Chongqing - Since early 2026, major Chinese e-commerce platforms, including JD, Meituan and Alibaba, have expanded into auto sales, and JD recently signed a partnership with Changan Automobile’s NEV brand Deepal to exclusively sell the Deepal L06 Extended Range version on its platform.
The Deepal official flagship store is now live on the JD app, allowing users to book test drives or pre-order vehicles directly. The two companies also launched the “Open Go” premium test-drive service in Jinan, China, enabling customized on-site test drives of up to 120 minutes via the app.
A keyword search on the JD app reveals that the Deepal official flagship store is now live. (Graphic/Luo Huxin)
According to the Economic Information Daily, the partnership represents a strategic synergy that aligns with the rapid growth of the NEV market. A JD spokesperson described the collaboration as a key step in their strategy to offer mainstream NEV models. Moving forward, both parties plan to deepen cooperation to bring high-end NEV configurations to a broader market and provide cost-effective smart mobility solutions.
JD’s foray into the auto sector is well-established. In 2025, the company collaborated with GAC Aion and CATL to launch the "Aion UT Super," managing the sales operations for the model, which began deliveries late last year. Beyond online sales, JD.com has built an extensive offline service network, comprising over 3,000 "JD Auto Care" stores and more than 40,000 partner maintenance centers.
Other e-commerce giants follow suit. Alibaba’s Tmall recently partnered with Changan Qiyuan—another NEV brand under Changan Automobile—to exclusively launch the first "Tmall Selected Car" during the Beijing Auto Show in 2026. Tmall also offers exclusive e-commerce subsidies to streamline the full process from selection to delivery.
Meituan has adopted a different approach by focusing on service scenarios. In January, Meituan entered a strategic partnership with Passion Technology, an automotive retail resource integrator, aiming to bring over 30 auto brands and 10,000 dealers onto its platform within the year.
Currently, brands such as Tesla and Li Auto have launched test-drive buying products on Meituan, allowing users to compare prices and book test drives online.
This shift toward automotive retail is a calculated response to the saturation of the food delivery and instant retail markets. In 2025, intense competition among these platforms led to an unsustainable "price war."
Industry data suggests that cumulative subsidies reached 80 billion to 100 billion yuan (approx. 11.72 billion-14.65 billion U.S. dollars), far exceeding the industry's annual profit of roughly 30 billion yuan. The Economic Daily noted that the China Hospitality Association identified this aggressive discounting as a major factor stifling growth in the catering sector since June 2025.
As regulators intervened to stop the "disorderly competition" and growth in the delivery sector plateaued, these giants turned to the automotive sector as a new growth engine. The high profit margins and high average order value in the auto market stand in stark contrast to the low margins of the delivery business.
Market fundamentals support this move. China’s NEV industry has entered a golden age of mass adoption, with data from the Ministry of Commerce showing a 53.9% penetration rate for new-energy passenger vehicles. Furthermore, data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China for 2025 indicate that automotive consumption consistently accounts for approximately 10% of total social retail sales.
A keyword search on the Meituan app shows that automakers such as Li Auto have launched test-drive booking services. (Graphic/Luo Huxin)
Each platform leverages its competencies to lower the barrier to entry. Meituan translates its local lifestyle and group-buying expertise into the auto sector; JD utilizes its supply chain, logistics, and offline maintenance network; and Alibaba uses its e-commerce dominance and subsidy models to standardize online car retail.
While their strategies differ, all race to secure a dominant position in this future ecosystem.