The International Motor Show Germany (IAA Mobility), one of the world’s most important auto shows, kicked off on Monday in Munich, and a number of Chinese carmakers are participating, including BYD and XPENG.
Electrification and autonomous driving are the highlights of this year's motor show. In this regard, the European giants are facing strong competition from Chinese and American companies.
European car companies such as Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are showing new electric cars at this year's show to demonstrate their latest achievements in the field of electrification.
Tesla, an American automobile giant, has made a rare appearance at this year's show, where it will display its latest Model 3. This also highlights that the era of automobile electrification is accelerating.
The number of Chinese carmakers participating in this year’s IAA Mobility is nearly twice as many as in 2021. Industry insiders said that a number of Chinese car firms like BYD are actively entering the European market, and are planning not only to build factories in Europe but also to make inroads in the local retail network and become strong competitors for European car companies.
On Monday, BYD brought its products including the Seal, Song PLUS EV Champion Edition and BYD ATTO 3 to the motor show. The company announced that the Seal is being officially launched in Europe and is available in two versions priced at 50,990 euros ($54,685.3) and 44,900 euros. The Song PLUS EV Champion Edition will also be available in Europe soon.
According to a statement that the company sent to the Global Times on Tuesday, Shu Youxing, general manager of BYD’s European Automobile Sales Division, said that the company's new-energy passenger cars have entered 15 European countries in the past year, with more than 140 stores in countries including the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain.
“With the acceleration of global electrification, Europe has become an important market for new-energy vehicles (NEVs). BYD continues to plow into the European market, enriching its matrix of new-energy models to meet the diverse needs of consumers," Shu noted.
Leap Motor, a new car-making brand from China, officially unveiled its first global model, the Leap C10, according to a statement that the firm sent to the Global Times on Tuesday.
Relying on a brand strategy of "total self-research," the company aims to improve the competitiveness of its models in the domestic market, and it is actively expanding overseas as well.
Zhu Jiangming, founder of the Chinese electric car start-up, said that China’s NEV companies, boosted by government support policies, have an innate advantage in electrification, and there is every possibility of cooperation with global car companies.
China’s customs data showed that the country's automobile exports reached 2.78 million units in January-July 2023, with a growth rate of 69 percent. “The country’s auto exports are expected to exceed 5 million in the whole year,” Cui Dongshu, secretary general of China Passenger Car Association, said on his WeChat account on Tuesday.
For a long time, the car has been regarded as a symbol of industrial power, and the US, Japan and Germany are automotive industry powerhouses. At present, China has become the world's largest auto exporter, with huge future potential, Cui noted.
