations, and logistics transportation. Joint venture brands concentrated on showcasing the achievements of "Joint Venture 2.0": Volkswagen ID. ERA 9X, Audi E7X, Buick Zhijing E7, Cadillac Kaiweide, etc.

Behind the 100 millionth unit lies SAIC's full value chain closed loop covering six sectors: whole vehicles, parts, mobility, services, finance, international operations, and innovative technology. From January to April 2026, SAIC's cumulative sales reached 1.302 million vehicles, ranking as the sales champion of Chinese car companies for four consecutive months. Among them, independent brand sales were 910,000 vehicles, accounting for nearly 70%; New Energy Vehicle sales were 412,000 vehicles; Overseas market sales were 459,000 vehicles, surging by 50.2% year-on-year.

Final Thoughts

After a long run of the real economy spanning over 70 years, SAIC's vehicle manufacturing journey has ushered in a phased victory. As a microcosm and witness of the Chinese automotive industry going from nothing to something, from weakness to strength, SAIC has experienced the transition from scale leadership to quality leadership and technology guidance. Now standing at the new starting point of "100 million units", SAIC is starting a "Second Startup" for the smart electric future, continuing to write the brilliant new chapter for Chinese car companies! (Written by MANGO)