2026 Beijing Auto Show Expands to 380,000 Sqm, Linking Dual Venues and Reshaping Industry Landscape

The 2026 Beijing Auto Show will be held simultaneously from April 24 to May 3 at the China International Exhibition Center (Shunyi Venue) and the Capital International Convention and Exhibition Center. Connected by an enclosed skywalk, the two venues together form an exhibition space totaling 380,000 square meters—160,000 square meters larger than the previous edition. This year’s show features 1,451 vehicles, including 181 global debuts and 71 concept cars. In terms of venue layout, the newly opened “New China International Exhibition Center Phase II”—the Capital International Convention and Exhibition Center—is being used for the first time. It comprises nine exhibition halls and offers 4,000 underground parking spaces. Together with the Shunyi Venue, it shares the responsibility for full-vehicle displays, alleviating previous congestion issues and providing dedicated zones for emerging and cross-industry brands. Brands such as Li Auto, Xiaomi, Harmony Intelligent Mobility, NIO, and its sub-brands Onvo and Firefly have all secured booth spaces comparable in size to those of joint-venture brands. The composition of participating brands has undergone significant changes. Major international automakers—including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volkswagen, and Toyota—are all present, while Peugeot and Citroën are jointly returning to the show. Some second- and third-tier Chinese brands have withdrawn, making room for niche players like 212 Off-Road and Soul Motorcycle to take center stage. Luxury and high-end custom brands such as Mansory, AXR, Fugu, and Dreame have secured prominent positions in the new venue. For the first time, automotive component suppliers are entering the main exhibition halls on a large scale. Leading suppliers—including Huawei, CATL, Bosch, Horizon Robotics, Black Sesame Technologies, and ECARX—are no longer confined to standalone component zones but instead occupy prime locations within either the Shunyi Venue or the Capital International Convention and Exhibition Center. Huawei’s Qiankun brand has its own independent pavilion, CATL has created an energy technology experience zone exceeding 1,500 square meters, and Bosch has positioned its intelligent driving exhibit adjacent to the high-traffic skywalk connecting the two venues. The number of countries and regions represented in the component supplier section has increased from 13 to 21, and the theme has evolved from “Parts and Components” to a sharper focus on “Electrification, Intelligence, and Digitalization.” Non-traditional automotive suppliers—such as chipmakers, cloud computing firms, high-definition mapping providers, and AI algorithm companies—are also participating, with some co-exhibiting alongside vehicle brands. Visitor pathways have shifted from the traditional “view cars first, then components” model to one where “viewing cars necessarily passes through core supplier booths,” reflecting a transformation in the industry’s power dynamics. The show’s theme has been updated from “New Era, New Automobiles” to “Leading the Era · Intelligent Future,” signaling the industry’s shift in emphasis from product showcases to the presentation of integrated technological ecosystems.