The Paris Olympics has just concluded, with China setting a new overseas record of 40 gold medals and achieving zero breakthroughs in multiple events such as tennis and the men's 4x100m medley relay, showcasing that in competitive sports, there is no such thing as the strongest, only stronger competitors.

Looking back at the many players in China's new energy vehicle market, the gap is no longer one of strength versus weakness as in the era of gasoline-powered vehicles, but rather a narrow margin between the strong.

Who will ultimately emerge victorious and take home the gold medal encrusted with jade? This test not only the skills honed through rigorous training but also the delicate interplay of favorable conditions and human factors.

Whether it's new-energy vehicle startups like NIO, XPeng, and Li Auto engaging in a protracted battle for smart ecosystem and autonomous driving capabilities, or traditional automakers accelerating their transformation through self-development or integration, competition in China's new energy vehicle market has entered a new elimination round. This is not about survival of the fittest but about the high-profile moments when the strong take a small lead.

In the era of gasoline-powered vehicles, multinational automakers leveraged their brand and scale advantages to dwarf domestic automakers. The early days of new energy vehicles were similarly daunting, with joint venture automakers' modified electric models and domestic automakers' oil-to-electric conversions leaving much to be desired.

Before the advent of the smart car era, there were vast gaps between automakers in terms of exterior and interior design, vehicle quality, and brand image. Domestic automakers fought for sales merely to prove their manufacturing capabilities.

Advancements in automotive equipment and technology have significantly elevated manufacturing standards. The advent of the electric vehicle era has shattered the monopoly on powertrain technology.

Simultaneously, mature third-party solutions are available for battery packs, smart infotainment systems, and autonomous driving systems. Any car assembled with these components could easily outperform complacent gasoline-powered vehicles.

The automotive industry has entered an era of equality. It's no exaggeration to say that anyone can build a leading-edge vehicle.

Thus, China's automotive industry has entered a star-making era. Every new automaker can leverage eye-catching products and social media platforms to gain popularity, and everyone seems to be ahead of the game.

In this homogenized competitive landscape, where automakers possess formidable strength, it's unclear when any one of them might suddenly fall behind. For instance, once-popular WM Motor and HiPhi have fallen into bankruptcy troubles.

Perhaps it's not because NIO and Li Auto are particularly strong, or WM Motor and HiPhi are weak. In the new energy vehicle arena, they were all once standouts. Their failures stem simply from the fact that there can be only one champion.

The new energy vehicle market has undergone significant changes, with only a handful of automakers remaining from the once-crowded field. These include new-energy startups like NIO, Li Auto, XPeng, Xiaomi Automobile, Nezha Auto, and Leapmotor, as well as traditional automakers like BYD, Aion, and Zeekr.

Throughout automotive history, these automakers remain vulnerable to bankruptcy and demise. However, compared to the past, when all competitors were on the same track, they have now demonstrated their staying power on their respective tracks, each shining brightly in the same arena.

If domestic automakers were followers in the era of gasoline-powered vehicles, they are now making 'zero breakthroughs' in the new energy vehicle era, leading the global automotive industry with numerous firsts and championships.

While multinational automakers like Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai-Kia, and Stellantis still dominate the global market, domestic automakers like BYD, Geely, and Chery are catching up. They are accelerating their overseas expansion to become multinational automakers, with their new energy vehicle technologies compensating for the shortcomings of their foreign counterparts.

Domestic automakers, once confined to the Chinese market, now face a broader global market and are ready to compete with automakers worldwide.

The gold medal race for China's new energy vehicles is a thrilling test of defense, breakthrough, counterattack, and reversal. The most exciting moments of this competition have just begun.

Amidst the intense competition among domestic automakers, multinational automakers are no longer complacent in the Chinese market. They are simultaneously introducing global strategic models and advanced technologies while leveraging China's smart car ecosystem to create localized vehicles. The fierce competition in China's automotive market has never stopped and will not stop.

Whether it's Chery Automobile's long-standing commitment to dual market development in China and abroad or the large-scale collective overseas expansion of China's new energy vehicles, China has become the world's leading automobile exporter, a trend that will continue to expand. This advantage also serves as the foundation for domestic automakers to achieve localized production globally.

The strong are never afraid of challenges because only through challenges can the gold medal shine brightly. China's new energy vehicles belong not only to China but also to the world!

In the business world, there is no such thing as easy success or weak competitors.