Experts debunk the rumor that the auto market launched five to six hundred new models in the past six months.

In response to the industry discussion regarding over 500 new car models launched in the first half of the year, Li Yanwei, an expert from the China Automobile Circulation Association, stated today on social media that there are only about 165 new models in the domestic market from January to June 2026, and the claim of 500 to 600 models circulating in the market is inaccurate. Li Yanwei explained that the figure of over 500 includes a combined count of models and various configurations and derivatives. For example, if a new model is launched with three configurations, it can be counted as one model and three variants; if we take the 165 new models from the first half of the year and add in different configurations, it may indeed result in 500 to 600 variants; however, stating that there are 500 to 600 models is not precise. Previously, various media outlets had used a broad definition in their statistics, claiming 550 new cars from January to May and over 600 in the first half of the year, which sparked discussions about industry competition.