The 2026 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition opened its doors on April 24, and for the first time in its history the show is splitting across two venues: the China International Exhibition Center in Shunyi and the Capital International Exhibition Center. Combined floor space hits 380,000 square meters, making this edition the single largest auto exhibition anywhere on the planet.
Organized under the theme “Future of Intelligence,” Auto China 2026 is hosting a record 1,451 vehicles across both halls. Of these, 181 are world premieres — making their global debut on Beijing soil — while 71 are concept cars offering a glimpse into how manufacturers are framing the next decade. Roughly one in every eight vehicles on display is either brand-new or a forward-looking design study.
Perhaps the most significant signal coming out of this year’s show is strategic rather than mechanical. International automakers, who have spent two decades building their Chinese operations under the doctrine of “in China, for China,” are openly reframing the model as “in China, for China and the world.” This pivot reflects how local engineering capability and the country’s mature EV supply chain have turned domestic factories into legitimate global export hubs — a development that will reshape competitive dynamics from Europe to Southeast Asia.
Among the concepts drawing the heaviest crowds is the Lynk & CO GT, an aggressive premium grand tourer study from the Geely-owned brand. Volkswagen Group used the show to launch the ID. UNYX 08 SUV — co-developed with Chinese partner XPeng — alongside three additional global premieres in a single press conference. Kia followed up its Milan Design Week reveal of the Vision Meta Turismo with fresh technical details, while loveral domestic brands rolled out flagship sedans aimed squarely at the Tesla Model S and Mercedes EQS.
The Beijing showcase is effectively a 12-to-18-month roadmap for the EV and hybrid models that will reach European, Middle Eastern, and Latin American markets through 2027. Given the accelerating expansion of Chinese brands into Turkey, the Gulf, and Western Europe, a meaningful share of the metal on display in Beijing right now will be sitting in local dealerships before the next show cycle. Auto China 2026 runs through May 3.
