On January 20, 2026, Shaanxi Automobile Commercial Vehicle held its 2026 Partner Conference in Baoji, Shaanxi. Liu Yi, 47, made his first public appearance as the Party Secretary and Chairman of Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group Co., Ltd., taking the baton from Yuan Hongming, who had just turned 60.
Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group Co., Ltd., as the core pillar of Shaanxi Province's automotive industry, is a leading enterprise in the domestic commercial vehicle sector. With decades of deep cultivation in the industry, it has formed an industrial layout centered on heavy trucks, covering medium and light trucks, new energy vehicles, special purpose vehicles, and other full series of products. It possesses profound accumulation in core technologies such as powertrains and intelligent connectivity.
In 2025, the company delivered outstanding results, with annual vehicle sales exceeding 200,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 22.1%, setting a new historical record. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group cumulatively sold 844,700 vehicles, achieved an industrial output value of 395.8 billion yuan, and saw its brand value climb to 56.869 billion yuan. Its industry ranking rose from fifth to third, firmly establishing itself among the top tier.
Currently, Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group is steadfastly pursuing its "dual-driven" strategy and the second-stage goals of its "2035 Strategy," accelerating its progress towards becoming a world-class professional leading enterprise. In the field of technological innovation, it has successfully commercialized L4 autonomous driving, achieved a range of over 1000 kilometers for hydrogen fuel cell heavy trucks, and reduced vehicle weight by 15% through the application of lightweight new materials. Product structure continues to optimize, with new energy commercial vehicles accounting for 38% of its portfolio, and its customized capabilities for special-purpose vehicles rank among the industry's best. Market presence is continuously expanding, with an overseas service network covering 50 countries and export volume increasing by 41% year-on-year, laying a solid foundation for the commencement of the "15th Five-Year Plan" period.
The appointment of Liu Yi as the new general manager breaks Shaanqi's tradition of cultivating successors internally. Born in December 1978, Liu Yi earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees from the School of Marine Science and Technology at Northwestern Polytechnical University. With a postgraduate education and a Master of Engineering degree, he is a typical manager from a technical background.
In 2004, Liu Yi entered the field of core commercial vehicle components by joining Fast Group, a leading enterprise in heavy-duty transmissions. Starting as an entry-level design engineer, he progressed through key positions including Director of the Design Office, Deputy Director and Director of the Design Research Institute, Deputy Chief Engineer, Assistant to the General Manager, and Deputy General Manager. In August 2024, he was appointed General Manager of Fast Group. Throughout his career, he has accumulated comprehensive and profound experience in component R&D, production management, and supply chain synergy.
It is worth mentioning that Liu Yi participated in the "Key Technologies and Applications of Heavy Commercial Vehicle Powertrain" project, which won the first prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award. In addition, he has successively won numerous honors such as the Special Prize of China Machinery Industry Science and Technology Award, the Second Prize of Shaanxi Provincial Science and Technology Award, and the First Prize of Shaanxi Provincial Patent Award, and was rated as a young and middle-aged scientific and technological leader in Shaanxi Province.
In his first public speech after taking office, Liu Yi proposed a strategic management concept centered around "One Shaanxi Automobile, Unified Action, Platform Sharing, High Degree of Synergy," focusing on four key initiatives: optimizing the product matrix, deepening supply chain synergy, accelerating the new energy track, and innovating marketing and service models.
Yuan Hongming, who has stepped down from his position, is an iconic figure in the development history of Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group. He dedicated nearly four decades of his professional career entirely to the company, witnessing and driving Shaanxi Auto's leapfrog development from an industry follower to a leader.
Yuan Hongming, born in August 1965 in Fufeng, Shaanxi Province, joined the Automobile Research Institute of Shaanxi Automobile Manufacturing Factory after graduating from the Department of Automotive Engineering of Tsinghua University in 1987, starting as a regular technician. He successively served as Deputy Section Chief, Deputy Director, Chief Engineer of the Automobile Research Institute, Deputy Director and Chief Engineer of the factory, etc. In June 2008, he became General Manager of Shaanxi Automobile Group Co., Ltd., and in June 2015, he was promoted to Chairman of Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group Co., Ltd., and was re-elected in July 2022.
Under the leadership of Yuan Hongming, Shaanxi Automobile's annual sales surged from 83,000 units to over 200,000 units. He built a product matrix covering the entire commercial vehicle range, created high-end benchmark products represented by the X6000, pioneered an integrated marketing model, and continuously optimized the full lifecycle service experience. He himself has been awarded titles such as National Model Worker, National Outstanding Entrepreneur, and Shaanxi Provincial Model Worker, and enjoys the special government allowance of the State Council, becoming a highly respected leader in the industry.
Yuan Hongming's departure is due to age. According to regulations from the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, the retirement age for top leaders of central and provincial state-owned enterprises is generally 60 years old. Born in August 1965, he will reach the retirement standard in 2026, making this a normal generational transition. Currently, Yuan Hongming will officially retire and embark on a new chapter in his life.
The leadership change at Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group is a typical case of talent iteration in state-owned enterprises during the transformation period of the commercial vehicle industry. Breaking the tradition of internal succession, a younger, technically-minded leader has taken over from a renowned veteran, injecting new vitality into this established state-owned enterprise. The ascension of a technology-driven leader is likely to accelerate the industry's shift towards high-end, intelligent, and green development, providing a new model for reform and talent mobility in old state-owned enterprises.
