On August 6, amid widespread discussions about the staggering figure of over 500 new car models purportedly launched in the first half of the year, Li Yanwei, a seasoned expert from the China Automobile Dealers Association, took to social media to clarify the situation. He stated that, in reality, there were only approximately 165 entirely new domestic car models introduced from January to June 2026. The claim of 500 to 600 models circulating in the market, he emphasized, lacks rigor and accuracy. Li explained that the figure of over 500 models is actually a cumulative count that includes not only the base car models but also their various configurations and derivative versions. For instance, a single new car model with three distinct configurations might be counted as one model with three variants. Therefore, when the 165 base models are combined with their different configurations, the total number of variants could indeed reach 500 to 600. However, it is misleading and inaccurate to refer to these variants as 500 to 600 separate models. Previously, several media outlets, adopting a broad and somewhat imprecise statistical approach, reported the launch of 550 new models from January to May and over 600 in the first half of the year. These reports sparked widespread discussions about potential overcompetition within the industry.