The curtain rose on Auto China 2026 (Beijing Motor Show), the 19th edition, on the 24th. This year's Beijing Motor Show runs from today through May 4 at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing. If the 2024 Beijing Motor Show featured a parade of electric vehicles, this year is marked by more distinct identities by Chinese brands. There is a growing view that Chinese brands have established their own personalities, including advanced autonomous driving and battery charging technology, high performance exceeding 1,000 horsepower, and high-end luxury vehicles.
By contrast, traditional global brands are waging an arduous battle, pushing "localization" to target the world's largest auto market, where 26 million vehicles were sold last year. Instead of the designs each brand has maintained, they jointly developed with Chinese local corporations and applied China-only designs and logos. Industry officials said, "While Chinese automakers are adding individuality and segmenting to target the domestic market after low-price offensives, foreign companies are calling for 'Sinicization.'"
◆ Chinese companies with firmly defined identities, a technology showdown
At the China International Exhibition Center, which spans 380,000㎡—the size of more than 50 soccer fields—Chinese companies staged a technology showdown. China's auto industry had expanded its global market share with a strategy of flooding the market with low-cost EVs, but that led to intensified cutthroat competition among domestic players and the industry's profit margin hitting a record low. In response, companies joined this exhibition by adding individuality such as "high quality" and "new technology," rather than "value for money."
Xiaomi unveiled a concept car with features that enable interaction between driver and vehicle. With bio and environmental sensors embedded inside the body, the vehicle detects the driver's heart rate and physical condition in real time and assists driving based on real-time biometric data. Xiaomi's goal is to enable a driving experience in which the driver is integrated with the car. Outside, the aerodynamic structure is integrated into the body, allowing control of airflow without additional devices. Xiaomi said this is to enhance high-speed stability and efficiency.
Chinese companies also showcased new ultra-fast charging technologies. BYD demonstrated an ultra-fast battery charging system that fully charges in 9 minutes and runs 830 km, and showed charging in minus 30 degrees Celsius conditions. In response, CATL recently unveiled a new battery that fully charges in just over 6 minutes and drives 1,500 km. It can be fully charged within 10 minutes even in extreme cold. They also previously introduced a system that provides ultra-fast charging and battery exchange at a single station.
EV maker Nio showcased a battery exchange (swap) system. When a car is parked at a station that looks like a car wash, machinery rises from the floor to disengage the battery pack under the chassis and exchange the discharged battery for a fully charged one. The process took 2 minutes 33 seconds until reattachment was completed.
In addition, Geely Group clearly differentiated roles by brand. Zeekr, which pursues luxury high-end, unveiled its flagship 8X. The model features next-generation hybrid technology. Zeekr said the 230 kW drive motor allows about 80% of driving to be done on electricity, with fuel economy of 45 km per liter. Lynk & Co, a brand within the group, launched the sporty "Lynk & Co Plus" targeting younger generations.
SAIC Motor's sub-brands announced a series of AI-based vehicle lineups, and brands partnering with Huawei unveiled new cars equipped with advanced autonomous driving functions.
◆ "A car made together by us and China" as global brands court buyers
Global automakers seeking to tap the 26-million-vehicles-a-year Chinese market are making more assertive overtures. As many vehicles co-developed by global brands and local corporations were unveiled, Chinese media showed intense interest.
Volkswagen's pavilion was filled with vehicles for the local market. Rather than Volkswagen's traditional design, they carried a Chinese EV feel. The ID. UNYX 09, jointly developed with Xpeng, was unveiled at the pavilion. Volkswagen handled the body, while Xpeng handled the brain. The ID. UNYX 06 and 07 were also on display, equipped with Huawei's advanced driver assistance (ADS) technology. The ID. AURA T6, featuring an ADAS solution from Cariadzen, a joint venture between Horizon Robotics, a Chinese AI chip design company, and Volkswagen, was also exhibited.
Audi was the same. Audi unveiled the E7X, its second model co-developed with SAIC Motor and a sport utility vehicle (SUV). It was built on a jointly developed platform combined with Audi's own all-wheel-drive technology. Instead of the four-ring emblem, it uses a logo that says "AUDI." Audi Chairman Gernot Döllner said, "Through various localized models, we will present the largest China product strategy in Audi's history."
Mercedes-Benz put the GLC Electric at the forefront, while BMW highlighted the iX3. Porsche displayed the brand's signature model, the Cayenne Electric Coupe. The coupe model has not yet been released in Korea. Despite being new models, foot traffic to the German brands was far lower compared with the Chinese brands. A representative of a local company said, "Chinese automaker brands are already delivering higher performance at lower prices than foreign brands, so their popularity is waning."
Hyundai Motor is also seeking a turnaround in China by putting its Ioniq brand forward. After selling 1.7 million vehicles in 2016 and ranking in the top three, Hyundai Motor unveiled the Ioniq V, the first model under its strategy dubbed "in China, for China, to the world."
Hyundai Motor also signaled an aggressive lineup expansion. Starting with the Ioniq V, it plans to add up to 20 models over the next five years, including six all-new vehicles in two phases (including facelifts and more). Alongside the aggressive lineup expansion, it will also strengthen dealerships. By 2030, it will open 181 new stores and invest about 1 billion yuan (about 216.8 billion won) in China.
Some say it is unfortunate to see global automakers become Sinicized. A representative of a domestic automaker met on-site said, "The halls are filled with Chinese cars wearing global brands' logos," adding, "In China, it seems the distinctive designs that global brands have maintained for a long time will soon disappear, which is regrettable."