More than a hundred exhibitors, Chinese cars write a new chapter of going global in Munich

At this year's Munich Auto Show, the number of Chinese car manufacturers and suppliers participating reached 116, ranking first among international exhibitors. The picture shows Changan Automobile holding a press conference at the Munich Auto Show.

As an important event in the global automotive industry, the 2025 German International Auto and Smart Mobility Expo (hereinafter referred to as the "Munich Auto Show"), which opened on September 9th local time, has attracted global attention, from the shuttle buses shuttling through the entrance of the exhibition, to the crowded visitors in the exhibition hall, and to the occasional applause and familiar Chinese on the booth. At the exhibition site, car brands and related enterprises from all over the world gathered together to showcase their latest technologies, products, and development concepts to the outside world.

What is more eye-catching than the return of the exhibition is the unprecedented strong appearance of the "Chinese Legion". Compared to 20 years ago, when only Geely Automobile debuted in Munich with 5 models, the Chinese elements at this year's Munich Auto Show are exceptionally rich. According to statistics, there are 116 Chinese automobile manufacturers and suppliers participating in the exhibition, ranking first among international exhibitors.

The concentrated appearance of Chinese enterprises at this year's Munich Auto Show is a display of their brand and product strength. Chinese enterprises are winning more dominance and discourse power in the global automotive industry restructuring, "said Liu Yan, Deputy Secretary General of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

Accelerating the layout of Europe, Chinese brands enter the deep water zone by going global

If a few years ago, Chinese car companies participated in European auto shows with a 'trial run' nature, then this year's Munich Auto Show declared the core hinterland for Chinese brands to truly enter the European market. As automotive industry commentator Wan Qinglin said, unlike in the past, China's automotive industry overseas exhibitions are presenting a full industry chain lineup of 'whole vehicle+three electric+intelligent technology+software electronics', and the scale is rapidly increasing.

As one of the global leaders in new energy, BYD showcased multiple products at this year's Munich Auto Show. The BYD Dolphin Surfing Edition, a mid size travel sedan under BYD, has made its global debut. The car is priced at 37990 euros, approximately 316000 yuan, in overseas markets.

BYD Executive Vice President Li Ke revealed at the Munich Auto Show that the BYD Dolphin Surfing Edition will become the first mass-produced model of BYD's European factory under construction in Szeged, Hungary. At present, the factory is progressing according to plan and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025. It is expected to become the starting point of BYD's "Built in Europe, for Europe" strategy.

Outside the exhibition, two models, the Tengshi Z9GT and Tengshi D9 MPV, were also exhibited at the Odeon Square and King Square in Munich, and the first demonstration of 1000 kW flash charging technology was conducted in Europe. The demonstration results show that the vehicle can achieve a range of about 400 kilometers in just 5 minutes of charging.

BYD's innovative technology 'megawatt flash charging' will be launched in Europe earlier than originally planned, "Li Ke told reporters. It is expected that by the second quarter of 2026, BYD will build 200 to 300 charging stations, mainly led by its luxury brand Tengshi.

The cooperation with Volkswagen Group has given Xiaopeng Motors extra attention at this auto show. At the Munich Auto Show, Xiaopeng Motors not only showcased five new models including the all-new Xiaopeng P7 and the 2025 Xiaopeng G6, but also showcased cutting-edge exhibits such as humanoid robots, flying cars, land carrier models, and SEPA rocking architectures.

At the booth press conference, He Xiaopeng, Chairman and CEO of Xiaopeng Motors, and Gu Hongdi, President, introduced Xiaopeng Motors' current development status, cutting-edge technology, and strategic plan for 2026 to the media and audience. He Xiaopeng stated that L4 level autonomous driving, which is completely unmanned or manned, will help future cars enter a new stage.
Xiaopeng's goal is to launch the first L4 level electric vehicle in 2026 and achieve mass production of front loading. At the same time, we will initiate the actual operation of Robotaxi (autonomous taxi) in China and bring the same origin architecture to Europe and globally, where permitted by regulations. ”He Xiaopeng added.
With the mature resource system of Stellantis Group, Zero Run Automobile quickly completed business layout in over 30 countries and regions worldwide, with sales and service outlets exceeding 1700. In the first eight months of this year, Leapmotor delivered over 30000 units in its overseas market, ranking first among Chinese new energy brands.

At this auto show, Leapmotor unveiled its new personalized strategic product Lafa5. The car is built on the advanced LEAP 3.5 architecture, integrating ultra-high aesthetics, European driving control, flagship intelligence, and superior quality. It has now started blind ordering and is planned to be launched in China in the fourth quarter of 2025 and globally in 2026.
It is worth mentioning that the first global model of the Zero Run B series, B10, was launched in overseas markets and simultaneously began delivery in Europe. Since its launch in the Chinese market in April this year, B10 has delivered over 50000 units, demonstrating strong market appeal and user recognition. In October of this year, B10 will begin global media testing in France and plans to land in over 20 countries and regions including Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, and South America by 2025. ”Zhu Jiangming, founder, chairman, and CEO of Zero Run Automotive, summarized.
Red Flag, as a representative of Chinese luxury brands, is also actively expanding into the European market. At this year's Munich Auto Show, the Red Flag electric compact SUV EHS5 made its European debut. This car has a range of 550 kilometers and can complete fast charging in 20 minutes, positioning itself in the urban and home commuting market.

On the opening day of the Munich Auto Show, Liu Yigong, General Manager of FAW China, arrived at the scene and expressed his ambition to enter the European market: in the future, the Hongqi brand will release 15 electric and hybrid models in Europe and build a sales network covering 25 markets, with plans to establish over 200 dealer networks by 2028.
CATL has established cooperative relationships with over 90% of mainstream car companies in Europe, and has established three major production bases in Germany, Hungary, and Spain (under construction) in Europe.

The Rise of Supply Chain Boosts Global Output of Technology

The overseas expansion of China's automobile industry is not only an expedition for complete vehicles, but also a global layout of the entire supply chain system. In Wan Qinglin's view, the high-profile appearance of Chinese supply chain companies at the Munich Auto Show demonstrates the profound accumulation of China's automotive industry in core technology fields.

On the eve of the Munich Auto Show, CATL held a new product launch event, launching the world's first NP3.0 technology platform with the highest safety level in the battery field, and officially releasing the first lithium iron phosphate power battery product equipped with this technology - Shenxing Pro.

Europe is firmly committed to accelerating its transition towards electrification, but the price, range, battery life, charging convenience, and safety of electric vehicles are still the core factors that plague consumers. Lithium iron phosphate batteries, with excellent safety performance and more competitive costs, are becoming a strategic choice for European car manufacturers' electrification transformation. Tan Libin, Senior President and Chief Customer Officer of CATL Global Business, said that this release aims to actively respond to the urgent demand for electrification in the European market and help accelerate the global green transportation transformation.

In the past, we learned from Europe, now Europe learns from us, and in the future, we learn from each other, "Wan Qinglin concluded." The Chinese automotive industry has already embarked on its own path, and this path is leading to the global market