Amid fast-paced changes that fill the business community with excitement, angst and trepidation, EqualOcean will publish a series of roundup articles to document the major events related to Chinese companies going global every week.
Weekly Overview (29/03-04/04)
1. Meituan (美团) CEO Wang Xing: KeeTa Expected to Achieve Positive Unit Economics (UE) in Saudi Arabia by End of 2026
2. XPeng (小鹏汽车) Officially Launches in Mexico
3. Pony.ai (小马智行) Robotaxi Revenue Doubles in 2025, Expects Accelerated Global Deployment in Over 20 Cities by 2026
4. Geely (吉利) Geely E5 and Starray EM-i Launch in Five European Countries, Marking a Milestone in Global Strategy
5. Pony.ai (小马智行) CEO James Peng: The Middle East Remains a High-Priority Strategic Region
6. BYD (比亚迪) Export Target Exceeds Expectations by 15%, Plans for 1.5 Million Exports in 2026
7. MINISO FRIENDS Wins French Design Award, Accelerating Global Expansion
8. Li Auto (理想汽车) Chip Secures World-Class "Champion-Level" Certification
9. AgiBot (智元机器人) SVP Wang Chuang: Expected Delivery of 100,000th Robot by End of 2027
10. Apollo Go (萝卜快跑) Officially Starts Fully Driverless Commercial Operations in Dubai
11. Dobot (越疆科技) 2025 Revenue Hits 492 Million CNY, up Over 30%, Ranking First Globally in Collaborative Robot Shipments
12. XPeng (小鹏汽车) Strives for Leadership in the Mexican Market by 2028
13. 1688 Japan Officially Launches Small-Scale Procurement Agency Mode
Selected Developments
1. Pony.ai (小马智行) Reports Doubled Robotaxi Revenue in 2025, Plans for Global Expansion Across 20+ Cities by 2026
[Event] Recently, Pony.ai released its Q4 and full-year 2025 financial results. The company's total revenue for 2025 reached 629 million CNY, a 20% year-on-year increase. Driven by gains from fair value changes in strategic investments, it achieved its first-ever quarterly profit in Q4 with a net profit of 528 million CNY; the full-year net loss narrowed significantly to 537 million CNY, a reduction of over 70%. As of late 2025, the company's total cash and investments stood at 10.593 billion CNY.
The core Robotaxi business experienced explosive growth in 2025, generating 116 million CNY in revenue, a 129% surge, with passenger fare revenue increasing by nearly 400%. Currently, its seventh-generation Robotaxi has achieved positive single-vehicle operational profit in Guangzhou and Shenzhen. In Shenzhen, the average daily net income per vehicle hit a record high of 394 CNY on March 22, 2026.
Looking ahead to 2026, Pony.ai has launched its "Dual-Engine Strategy," planning to expand its Robotaxi fleet to over 3,000 vehicles and deploy operations in more than 20 cities globally by year-end. Its current fleet exceeds 1,400 vehicles, accelerating global implementation through "fleet-building" partnerships with Toyota, Ontime, and the European company Verne. Additionally, the Robotruck business contributed 284 million CNY in revenue, with plans for fourth-generation mass production moving forward steadily.
2. Geely (吉利) Enters Five European Countries with Geely E5 and Starray EM-i, Marking a Global Strategy Milestone
[Event] Recently, Geely Auto announced the completion of its brand layout in five core European countries: Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. For this expansion into Western Europe, Geely introduced two global strategic models: the Geely E5 and the Starray EM-i. Combined with its prior entry into markets like the UK, Italy, and Hungary, the Geely brand now covers nearly 20 mainstream European countries.
To support long-term development in Europe, Geely has established a European spare parts center in Amsterdam, Netherlands, creating a logistics network consisting of a "European Central Warehouse + Regional Forward Warehouses" serving Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Simultaneously, Geely launched localized warranty policies and 24-hour roadside assistance. For product adaptation, the European version of the Geely E5 chassis was tuned by the Lotus team, and both models have received Euro NCAP five-star safety certifications to meet strict EU standards.
Based on current market pricing, the Geely E5 starts at 37,990 EUR in Germany, while the Starray EM-i starts at 32,990 EUR. Geely Auto has set an overseas sales target of 640,000 units for 2026, aiming to consolidate its competitive position in the global automotive hub through localized value chain integration.
3. Apollo Go (萝卜快跑) Officially Launches Fully Driverless Commercial Operations in Dubai
[Event] On March 30, Baidu's (百度) autonomous driving platform Apollo Go officially began fully driverless commercial operations in Dubai. Under the guidance of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), the first batch of fully driverless fleets has been deployed, and the public can experience the service via the Apollo Go App. This marks Apollo Go’s transition from testing to large-scale commercial operation in Dubai, with plans to expand the fleet to thousands of vehicles in the coming years.
In terms of strategy, Apollo Go utilizes a "self-operated + aggregated" dual-track layout. On one hand, the company signed an exclusive agreement with Dubai’s largest state-owned taxi firm, DTC (Dubai Taxi Company), to accelerate local adoption through technology licensing and localized operations. On the other hand, Apollo Go deepened its strategic partnership with Uber. Following their February 2026 announcement, users will soon be able to book Apollo Go driverless vehicles directly within the Uber App.
Currently, Apollo Go has launched in 26 cities worldwide, completing over 20 million orders. In Dubai, the company previously secured the "No. 001" fully driverless testing license and opened its first overseas operations base, Apollo Go Park. This commercial launch supports the Dubai government's goal of 25% automated mobility by 2030 and lays the foundation for further expansion in the Middle East and Europe.
4. AgiBot (智元机器人) SVP Wang Chuang: Expected Delivery of 100,000th Robot by Late 2027
[Event] On April 3, AgiBot officially announced the delivery of its 10,000th general-purpose embodied robot, the "Expedition A3". This milestone signifies a leap in the mass production of humanoid robots. According to Jiemian News, AgiBot only completed the delivery of its 5,000th "LinkSoul X2" on December 8, 2025, meaning the growth from 5,000 to 10,000 units took less than four months—a production speed increase of over four times.
During the ceremony, AgiBot Partner and Senior VP Wang Chuang disclosed an ambitious capacity plan to deliver the 100,000th general-purpose embodied robot by the end of 2027. Currently, AgiBot has built a diversified product matrix including the Expedition A2, Expedition A3, and Lingxi X2, and has successfully completed commercial validation in high-complexity overseas scenarios such as Singapore Changi Airport and Resorts World Sentosa.
AgiBot recorded total shipments of over 5,100 units in 2025, ranking first globally with a market share of nearly 40%. The 10,000-unit milestone for the "Expedition A3" validates the reliability of its self-developed core components like the PowerFlow actuators and integrated power modules in large-scale assembly line production.
5. 1688 Japan Officially Launches Small-Scale Procurement Agency Mode in Japan
[Event] On April 2, the official Japanese general agency service for Alibaba's B2B platform 1688, "1688 Japan," officially commenced operations. The platform is jointly operated by HHO Co., Ltd., invested by Alibaba, and the Japanese company Goldbach. Its core positioning is a "small-scale procurement agency model." Through this platform, Japanese SMEs, individual online store owners, and traders can directly connect with 1688’s massive Chinese supply chain for a one-stop cross-border procurement experience.
The services provided by 1688 Japan cover the entire chain, including product selection consultation, order payment agency, goods consolidation and inspection, and dedicated logistics to Japan. This model addresses pain points for Japanese buyers such as language barriers, complex payment settlements, and expensive small-order logistics. It significantly simplifies the China-Japan cross-border trade link for Japanese merchants needing "small-order trial sales," helping them reduce costs and improve efficiency.
The official landing of 1688 in Japan marks Alibaba's acceleration in exporting its mature domestic trade supply chain capabilities. Through joint operation with local professional institutions, 1688 Japan will serve as a digital bridge connecting Chinese manufacturing with the Japanese retail market.
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Since 2018, EqualOcean has been dedicated to tracking and analyzing the global expansion of Chinese enterprises. We welcome contributions from industry professionals to share your expertise and insights. Companies seeking international growth, media exposure, or discussions on overseas strategies are also encouraged to contact us directly.
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