At the 2026 Intelligent Electric Vehicle Development Summit, Zhao Fei, General Manager of China Changan Automobile, made his debut to outline the company’s strategic roadmap focused on intelligence, sustainability, integration, and globalization. Changan has achieved a significant milestone by securing the first batch of L3 autonomous driving permits from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, alongside a new L4 Robotaxi testing license, positioning the company as the only automaker in China with full-compliance, full-scenario L4 unmanned driving testing qualifications.
In the realm of green energy, Zhao highlighted the launch of the “Blue Whale Super-Engine” hybrid system. Featuring the world’s first 500Bar high-pressure direct injection technology, the system achieves a thermal efficiency of nearly 45%. This innovation allows family sedans to reach a fuel consumption level in the “2-liter” range per 100km, with a total driving range of up to 1,500 kilometers on a single tank. Zhao emphasized that with 70 million consumers still purchasing internal combustion engine vehicles globally in 2026, addressing diverse user needs remains a pragmatic contribution to national carbon neutrality goals.
Looking toward the future, Zhao noted that automotive competition is shifting from individual products to ecosystem-wide battles. Changan has already established cross-industry collaborations with tech giants including Huawei, CATL, JD.com, and Haier. The company is also expanding its global footprint, with sales networks now covering 118 countries and regions.
Zhao concluded by proposing three key industry recommendations: fostering win-win business models across sectors, co-developing foundational technology platforms to enhance global competitiveness, and accelerating the standardization of intelligent driving regulations and insurance frameworks. Changan remains committed to its “localized operation” philosophy, aiming to solidify its status as a world-class automotive group with global influence.
Johna
Johna | Engineer turned Explorer • Automotive Blogger Fueling my passion for precision and the wild. Usually found navigating rugged terrain in my Tank 300 or penning deep-dives into automotive tech. I believe the best stories are found where the pavement ends. Join me as I bridge the gap between engineering and adventure.
