Author | Zhen Yao, Yang Lu

Editor | Li Guozheng

Produced by | Bangning Studio (gbngzs)

At 8:30 am, the Xiaomi car exhibition stand in the deepest part of Hall 17.2 of the Canton Fair Exhibition Hall in Guangzhou was surrounded by crowds. Many fans and media personnel held their phones, ready to capture the moment.

At 9:00 am, Lei Jun, the founder of Xiaomi Group, stepped onto the stage, marking the beginning of the Xiaomi car launch event. "Xiaomi SU7 delivered over 20,000 units in October, and we expect to deliver over 20,000 units in November," Lei Jun said. "There's still a slight gap between this delivery speed and everyone's expectations, so many people have urged me to go to the factory and tighten the screws... I took a photo of myself sleeping in the factory, and it ended up trending for two days."

The hashtag #LeiJunReallyWentToTightenScrews# trended, generating over 110 million views and 160,000+ interactions.

At the event, Xiaomi SU7 Ultra went on presale. Despite a price tag of 814,900 yuan, it garnered 3,680 intent-to-buy orders within just 10 minutes.

This inevitably evokes exclamations: Traffic equals sales.

Back-to-back with the Xiaomi car exhibition stand, at the far end of Hall 18.2 of the Canton Fair Exhibition Hall, was the Hongmeng Zhixing exhibition stand. This time, Hongmeng Zhixing brought together its four product families—Ask, Zhi, Xiang, and Zun—for the first time.

At 10:00 am, Yu Chengdong, Executive Director of Huawei, Chairman of the Terminal BG, and Chairman of the Intelligent Vehicle Solutions BU, arrived at the stand with Yin Tongyue, Chairman of Chery Automobile. Their popularity once again ignited the atmosphere on-site.

With the strong support of Xiaomi cars and Huawei-empowered Hongmeng Zhixing, the 22nd Guangzhou Auto Show, hailed as the "year-end finale" of China's auto industry, kicked off on November 15.

The show brought together over 80 well-known auto brands, showcasing a total of 1,171 vehicles, 78 of which were global premieres. Both the number of exhibited vehicles and the proportion of new energy models set new records.

Domestic brands led the number of exhibited models, with new energy vehicles as their mainstay. German brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen were not to be outdone, showcasing their "oil and electricity" hybrid models.

These vehicles showcased the latest R&D achievements of automakers, heralding future trends in the auto industry.

Although this auto show still adhered to the theme of "New Technology, New Life," it differed significantly from previous editions, with four prominent phenomena.

First, the auto show became a battleground for traffic competition. Without traffic, it's hard to generate sales. In today's traffic-dominated era, many once-aloof auto executives, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, have taken on the roles of video streamers.

Second, the auto show witnessed the layout in the fields of flying cars and humanoid robots. These two emerging fields have become new racetracks for major manufacturers to explore.

Third, brands tended to cluster together. For example, local brands BYD and GAC each monopolized an exhibition hall, showcasing their full range of brands, including the latest pure electric and plug-in hybrid electric technologies, as well as cutting-edge intelligent systems such as advanced driving assistance systems.

Fourth, joint venture brands' self-rescue routes garnered significant attention. Facing a continuous decline in market share, joint venture brands showcased their self-rescue routes of seeking transformation and breakthroughs at this auto show.

Traffic Gravitational Field

'Don't compete with Lei Jun in marketing; we can't beat him; he's not an ordinary person,' many auto executives have said similar things. In the era of traffic dominance, Lei Jun is like a 'catfish' stirring up the pool of traffic.

Like the Beijing Auto Show in April this year, Lei Jun consistently showcased his love for 'dropping by,' inspiring a group of auto executives to visit each other's stands.

After the press conference, Lei Jun joined hands with Su Bingtian, the 'Asian Flying Man,' to start their 'dropping by' mode. They first visited the adjacent Letao Auto and Xpeng Auto stands, interacting with Letao President Ai Tiecheng and Xpeng Chairman He Xiaopeng.

Perhaps understanding the importance of traffic, the auto show organizing committee made deliberate arrangements—the most popular brands this year, including Xpeng, Letao, Xiaomi, Ask, and Mengshi, were gathered in Hall 17.2.

'Among the popular new energy vehicles at the exhibition hall, Xpeng Auto occupies four spots,' said He Xiaopeng. As the home team, Xpeng Auto brought its latest models, including the P7+, MONA M03, X9, and Xpeng HT Aero's 'Land Aircraft Carrier,' all of which were showcased on the stand.

Lei Jun also appeared at BYD, Yangwang, Ask, Great Wall Motors, BAIC, and other stands. Wherever he went, he was warmly surrounded and photographed by fans, who tightly followed him, creating a sea of people.

As one of the important partners in Hongmeng Zhixing's 'Four Realms' ecosystem, Yin Tongyue visited the Mengzhixing stand and engaged in a dialogue with Yu Chengdong on the same stage, also attracting a surge of people.

'Following Huawei will definitely lead to success; following Yu Chengdong will definitely lead to success,' Yin Tongyue even humorously suggested changing Yu Chengdong's name to 'Yu Chenggong.'

Hongmeng Zhixing adopted a 'hunger marketing' strategy on-site. They preheated the 'Four Realms on the Same Stage' on Weibo a day in advance, but at the scene, the Zun Realm was enclosed by a circle of glass curtain walls. Although it was indeed displayed on the stage, not all viewers could witness its charm—this time, the Zun Realm was exhibited in the form of a private event, and those entering were prohibited from taking photos.

Although the Hongmeng Zhixing stand did not seem to have a major breakthrough, it still attracted many media personnel. Even at 4:00 pm on the 15th, the stand was still bustling with people.

In addition, Zhu Huarong, Chairman of Changan Automobile, Zeng Qinghong, Chairman of GAC, Xia Yiping, CEO of Jiyue, and other executives also stood up for their respective brands.

This Guangzhou Auto Show also welcomed many cross-industry celebrities. Besides Su Bingtian, 'Tennis Queen' Zheng Qinwen also made a stunning appearance, reigniting the enthusiasm of the audience, with screams rising one after another. Media personnel, fans, and staff closely surrounded Zheng Qinwen, creating a fiery scene.

Zheng Qinwen came especially for the Audi brand. To strengthen its competitiveness in the new energy sector, Audi joined hands with SAIC Motor to jointly launch a new electric vehicle brand, adopting the English letters 'AUDI' as its logo and hiring Zheng Qinwen as its spokesperson.

Wang Shi and Tian Pujun also visited the GAC Trumpchi stand, listening to staff introduce models such as the E9 and S7, and even taking a test ride in the E9.

Luo Yonghao, on the other hand, lent his unique support at the auto show by serving as the 'Chief Price-Chopping Officer' for Guazi Used Cars. On-site, he waved a hammer to negotiate prices, creating momentum for the brand. The audience joked, urging him to smash the cars directly.

Afterwards, he posted on Weibo expressing his love for the title of 'Chief Price-Chopping Officer' and suggesting that consumers prioritize used cars when purchasing new energy vehicles due to their cost-effectiveness.

'Traffic anxiety' envelops almost every brand of every automaker. Even those lacking traffic spare no effort in seeking exposure opportunities. This auto show even sparked a traffic storm that extended from offline to live streaming rooms.

With a mobile phone and a live streaming pole, a large number of female streamers broadcasted either around the stands, beside new cars, or directly inside the cars.

Among them were both minor celebrities and new stars with no prior fame; some leveraged their professional knowledge for high-energy output throughout, while others relied on their outstanding appearance to attract attention. Inside and outside the phone screens, a battle without smoke raged in the automotive market.

New Technology Racetracks

'When traveling with family and friends, besides outdoor camping, we can also experience low-altitude flights in scenic areas, enjoying a brand-new perspective and seeing the beauty from the air,' said a staff member from Xpeng HT Aero at the auto show. On November 12, when the China Airshow opened, Xpeng HT Aero held a batch reservation signing event for its 'Land Aircraft Carrier' flying cars, securing a total of 2,008 new orders, the largest order volume in the global flying car sector to date.

Xpeng HT Aero is an independent company under Xpeng Auto, aiming to explore the boundaries of future travel modes. 'Xpeng HT Aero's 'Land Aircraft Carrier' has started its first manned flight, and the previously announced 200 'First Flight Codes' sold out within 48 hours, with 20% of buyers coming from car owners with flying experience,' He Xiaopeng said on-site.

As the closing A-class auto show, the Guangzhou Auto Show plays a crucial role in insightfully predicting next year's automotive development trends, earning it the title of 'weather vane for the development of China's auto market.'

At this auto show, the ingenious layouts and cutting-edge technology demonstrations at various stands served as a mirror, reflecting this year's automotive market prosperity and challenges, while automakers' promotional focuses became industry weather vanes for next year.

One such weather vane is that automakers are breaking through the boundaries of traditional automotive manufacturing, expanding into new areas of vehicle manufacturing, crossing over into the competition in humanoid robots and flying cars, and accelerating their transformation into technology companies.

Changan Automobile is pursuing both, announcing at this auto show that it will enter the robotics industry, focusing on areas such as humanoid robots and automotive ecological robots. According to its plans, it will invest over 50 billion yuan within five years, launch Chang'an flying cars by 2026 and humanoid robots by 2027, accelerating its transformation into an intelligent, low-carbon mobility technology company.

The exhibition stands of Dongfeng Nissan and Geely Automobile featured special displays of 'humanoid robots,' attracting significant attention.

Intelligent driving technology remains a highlight for automakers at the Guangzhou Auto Show, with this field ushering in an era of end-to-end popularization.

Relying on a pure vision AI Eagle Eye solution, the entire Xpeng P7+ series is equipped with an AI high-level intelligent driving system, demonstrating strong market appeal since its launch, with over 10,000 confirmed orders within 12 minutes of going on sale.

IM Motors and Momenta jointly launched the IMAD3.0 intelligent driving system, leveraging the rapid iteration capabilities of AI large models to achieve an intuitive driving experience through a 'one-stage end-to-end large model.' This system has the potential for mass production of intelligent driving at L2, L3, and L4 levels, with plans to achieve mass production of L3-level autonomous driving by 2026.

FAW-Toyota Bozhi 3X is equipped with an end-to-end high-level intelligent driving system co-developed with Momenta. This system integrates ultra-long-range high-precision LiDAR, high-definition cameras, and a high-performance Orin X computing platform. It also utilizes Momenta's most advanced 5.0 integrated intelligent driving large model, enabling full-scenario map-free intelligent driving functions including highway and urban piloting as well as automatic parking.

The Great Wall Motors stand covered over 3,000 square meters but only exhibited over 20 all-new Lanshanqing-colored Blue Mountains, attracting significant attention. 'Great Wall's full-scenario NOA is now available nationwide, and with the refresh of Coffee OS 3.1, Great Wall Motors' intelligent development has reached a new height,' announced Liu Yanzhao, Vice President of Great Wall Motors at the auto show.

ZEEKR premiered its full-stack self-developed HaoHan Intelligent Driving 2.0 system. This system is designed for high-level intelligent driving, adopting an end-to-end Plus architecture combined with ZEEKR's proprietary Digital Precognitive Network, further enhancing the accuracy and safety of intelligent driving.

Li Auto introduced an 'end-to-end to end' intelligent driving function based on the integration of end-to-end and VLM (Visual Localization and Mapping) technologies. It is expected that by the end of November this year, all users equipped with the AD Max intelligent driving system will be able to experience this fully supervised intelligent driving service.

Xiaomi Auto announced that its end-to-end full-scenario intelligent driving system will begin its pioneer version rollout in December this year. FAW-Audi A5L stated that it will adopt Huawei's high-level intelligent driving technology, providing users with advanced functions such as urban and highway assisted driving as well as high-level parking.

Chinese auto companies have unveiled their latest R&D achievements in new energy vehicles, including pure electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. They have not only significantly improved their driving range and charging speed but also made many bold innovations in intelligence and networking.

Joint venture auto companies are not far behind. Luxury brands such as BMW Group, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi have showcased the latest achievements of their electrification strategies, while joint venture brands such as GAC Toyota and Dongfeng Nissan have launched market-competitive new energy models, further enriching user choices.

Group Presentation

As the saying goes, 'After long division, there must be union; after long union, there must be division.' The exhibition layout of this year's Guangzhou Auto Show focuses on group collaboration.

On November 14, Geely Automobile announced its commitment to the "Taizhou Declaration," merging Lynk & Co. into Zeekr, making it the hottest news before the auto show. Previously, Geely had already integrated the Geometry brand into the Yinhe brand, kicking off the integration of the Geely system.

At the Guangzhou Auto Show, it is common to see groups and their sub-brands exhibiting together.

BYD, along with its sub-brands FAW-Volkswagen, Denza, and BYD Auto, occupied Hall 2.1. This year marks BYD's 30th anniversary, with monthly sales exceeding 500,000 units last month, setting a record for independent brands.

The BYD exhibition hall was bustling with visitors, rivaling the popularity of new force auto companies. The four brands, covering the 50,000-1 million yuan market segment, all showcased new models, including the Denza N9, BYD Auto U7, FAW-Volkswagen Leopard 8, and the October-launched Dolphin 06GT. The latter, a collaboration with "Black Myth: Wukong," was exhibited for the first time, featuring in-game elements on its body to enhance recognition. A real-life Sun Wukong also interacted with visitors, attracting many young people.

GAC Group's Trumpchi, Aion, Hyperion, GAC Honda, and GAC Toyota gathered in Hall 2.2, and details of the "Panyu Initiative" were also announced at the auto show. Before the auto show, GAC Group relocated its headquarters to Panyu. General Manager Feng Xingya said that GAC will focus on four areas: brand, product, technology, and internationalization.

'GAC Research Institute, GAC Trumpchi, and GAC Aion are now equivalent to three departments of the group, with research, production, supply, and sales all connected. Group leaders are directly involved in the battle,' said GAC Aion General Manager Gu Huinan in an interview.

The automotive industry has undergone three significant changes this year, giving rise to GAC Group's 'Panyu Initiative.'

First, the transition from traditional cars to intelligent and connected new energy vehicles is well underway. New energy vehicles have accounted for more than 50% of the market for three consecutive months, marking a fundamental shift in market structure.

Second, the growth rate of plug-in hybrid and extended-range electric vehicles far exceeds that of pure electric vehicles. Extended-range electric vehicles will coexist for the long term and are no longer considered transitional. GAC Group plans to launch 22 new models over the next three years, covering pure electric, extended-range electric, and plug-in hybrid vehicles. With R&D and industrial investments of 50 billion yuan, GAC aims to enter the global top tier of intelligent driving by 2027.

Third, independent brands now account for more than 50% of the Chinese automotive market. Based on the current situation, GAC is strengthening its independent brands, aiming to achieve more than 60% of the group's total sales by 2027 and challenge the sales target of 2 million independent brand vehicles. At this auto show, GAC's independent brands "launched a three-pronged attack" with the unveiling of Trumpchi S7, Aion UT, and Hyperion HL.

In terms of exhibition layout, Changan Auto exhibited its Avatar and Deep Blue brands side by side in the same hall for the first time, showcasing a systematic approach. Thanks to Changan's close collaboration with Huawei, the Deep Blue S07, equipped with Huawei's Kunlun Intelligent Driving system, became the first model in the 150,000 yuan price range to feature this system. Avatar has always adopted Huawei's high-level intelligent driving system, maintaining its position in the first tier of intelligent driving.

At this auto show, Changan brought over 20 popular models, with the full range of Qiyuan, Yinli, Kaicheng, Deep Blue, and Avatar gathered.

The same is true for Chery. The four major brands under Chery Holdings—Chery, EXEED, JETOUR, and iCAR—showcased a total of 38 models, all located in the same exhibition area. This year, Chery has achieved growth in both international and domestic markets, as well as in both fuel and new energy vehicles.

At this auto show, new concept cars from the Fengyun series, including Liefeng and Jinyun, the personalized iCAR V23, JETOUR Freelander, and EXEED's new Star Era ET, were unveiled. From city to off-road, from pure electric to extended-range, all Chery products can be seen in one hall.

The exhibition areas of various brands are no longer planned by category but have returned to the embrace of the group, indicating that the prevalent multi-brand strategy in the industry is changing with the market. Returning to a systematic approach, sharing resources, and improving efficiency are effective ways to conserve energy in the competitive automotive market.

Self-Rescue of Joint Venture Segment

This year marks significant anniversaries for some joint venture auto companies, such as the 40th anniversary of SAIC-Volkswagen and the 20th anniversary of GAC Toyota.

Joint venture auto companies were once crucial engines driving the development of China's automotive industry, leading the sector in capital, talent, and technology for over two decades during a golden age.

However, in recent years, their sales have plummeted, and their market share has been significantly eroded by independent brands, forcing joint venture auto companies to fight back, as evident at this year's Guangzhou Auto Show.

First, they are collaborating with Chinese technology companies to improve their intelligent systems.

For example, FAW-Volkswagen Audi A5L, equipped with Huawei's Kunlun Intelligent Driving system, became the first Audi model to adopt Huawei's intelligent driving technology. At the Guangzhou Auto Show, the A5L made its global debut with a star-studded exhibition stand, blending elegance and luxury.

GAC Toyota's new model, Bozhi 3X, in collaboration with Momenta, is equipped with Momenta 5.0 high-level intelligent driving technology, making it the first end-to-end full-scenario intelligent electric SUV. This year, GAC Toyota also jointly established "Zuifeng" with Pony.ai and Toyota China, introducing the Bozhi 4X L4 autonomous Robotaxi.

Dongfeng Nissan has also partnered with Huawei, deeply integrating the HarmonyOS into Nissan models, making it the first joint venture auto company to deeply collaborate with HarmonyOS cockpits.

'We were slow in transitioning to new energy, and our new products and technologies haven't kept up with the development and pace of China's current automotive market,' said Zhou Feng, Vice President of Dongfeng Motor Co., Ltd., and Deputy General Manager of Dongfeng Nissan Passenger Vehicle Company. While Dongfeng Nissan still has advantages in basic areas such as safety and comfort, it lacks in user perception and experience.

Due to poor sales of the first model in the Volkswagen ID. series, the ID., Volkswagen Anhui will adopt the CEA architecture in collaboration with XPeng Motors, abandoning the original MEB platform pure electric architecture. The first model based on the CEA architecture is expected to achieve SOP by the end of 2025 and be launched in 2026.

Volkswagen Anhui originally planned to launch four models by 2026, including a production line based on the Volkswagen MEB platform. Now, it will adopt a localized "CEA architecture + CMP platform" product line, expected to launch new models from 2026 onwards, which will become Volkswagen Anhui's main product line.

Second, they are accelerating the launch of new models to better meet Chinese user preferences, which have profoundly influenced the product design philosophy of joint venture auto companies. Users are now their primary designers.

AUDI E, the first concept car, is similar to current intelligent electric technology in terms of configuration but features exquisite exterior and interior design. AUDI will launch three new models within the next three years, with the first expected to be launched in 2025.

SAIC-Volkswagen Audi, which has been a joint venture for many years but has had a low profile, is starting anew, demonstrating the courage of its shareholders to innovate.

GAC Toyota's new model, Bozhi 3X, has changed its nickname from the playful "verification code" bz3x to a Chinese name. It also invited popular stand-up comedians Hu Lan and Jia Hao to endorse the new model, introducing it in a humorous way.

Wen Dali, Executive Vice President of GAC Toyota, said, 'Under the joint venture 2.0 system, GAC Toyota has launched the "Fusion 2030" initiative, transforming into "Tech GAC Toyota" and challenging the goal of annual production and sales of one million units, aiming to become a leading brand in the intelligent electric era.'

Also located in Hall 2.2, GAC Honda unveiled its new pure electric brand "Ye P" for the Chinese market, with the Ye P7 mass-production version making its debut. Based on the new-generation intelligent and efficient pure electric exclusive platform Architecture W, GAC Honda's first new electric vehicle factory will be commissioned in December.

Dongfeng Nissan launched the N7, the first pure electric sedan in its N series. Based on Dongfeng Nissan's new energy technology architecture, the new car is equipped with a high-level intelligent driving assistance system, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295P cockpit chip, and Huawei HarmonyOS cockpit. By the end of 2026, Dongfeng Nissan will launch five new energy products, covering pure electric, plug-in hybrid, and extended-range vehicles.

Just as water flows to a turn and inevitably follows the direction of the riverbed before surging forward, joint venture brands that have been in China for decades have left an indelible mark on China's automotive development history. Now, they must face industry changes and innovations head-on.

Judging from this year's Guangzhou Auto Show, the growth of independent brands is gratifying, and the self-rescue efforts of joint venture brands are also noteworthy. While survival of the fittest is indeed a market rule, the outcome is still uncertain, and anyone can emerge as a dark horse.