BEIJING — China’s vision of the future of the automobile – electrified and digitally connected – is on display at the current Beijing auto show.
Organizers say 117 new models will make their debut at Auto China 2024, which runs until May 4. They range from strikingly avant-garde innovations to more subtle innovations.
One of the largest crowd scenes was during the opening day presentation of Xiaomi, a major Chinese manufacturer of modern, affordable smartphones and smart home appliances aimed at younger generations entering the automotive market for the first time.
Xiaomi announced that it had received more than 75,000 orders in the four weeks since the launch of its first car, the SU7, with a list price of 215,900 to 299,900 yuan (between $29,800 and $41,400).
Why does a telephone company make a car? Analysts say connectivity. Consumer technology companies want to connect their customers’ lives across all their devices: phones, laptops, TVs, and now cars.
“It all starts with the concept of third place,” said Beatrix Keim, China director at German automotive research center CAR. “Because nowadays people are in the office, at home and mainly spend time in the car.”
The approach works well in China, a highly digital society where electronic payments are the norm and the convenience of connectivity outweighs privacy concerns for most.
Chinese telecom giant Huawei has also ventured into the automobile business. Apple explored the idea but abandoned it earlier this year.
Some Chinese manufacturers are taking the idea of a third space to new heights.
Zeekr introduced the Mix, an electric vehicle with an interior that can transform into a small room while parked. The front seats swivel to face the rear seats, with a table in the middle that a company executive told the crowd could be used to play card games or enjoy a hot Chinese meal.
Stefan Sielaff, design director at Zeekr, described the mix as “a nice experiment” focused on younger families.
“I wouldn’t even call it a car, minivan or truck,” he said. “It’s more of a lifestyle capsule. “It’s an iPod on wheels.”
It will be the fifth model for Zeekr, a two-and-a-half-year-old premium electric vehicle brand from the Chinese Geely group, a major manufacturer that owns Volvo and has designers in Sweden and Shanghai.
The Mix will go on sale in China at the end of June, the company said. Its sale price has not been announced.
China’s electric vehicle boom that began three years ago has gobbled up the gasoline-powered car market, but they’re not dead yet.
So says Chery Automobile Co., China’s largest exporter, which told its audience at the auto show that it would continue developing gasoline cars as well as electric and hybrid vehicles.
Its EXEED Yaoguang C-DM, a hybrid SUV launched last month, was one of four vehicles it highlighted: two hybrids and two electric vehicles.
The Yaoguang SUV sells for between 159,800 and 225,800 yuan ($22,000 and $31,000) in China and is also targeted at overseas markets, according to a company press release.
Hybrids, which have lagged behind electric vehicles in China, are now seen as a growth opportunity. Last year, 2.6 million new hybrids were sold in China, about half the number of electric vehicles. Together, they represented 36% of the market.
Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD, known for its low-cost car and battery technology, is also pursuing the high-end market in China, defined as 1 million yuan ($140,000) and above.
Its Yangwang brand unveiled the latest version of the U8, a monstrous off-road SUV that was launched last September and is designed to survive in harsh conditions. It comes with a satellite phone in case a driver gets stuck out of cell phone range.
The U8 is built on a platform that allows it to rotate on the spot, like a tank. It is priced at 1.1 million yuan ($150,000). For 100,000 yuan ($13,800) more, buyers can add a built-in drone system.
Volvo, the Swedish brand now under Geely, offered an answer for those overwhelmed by technology.
“Today’s electric vehicle market is marked by a predominant trend of excess and addition,” said Roger Yu, Volvo’s general manager of sales in Greater China.
It presented the EX30 electric SUV as a user-friendly vehicle with a sophisticated sound system and a tablet screen, both easy to use.
“By subtracting for ease of use and adding for safety, Volvo aims to provide users with the clearest interface, the most user-friendly operation and the most reassuring smart experience,” he said of the car’s display.
The company announced that the EX30 would be sold in China for between 210,000 and 260,000 yuan ($29,000 and $36,000).
___
Associated Press researcher Yu Bing and video producer Olivia Zhang contributed.