Beijing International Automotive Exhibition – Beijing International New-Energy Vehicles and Future Smart Mobility Expo

The 2026 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, themed “Leading the Times, Smartening the Future,” concluded successfully after ten days on May 3, with 150,000 visitors in attendance at both the China International Exhibition Center (Shunyi Venue) and the Capital International Convention & Exhibition Center. As the world’s largest and most influential international Class-A auto show, this edition closely aligned with global automotive industry transformation trends, serving as a pivotal hub that showcases China’s robust automotive capabilities, sets industry direction worldwide, and fosters Sino‑foreign exchanges and cooperation. Its unprecedented scale and high degree of internationalization stand out as defining hallmarks of the event.

For the first time, the 2026 Beijing Auto Show adopted a dual‑venue, full‑area layout, utilizing two major exhibition halls comprising 17 pavilions. With an expansive footprint of 380,000 square meters, it set a new record for the Beijing Auto Show and surpassed the global benchmark for auto show size. The event brought together leading domestic and international automakers, along with top-tier supply chain players and cutting-edge technology firms from 21 countries and regions, creating a comprehensive display matrix spanning vehicle R&D, core components, intelligent technologies, and ecosystem services. A total of 1,451 vehicles were showcased, including 181 world premieres and 71 concept cars—figures among the highest globally. The exhibition attracted 1.28 million visitors, including 65,000 international attendees, marking an all-time high in international participation. Additionally, 32,000 media representatives covered the event, with 4,125 from overseas, and 219 press conferences were held. Concurrently, more than 50 industry summits and targeted buyer‑seller matchmaking sessions took place, while officials from over 70 foreign embassies and consulates attended in person, further strengthening international dialogue and economic cooperation, thereby solidifying the Beijing Auto Show’s position as a premier global platform for automotive industry exchange and collaboration.

Today, the global automotive industry is undergoing a historic transition—from widespread electrification to an era of intelligent mobility. This year’s show highlighted the latest advances in the convergence of electrification, intelligence, and connectivity, featuring groundbreaking technologies such as AI‑powered onboard systems and commercially available L3‑level autonomous driving. These innovations officially ushered the industry into a new age of smart mobility. In the realm of electrification, several manufacturers unveiled next‑generation power batteries boasting energy densities exceeding 400 Wh/kg and ranges surpassing 1,500 kilometers. Technologies like 9‑minute fast charging and ultra‑low‑temperature rapid charging down to −30°C have made refueling experiences comparable to traditional gasoline vehicles. Multiple technological pathways—including pure electric, range‑extended, and hydrogen‑fuel cell models—are now coexisting, with several mass‑produced hydrogen‑powered vehicles making their debut. On the intelligent front, central computing platforms and multimodal large‑scale models are empowering entire vehicles, transforming smart cabins into multi‑modal interactive spaces. LiDAR has become standard equipment on mid‑to‑high‑end models, while L3‑level autonomous driving has entered scaled commercial use on select urban roadways. Meanwhile, the “vehicle‑plus‑everything” ecosystem is rapidly taking shape, with vehicle‑to‑everything networks enabling seamless, cross‑domain communication and fostering a completely new smart transportation ecosystem.

Chinese domestic brands have demonstrated strong competitiveness in the smart, connected, and new‑energy vehicle segment. Leveraging their vast domestic market, complete industrial infrastructure, and sustained investment in technological innovation, Chinese automakers have accelerated product iteration, enhanced product performance, and elevated brand value, gradually breaking the monopoly of foreign brands in the premium car market. At this year’s show, flagship models from domestic brands were prominently displayed across segments, including high‑end pure electric sedans, mid‑to‑large SUVs, and luxury MPVs. Core technologies remain independently controllable, with breakthroughs achieved in key areas such as power batteries, electric motors, electronic control systems, smart cabins, and autonomous driving. In recent years, China’s automotive exports have surged, securing the top spot globally in 2025, with markets expanding into developed regions such as Europe and North America. During the exhibition, international media, global audiences, and overseas distributors gathered, shifting their focus from traditional foreign brands toward Chinese technologies and products, underscoring the global automotive community’s high regard for China’s achievements in automotive development.

As a central platform for global automotive industry exchange and cooperation, the 2026 Beijing Auto Show embraced a highly international outlook, embodying the principles of openness and collaboration. It served as a vivid example of China’s efforts to expand high‑level opening-up and promote synergistic development within the global automotive sector. Automakers, component suppliers, and technology companies from around the world strengthened partnerships in R&D, supply chain coordination, and market expansion, propelling the global automotive industry from vertical specialization toward a new paradigm of symbiotic coexistence and mutual benefit. International brands continued to ramp up their R&D investments and product launches in China, deeply integrating into the local industrial ecosystem, while Chinese automakers accelerated their overseas expansion through establishing manufacturing facilities and forming joint ventures. Throughout the event, numerous automakers introduced attractive purchase incentives, complemented by trade‑in subsidies, fueling a steady uptick in automobile consumption. Moreover, the show represented a significant milestone in implementing the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei coordinated development strategy, providing an efficient platform for aligning regional industrial chains and accelerating deep integration among the three areas, thus continuously building momentum for regional economic growth.

As a bellwether for global automotive industry development, the Beijing Auto Show shoulders the mission of leading industrial upgrading, promoting automotive culture, deepening Sino‑foreign cooperation, and stimulating automobile consumption. With its sails fully set against the winds of change, the show embarks on a new journey, committed to advancing three strategic priorities: internationalization, end‑to‑end industrial chain integration, and high‑level independent innovation. By continuing to expand high‑level opening-up, deepen cross‑border industrial exchanges, and collaborate with peers worldwide, the Beijing Auto Show will jointly launch a new era of intelligent, green, and integrated development, contributing Chinese strength to global economic growth and innovative progress in the automotive industries of China and beyond.