Beijing Auto Show scale

Beijing’s 2026 auto show opens April 24 with 1,451 vehicles spread across 380,000 square meters, the biggest footprint in the global car-show calendar this week. (beijingautoshow.com) Organizers say the event runs through May 3 and uses two venues for the first time: the China International Exhibition Center in Shunyi and the Capital International Exhibition & Convention Center. (autobeijing.org.cn) The show will include 181 world premieres and 71 concept cars across 17 halls, with 13 halls dedicated to complete vehicles rather than parts or services. (carnewschina.com) That scale puts Beijing ahead of the traditional one-site motor-show format and reflects how automakers now use China launches to reach the industry’s biggest electric-vehicle market. The official show website calls Auto China the highest-level international A-class auto show held in China. (beijingautoshow.com) The exhibitor list shows why: domestic groups such as BYD appear alongside Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen, Toyota and Ford, turning the show into a mixed stage for Chinese brands and foreign incumbents. (autobeijing.org.cn) Industry outlets are framing the event as the week’s main global auto gathering, with CarExpert saying it will be “the world’s largest motor show” as international media and executives head to Beijing. (carexpert.com.au) Auto China has been running since 1990 and is held every two years in Beijing, but the 2026 edition expands beyond the historical Shunyi site into a dual-venue layout to add floor space. (adsale.com.hk) The official schedule splits the 10-day run into press days on April 24-25, trade days on April 26-27, and public days from April 28 to May 3. That gives brands a full week of consumer traffic after the media unveilings. (autoshow.org.cn) The immediate test is whether those 181 premieres produce global launches or mostly China-market debuts. Either way, Beijing opens this week as the auto industry’s largest physical stage. (cnevpost.com)