Automobiles are a pillar industry and a defining symbol of Shanghai. The city is seizing the strategic opportunity of developing new energy vehicles (NEVs) and intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs), striving to build a world-class automobile industry cluster.

Achievements in 2025

​Industry Support

Digital Intelligence-driven Development Goals

• Supporting the development of core components and supporting services through hardware-software collaboration;
• Pursuing breakthroughs in key technologies such as intelligent driving, intelligent cockpits, intelligent chassis and solid-state batteries;
• Promoting the commercial operation of autonomous vehicles, with the goal of scaling up L4 autonomous driving in intelligent buses, taxis, and heavy-duty trucks and serving over 6 million passenger trips by 2027.

Interconnected and Symbiotic Industry Clusters

• Home to 9 vehicle manufacturers and over 600 major domestic and foreign auto parts enterprises;
• The Shanghai Intelligent Connected and New Energy Vehicle Industry Cluster Zone was inaugurated;
• 80 percent of auto parts can be sourced locally within an hour's drive;
• 15 public service platforms in the automobile sector and 5 Group Open Innovation Centers in the automobile sector.

Efficient and Comprehensive Service Support

• 980,000 charging piles of various types in total were built;
• More than 230 battery swapping stations in total were built;
• Ranked among the top in China in both the total length of test roads and scenarios diversity for ICVs;
• Promoted the standardized and scaled commercial operation of autonomous driving technology in China and issued the country's first batch of demonstration operation licenses for L4 ICVs.

Highlight Elements

Industry Associations: Shanghai V2X Association, Shanghai Intelligent Connected Vehicles and Applications Standardization Technical Committee, etc.

Conventions & Exhibitions: Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition, China Autonomous Driving Industry Innovation and Ecosystem Forum, etc.

Industry Platforms: Shanghai Intelligent Automobile Software Park, Shanghai Intelligent New Energy Vehicle Science and Technology Innovation Function Platform, etc.

Industry Policies

"Model-driven Intelligent Travel" Action Plan of Shanghai to Build a High-level Autonomous Driving Pilot Zone

Implementation Measures of Shanghai Municipality for Encouraging the Purchase and Use of New Energy Vehicles

Action Plan for Collaboratively Building the Intelligent Connected and New Energy Vehicle Industry Cluster (2025-30)

• Supporting the R&D of core component technologies such as autonomous driving, intelligent chassis, automotive-grade chips and solid-state batteries while pushing for integration, modularization and lightweight development;
• Leveraging the municipal-level autonomous driving training ground to build a full-chain innovation system, and fully open the collaborative R&D platform for core technologies to foreign investment.

​Exemplary Case

In 2025, Shanghai deepened its pilot for opening up the intelligent connected and new energy vehicle industry, allowing foreign-invested enterprises to wholly own operations in key areas including vehicle manufacturing, core component R&D, and hydrogen technology applications. Four foreign-invested enterprises including Toyota's Lexus and Schaeffler Hydrogen Technology successively established operations or launched production in Shanghai, covering areas such as automotive hydrogen-solutions, core components for autonomous driving, logistics and supply chain.

Industry Map

During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, Shanghai will focus on developing its intelligent connected and new energy vehicle industry in Jiading, Pudong, Lin-gang and Jinshan, aiming to build a world-class automotive industry hub.

​"1 + 2 + X": Spatial Layout of the Automotive Industry in Shanghai

"1" Core Zone

Jiading district: Shanghai International Automobile City, Waigang Industry Park, Jiading Hydrogen Park, New Energy Vehicle & Key Parts Industrial Base

• Areas of focus: R&D, manufacturing, inspection, and sale of automobiles, finance, exhibitions, cultural tourism, application demonstration, fuel cell vehicles

"2" Specialized Industry Zones

Lin-gang Special Area

• Areas of focus: Manufacturing, sale and application demonstration of automobiles, hydrogen energy

Jinqiao Economic and Technological Development Zone

• Areas of focus: R&D, manufacturing and sale of automobiles

"X" Specialized Industry Carriers

Songjiang Economic and Technological Development Zone, Xinzhuang Industry Park, CATL Future Energy Research Institute, West Hongqiao Business District, NEV Parts and Components Industry Park

Source: 2026 Shanghai Foreign Investment Guide