From October 14 to 20, 2024, the 90th Mondial de l’Auto will be held at the Porte de Versailles Exhibition Center in Paris. This historic auto show has been an important event for the global automotive industry since it was first held in 1898, and is known as one of the five major auto shows along with Frankfurt, Geneva, North American and Tokyo Motor Shows.
This year's show will witness the rise of electric vehicles and the remarkable performance of Chinese automotive brands on the global stage.
Exhibitors from Chinese automakers
Compared with previous years, the number of exhibitors at this year's Mondial de l’Auto has increased significantly.
According to Cartea's inquiry to the official website of the Mondial de l’Auto, Peugeot, Citroen, Renault and other French local car companies have not been absent from the Paris Motor Show, which also attracted multinational car companies such as Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, and so on to participate in the show.
In the Chinese brand camp, BYD, GAC, Hongqi, Xpeng, Leapmotor, skywell and AITO all participated. The number of Chinese brands exhibiting not only exceeded the number of other countries, but also surpassed the performance of the 2023 Munich Motor Show, with all of these brands bringing a number of heavyweight new vehicles.
Leapmotor will officially start selling two models in Europe at the show, the T03 compact SUV and the C10 mid-size SUV. meanwhile, Leapmotor's new model, the B10 compact SUV, will also make its global debut at the show. leapmotor has revealed that the B platform is an important part of its globalization strategy, with plans to launch a number of models by 2025. Relying on Stellantis Group, Leapmotor hopes to boost its overseas sales.
In addition, Xpeng Auto presented its new P7+, Xpeng MONA M03, and G6, G9, X9 and other family models. Hong Qi is bringing its latest pure electric creations - the EH7 and EHS7 models.AITO M9 will make its debut in the European market and be named AITO 9.
Although the recognition of Chinese brands by local consumers in Europe still needs to be improved, participating in auto shows is undoubtedly an important window to show Chinese auto brands to the European market, especially for the world-famous Mondial de l’Auto. Of course, it's not easy for Chinese brands to break new ground in the European market.
Japanese car companies collectively absent
It is worth noting that Nissan, Toyota, Honda and other Japanese manufacturers are collectively absent, mainstream luxury brands in the Mercedes-Benz also did not participate. This provides an excellent opportunity for Chinese car companies to show their strength.
Difficulties for Chinese automakers
Nonetheless, the road for Chinese automakers to expand in the European market is not a smooth one. The recent decision by the European Union to impose a countervailing duty of up to 35.3 percent on Chinese-made electric vehicles has certainly added to the challenges of entering the European market.
However, for many Chinese automakers with globalization strategies, the European market is still a must. Executives from SAIC, Geely and others have made it clear that tariff barriers won't shake their determination to explore the market.
In the Middle East market
Demand for electrified vehicles is also growing in the Middle East market. With the gradual tightening of environmental regulations and increased consumer awareness and acceptance of electric vehicles, the potential of electric vehicles is gradually being realized.
Against this backdrop, the Mondial de l’Auto has become one of the platforms for Chinese brands to showcase their innovation and strength to the Middle East market. This not only provides more choices for Middle Eastern consumers, but also offers opportunities for future market expansion.
Adrian is an Editor. Psychology graduate with over 4 years in the automotive industry, 3 in front of the camera. Occasionally seen at his family owned tyre shop. He will only buy cars that pass the big bottle test.
