On - the - spot visits to ten new energy stores: one side is deserted while the other is queuing. The gap between brands is too real.
As the first quarter of 2026 draws to a close, the domestic new energy vehicle market has already fought its first tough battle of the year.
In March, the new-generation SU7 made a strong debut; Hongmeng Smart Mobility launched nine models simultaneously, consolidating its position in the intelligent driving track with 896-line lidar; Leapmotor A10 and IM LS8 announced their prices on March 26, high-profilely announcing their entry into the market.
Looking at the entire first quarter, XPeng, Zeekr, Voyah, and Toyota were also busy, each launching new models, each with its own highlights.
The new energy market is really hot, but what is the real situation?
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To find out, Electric Vehicle News visited offline stores in Guangzhou, covering ten new energy brands such as Xiaomi, Hongmeng Smart Mobility, XPeng, and Leapmotor, and there was no prior appointment throughout the process, aiming to restore the most real front-line situation. The core business district visited this time almost gathered all mainstream new energy brands and is also a must-visit place for local consumers to view and select cars.
Finally, the following first-hand observation of the new car market in the first quarter was formed.
Xiaomi's popularity fades, while Hongmeng Smart Mobility's veterans hold the fort
At the first stop, Electric Vehicle News first went to Xiaomi and Hongmeng Smart Mobility, which are the most popular.
Remember those days when the new-generation Xiaomi SU7 was just launched, the store was bustling with people. Colleagues who had made an appointment for a test drive at that time still had to wait for more than half an hour to take a test drive, and the salespeople were extremely busy. But when we went there again a week later, it was a completely different scene.
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The new-generation SU7 is placed in the center of the exhibition hall, but there are only a few people around it. Several salespeople are standing beside waiting for customers to come in. The once bustling scene has calmed down a lot. Electric Vehicle News asked the salespeople if they could take a test drive now, and their responses were straightforward: "We can arrange it right away!"
The salespeople were also honest: "The explosive power during the launch was very strong. Those who wanted to take a test drive have already come. Moreover, there are too many choices for new energy vehicles now, and users are more hesitant. It's impossible for the store to be full every day."
Hongmeng Smart Mobility just released nine new models. It was thought that it would be as bustling as when the Xiaomi SU7 was launched, but the actual footfall in the store was not as high as expected.
On the one hand, among the nine newly released models, only the AITO M6 and the Shangjie Z7 series are brand-new products, and the rest are annual facelifts and configuration-upgraded models.
On the other hand, the test drive vehicles for these two core brand-new models have not been fully deployed at present, and road dynamic test drive experience is not supported for the time being. Intended users who come to the store specifically for the brand-new models can only statically view the appearance, sit in the car for a while, and experience the in-car system at this stage. To truly feel the vehicle's power, chassis tuning, and intelligent driving performance, they need to patiently wait for the subsequent vehicles to arrive at the store for on-road test drive experience.
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A customer who came to see the AITO M6 said, "I'm quite interested in this car and have already placed a small deposit. It's a pity that I can't take a test drive. I can get a full refund if I don't like it after the test drive."
Interestingly, many users on the spot actually focused their attention on the AITO M8 and M9. After Electric Vehicle News inquired, it was found that these users had already set their eyes on the AITO M8 and M9. Taking advantage of the fact that both new models are equipped with 896-line lidar, they think the assisted driving experience will be better, and they feel more confident in making a purchase now.
After a round of visits, Xiaomi and Hongmeng Smart Mobility represent two completely different starting rhythms.
Xiaomi still has amazing explosive power, but the popularity of the SU7 came and went quickly. From queuing up for a test drive to "arrange immediately" within a week, it's not that the car is not good, but that there are too many new models competing with the SU7. The Shangjie Z7 and the new Zeekr 007 have been exposed, so naturally, more users are comparing different models.
For Hongmeng Smart Mobility, the simultaneous launch of nine models has generated a lot of buzz, but the new models cannot be test-driven, and the order conversion still needs to wait. In the end, users who are really willing to pay still turn their attention to the veterans like the AITO M8 and M9, which have established a good reputation.
XPeng retains customers with intelligent driving, while Leapmotor A10 stands out
Currently, the popularity of the new car market is highly concentrated on newly emerging brands such as Xiaomi and Hongmeng Smart Mobility. XPeng and Leapmotor also launched new models recently, but their popularity is obviously not as high as that of Xiaomi and Hongmeng Smart Mobility.
After visiting XPeng's offline stores, it was found that people generally gathered to inquire about the new XPeng P7 and the upgraded second-generation VLA intelligent driving system. Many users are willing to pay for high-level intelligent experience and actively make appointments for in-depth test drives.
In contrast, the 2026 MONA M03, which has just arrived at the store and is about to be launched, is placed in the most prominent position near the door, but few customers take the initiative to stop and learn about it.
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A car - viewing consumer frankly said: "I came here specifically to buy the new P7. I value the second-generation VLA. This intelligent driving system is really powerful."
The new products launched by XPeng are mainly facelifted models and new models, lacking blockbuster models with a complete upgrade. It is difficult to generate the same popularity as Xiaomi and Hongmeng Smart Mobility in the market. Therefore, most consumers choose to wait and see with their money in hand, planning to make a decision after the launch of blockbuster new models. Perhaps the situation will improve after the launch of the new SUV XPeng GX.
Now let's look at Leapmotor. Since the day of the visit happened to be the launch day of the Leapmotor A10, the overall footfall was slightly better. Five groups of customers entered the store within half an hour, and they all came for the Leapmotor A10.
An elder brother who was looking at the car at the scene highly recognized the car's space and storage capacity. After opening the second - row seats, he murmured that it was enough to put some infrequently used configurations here. The salesperson then introduced other highlights such as the sunken space in the trunk and the lidar. After listening, the elder brother went for a test drive directly.
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The staff introduced that the pricing and configuration of the Leapmotor A10 really impressed many people. Many customers had done their homework online before entering the store and came here to place an order. However, similar to the situation at XPeng next door, the new model stands out alone, and the consultation volume for other models is significantly diverted.
After a round of visits, the popularity gap in the new car market is becoming more and more obvious. Xiaomi and Hongmeng Smart Mobility firmly occupy the center of the topic with their new models and intelligent driving labels. Although XPeng and Leapmotor also have new models to support, either they are facelifted models or there is a single - point explosion. They still lack the real "national attention".
Li Auto and NIO: Steady but need to endure the solitude
Li Auto and NIO, two new - force car brands, were relatively low - key in the first quarter. Although Li Xiang, the founder of Li Auto, announced the new - generation Li L9 on the social platform, it has not been launched yet. Judging from the offline stores, the footfall in the stores of Li Auto and NIO has indeed been greatly affected, but their core customer groups are in completely different states.
Two groups of potential customers entered the Li Auto store within half an hour, and they all came with their families to look at the cars. Even though the i - series models currently promoted by Li Auto were placed at the door, they all took a fancy to the long - launched L - series.
The sales consultant said: "Customers who come to look at cars now basically come for the L - series. They value space and range the most. Extended - range technology can solve range anxiety, which is our core advantage."
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The adjacent NIO store, although having a similar footfall to Li Auto, also has its own highlights.
Within half an hour, two groups of potential customers also entered this NIO store. The first group was a second - child family coming to see the NIO ES8. The couple carefully compared the configuration lists in front of the exhibition car and asked in detail about the battery - swapping mode and seat layout. The sales consultant patiently introduced NIO's battery - swapping network layout and the latest battery upgrade plan.
The second group was an old customer bringing a friend to look at the cars. "I've been driving the ES6 for two years without any major problems, and battery swapping is very convenient. I specially brought my friend here to experience it today." The old customer introduced the cars to his friend while chatting with the salesperson about the latest customer benefits.
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The sales staff at NIO actually expected the current situation. This year, NIO's only key product is the new NIO ES9, and other models are just minor facelifts. But they are still full of confidence. After all, the referral rate of NIO's old customers has always been relatively high, and the battery - swapping mode and service system are the key for NIO to retain old customers and attract new ones.
Zeekr, Voyah, Toyota, and IM: The popularity gap is obvious. Who can break the situation?
In addition to the new - force car brands, Electric Vehicle News also visited the stores of four new energy brands: Zeekr, Voyah, Toyota, and IM.
The Zeekr 8X, whose pre - sale price was just announced, did not trigger the expected bustling scene. In addition to the exhibition hall, Zeekr also set up a small booth in the mall, but the attention it received was not high. Instead, the preferential price officially announced by Zeekr was more attractive, and several groups of customers came for the discount.
Electric Vehicle News also met a young man on the spot. He said: "I've seen the Zeekr 8X. The configuration is good, but I still want to wait until the discount on the 001 is bigger before making a purchase."
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Now let's talk about Voyah. In this core business district, Voyah only has a small booth, and the store is several kilometers away. But even so, there were still many people around the Voyah Taishan at the booth. Five groups of customers came within half an hour, and almost all of them came for the Voyah Taishan. The appeal of the new model Taishan is obvious.
"The positioning of the Taishan is relatively clear. It has a large space and complete configurations. The feedback from customers who came to look at the car is quite good." The on - site staff revealed to Electric Vehicle News. However, he also said that passers - by actually don't have a very high awareness of the Voyah brand. A lot of time is usually spent on explaining the brand. Moreover, as Voyah was recently listed on the stock market, there is also relevant information about the brand's listing on the rear - view mirror of the exhibition car.
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