The 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, or Auto China 2024, a 10-day event that kicked off on April 25 after a four-year hiatus, made a resounding comeback. Taking social media by storm, its resurgence catapulted auto-related topics to the summit of trending lists.

At the automotive spectacle, tech titans stole the spotlight from the usual celebrities and car models. These new industry celebrities have been igniting Internet fervor, and propelled the auto show into the digital limelight.

Clad in vibrant green attire, Lei Jun, founder and CEO of tech giant Xiaomi, stepped onto the stage of the auto show to announce a new era for the company as it ventures from electronics into the automotive realm for the first time. Xiaomi released its first self-developed electric vehicle (EV) model SU7 on March 28. Lei, a walking magnet for attention, didn't confine himself to merely showcasing Xiaomi's automotive endeavors; he roamed the exhibition halls, extending his online traction to other booths.

Dressed in striking red, Zhou Hongyi, CEO of Internet security powerhouse Qihoo 360 and investor in EV maker NETA Auto, took an unconventional turn as the sole car model on the event's inaugural day, perched atop a vehicle and commanding the spotlight with his bold presence.

With this dynamic duo and other prominent figures from the industry, the already vibrant event became even more electrifying. Both online and offline, the exhibition flourished, drawing a record-breaking 892,000 offline attendees over the 10 days, 1.6 times the number of the previous edition in 2020, setting an all-time record for on-site visitors and solidifying its status as a must-visit event on the automotive calendar.

A feast of traffic

According to the organizing committee, the exhibition also saw unprecedented media coverage, with 23,000 reporters converging on the venue to cover the event, surpassing all previous records.

How to increase exposure for good products has become a question that every company is pondering.

"As there has been a surge in new vehicle launches and industry competition, bosses are increasingly stepping up to promote their products. It underscores the crucial role of online traffic as a marketing tool in enhancing brand visibility and attracting attention," Bo Wenxi, chief economist at wealth management firm IPG China, told Beijing Review.

"While leveraging traffic is important, it should be viewed as a tool rather than the end goal," Bo said, adding that the direct involvement of top executives from car companies in promotional activities reflects a new trend in automotive marketing—an adaptive and commendable development.

"But it's imperative to recognize that the ultimate aim of traffic should be to support new technologies and trends," Bo added.

Growing global influence

Beyond the crowded aisles, many attendees noticed the notably higher presence of international visitors. "There seemed to be more foreigners than Chinese nationals at the venue," some attendees noted. According to its organizing committee, 28,000 international attendees graced the event, marking a historic high in the number of foreign participants.

Chinese automobile manufacturer Great Wall Motors invited 800 overseas investors and 200 international media representatives to visit the expo.

Another domestic brand, Chery Automobile, organized an overseas observation team of over 3,000 individuals, comprising international automotive dealers and partners. And after the exhibition concluded, the company chartered two high-speed trains to transport these foreign visitors to tour its factories in Wuhu, Anhui Province, where its headquarters is located.

"The multitude of foreign visitors at this year's Beijing auto show underscores China's automotive industry's increasing prominence as a key participant in the global automotive market," Zhang Xiaorong, Director of the Beijing-based Deep Technology Research Institute, told Beijing Review.

Zhang said the Chinese automotive industry is undergoing a transformation from "made in China" to "created in China," particularly in the EV sector, where Chinese domestic brands showcase unique competitive strengths in technology, intelligent systems and the ability to rapidly iterate leveraging the vast market.

Through technological innovation and brand development, they have enhanced their international influence and market competitiveness, he added.

The sight of foreign engineers measuring wheel sizes with calipers, inspecting the undercarriage with flashlights, and squatting to observe car manufacturers changing batteries drew widespread attention from on-site media.

Green and smart

The cars, of course, were the true stars of the auto exhibition. This year's exhibition saw EVs taking center stage, with 278 distinct EV models on display. The number reached an all-time high, reflecting the growing dominance of EVs in China's auto industry.

Green vehicles had reached a milestone in China shortly before the start of the exhibition. According to a report released by the China Passenger Car Association on April 19, the retail penetration rate of EVs in China hit 50.39 percent in the first half of April, exceeding 50 percent for the first time.

This is a milestone, considering China's ambitious goal set in 2020 to exceed a 50-percent penetration rate by 2035, which seemed distant at the time, as the penetration rate stood at just 5.8 percent.

"This indicates that one out of every two domestic brand vehicles sold is an EV," Chen Shihua, Deputy Secretary of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, said.

Domestic brands are leveraging EVs to achieve an "overtaking on the bend" in the automotive industry. The centerpiece of the domestic brands' exhibition booths was occupied by EV models. Geely Automobile's Zeekr Mix, known for its cute but fancy design, was dubbed the "baby bus," attracting numerous onlookers. Changan Automobile's Origin E07 and GAC Aion's Hyper HT also captivated many attendees.

Overseas car manufacturers and luxury brands are also actively expanding their presence in the EV market. The ultra-luxury brand Lamborghini's first plug-in hybrid super SUV, the Urus SE, made its debut at this year's exhibition.

"The increasing investment and research and development efforts of car manufacturers in electrification technology are evident from the EV models and technologies showcased at the exhibition," Wang Peng, a researcher with the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told Beijing Review, "This demonstrates the automotive industry's high regard for green energy, environmental protection and sustainable development."

"Meanwhile, the trend toward intelligence and connectivity was evident at this year's exhibition," Wang said.

On the track of intelligence, it's not just the automakers racing forward. According to the organizing committee, this year's exhibition attracted nearly 500 renowned domestic and international component companies and technology firms from 13 countries.

These companies in the automotive supply chain demonstrated their latest products and technologies, spanning across various domains such as autonomous driving solutions, intelligent cabins, operating systems, chips, and light detection and ranging technology.

"With the rapid development and widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) big models, the automotive industry is now making the transition from software-defined cars to AI-defined cars," Wang said. "The next decade will be the decade of intelligence." BR

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson

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