An allegation of 'malicious marketing' has thrust Lixiang Auto and Dongfeng Nissan into the limelight. On April 11, Li Xiang, the founder of Lixiang Auto, asserted that during the rollout of Dongfeng Nissan's new SUV model, the NX8, a coordinated effort was made to deploy numerous accounts to systematically discredit Lixiang's i6 and L6 models. Lixiang's legal team has amassed evidence and lodged a complaint with the police. Wang Qian, the General Manager of Dongfeng Nissan's new energy brand, countered by promoting the idea of 'healthy competition.' The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has taken cognizance of this online spat and has invited representatives from both companies for discussions. By 2026, both automakers are expected to encounter substantial operational challenges. Lixiang Auto witnessed a downturn in revenue in 2025, with its sales heavily dependent on the L6 and i6 models. Dongfeng Nissan has also struggled, with several of its strategic models underperforming and a heavy reliance on the single gasoline-powered model Xuan Yi (Note: retained as is since it's a specific model name in pinyin; if 'fuel-powered' is the intended meaning, it can be replaced with 'fuel-powered' for clarity). The introduction of the NX8 is aimed at rectifying product positioning missteps and ensuring survival in the competitive new energy vehicle market.