South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that it will pre-announce amendments to the Enforcement Decree and related regulations of the Automobile Management Act to enhance safety management of batteries used in electric vehicles. The revisions include expanded information disclosure and stricter criteria for certification revocation. Under the new rules, consumers will be able to access more detailed information when purchasing EVs, including the battery’s country of origin, manufacturer, and production date.

[SMM Tin Morning Briefing: The Most-Traded SHFE Tin Contract Opened Sharply Higher in the Night Session and Then Rebounded in Volatile Trading, While the Spot Market Will Gradually Cool Down]

On March 18, Chery Automobile announced its full-year 2025 results. In 2025, Chery Automobile recorded total revenue of 300.29 billion yuan, up 11.3% YoY; net profit of 19.51 billion yuan, up 36.1% YoY; and net profit margin improved from 5.3% to 6.5%, indicating continuously stronger profitability. Profit attributable to owners of the company was 19.019 billion yuan, up 34.6% YoY, further enhancing shareholder returns. In 2025, Chery Automobile’s self-owned brand passenger vehicle sales reached 2.6314 million units, up 14.6% YoY; new energy self-owned brand passenger vehicle sales reached 826,500 units, up 72.5% YoY, with new energy and globalization becoming key drivers of earnings growth.

On the evening of March 18, 2026, at Chery Automobile Battery Night 2026 in Wuhu, Anhui, Chery unveiled its Rhino all-solid-state battery technology. It had completed the development and pilot production of a 60Ah, 400Wh/kg all-solid-state battery cell and was advancing toward an ultra-high energy density of 600Wh/kg.

On March 18, the Chairman of Chery Automobile stated that Chery's solid-state battery pilot production line has developed cells with different energy density levels and is currently conducting extensive rigorous testing. Chery's future investment in all-solid-state batteries will have no upper limit. It is reported that Chery's Rhino Battery S series includes a 60Ah, 400Wh/kg solid-state battery utilizing a sulfide-based solid electrolyte system and high-nickel ternary cathode materials; and a 600Wh/kg solid-state battery using an in-situ polymerization solid electrolyte system and lithium-rich manganese-based cathode materials, achieving a range of over 1500+ km.

According to Gu Chunshan, Vice President of Chery Automobile, as the countdown to mass production and popularization begins, all-solid-state batteries have become the focus of attention for both the industry and users, and Chery will place no upper limit on its future investment in all-solid-state batteries. It is reported that Chery's Rhino Battery S Series 60Ah, 400Wh/kg solid-state battery uses a sulphide-based solid electrolyte system and high-nickel ternary cathode material; the 600Wh/kg solid-state battery uses an in-situ polymerization solid electrolyte system and lithium-rich manganese cathode material, with a driving range of over 1,500 km, and the company aims to carry out vehicle validation by 2027.

SMM News: As of March 20, 2026, the market price for Praseodymium-Neodymium (Pr-Nd) metal in China stabilized temporarily at 890,000–910,000 RMB/ton. This article utilizes the SMM Pr-Nd Terminal Demand Calculation Model to dissect the demand logic for 2026 across three core sectors—New Energy Vehicles (NEVs), Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles, and Wind Power—explaining the current supply-demand dilemma facing the NdFeB magnet and broader Pr-Nd markets.

Changan Automobile released an announcement on the record of its investor relations activities, stating that the company’s overall sales target for 2026 is 3.3 million units, including 1.4 million new energy units and 750,000 units outside China. Over the next three years, it will launch a cumulative total of 43 new products, including 35 new energy car models; 26 new products will be launched in markets outside China, covering more than 140 countries and regions.

[China’s Automobile Production Reached 4.024 Million Units, January-February] On March 16, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released the latest data showing that, by sector, from January to February, the value added of 35 out of 41 major industrial categories increased YoY. Among them, automobile manufacturing was up 3.4% YoY. By product, from January to February, the production of 397 out of 626 products by industrial enterprises above designated size increased YoY. Among them, automobile production was 4.024 million units, down 9.9%, of which NEV production was 1.604 million units, down 13.7%.

Geely Automobile (0175.HK) announced its full-year 2025 results. In 2025, Geely Automobile's total revenue reached 345.2 billion yuan, up 25% YoY, a record high. Excluding non-core items such as foreign exchange gains and losses, core profit attributable to shareholders reached 14.41 billion yuan, up 36% YoY. The growth in core profit outpaced revenue growth, delivering high-quality growth. Benefiting from the continued release of economies of scale and the optimization of its high-value product mix, gross profit increased to 57.3 billion yuan, up 25% YoY. As of the end of 2025, total cash rose 46% to 68.2 billion yuan, with ample and solid cash reserves.