From Lantian to London: The 'Ordinary' People and 'Small' Stories Behind SAIC Group's 100 Million Vehicle Deliveries

Written by Zhao Yun

There were no long speeches from leaders, no dazzling solo dance of concept cars, nor any deliberately emotional brand promotion.

This doesn't even look like a traditional new car delivery press conference.

On May 28, 2026, at the Shanghai North Bund World Reception Hall. Dragon TV cameras started here, spanning the Asian and European continents, connecting Nanjing, Yangzhou, Liuzhou, and Taiyuan, crossing the English Channel to reach London, and crossing the Malacca Strait to illuminate Indonesia and Singapore — SAIC Group used a true "Global Relay Delivery" to complete a narrative never before seen in the history of China's automotive industry: delivering 100 million pieces of trust under the gaze of global audiences, achieving a continuous relay.

One hundred million, at this moment, is not a cold sales figure. One hundred million is the "moving and vivid history co-creation lesson" written by SAIC Group over seventy-one years together with 100 million vibrant car owners and tens of millions of Chinese families, and 100 million stories of human life's warmth.

And the first page of this lesson begins with two ordinary people.

Lantian and London: 2 out of 100 Million Human Realities

Lantian, Shaanxi, tricycle of Village Secretary Pang Fuqiang

Lantian County, Xi'an City, 64-year-old Village Secretary Pang Fuqiang was once a chef. Starting from August 2025, he launched a "loss-making business": making lunch for 74 left-behind elderly people in the village every day, charging only 2 yuan per meal. For elderly people with difficulty in movement, he delivered food to their homes.

The food delivery routes are scattered on mountain village roads, running 8 or 9 kilometers every day. Pang Fuqiang used a tricycle with a small load capacity. One trip wasn't enough, running two trips took too long. In winter, cold wind poured into his neck, and in summer, the car seat became too hot to sit on after sun exposure. More critically, the tricycle lacked safety protection. On rainy days when roads were slippery, he fell.

In February 2026, CCTV News broadcast his story. Xinhua News Agency and China Youth Daily reported subsequently. Someone asked him, "Secretary Pang, what are you aiming for?"

He said, "I aim for these 74 elderly people to have a hot meal."

SAIC-GM-Wuling saw this news. Without hesitation, the enterprise decided to gift Pang Fuqiang a Wuling vehicle — not charity, but tribute. Under the framework of the "Strivers Special Plan", Wuling, relying on the "SAIC-GM-Wuling Benevolence Fund" that has been operating continuously for 19 years, invested 15 million yuan in funds and vehicles to provide the village secretary who runs for 74 elderly people every day with safer and more efficient tools.

"What the tricycle can't carry is the hot meals for all the elderly in the village. Wuling helps you carry it."

This is not an advertising slogan. This is a response from a Chinese automotive enterprise to a Chinese grassroots striver.

The camera cut from the remote Lantian mountain village to London, the world financial center.

26-year-old intern doctor Natalia stood at the MG London Delivery Center, receiving the keys to the MG4 EV Urban. Her eyes were a little moist.

Her grandfather once owned a classic MG B. That was her childhood memory: her grandfather drove her for a ride, she sat in the passenger seat, small hands touching the dashboard, fantasizing one day she could also drive it.

Her grandfather passed away many years ago. But what the MG B left behind was not just a car, but a spirit — every generation of MG owners has a beam of unextinguished glory in their hearts.

Now, Natalia has become a young generation MG owner. The MG4 EV Urban she chose is an urban commuting tool for the pure electric era: WLTP range 416 km, 28 minutes fast charging, 577L trunk space. But to her, this is not just a commuting tool.

"What my grandfather passed down to me is not just the love for MG, but also that spirit of courage to explore and embrace innovation."

Two generations, two cars, the same brand. From London to Shanghai, from fuel to electric, the MG spirit is inherited in the family bloodline and continues in the hearts of a million global owners.

One is a village secretary delivering food to left-behind elderly people in a Chinese mountain village; the other is an intern doctor in a British city inheriting his grandfather's feelings. They did not know each other, but because of the same SAIC Group, on this day of May 28, 2026, they were written into the same history.

They are the most ordinary "one in 100 million" among SAIC's 100 million car owners.

If Pang Fuqiang and Natalia's stories represent the "warmth" and "heritage" of 100 million vehicles, then the next car owner represents the "height" and "future" of 100 million vehicles.

The 100 Millionth User: Partner & Owner, Shouldering Towards the Future

Cao Xudong, Momenta CEO, leading figure in the field of intelligent driving in China.

At the delivery ceremony, he received the keys to the IM LS9 Hyper from the Chairman of SAIC Group. This car is the culmination of 71 years of SAIC's technical accumulation: full electronic four-wheel steering, 520-line super vision LiDAR, NVIDIA Thor chip, full-domain 800V high-voltage platform, Star Super Range Extender... and the "endogenous security" technology jointly launched globally with Purple Mountain Laboratories, expanding car safety from "physical security" to "information and system security."

Cao Xudong is not an ordinary car owner. IM Motors and Momenta have been "founding lighthouse partners" from the very beginning of the brand's birth. The teams of both sides, back-to-back and heart-to-heart, jointly polished the driver assistance solutions for all IM Motors series models.

"Partner becomes Owner", this is a rare deep resonance in the history of the automotive industry.

At the delivery scene, Cao Xudong said the following words:

"I chose the IM LS9 Hyper because I have full confidence in its driver assistance and intelligent level. I will personally drive this car and use it for L3 autonomous driving verification testing. I want to ensure that what is delivered to users is the most mature and reliable system."

He called this car "a bright pearl of the Chinese automotive industry" and announced: Momenta L3 autonomous driving capability will be launched first on SAIC.

This is not a simple delivery. This is a technology partner binding their name deeply with the product; this is a strategic partner endorsing the technology with their daily commuting.

And Cao Xudong's identity also makes us unable to help thinking: what does it mean to have 100 million car owners?

If 100 Million Car Owners Are Compared to a Country

Before the press conference, SAIC Group made a short film named "Memory". Below the short film, there were countless online users leaving chain messages: "one in 100 million". Obviously, behind every account is a car owner whose heart is throbbing at this moment.

Let us conduct a hypothetical experiment.

If we look at SAIC Group's 100 million car owners as a country, what would be the ranking of its population scale in the world?

Only 14 countries in the world have a population exceeding 100 million. SAIC's "Car Owner Country" will be ranked 15th, on the same level as Egypt, Vietnam, Germany, Iran, and other countries.

100 million vehicles is not just a business achievement, but also an economic miracle.

In the history of the global automotive industry, how many enterprises have accumulated production and sales exceeding 100 million vehicles?

Toyota, Volkswagen, Ford, GM, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai... and now SAIC Group.

SAIC is the only member of the 100 million vehicle club from China.

What does this mean?

It means that for every 100 vehicles sold globally, a considerable proportion comes from Chinese brands; it means that China's automotive industry went from "bringing in" to "going out" and took 70 years to finally stand at the center of the world stage; it means that the steering wheels in the hands of that 100 million car owners hold not only their own commuting but also the dignity of Made in China, Smart Made in China, and Created in China.

And turning our eyes back to this year, SAIC's market performance is equally solid. In the past May, SAIC Group's complete vehicle sales were 349,000 units. From January to May, cumulative sales reached 1.651 million units, continuing to lead the Chinese automotive industry. The proportion of independent brands broke through 70% for the first time. New energy vehicles surged 46.5%, and the overseas market surged 45.9%. The historical mark of 100 million vehicles, combined with the current sales leadership, jointly constitutes SAIC's complete narrative from past to present.

Global Relay: SAIC's Control Capability

Why did SAIC do this delivery ceremony?

Because it requires four "wholes":

Full Brand Matrix: Roewe, MG, IM, Shangjie, Wuling, Maxus, Hongyan, Yuejin, Sunwin, Iveco... Independent brands launched the entire line; Volkswagen, Audi, Buick, Cadillac... Joint venture brands showcased their strength. From A0-segment commuter cars to 500,000-level luxury flagship models, from sedans, SUVs to MPVs, pickups, from passenger vehicles to commercial vehicles, from city logistics to infrastructure transport — covering all scenarios.

Full Product Categories: Shangjie Z7, Hua Jing S, Roewe M7, MG4 Semi-Solid State Battery Version, Wuling Starlight 560, Maxus eDeliver5, Hongyan Heavy Truck, Yuejin Danaka T1, Sunwin Pure Electric Bus, Iveco Polaris EV... Every vehicle aims at different users, different scenarios, and different lives.

Global Layout: Overseas has over 100 parts production bases, over 3,000 dealer networks, 3 major R&D innovation centers including London, 4 production centers in Thailand, Indonesia, India, and Pakistan. ANG Logistics owns 42 various roll-on roll-off ships, 8 international routes covering Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Products and services spread over more than 170 countries and regions. Overseas cumulative sales broke through 7 million vehicles.

Full Industry Chain System: Covering six major sectors including complete vehicles, parts, mobility and services, finance, international business, and innovation technology. Close synergy, mutual empowerment, integrated development, forming a full value chain closed loop.

This "Global Relay" is the concentrated appearance of SAIC's system competitiveness.

Starting from Shanghai, Nanjing, Yangzhou, Liuzhou, Taiyuan... UK, Indonesia, Singapore... Car owners of different time zones, different languages, and different cultures completed the delivery relay at the same moment because of the same brand.

And supporting this grand narrative are individual vibrant users, as well as scale and systems.

The Essence of Delivery is the Start of a Relationship

In the traditional sense, car delivery is the end of a transaction — money on one hand, car on the other, contract fulfilled. But SAIC's global relay turned delivery into the starting point of a relationship.

Pang Fuqiang's Wuling Rongguang is not the end, but the new starting point of him delivering 74 hot meals every day; Natalia's MG4 EV is not the end, but the emotional sequel of her and her grandfather across space and time; Cao Xudong's IM LS9 Hyper is not the end, but the starting line for Level 3 autonomous driving landing in China. Each relay baton is opening a new narrative.

100 million vehicles are 100 million relationships unfolding. SAIC redefined "delivery" with this ceremony: it is not just about handing over the car key to end, but taking over the user's trust and continuing to walk forward. This explains better than any number why a car company can survive for more than 70 years and still make people expect its next 100 million.

Behind 100 Million Vehicles: 100 Million Vibrant Beating Hearts

SAIC Group's "Knows cars better, understands you better" has never been a slogan.

It is embodied in Pang Fuqiang's Wuling vehicle — "The hot meals the tricycle can't carry, Wuling helps you carry."

It is embodied in Natalia's MG4 EV — "Grandfather's MG B is my childhood memory, my MG4 is the starting point of the future."

It is embodied in Cao Xudong's IM LS9 Hyper — "I will personally test Level 3 autonomous driving to ensure the system delivered to users is the most reliable."

It is also reflected in the stories of more car owners:

Dedao App founder Luo Zhenyu, as the Hua Jing S 001st tester, went from praising Huawei Qiankun Intelligent Driving in the New Year's Eve speech to visiting the factory to witness the lineup. He said: "Hua Jing S is not just a car, it is the crystallization of Chinese technology co-creation."

Former German League footballer Yang Chen, chose ID.ERA 9X, because "Premium Range Extender and long-termism are in line." He said: "When playing football, be steady; when driving, be steady too. This car is steady."

Public Welfare Blogger Liu Jia, for five consecutive years, cuts hair and sends companionship to left-behind children in Guangxi mountainous areas. Buick provided immediate aid, and he was moved by Zhijing E7's "Full Score Cabin". He said: "I guard the children's smiles, Buick guards my commute."

After Cao Kailiang's family ordered cars, idol Jay Chou happened to become the spokesperson for the Buick MPV family. He said: "This is not a coincidence, this is fate."

And there is DHL, Jiading Public Transport, Henglongsheng Industry and Trade, Di Shangtie, Henan Zhonglian Tourism... Every commercial vehicle is a "wealth creation tool" for strivers.

A car owner from Henan Zhonglian Tourism said on site: "We run on the road every day, the car is our rice bowl. SAIC Maxus has never let us down. 100 million vehicles, we are also among them — glorious."

A driver from Jiading Public Transport, after receiving the keys to the Sunwin Pure Electric City Bus, only said one sentence: "This car is quiet, starts steadily, passengers sit comfortably. We drivers also feel dignified."

And the deeper meaning lies in: these 100 million car owners are not cold statistical figures. They are Pang Fuqiang, Natalia, Cao Xudong, Luo Zhenyu, Yang Chen, Liu Jia, Cao Kailiang, DHL drivers, Jiading Public Transport drivers, Henan Zhonglian Tourism leaders, you, me, every person striving forward in life.

SAIC, knows cars better, understands you better, now has a more concrete meaning at this moment.

100 Million is a Starting Point, Not an End Point

At the end of the ceremony, Dragon TV cameras swept across the global delivery sites again.

Shanghai main venue, IM LS9 Hyper drove out slowly; London streets, MG4 EV Urban穿梭ed along the banks of the Thames; Jakarta, Indonesia, Wuling new energy vehicles delivered to local families; Changi, Singapore, SAIC Maxus drove into the urban expressway...

From 1955 to 2026, from the first user to the 100 millionth user, from startup exploration to industry leadership.

In 2014, SAIC actively implemented the important directive "Developing new energy vehicles is the only path for China to move from a car powerhouse to a car superpower", taking the lead in comprehensive transformation. Twelve years later, the 12 zodiac signs completed a full cycle. SAIC, with 12 years of persistence, completed a historic leap from "leading the pack" to "ten thousand horses galloping".

100 million vehicles are the stage report of SAIC's 71-year development, and more, a new starting line facing the future of smart and electric transformation.

100 million vehicles, 100 million simple wishes. Some aim for a hot meal, some aim for family heritage, some aim for a technical dream.

100 million is a number. 100 million vibrant beating hearts are where the hearts of the people lie.

SAIC Group, Traveling the Billion Mile Journey Together.