EV demand is up as Beijing auto show prepares to kick off

While sales of cool in the U.S. and Europe, consumer demand for EVs and plug-in hybrids in China remains robust, with manufacturer shipments to dealers and consumers jumping 32 percent to some 2.1 million in the first quarter.

Chinese brands hope to make hay while the sun shines at the Beijing auto show next week by unwrapping a wave of new EVs and PHEV models. A slew of global automakers will also unveil new electrified products. Here’s a roundup of key models expected to debut in Beijing.


Audi’s elongated Q6 E-tron electric SUV will make its global debut at the Beijing show. Mass production of the vehicle begins later this year at Audi’s newly constructed EV plant in the northeast China city of Changchun.


The Chinese EV market is dominated by domestic companies, with BYD Co. by far the largest. BYD aims to boost its 2024 sales by 20 percent to 3.6 million EVs and PHEVs.

BYD has adopted two strategies to achieve its target. The automaker has slashed prices across a wide swath of its product lineup since the start of the year and is accelerating the introduction of new and upgraded models.

At least three BYD models will debut at the Beijing show. The company’s first electric pickup truck and the Z9GT PHEV, the intelligent flagship sedan under its Denza premium subbrand, will be unveiled. The Qing L, a compact sedan that will be part of a series of products named after ancient Chinese dynasties, will also debut.

BYD on Tuesday also revealed a new production model and two concept models for Fangchengbao, its off-road vehicle and sports car brand. All three are PHEV models. The Bao 8 production model is an off-road vehicle, while the Fangchengbao Super 3 is a compact SUV and the Super 9 is a two door roadster. The vehicles will be on display at the auto show.

The automaker is expected to unveil new EV and PHEV versions of the BYD-badged Dynasty and Ocean series that target the mass market. New products for Yangwang, BYD’s luxury brand, are also expected.


New products from Geely Automobile Holdings’ mass-market Galaxy brand and smart EV marque Zeekr are planned for the Beijing show. The Galaxy E5 is a compact electric crossover while the Zeekr MIX is a compact multipurpose vehicle.

Geely is also expected to disclose new EV models in Beijing that slot under its affordable Geely brand and new PHEV products under the Lynk & CO premium marque.


Leading Chinese EV startup Li Auto said it will reveal its fifth product, the L6 five-seat electric crossover, at the show.

Major EV startup Xpeng is set to launch a new brand, which will be positioned below its existing Xpeng brand. With its first product set to go on sale in the third quarter, the new marque will enable Xpeng to expand into EVs priced from 100,000 yuan ($13,812) to 150,000 yuan, company founder and CEO He Xiaopeng said.

Chinese EV startups Leapmotor, Neta and others are also expected to introduce new models at the Beijing auto show.


The GT 63 S E Performance, the latest flagship sports car from Mercedes-AMG, is slated to be revealed at an event in Shanghai on Saturday.

An all-electric version of the G-Class, Mercedes’ venerable off-roader, will debut in Beijing. It was previewed by the Mercedes Concept EQG shown in 2021.

The Concept CLA-Class, an EV featuring a new-generation in-vehicle operating system, and the updated EQS electric sedan, will also make their China debuts at the show.


Two EV models from BMW Group — the freshened BMW i4 coupe and the Mini Aceman crossover — will make their global debuts in Beijing, while the BMW iX5, a hydrogen fuel cell-powered sedan, will make its China debut.


General Motors, which builds and markets Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac cars and light trucks in a passenger vehicle partnership with SAIC Motor Corp., will add to its roster of new EVs that already include three Ultium-based models — the Cadillac Lyriq and the Buick Electra 5 and Buick Electra 4 crossovers.

SAIC-GM will launch sales of the Cadillac Optiq, another Ultium-based crossover, at the show.


The joint venture will reveal the PHEV variant of the Buick GL8. Powered by a new-generation plug-in hybrid system with a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, the GL8 has a comprehensive range of 1,370 kilometers under China driving cycles, with combined power of 292 kilowatts and combined torque of 580 Newton meters, the group said.

SAIC-GM is also expected to showcase a PHEV Chevrolet Equinox crossover. The vehicle will be marketed in China as the Chevrolet Equinox Plus, according to the venture.


Durant Guild, GM’s premium import platform, will showcase four North American-made products — the Chevrolet Tahoe and Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, the electric GMC Hummer SUV and the Ultium-based Cadillac Celestiq sedan, SAIC-GM said.


Honda, seeking to ramp up EV sales in China, unveiled Ye, an EV series developed specifically for Chinese consumers, at an event in Beijing on Tuesday. Ye will complement Honda’s e:N series EV models already marketed in China.

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Two production models — the Ye S7 and Ye P7 compact crossovers — and a concept, the Ye GT sedan, were revealed at the event ahead of the Beijing show, where they will make their public debut.

The three models are based on an all-new EV platform known as Architecture W. The platform was developed by Honda’s R&D team in China, where the average age is 32, the automaker said.

The Ye S7 and Ye P7 will go on sale at the end of 2024, while the production model based on the concept sedan will be launched in 2025. Honda said six new models will be launched under the Ye series by 2027.


Nissan Motor Co. will unveil several electrified concepts designed for the China market, the Japanese carmaker said, without divulging details. In addition, the all-electric Hyper Force concept and the Formula E Gen3 race car will make their China debuts.

“Amid burgeoning trends of electrification and intelligent technology, Nissan is set to reveal how it caters to the growing appetite for AI-driven mobility solutions,” the company said in a statement.


Smart, a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Geely, will preview a new design direction and its biggest model to date with the Concept 5, an electric midsize SUV. It will be launched in China by the end of 2024 and in Europe starting in 2025. The production model will be shown in the second half.

Dirk Adelmann, Smart’s Europe CEO, describes the utility vehicle as the brand’s most versatile model. Smart is targeting it as the primary vehicle for families.


Volkswagen will reveal a concept car customized for the Chinese market. A new electric model under the ID series — to be built at Volkswagen Anhui, VW Group’s joint venture with Jianghuai Automobile Group Co. — will also make its world debut.

Two new models powered by internal combustion engines, “featuring the latest technologies for improved efficiency and digitalization,” will also be introduced, VW Group said Friday, without divulging more details.


Porsche will unveil an eighth variant of its electric Taycan sport sedan. The new model, built for China, “combines higher performance with fully improved luxury and comfort equipment, aiming to meet the needs of Chinese consumers for a more powerful and practical sports car,” VW Group said.


The new Ford Mustang Coupe Performance Edition and redesigned Mustang convertible will make their China debuts at the Beijing show, Ford Motor Co.’s China business said.

Ford will also launch sales of its locally produced Bronco SUV, according to Ford China.

Luca Ciferri contributed to this report.


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