Since the beginning of this year, China's new energy vehicle (NEV) market has experienced rapid growth, prompting foreign companies to accelerate their localization strategies in the country.

Many foreign firms have signaled a strong commitment to deepening their presence in the Chinese market and are fast-tracking their transition toward electrification and intelligent technologies.

Recently, Germany's Volkswagen unveiled three brand-new NEV models and announced plans to launch 13 NEVs in China by 2026. The core support behind this product lineup is localized research and development in China, along with the establishment of a strong local partner ecosystem.

Audi, while implementing a dual-brand strategy in China, is also collaborating with Huawei on intelligent driving technologies and has signed cooperation agreements with SAIC Motor. They have also set up an innovation technology center in Shanghai to jointly develop future models.

This year, more foreign automakers are accelerating their efforts to deepen their presence in China. 

Stellantis Group, for example, is leveraging its joint venture Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroen and plans to launch multiple NEV models over the next three years to further expand in the Chinese market.

Experts noted that China's massive market size, complete industrial chain and innovative ecosystem are key drivers for foreign companies' transformation. Mutual empowerment and win-win cooperation have become defining features of China's high-level opening-up in the automotive industry.

At the same time, Chinese automakers are creating new models for global expansion. 

While foreign companies firmly root themselves in China, Chinese domestic brands are moving beyond simple vehicle exports, adopting full value-chain deployment and localized operations to pursue systematic global expansion.

In the first quarter of this year, China exported 2.23 million vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 56.7%, with overseas markets becoming a core growth engine for the industry. 

Data from GAC Group shows its overseas sales grew by 86% year on year in the first quarter. In addition to establishing five overseas vehicle assembly plants and nine parts warehouses, the company is promoting global deployment of key technologies, including battery, electric drive systems, and intelligent cockpits.

Third-party institutions are also supporting Chinese automakers' global expansion. 

The China Automotive Engineering Research Institute has launched a cross-border automotive data service platform, and established five overseas centers in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia, Europe, and Japan and South Korea, to provide full-chain services including &D research and development testing, market access certification, and after-sales support.