New electrics for China dominate Shanghai’s car show

China not only buys more cars than any other nation. But its manufacturers have also long since become major automotive players.

Nowhere in the world is the market more dynamic than here in China, where the majority of new cars on offer are now electrically powered.

While motor shows in other countries have faded into insignificance, the horsepower parade in Shanghai remains a highly regarded industry summit attended by millions of people.

This time around the boot is on the other foot. Whereas Western brands dominated the event in previous years, domestic manufacturers such as Nio and BYD now set the tone.

Major importers such as Mercedes, Audi and Volkswagen have had to regroup and adopt new strategies. They are overcoming the knocks and shocks of the pandemic years and are back with some promising premieres.

Among the eye-catchers here is a German product, an obese-looking van from Mercedes called Vision V.

Looking like a shuttle on steroids, this 5.50 metre-long creation is packed with luxury features. There is a cinema-style display screen across the entire width of the vehicle, designer lounger seats and even a minibar. The whisper-quiet electric drivetrain is also the shape of things to come.

It seems the days when the S-Class was the measure of all things luxury are slowly coming to an end – at least in Asia. Light and space define the upmarket car and the elite prefer to be chauffeured around in a van rather than a saloon. The Vision V points the way to a new van generation, with the first showroom models promised for 2026.

Nio has made an impression with cars such as the ET9, but the Chinese start-up’s sales are still modest, especially in Europe. Company boss William Li now wants to change this with a second electric brand called Firefly.

This boutique four-door car is being positioned to complete against the Mini or the Fiat 500 in the urban jungle. It will be coming to Europe in the next few months at prices starting at around €30,000, according to the trade fair.

Volkswagen was number one in China for a long time – until the company was abruptly knocked off the throne by BYD.

The Germans are now keen to secure at least the top position among foreign brands and are launching over 30 new cars in the next two years alone.

As a harbinger of this, they are presenting the three studies ID.Evo, ID.Aura and ID.Era in Shanghai, which are intended to appeal to the tastes of different Chinese customer groups.

But should car buyers outside China be interested in these developments? Well, these are the first electric VW models with 800-volt technology for fast charging and they are set to be more affordable too.

Driving range is also boosted, since they use a small combustion engine to generate electricity for the motor while driving, which boosts the modest electric-only range to more than 1,000 kilometres. Widely used in China, this technology has attracted little attention in Europe. That is likely to change with the VW study.

Audi, like parent company VW, has an image problem in China, where young consumers consider their models conformist and old-fashioned.

The Bavarians have linked up with China’s SAIC to launch their own marque for the Middle Kingdom. The brand badged is written in capital letters with the storied four ring symbol ditched for China consumption.

So far, Volvo’s Chinese sister company Zeekr has made a name for itself with the X compact car and the large 001 crossover. The newcomer has now gone way up market with the hybrid 9X, an XXL off-roader clearly inspired by the Mercedes GLS and Rolls-Royce Cullinan.

Until now, European sports cars at least have been immune to competition from China, but now BYD’s posh sister Denza is gnawing away at the Porsche 911’s reputation with the Z.

The two-door coupé with four seats, three engines and a fold-away steering wheel producing an insane 875 kW/1,190 hp. It manages the standard sprint to 100 km/h in less than three seconds and reaches speeds of up to 300 km/h. The base price is less than €40,000.

Parked next to a Maextro, even a Rolls-Royce or a Maybach limousine seem almost dainty in comparison. At 5.48 metres, the opulent S800 claims to be China’s longest limousine.

The luxury liner born from the joint venture between the phone giant Huawei and the car manufacturer JAC oozes presence, ostentation and has bags of space.

For the equivalent of €132,000 to €198,000, you get the classy allure of a British product, more comfort than in a Mercedes and a smart chassis into the bargain.

No car manufacturer is currently as popular in China as the spin-off from Xiaomi, the consumer tech giant that has made a name for itself as China’s alternative to Apple.

Xiaomi’s SU7 Ultra is a road-legal Porsche-killing super saloon. In the top version, its sports model uses a triple-motor power train to deliver 1,138 kW/1,548 hp.

The urge allows it to dash to 100 km/h in the blink of an eye and top 350 km/h on the straights. The price ticket in China for so much raw motor is around €75,000.

The days when Smart was a city car are clearly over. Since the Chinese have been in charge of the former Mercedes sister company, they have been building crossovers and SUVs and are now letting their largest model off the leash with the #5.

At 4.70 metres, the battery-electric is almost twice as long as the discontinued ForTwo and can be ordered in Europe from prices starting at around €46,000.

Let no one say that the Chinese lack imagination. New projects come and go all the time and half a dozen new flying cars are on the stands at the motor show, including those from manufacturer Chery.

Admittedly, these are all studies and most of the prototypes and technology carriers have not yet taken off. Yet at least in China, hardly anyone doubts that these government-funded aerial models will soon be heading skyward.