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The Beijing Auto Show—known as Auto China—recently held its 2026 edition and delivered a message that leaves little room for interpretation: the future of the automobile is being written in China, and it's being written in electric vehicles.
With more than 1,400 vehicles on display and over 180 world premieres in an area of 380,000 square meters, the show was held under the slogan "Lead the Era, Shape an Intelligent Future." A slogan that, as we saw, is more than just a marketing ploy.
For decades, the Chinese automotive industry was a factory serving Western brands. That time has passed. With more than 60% of the vehicles on display powered by new energy sources, the country is leading the energy transition towards electrified and intelligent mobility, integrating supply chain, technological development, and mass production to set the global pace.
Western brands are still attending, of course. Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Toyota, Hyundai, and Ford are there because they can't afford to miss it. But their presence no longer guarantees prominence. Local brands are increasingly grabbing the headlines with their batteries, screens, driver assistance systems, and aggressive pricing.
One of the major advances showcased in Beijing concerns charging. BYD presented platforms with up to 1,000 volts capable of recovering 400 kilometers of range in just five minutes, a technological leap that drastically reduces one of the main barriers to electric cars.
The major psychological barrier to electric vehicles—charging anxiety—is being dismantled through engineering, and China is leading the way.
The autonomous car is still somewhere between a promise and a reality. Beijing has also been a showcase for autonomous driving. Several companies presented their robotaxis proposals, all still in the conceptual phase, although with finishes that point very high.
One interesting detail that stands out: to visually identify a vehicle with autonomous capabilities, some manufacturers are adopting lights with purple or violet hues. It's a subtle but important signal for other drivers to know that the vehicle in front of them isn't being driven by a human. I think it's a great little idea in terms of road safety.
However, let's be honest: the 100% autonomous car isn't ready for the mass market yet. The intentions are crystal clear, but reality will be slower. And a question remains that currently has no clear answer: when an autonomous car has an accident, who is responsible? The owner or the manufacturer that equipped it with that intelligence? It's a legal and ethical debate that's only just beginning. And it also has a very significant economic component.
If we compare the Chicago Auto Show of early 2026 with what we saw in Beijing a few weeks later, the contrast is striking. In Chicago, the offerings continued to be dominated by large SUVs and gasoline-powered pickups, designed for a market that seems to be looking inward. In Beijing, the conversation revolved around artificial intelligence, software, batteries, and autonomy.
What happens in Beijing no longer stays in Beijing. In a few months, it could be circulating in European and Asian cities, and beyond. By 2025, Chinese brands already accounted for more than one in ten sales in some European countries and other continents.
Some are anchored in the present. Others are building the future. And the global market is feeling it.
In conclusion: the automotive landscape has been reshaped. The Beijing Auto Show is no longer a distant or exotic fair designed solely for Asian tastes. Today, Beijing has become the great mirror in which the automotive industry sees itself reflected with a mixture of fascination, urgency, and a certain unease.
Electric cars, ultra-fast batteries, autonomous driving, and in-vehicle artificial intelligence are no longer emerging trends. They are the new direction. And China, right now, is leading the way.
And in my opinion those who don't understand the new direction will pay a very high price.
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