JD.com unexpectedly made a big move again

Author | Wang Xiaojun

Editor | Chai Xuchen

Double Eleven has become increasingly boring, but JD.com has made a big move by starting to sell cars.

On October 14, at JD.com’s 11.11 Surprise Open Day, JD Automotive announced a collaboration with CATL's Times Electric and GAC Group to jointly launch a "National Good Car." This car will be officially released on November 9 on JD.com and will be exclusively sold on the JD platform.

This is JD.com's specialty "reverse customization" model, a large-scale practice in the automotive field. It is also JD.com's first attempt to integrate resources from automakers, battery manufacturers, and sales channels to create a new model for car sales. Such operations add many highlights to JD.com's Double Eleven this year.

In addition, the concept of cars as intelligent terminals has been widely recognized both inside and outside the industry. Previously, many car companies have piloted services like food delivery and hotel booking through in-car systems. This also means that in the future, cars defined by JD.com can link more of its services to this intelligent terminal, increasing business entry points.

According to official information, this "National Good Car" will focus on four major aspects: "fashionable appearance, safety performance, endurance capability, and affordable price," aiming to meet over 90% of daily commuting needs.

This "National Good Car" adopts a clear division of labor model: GAC Group is responsible for intelligent manufacturing of the whole vehicle; CATL provides battery technology and battery swapping ecosystem support; JD.com leverages its online and offline channel advantages to handle exclusive sales.

This division of labor model clearly defines the responsibilities and advantages of each party, with JD.com explicitly stating that they "do not directly involve the manufacturing process."

In terms of sales methods, the new car will adopt an "online customization + offline quick pickup" model. Consumers can not only choose standard models but also flexibly select various packages such as "customized car cover, car accessories package, and maintenance enhancement package," achieving full-cycle coverage from purchasing to using the car.

This model aims to make buying a car as convenient as buying a mobile phone. Just like when purchasing a mobile phone, consumers can choose different accessory packages, purchasing a car can also be personalized according to individual needs.

Prior to this, JD Automotive has been committed to building a one-stop automotive consumption platform covering "buying, configuring, maintaining, using, and replacing." Offline, JD.com already has nearly 3,000 JD car maintenance stores and over 40,000 partner stores.

As early as May this year, JD.com's subsidiary Beijing JD 360 Degree E-commerce Co., Ltd. applied to register multiple "Joyrobotaxi" trademarks, which the market sees as a precursor to its entry into the autonomous driving field.

Indeed, over the past few years, JD.com's automotive ecosystem has been gradually improving. As early as 2012, JD.com began selling automotive supplies such as windshield washer fluid, floor mats, and window films. In 2015, JD.com, in collaboration with Tencent, strategically invested in Yiche, reaching the vehicle circulation segment.

In 2022, JD.com upgraded its Jingchehui to the "JD Car Maintenance" brand, integrating automotive parts with offline automotive maintenance and repair. In June 2023, JD Retail integrated the whole vehicle, automotive products, two-wheelers, and car maintenance across all channels and teams, establishing an independent JD Automotive Division From "selling car products" to "car maintenance" and then to "selling cars," JD.com is gradually improving its automotive ecosystem layout.

As JD.com enters the automotive sales market, it coincides with the most severe survival crisis faced by car dealers in nearly eight years. The China Automobile Dealers Association's survey report for the first half of 2025 shows that 52.6% of dealers are in the red, marking the first time this figure has exceeded 50%.

The "inverse pricing" brought about by the price war has become the core black hole consuming profits. Data from the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce's Automobile Dealers Chamber of Commerce indicates that 80% of the main selling models have price inversions, with the inversion amount generally exceeding 20%. This means that many dealers incur greater losses the more cars they sell.

The reshuffling speed in the automotive dealership industry is accelerating. In 2024, over 4,400 4S stores nationwide will close, equivalent to 12 stores disappearing every day. The downward trend continued in the first half of 2025, with over 1,200 stores on the brink of closure.

Moreover, as a high-priced, low-frequency product, automobiles are fundamentally different from the fast-moving consumer goods and home appliances traditionally operated by JD.com. The consumer decision-making chain is longer, with greater emphasis on experience and after-sales service. How to replicate JD.com's service advantages in the 3C home appliance sector to the automotive industry is a significant challenge.

The above industry situation proves that while automobiles are indeed profitable as the largest consumer item for many families, it is not an easy business.

Of course, JD.com also has its advantages. First, the platform has gathered over 600 million annual active users, including over 200 million car owners and more than 10 million new energy vehicle owners. This provides a huge traffic entry point for automotive sales.

Second, JD.com has built a comprehensive online and offline service system. Online, JD.com has a complete e-commerce infrastructure; offline, JD.com's car maintenance stores and partner store network cover the entire country. Services like JD Home and JD Finance can also support automotive sales.

However, the younger generation has developed a habit of online consumption, leaning towards more transparent prices and more internet-based services. As of 11 a.m. on October 15, nearly 150,000 people had participated in the "National Good Car" interaction on the JD.com app. This also indicates that consumer curiosity about this new model far exceeds expectations.

On November 9, this "National Good Car" will officially debut. Whether JD.com's logic can withstand market tests will soon be revealed