At the Smart Electric Vehicle Development High-Level Forum (2026) held from April 11th to 12th at the Beijing National Convention Center Phase II, the focus was on advancing the intelligent, green, integrated, and international development of new energy vehicles.
Miao Qin, Vice President of JD.com and President of JD Auto, noted that the first question people often ask him is about the sales performance of last year's "People's Car" initiative. He admitted that after three consecutive years of reporting progress at the forum, the intended impact has not been achieved. Many listeners and users still hold preconceived notions about JD Auto without fully grasping its core business strategy. Miao Qin expressed deep reflection, acknowledging shortcomings in adopting a user-oriented mindset.
He observed that while competition in the industry is intense, there is a general consensus: China's automotive sector does not lack production capacity or technology—what it lacks is incremental growth, driven by deeper insights into and genuine fulfillment of user needs. He emphasized that the market is not a zero-sum game; instead, developing quality products through continuous iteration based on user understanding is fundamental. Addressing comprehensive service needs across the entire user lifecycle—including purchasing, using, maintaining, modifying, and replacing vehicles—not only represents significant consumption growth potential in China but is also crucial for enhancing the global competitiveness of the country's new energy vehicle industry.
Miao Qin stressed the importance of full-chain collaboration and an open ecosystem, with user experience serving as the core driver of market expansion. He clarified that last year's collaboration with GAC and CATL to launch a "People's Car" model received positive market feedback, which inadvertently led to misconceptions that JD.com was venturing into car manufacturing. In reality, the initiative focused on product development and brand enhancement to meet incremental demand. By targeting JD.com's 700 million users who expressed interest in car purchases but hesitated to commit, the team identified unmet needs in product selection, services, and guarantees. Adjustments were made in vehicle options, product improvements, and user communication.
Notably, 90% of transactions for this model were completed entirely online. Half of the buyers admitted they had no initial plans to purchase a vehicle that year but were persuaded by the product offering. Detailed data from JD.com revealed that 27% of buyers were first-time car owners who previously used JD.com for two-wheeled vehicles, while over 40% had previously utilized JD Auto's offline maintenance services, indicating replacement demand.
The project significantly boosted user affinity and brand perception for the Aion brand, shifting its image and creating sales opportunities for other Aion models. More than half of the "People's Car" buyers purchased additional automotive products, maintenance, and modification services on JD.com, increasing cross-selling potential. In pilot cities, 30% of users opted for vehicle delivery and after-sales services through JD Auto's maintenance network, highlighting that users seek not just a car but reliable, professional support throughout the entire ownership cycle.
Leveraging AI-driven data insights from JD.com's 700 million users, 300 million vehicle owners, and over 6.2 billion annual automotive-related searches, JD Auto customizes new vehicle models to meet evolving demands. Supported by 500 million automotive SKUs and more than 4,000 JD Auto service centers across 300 cities, the company aims to transition from identifying needs to creating demand, maintaining a user-centric approach to address incremental growth in the automotive industry. Miao Qin concluded that user trust remains the foundation for the success of the "People's Car" project.
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