On May 28, SAIC Motor held the "Global 100 Millionth User Handover Ceremony" grandly at the Shanghai North Bund World Living Room. With the delivery of the IM LS9 Hyper integrating cutting-edge intelligent electric technology, SAIC Motor has officially become the first automotive group in the history of China's auto industry to accumulate production and sales exceeding 100 million vehicles. This inscribes a milestone spanning eras for China's automotive industry and marks that "Made in China" has firmly established its position at the forefront of the global automotive landscape.
100 Million Milestone Moment: A Cross-Global Relay Delivery
This delivery ceremony was themed "Journey to 100 Million Together", pioneering a new paradigm for global delivery of Chinese auto brands. The main venue was set at the Shanghai North Bund World Living Room, while simultaneously connecting multiple cities domestically and countries overseas to launch a "global delivery relay" across continents and time zones. Over a dozen vehicle brands under SAIC and 19 models appeared synchronously, jointly witnessing this historic moment.
During the ceremony, SAIC Motor Chairman Wang Xiaoqiu formally handed over the keys to the 100 millionth vehicle—the IM LS9 Hyper—to Cao Xudong, CEO of Momenta. As a core strategic partner in SAIC's intelligent driving field, Cao Xudong became the "Global 100 Millionth User", symbolizing symbiotic win-win collaboration in the intelligent vehicle ecosystem and deep resonance of technical concepts. At the same time, models numbered 99,999,996 to 99,999,999 (Shangjie Z7T, Shangjie Z7, SAIC-GM-Wuling HuaJing S, SAIC Volkswagen ID.ERA 9X) were also completed for concentrated delivery, jointly forming the honor formation of the "100 Million Milestone Moment".
From Hand-forged Chassis to Global Leadership
The miracle of 100 million vehicles in production and sales is the industrial report card of SAIC's 71 years of unremitting efforts, and more completely reflects the development of China's automotive industry from nothing to something, and from weak to strong.
In 1955, the predecessor of SAIC, the Shanghai Internal Combustion Engine Parts Manufacturing Company, was established, and the Shanghai automotive industry officially set sail. In 1958, in a small factory in an alley with simple equipment, the first generation of SAIC craftsmen hand-forged the first "Phoenix" sedan using only hammers and files. This achieved the "breakthrough of zero" in Shanghai sedan manufacturing and cast the spirit of struggle for the "Golden Phoenix flying from a grass nest".
Thereafter, the Phoenix Brand was renamed Shanghai Brand. By 1975, it formed an annual production capacity of 5,000 sedans, becoming one of the largest passenger car production bases in China at that time, planting seeds of independent innovation for the national automotive industry.
After the Reform and Opening-up, SAIC was the first to break industry closure and became a pioneer in joint ventures. In 1983, the first domestic Santana was successfully assembled; in 1985, China's first sedan joint venture, SAIC Volkswagen, was established, opening the prelude for "Market for Technology".
Through the hard battle of localization, the localization rate of Santana soared from 2.6% to over 90% in 1996, driving the technological upgrade of 2,400 supporting enterprises nationwide, and building China's first complete sedan parts system. In 1997, SAIC-GM was established, creating the "Shanghai Speed" of 23 months from factory construction to vehicle delivery. The modern manufacturing system was fully formed, and SAIC firmly held its leading domestic position.
In 2006, SAIC launched its independent brand Roewe, formally starting its journey of independent innovation. In 2016, the world's first internet car, the Roewe RX5, was born, defining the new species of "Intelligent Vehicle" first and opening a new era of intelligent connectivity for China's automobiles.
During this phase, SAIC persisted in the dual-wheel drive of "Joint Venture + Independent", deepening cooperation with Volkswagen and GM on one side, while investing over 100 billion yuan in R&D funds on the other to crack technical core barriers. Independent brands developed from nothing to something, from weak to strong, gradually becoming the core engine of growth.
Facing the centennial change in the automotive industry, SAIC accelerated the "elephant turning", comprehensively transforming towards intelligent electrification. In 2020, the high-end intelligent electric brand IM Motors was established, focusing on high-level intelligent driving and ultimate electric driving experience.
The milestone model IM LS9 Hyper delivered this time is the pinnacle of SAIC's technology accumulation: equipped with full X-by-Wire 4-Wheel Steering, 520-line ultra-vision LiDAR + NVIDIA Thor Chip, whole-domain 800V high-voltage platform, first equipped with SAIC Gold Label Hurricane Three Motors, joining the 3-Second Performance Club; globally launched "Endogenous Security" technology, building the security cornerstone of the AI era, fully embedding L3 and above advanced intelligent driving evolution capabilities, representing the highest level of China brand intelligent electric technology.
Core Strength and User Trust Behind the Scale
Behind the 100 million vehicles is SAIC's hardcore system strength covering the globe. Domestically, SAIC possesses a complete R&D, manufacturing, and supply chain system, with six vehicle bases working together; overseas, products and services are distributed in over 170 countries and regions, with cumulative deliveries exceeding 7 million, and layout of over 100 component bases and 3,000+ dealer networks. Three major R&D centers including London and four manufacturing bases including Thailand and Indonesia were built, and a self-operated vehicle logistics ship fleet was formed, creating a full-chain global layout of "R&D - Manufacturing - Sales - Service".
From the localization of Santana in the last century to the technology leadership of IM LS9 Hyper today, SAIC has always adhered to the concept of "Know Cars, Know You Better", building foundations with technological innovation. In recent years, SAIC has cumulatively invested over 150 billion yuan to develop intelligent electric technologies, holding over 10,000 patents, achieving autonomous controllability in core fields such as Triple Electric Systems, intelligent driving, and intelligent cockpits. Multiple technologies were globally launched and leading in their class, moving from "Technology Follow-up" to "Technology Leadership".
SAIC has always firmly believed: "100 million vehicles are not only a digital scale, but also 100 million units of user trust". For over 70 years, SAIC has cumulatively served over 100 million users globally, covering all scenarios including family, business, travel, and logistics. From commuting tools to intelligent partners, SAIC has always taken user needs as the core, converting frontier technologies into perceptible travel experiences, winning recognition and trust from global users.
SAIC's cumulative production and sales exceeding 100 million vehicles is not only the glory of SAIC, but also the collective glory of the entire Chinese automotive industry and "Made in China".
From the industrial dimension, this milestone marks that China's automotive industry has thoroughly said goodbye to the extensive era of "scale chasing" and entered a new stage of high-quality development characterized by system supremacy, technology leadership, and global competition. SAIC's growth path is a typical reflection of Chinese manufacturing from outsourcing to independent innovation, from introduction to output, from local to global, providing valuable experience for Chinese automakers' transformation and upgrading.
From the global dimension, SAIC becoming the first Chinese automaker to enter the "100 Million Club" broke the long-term monopoly of overseas brands, reshaped the competition landscape of the global automotive industry, demonstrated the strength and confidence of China brands, and injected strong momentum for Chinese automobiles "Going Global".
100 Million New Starting Point, Intelligent Electric New Journey
Standing at the new starting point of 100 million vehicles, SAIC Motor Chairman Wang Xiaoqiu stated: "100 million vehicles are a phased report card, and more so a new starting line for a second entrepreneurship". Facing the future, SAIC will persist in three core strategies: "Technology Innovation + User First + Global Layout", accelerating the transformation to a "User-oriented High-Tech Company".
In the intelligent electric field, SAIC will continue to increase R&D investment, launch more benchmark products like the IM LS9 Hyper, and consolidate technical leadership advantages; in the globalization field, it will deepen overseas layout, improve local operation capabilities, and expand global market share; in the user service field, it will take "Know Cars, Know You Better" as the original intention, build a full lifecycle service system, and create a better travel future with global users.
Over 70 years of hardships and 100 million vehicles carrying honors forward. SAIC completed the leap from hand-forged chassis to global leadership in 71 years, and wrote a brilliant chapter of China's automotive industry with 100 million vehicles in production and sales. In the future, with the continuous deepening of the intelligent electric transformation, SAIC will surely, with a more open posture, harder core strength, and more innovative spirit, lead China's automotive industry to new peaks, and bloom brighter Chinese light on the global stage.
© 2024 Bitauto.com. All Rights Reserved.
Bitauto (www.yiche.com and www.bitauto.com) is one of the most visited automotive websites in China. We provide detailed info on Chinese car brands available in your area. Please note that the information provided on this website is based on publicly available data and is for reference only. It may not be fully updated or accurate at all times.
