Pooling strengths and empowering, advancing together in the ecosystem—The China Association of Commercial Vehicles’ 2026 Mid-Year Conference was successfully held in Chongqing, where participants will join forces to forge a new paradigm for the international expansion of SCO‑aligned new‑energy commercial vehicles.

Original by the Chamber of Commerce Chamber of Commerce – Auto Market Pingshuo

Pooling Strengths, Empowering Together: The Commercial Vehicle Association’s 2026 Mid-Year Market Symposium and Ecosystem Business Exchange was held in Chongqing, jointly forging a new model for the international expansion of SCO‑aligned new‑energy commercial vehicles.

From June 24 to 26, the 2026 Mid-Year Market Symposium and Ecosystem Business Exchange Meeting of the National New Energy Commercial Vehicle Ecosystem Joint Council (Commercial Vehicle Alliance) was successfully held in Chongqing. The event focused on key topics such as assessing 2026 commercial vehicle market trends, mapping out pathways for the new‑energy transition, and building overseas‑expansion ecosystems. It brought together industry authorities, leading automakers, and representatives from across the supply chain, establishing a high‑level platform for collaborative development and co‑creation of value. At the same time, the meeting officially launched an in-depth partnership with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Multifunctional Economic and Trade Platform, jointly establishing a Working Committee on the Overseas Expansion of New‑Energy Commercial Vehicles and opening up a new avenue for the industry to advance global outreach through collective efforts.

Authoritative remarks set the tone, anchoring the industry’s core direction for coordinated overseas expansion.

At the opening of the conference, Wang Jianping, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Multifunctional Economic and Trade Platform, was invited to deliver a keynote address. His remarks centered on three key dimensions—platform positioning, industry‑wide overseas expansion trends, overcoming persistent challenges, and collaborative planning—providing clear guidance for the sector’s future development.

Wang Jianping first clarified the platform’s core positioning: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is the world’s largest regional international organization in terms of geographical scope and population, and it boasts significant development potential. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization Multifunctional Economic and Trade Platform serves as a key vehicle for implementing the SCO Heads of State Initiative, established with the support of the SCO Secretariat and the Chongqing Municipal Government. It has already brought together nearly 2,000 member entities from both home and abroad, acting as an important bridge to advance subnational economic and trade cooperation among SCO member states and facilitate the international expansion of their industries.

In light of the current state of industry development, he puts forward a key assessment: China’s new‑energy commercial vehicles have entered a new phase of comprehensive competition, and going global has become the industry’s indispensable strategic priority. At present, the sector benefits from both the rigid demand for green‑transport upgrades along the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Belt and Road Initiative corridors, as well as China’s globally leading, end‑to‑end industrial chain in the new‑energy commercial‑vehicle segment. However, it also faces four major challenges: fragmented market intelligence overseas, dispersed cross‑border coordination channels, difficulties in establishing robust after‑sales spare‑parts networks, and the inability of individual companies to collaborate effectively, thereby hindering the formation of cluster‑level competitiveness.

Addressing key industry pain points, Wang Jianping officially unveiled an in-depth cooperation plan with the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers: the two parties will jointly establish a Working Committee on the International Expansion of New-Energy Commercial Vehicles, focusing on three core initiatives. First, they will build an integrated information-sharing platform for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization market, systematically compiling critical data on national industrial policies, market access standards, and demand trends, and regularly publishing country-specific market white papers and risk advisories. Second, they will promote coordinated, collaborative overseas expansion across the entire value chain, pooling resources spanning complete vehicles, components, charging and battery-swapping infrastructure, finance, and services to deliver end-to-end transportation‑capacity solutions, co‑develop localized joint brands, and enable the internationalization of China’s automotive value chain. Third, they will implement scenario‑specific cross‑border demonstration projects, centering on key applications such as urban distribution, mining, and port operations, to create replicable benchmark projects for new‑energy commercial vehicles, leveraging these pilot initiatives to unlock incremental growth in overseas markets. He also extended an invitation to all member organizations of the association to actively participate in this joint effort, working together to enhance the international competitiveness of China’s new‑energy commercial vehicle industry. On the 26th, delegates collectively visited the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Multifunctional Economic and Trade Platform to conduct on-site inspections and finalize cooperation details.

Analyze industry trends and precisely seize core growth opportunities in the market.

As 2026 marks the inaugural year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, China’s commercial vehicle market is characterized by mounting domestic demand pressures, accelerating adoption of new energy technologies, and robust export growth, placing the industry at a critical juncture of transformation. This conference features 10 core thematic presentations, spanning key dimensions across the entire value chain—including policy analysis, segment‑specific market outlooks, and overseas expansion strategies—providing clear guidance for corporate development.

Jia Qimeng, a senior researcher at the China Automotive Policy Research Institute, noted in his report that domestic demand for commercial vehicles has peaked and market competition has intensified. Exports and new energy are the industry’s two primary growth drivers. A series of comprehensive policies recently introduced by the government are vigorously advancing the electrification, intelligentization, and decarbonization of commercial vehicles. He recommends that companies deepen their focus on specific application scenarios and shift from simply selling vehicles to offering end-to-end transportation‑capacity solutions.

Lu Huaping, Secretary-General of the Chamber of Commerce, provided a comprehensive assessment of market trends for the full year 2026. He noted that traditional fuel‑powered commercial vehicles in China are experiencing a broad decline, while new‑energy commercial vehicles have emerged as the industry’s primary growth driver. He identified five key growth opportunities: expanding overseas exports, developing new business models in the aftermarket, penetrating lower‑tier county markets, accelerating electrification under stricter emission regulations, and opening up new avenues through autonomous delivery vehicles. He urged companies to prioritize the development of differentiated vehicle models tailored to specific use cases, strengthen their overseas after‑sales service networks, and proactively manage associated risks.

Focusing on Niche Segments, Jointly Exploring Pathways for Implementing the New Energy Transition

This conference focuses on the core segments of the new‑energy commercial vehicle market, inviting industry leaders to share market insights and real‑world case studies, offering practical guidance to support corporate transformation.

Qiao Yue, Director of the Remote Strategic Planning Department, stated that China’s new‑energy van market has shifted from policy‑driven to market‑driven, with native large‑capacity electric models now dominating. Industry competition has entered a phase of systematic brand‑level rivalry, while autonomous last‑mile delivery vehicles are opening up entirely new avenues for commercial growth.

Mu Tianyu, an industry research expert at Jianghuai, points out that new‑energy light trucks are currently in a phase of rapid growth, with battery‑electric models having become the market mainstream. Advantages in road access and total cost of ownership (TCO) are the key drivers of this expansion. It is projected that by 2030, gasoline‑powered and electric light trucks will each account for roughly half of the market, necessitating that companies simultaneously refine integrated service ecosystems encompassing leasing, sales, maintenance, and charging.

Qiao Jianming, head of the Remote Market Research Department, highlighted the new‑energy micro‑van segment, noting that new‑energy light commercial vehicles are experiencing sustained growth, with demand gradually expanding into lower‑tier markets. Specialized vehicle types, such as refrigerated vans, are poised to become key sources of future growth. Meanwhile, Zhuang Zijun, vice president of New Stone Age, pointed out that commercial autonomous delivery vehicles have entered a critical phase of large‑scale commercial deployment, supported by favorable factors on cost, regulatory access, and supply‑chain efficiency, which are driving rapid industry expansion. At the same time, domestically developed solutions are accelerating their global rollout.

Collaboratively breaking the deadlock in overseas expansion and building a global industrial service ecosystem.

The development of an overseas ecosystem and the upgrade of after-sales service systems were the central topics of discussion at this conference. Participants engaged in in-depth exchanges on the challenges of going global and potential pathways to overcome them, while also aligning these discussions with the strategic cooperation plans for the SCO platform.

Zhao Weihua, President of the Chamber of Commerce and CEO of Chenggong Automotive Group, stated that the commercial vehicle industry has evolved from a traditional car‑selling model to an integrated smart‑logistics‑capacity service. Dual‑market dynamics—driven by both domestic and international demand—have become the core growth paradigm, while competition has shifted toward ecosystem‑based collaboration. Leveraging the SCO platform, companies can advance their global expansion and build cross‑border ecosystems.

Huang Zhiqiang, Chief Advisor of the Chamber of Commerce, pointed out that China’s automotive industry has now entered a phase of after-sales competition, with overseas after-sales service systems facing multiple systemic challenges. Building a diversified after-sales ecosystem through collaborative efforts on industry platforms is key to breaking the impasse. Yun Peng, CEO of Callisto, noted that AI‑driven repair technologies can effectively address industry pain points such as low repair efficiency and slow talent development in overseas markets, while multilingual AI‑powered repair infrastructure can help automakers establish a globally unified service framework. Meanwhile, Song Xilin of the Overseas Business Division of the Chongqing Automotive Industry Chamber of Commerce suggested that the industry can overcome the challenges of international expansion and foster a mutually beneficial ecosystem by adopting five innovative models: scenario‑specific logistics solutions, cross‑border barter, SKD localized production, and others.

The conference concluded successfully, marking the beginning of a new phase in industry-wide collaboration.

This conference also hosted the ninth Industry Salon, providing attendees with a platform for in-depth networking and resource exchange. On June 26, participants collectively visited the SCO Member States’ Multifunctional Economic and Trade Platform for site visits, meetings, and discussions, where they reviewed the preparatory details of the Committee on Overseas Expansion and further strengthened collaboration within the industry ecosystem.

The attendees unanimously agreed that this conference accurately identified the core trends shaping the commercial vehicle industry through 2026, helping companies clarify market dynamics and strategic directions. Moreover, through in-depth collaboration with the SCO platform, it has established a key platform for the industry to jointly expand into global markets and co‑build a truly global industrial ecosystem.

Looking ahead, the Chamber of Commerce will continue to serve as an industry platform, bringing together upstream and downstream resources across the value chain, fostering collaborative ecosystem development, and supporting the high-quality transformation and global expansion of China’s commercial vehicle sector.