Beijing Auto Show hits 380,000 square meters

Auto China 2026 used 380,000 square meters of exhibition space across two Beijing venues from April 24 to May 3, according to the event’s official website. The organizers said that made it the world’s largest auto show by floor area. CnEVPost reported on May 14 that the Beijing event had already set a global scale record and that China’s next major industry gathering will be the Shenzhen auto show later this month. The show’s published totals also underscored how large the event was in vehicle count, premieres and visitor traffic. ### How big was the Beijing show in concrete terms? The official Auto China 2026 site said the exhibition fully used both the China International Exhibition Center in Shunyi and the Capital International Exhibition Center of China, reaching a combined 380,000 square meters. Organizers described that as a record-breaking total and said the two venues were jointly operated during the show. (beijingautoshow.com) CnEVPost said the show closed on May 3 after a 10-day run and drew 1.28 million domestic and overseas visitors. The same report said 1,451 vehicles were displayed, including 181 premiere vehicles and 71 concept cars. ### Which numbers best explain why this mattered to automakers? The number 1,451 is the clearest measure of the show’s scale because it captures how many vehicles exhibitors put on the floor at once. (beijingautoshow.com) CnEVPost said that lineup included 181 premieres, while CarNewsChina, citing Autohome and show materials, also reported 1,451 vehicles and 181 debuts for the 2026 edition. (cnevpost.com) The official event site said the 2026 show carried the theme “Future of Intelligence.” Its exhibitor categories went beyond complete vehicles to include auto parts, automotive manufacturing, vehicle inspection, artificial intelligence, new energy vehicles and intelligent-connected automotive technologies, indicating that suppliers and technology companies were part of the event alongside car brands. (cnevpost.com) ### Why were there two venues instead of one? Organizers said Auto China 2026 was the first edition to fully use all exhibition space at both the China International Exhibition Center and the Capital International Exhibition Center of China. In a pre-show release, they said the expansion addressed earlier limits on exhibition scale and allowed more brands to participate. (beijingautoshow.com) The Capital International Exhibition Center of China sits next to the older Shunyi venue, according to the same release. The official site said the two locations were linked and jointly operated during the event, which helps explain how the show reached a footprint that organizers said no other auto exhibition had matched. ### What does the comparison with past Beijing shows show? (bj.autochinashow.org) Auto China’s organizers said the 2024 edition drew 892,000 visitors, featured 117 world premieres and displayed 278 new energy vehicles. The 2026 edition’s published totals therefore exceeded the prior Beijing show in attendance and premieres, based on the figures released by the organizers and reported by CnEVPost. CarNewsChina and Gasgoo separately described the 2026 show as the world’s largest auto show and reported the same 380,000-square-meter figure. Gasgoo also said the event included 71 concept cars, matching the count cited by CnEVPost. ### What comes next on China’s auto-show calendar? (bj.autochinashow.org) CnEVPost reported on May 14 that the 2026 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area International Auto Show in Shenzhen will run from May 29 to June 7 at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center. The report said the Shenzhen show is expected to cover 300,000 square meters, smaller than Beijing’s 380,000 square meters. (carnewschina.com) BYD’s premium brand Yangwang has already said it will bring its latest 2026 lineup to Shenzhen, according to CnEVPost. The same report said a car-enthusiast gathering is scheduled for May 30 in a 3,000-square-meter area outside Hall 2 of the exhibition center, with more than 100 vehicles expected. (cnevpost.com)