As the 2026 Paris Motor Show entered its public-open days on October 13, the biggest highlight was no longer the legacy German and French automakers but China's new energy vehicle contingent. Compared with nine Chinese automakers at the 2024 Paris show, this edition expanded to 16 Chinese vehicle makers with about 25 brands on stage, while BMW and Nissan were among the traditional giants that stayed away.
The newcomers brought vehicles aimed squarely at the European market rather than simple displays. Among the new forces, Leapmotor's A05 and D19 made their European debuts, Li Auto's first global pure-electric model i6 debuted in Europe, and XPeng's G9L launched globally with the G6 and P7+ also shown. Traditional manufacturers were equally strong: BYD appeared with its main brand plus Denza and Fangchengbao across a 1,600-square-meter booth, with the Shark plug-in pickup making its global debut; Changan's Avatr T09 concept debuted globally; Geely's Monjaro EM-i (the overseas Xingyue L plug-in hybrid) launched in Europe; Zeekr and Lynk & Co exhibited independently; and Chery's Q pure-electric small car made its European debut with the Tiggo 4 hybrid bowing in France.
Beyond model exports, Chinese automakers opened up technology and system going global. XPeng chairman He Xiaopeng said the company will open one-stop smart-car technology cooperation covering R&D, manufacturing and after-sales across a full physical-AI ecosystem. Leapmotor is pursuing a dual Europe-and-Southeast-Asia strategy using KD assembly and deep local manufacturing, with battery plants going overseas. On local manufacturing, Geely is accelerating European capacity: in July it reached a deal with Ford to use the latter's Valencia, Spain plant to build Geely-brand NEVs on existing capacity.
Industry insiders said the "advance and retreat" of the show lineup reflects a structural "East rising, West declining" shift, as competition moves from traditional fuel vehicles to the new energy and intelligence track. Chinese brands should keep raising their image and build sustainable profit models, moving from product export to industrial rootedness.
Source: Beijing Business Today / China Energy Net
