At Beijing auto show, China’s top automakers are putting their newest competition-ready technologies on display as global carmakers look for ways to regain share overseas. The biennial event opened to media on Friday in the Chinese capital and runs until May 3, with more than 1,450 vehicles on show, including 181 “global debuts,” according to the Associated Press.
The technologies being highlighted range from driver-assistance software to batteries designed for rapid charging and cold-weather use. Analysts said the showcase reflects how China’s auto industry is setting the global pace in electric vehicles, batteries and intelligent driving, even as the domestic market faces intense price competition and softer demand.
XPeng is using the show to spotlight its GX model, a six-seater SUV with a third row that can lie completely flat, along with other new displays and technologies. During a high-profile presentation, founder and CEO He Xiaopeng said the company’s system can detect when a driver falls asleep or cannot control the vehicle, then pull over automatically and alert emergency services. “When you’re driving on the highway, you fall asleep, or if you feel unwell and can no longer control the vehicle, the system can detect the situation, pull over automatically and alert emergency services,” He said.
BYD, one of China’s best-known electric-vehicle makers, is highlighting its next generation of fast-charging “blade” EV battery. The company is showing that the battery can achieve a near full charge in nine minutes, and it is also demonstrating charging under low-temperature conditions of minus 30 degrees Celsius.
Another display at the show is from Yijing, an EV joint venture between Dongfeng Motor Corp. and technology giant Huawei. The partnership is showing the X9, its flagship six-seat SUV, alongside Huawei-related vehicle technology components. According to BYD’s reported lineup at the event, Yijing is presenting both the hardware and software-focused positioning of the partners.
Technology giant Huawei is also part of the broader “cockpit” push associated with the show’s next-generation vehicles. In particular, the chairman of Yijing, Wang Junjun, said one of its new models will feature a next-generation Qiankun intelligent driving system, as well as a new HarmonyOS cockpit and operating system developed by Huawei.
China’s battery sector is also using the auto show for rapid announcements. Ahead of the event, battery maker CATL unveiled a new version of its “Shenxing” battery on Tuesday, saying it can be charged from 10% to 98% in about six-and-a-half minutes. Analysts said these kinds of performance claims are part of the broader race for capabilities that can eventually be refined for overseas markets, even if near-term export is limited by regulatory and safety hurdles.
“China has become one of the fastest-moving markets for deploying and iterating new vehicle technologies, giving consumers early access to some of the most advanced features,” said Chris Liu, a senior analyst at Omdia. Tu Le, managing director of consultancy Sino Auto Insights, said the show demonstrates “the speed and aggressiveness of advancement” among Chinese automakers.
Still, the competitive push is taking place against a backdrop of shifting conditions inside China. The Associated Press report said the government has scaled back subsidies encouraging drivers to switch to electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, weighing on domestic demand. It also cited data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showing sales of passenger cars in China fell 23% in the January-March quarter from a year earlier to around 4 million vehicles, even as exports jumped 63% to almost 2 million vehicles, with Chinese brands making inroads in regions including Europe, Southeast Asia and Latin America. Omdia forecasts passenger vehicle exports will grow by around 14% year-on-year in 2026.
The report also said that over the past two years, hypercompetitive conditions in China’s auto market have pulled vehicle prices down by a fifth, according to a report this week by consultancy AlixPartners. At the same time, foreign brands are working on strategies for China and beyond, including Volkswagen Group’s plans for installing “agentic” AI into its vehicles for China, alongside new EV models for the Chinese market such as the UNYX 09 electric sedan co-developed with XPeng.
Even with that pushback, analysts said gaining back the kind of market share foreign brands once held is unlikely. Andreas Radics, managing director at Berylls by AlixPartners, said that “gaining back a significant market share they had before is, to my perspective, not realistic.” In addition to exporting cars, Chinese automakers are increasingly shifting toward overseas production—building more factories abroad, including in Hungary and Turkey—to increase supply and reduce the risk of trade friction. The report said AlixPartners estimates Chinese automakers could nearly triple their overseas production by 2030 to 3.4 million vehicles from 1.2 million last year.