Global automakers join forces in Hainan to build new ecosystem for NEVs

China

Global automakers join forces in Hainan to build new ecosystem for NEVs

2026-09-24 15:23 Last Updated At：15:37

Global automakers, including Volkswagen, BMW and Chinese brands BYD and NIO, are gathering at the World New Energy Vehicle Congress which opened on Tuesday in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, to share their insights and showcase their latest innovations in new energy vehicles (NEVs).

The three-day event has reaffirmed the industry consensus established in recent years: NEVs should become a mainstream choice for car buyers.

Whether it's vehicle compliance certification or co-creating vehicle-to-grid systems, whether it's AI-driven solutions or intelligent connectivity -- different banquet halls host different exchanges of ideas.

"First, it's a platform for networking, for meeting people which you met before, and meet people which you never met before and creating new business and getting new ideas or getting a confirmation that the ideas you have on the strategy you made are correct or wrong," said Thomas Regnet, board director of Scherdel Innotec.

The International Energy Agency's latest Global EV Outlook 2026 report forecasts that global electric vehicle sales will reach 23 million units in 2026, accounting for nearly 30 percent of global new car sales.

This year's congress features a special NEV technology and public education exhibition, showcasing cutting-edge achievements in complete vehicles, batteries, battery-swapping equipment, intelligent connectivity and other areas.

Hainan is China's pilot testing ground for the full-scale adoption of NEVs and the transition to clean energy. It leads the country in new energy penetration, charging and battery-swapping infrastructure, green supply chains, and carbon management systems.

"In 2026, NIO's deliveries in Hainan have maintained month-on-month growth, with a year-on-year increase of over 50 percent. The Hainan Free Trade Port currently has 47 NIO battery-swapping stations, achieving the goal of [deploying] battery-swapping stations in every county. Going forward, we will add more stations in urban commercial districts and scenic areas," said Wang Zhijuan, general manager of NIO Hainan.

"We will continue to advance the island-wide adoption of new energy vehicles across Hainan and accelerate the transition of commercial and freight vehicles to new energy. In addition, we will build a testing and services hub for new energy vehicles serving overseas markets. We will make the most of value-added processing policies for special-purpose vehicles to develop new business models in vehicle modification and monitoring," said Yu Huan, deputy director of the NEV Department and Supervision Division under the Department of Industry and Info Technology of Hainan Province.

It is worth noting that this year's congress has attracted many industry representatives from Germany and Sino-German joint ventures.

The automotive industries of both countries are deeply interconnected, with a solid foundation for cooperation in complete vehicle manufacturing, components, and other fields.

The congress not only showcases China's achievements in vehicle electrification but also sends a clear signal to the wider world: China's new energy industry is open and it is accelerating its strategic layout.

Head-of-state diplomacy plays irreplaceable role in China-U.S. ties: business leader

Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable role in injecting impetus into a stable China-U.S. relationship, according to Sean Stein, president of the U.S.-China Business Council.

At the invitation of President Donald Trump, President Xi Jinping arrived in the United States on Wednesday afternoon for a three-day state visit and a high-stakes meeting with Trump, during which the two leaders are expected to discuss the China-U.S. relationship and other issues of common concern.

This is Xi's second state visit to the United States, following his first in 2015, and it comes after Xi hosted Trump in Beijing in May.

During their talks in Beijing this May, Xi and Trump agreed on a new vision of building a constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability over the next three years and beyond.

In a recent interview with China Media Group (CMG) in Shanghai, Stein said his expectations for the meetings between the Chinese and U.S. leaders are grounded in their track record of engagement.

"What we expect is one thing that you can take to the bank. One thing that is certain is that when the two leaders meet, good things happen. Look at any time the two presidents have met and that's been a real positive injection into the relationship. But it's not just when they've met, it's when they've exchanged letters, it's when they've had phone calls. And so, I think leader-to-leader contact is irreplaceable at this moment in history," he said.

Beyond any single deal, Stein said he hopes the two countries can continue to build on their constructive relationship of strategic stability.

"People might look at the business community and say we're just looking for deliverables, we're just looking for big announcements of purchase agreements. Well, those are great. That's not what we're looking for. What we're looking for is much more foundational. We're looking for a true commitment from both sides to strategic stability. We're looking for further progress on changing the tone of the relationship. So if you ask the business community, what do we want? Stability, we want better trust and better communication between the two sides," he said.