At Beijing auto show, Chinese carmakers flaunt new technologies as
global competition heats up
[April 25, 2026] By
HAN GUAN NG and CHAN HO-HIM
BEIJING (AP) — China’s top automakers are showcasing their latest models
and technologies from intelligent driving to ultrafast charging in
Beijing as they compete with global rivals in overseas markets.
Analysts say the biennial auto show in China's capital, which opened to
media on Friday, shows how its auto industry is setting the global pace
for cutting-edge technologies in areas such as electric vehicles and
batteries, eclipsing many foreign brands that used to dominate the
global market.
More than 1,450 vehicles are on display at this year’s show, including
181 global debuts. The show runs until May 3.
Intelligent driving, fast charging showcased
Chinese EV maker XPeng is showing off its latest GX model, a six-seater
SUV with a third row seats that can lie completely flat, among other new
displays and technologies.
Huge crowds gathered for a presentation by its founder and CEO He
Xiaopeng, who described more high-tech aspects of the vehicle.
“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. “Many people who have tried it say it’s amazing.”
Chinese EV maker BYD showcased its new generation of the fast charging
“blade” EV battery, first unveiled last month, which can achieve a near
full charge in nine minutes, at the auto show, as well as demonstrated
charging under the low temperature of minus 30 degree Celsius. Also
showcased by Yijing, a EV joint venture between Chinese carmaker
Dongfeng Motor Corp. and technology giant Huawei, was the X9, their
flagship six‑seat SUV.
According to Chairman Wang Junjun, the new model will features some of
the latest auto technology, including a next-generation Qiankun
intelligent driving system and a new HarmonyOS cockpit and operating
system developed by Huawei.
Ahead of the show, Chinese battery giant CATL unveiled on Tuesday a new
version of its “Shenxing” battery, which can be charged from 10% to 98%
in only about six-and-a-half minutes.
China's ‘aggressive’ advancements
The auto show showcases the “speed and aggressiveness of advancement”
among Chinese automakers, said Tu Le, managing director of consultancy
Sino Auto Insights. “It just reinforces that the Chinese — whether in
EVs, batteries, intelligent driving — are setting the pace for all these
important sectors,” he said.
“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
research and advisory group Omdia.
China has become the world’s biggest car exporter, benefiting from its
ability to reap cost advantages from its huge scale as well as
significant government subsidies and support that helped automakers to
rapidly scale up and more quickly rolling out new models and
technologies than their foreign competitors.
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A visitor and his robotic dog stand near to the Toyota BZ7 EV model
showcased at the Auto China 2026, in Beijing, Friday, April 24,
2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
 But Chinese automakers has been
facing immense pressure from ferocious price wars over the past
months. This year, the government has scaled back subsidies
encouraging drivers to switch to EVs and plug-in hybrids, weighing
on domestic demand.
Sales of passenger cars in China dropped 23% in the January-March
quarter from a year earlier to around 4 million vehicles, according
to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. But exports
jumped 63% to almost 2 million vehicles as Chinese cars made inroads
in regions like Europe, Southeast Asia and Latin America.
Omdia forecasts China’s passenger vehicle exports will grow by
around 14% year-on-year in 2026.
The hypercompetitive Chinese market have pulled vehicle prices down
by a fifth over the past two years, according to a report this week
by consultancy AlixPartners.
Few new tech expected to be exported
Few of the new technologies showcased at the auto show may be
exported to overseas markets in the short term due to regulatory and
safety challenges, Liu said. But they signal “capabilities that can
be refined and adapted for global markets over time.”
Even as foreign automakers have been losing market share in recent
years in China, some are staging a comeback, with Volkswagen Group
announcing on Tuesday plans for installing “agentic” AI into its
vehicles for China. It also unveiled new EV models for the Chinese
market, including the new UNYX 09 electric sedan co-developed with
XPeng.
While the foreign car brands may try to “stabilize” their market
share in China, “gaining back a significant market share they had
before is, to my perspective, not realistic,” said Andreas Radics,
managing director at Berylls by AlixPartners specialized in the
automotive industry.
Meanwhile, given the growing demand and often better profitability
in overseas markets, Chinese automakers have been shifting from
exporting cars from China to building more factories overseas,
including in Hungary and Turkey, to increase supplies abroad and
avert trade friction.
Chinese carmakers are likely to almost triple their overseas
production by 2030 to 3.4 million vehicles from 1.2 million last
year, according to AlixPartners estimates.
___
Chan reported from Hong Kong. Associated Press video producer Wayne
Zhang in Beijing contributed to this report.
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