The study distinguishes between integrated and distributed national innovation systems. The latter is characterized by multi-actor participation, local institutional experimentation, and parallel exploration of multiple technological pathways, which together confer strong adaptive capacity under conditions of radical innovation and technological uncertainty. Drawing on a comparative analysis of six regions within China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) industry, the study finds that the sector’s rapid emergence has been driven by distributed innovation practices under national strategic guidance. The findings highlight that distributed innovation systems play a critical role in enabling “0-1” breakthroughs and function as an essential complement to integrated innovation systems.