This paper takes Chinese automobile industry as an example, and analyzes the technological transition towards new energy under the combined effects of market, policy and local cluster. The aim is to study the influencing factors of enterprises’ green technology adoption with a framework based on lead market theory. The results show that target market is an important driving force for enterprises to adopt new energy technology. But unlike the electronics and other export-oriented products, the enterprises of the automobile supply chain is mainly driven by the domestic market. The demand-side incentive policies through subsidies to new energy vehicle buyers are not sustainable, while the supply-side policies, such as the policy targeting close-loop supply chains for circular economy, have long-term effects on the adoption of new energy technology of enterprises. The enterprises are highly dependent on the technology diffusion of local traditional automobile industry clusters, while collaborative innovation among local new energy automobile enterprises needs to be further strengthened. In conclusion, the synergy of circular economy and low carbon development can be achieved through local collaboration within the industrial cluster in building the sustainable competitiveness for Chinese new energy automobile industry.