Beijing Auto Show: China’s EV Push
- The Beijing Auto Show opened with Chinese EV makers showcasing AI, autonomy, and premium models aimed at foreign brands. (scmp.com). - Organizers said the 10‑day show features 1,451 models across 380,000 square metres, and Nio will display 11 models across three brands. (scmp.com) (cnevpost.com). - Global marques responded with localized flagships, for example BMW’s refreshed 7 Series claiming over 720 km WLTP electric range. (qz.com) (scmp.com).
China’s biggest auto show opened in Beijing on April 24 with local electric-vehicle brands using software, assisted driving and luxury interiors to challenge BMW and Mercedes-Benz. (scmp.com) Auto China 2026 runs for 10 days across 380,000 square metres and 17 halls, with organizers listing 1,451 vehicles, including 181 world premieres and 71 concept cars. The show is split between two venues for the first time. (beijingautoshow.com) (carnewschina.com) Nio said it will bring 11 models from its Nio, Onvo and Firefly brands to one booth, the first time the company has shown all three brands together at a major global auto show. It scheduled a media briefing for April 24 in Beijing. (cnevpost.com) The push is aimed at the premium end of China’s market, where domestic brands are trying to take buyers from German nameplates with in-car artificial intelligence, driver-assistance systems and high-spec cabins. South China Morning Post said dozens of new Chinese premium models are entering the spotlight at this year’s event. (scmp.com) Foreign carmakers did not cede the stage. BMW unveiled a refreshed 7 Series on April 22 ahead of the show and said the electric version offers more than 720 kilometers of range under the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure, or WLTP. (qz.com) BMW is also leaning harder into China-specific products. BMWBLOG reported the company brought 16 models to Auto China 2026 and is using long-wheelbase electric vehicles built for Chinese buyers as part of a 20-model rollout in China this year. (bmwblog.com) The scale of the show reflects how central China has become to the global car industry. Organizers called Auto China 2026 the world’s largest auto exhibition, and the official theme this year is “Future of Intelligence,” a direct nod to the industry’s shift from engine hardware to software and automation. (beijingautoshow.com) By the time the doors open to the public, the main contest in Beijing is already clear: Chinese brands are no longer just defending share at home, and foreign luxury makers are redesigning their flagships around China to keep pace. (scmp.com) (qz.com)
