BEIJING: Thousands snapped selfies beside sleek Chinese electric vehicles on Friday at the world&#39;s biggest car show in Beijing, where automakers are seeking to lure buyers in a cut-throat market. Rows of influencers posed in front of gleaming models at the cavernous international exhibition center in the capital, darting to suitcases stuffed with outfit changes, while animated CEOs worked the crowds in front of massive LED screens. Legacy overseas brands such as Volkswagen, Toyota and BMW once dominated in China, but have lost market share in past years to domestic firms that beat them to the electric vehicle revolution and undercut them on price. Chinese manufacturers including BYD, Xiaomi and Xpeng are now also at the forefront of integrating AI software and autonomous driving technology into their EVs. The Auto China exhibition, hosted at two side-by-side venues, spans 380,000 square meters, according to organizers &ndash; more than 50 football pitches. More than 1,400 vehicles from hundreds of Chinese and foreign companies are on display from Friday, when the show opened to industry professionals and the media, and later to the public from April 28 until May 3. At the sprawling expo, crowds cheered as XPeng chief executive He Xiaopeng took the stage beside the Chinese company&#39;s latest model, the GX, a six-seat electric SUV. The imposing 5.2-metre vehicle incorporates AI technology and is aiming at breaking into the luxury market, he said. It would soon be followed by humanoid robots this year, He promised, and eventually by flying cars, which XPeng hopes to mass-produce. Foreign automakers are increasingly collaborating with Chinese firms to keep pace with technological advances. BMW has partnered with Chinese battery maker CATL, while Audi is using Huawei&#39;s driving assistance systems and Volkswagen is developing EVs together with Guangzhou-based Xpeng. XPeng President Brian Gu told reporters that companies were &quot;leveraging their respective strength to collaborate with China&quot;, a trend he said would continue both domestically and overseas. Gu has his eyes set on export markets including Europe and the Gulf. Asked by AFP how Trump&#39;s tariffs were affecting Xpeng, he said only that the US market remained an important one. Fierce competition This year, companies are also jostling to sell space, analysts say, with roomy SUVs&#39; new growth area targeting customers prioritizing seating and comfort. China &quot;has become a customer retention and replacement/upgrade-driven market, and these big SUVs address that need,&quot; independent analyst Lei Xing wrote in a blog this week. Firms have flooded the domestic market in recent years with trade-in schemes, offering huge discounts to customers to give up their old car for a new one. The fierce price war led Chinese officials last year to call for tighter price monitoring and improving long-term regulation of competition. But newcomers appear unfazed, Lei wrote, naming at least eight EV brands from Chinese automakers that have cropped up over the last two years. Electric vehicles, an area China dominates, are also gaining traction as rising global oil prices linked to the Middle East war push drivers away from fossil fuel-powered models. Manufacturers are now competing on driving range. Xiaomi chief executive Lei Jun recently completed a 1,300-kilometre trip from Beijing to Shanghai in the SU7 Pro electric sedan, stopping only once to recharge during the 15-hour drive.

BYD-owned premium brand Denza Z model car is displayed at the Beijing Auto Show in Beijing on April 24, 2026. (AFP)

Artificial Intelligence

At Beijing’s massive auto show, Chinese EV makers showcase advanced AI vehicles, intensifying competition with global brands, while price wars, innovation, and export ambitions reshape the world’s largest car market.

Chinese EV makers take center stage at world's biggest auto show

Faraz Saeed

<p style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 2; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;' id="isPasted">LAHORE: Pakistan&rsquo;s automotive industry is shifting decisively into recovery mode, with October sales of cars, vans, pickups, and SUVs rising to 17,333 units, a 32% year-on-year increase and a 1% month-on-month uptick, according to data from the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA).<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 2; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>Cumulative sales for the first four months of FY26 reached 59,600 units, up 46% from 40,693 in the same period last year. A surge driven by economic stability and renewed consumer confidence.<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 2; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>&ldquo;After a period of uncertainty, the market is showing strong signs of recovery,&rdquo; said Waqas Ghani, head of research at JS Global and Pakistan TV Digital. He attributed the upbeat trend to improving macroeconomic conditions.<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 2; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>&ldquo;A stable rupee, easing inflation, and lower borrowing costs are encouraging buyers to return to the market.&rdquo;<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 2; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>Ghani explained that the turnaround stems from both supply and demand improvements.<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 2; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>&ldquo;If we go back to 2022, there were import restrictions, plants were shutting down, and supply chains were disrupted. That is no longer the case. Production lines are now up and running,&rdquo; he said.<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 2; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>On the demand side, he added, &ldquo;Disposable incomes are improving, and with inflation falling and interest rates down 11%, auto loans have become more accessible. These factors combined have fueled the surge in sales.&rdquo;<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 2; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>Still, the recovery is uneven. PAMA data shows Pakistan Suzuki Motor Company (PSMC) recorded an 18% MoM decline in October, driven by a company-wide reset and discontinuation of models such as Ravi, Bolan, Every VX, and Wagon R.<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 2; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>Swift sales fell 17%, Ravi plunged 84%, and Every dropped 28%, while Bolan has posted no sales since May 2025. Even so, PSMC&rsquo;s YoY sales edged up 1%, and its July&ndash;October total rose 33% YoY to 27,234 units, underscoring resilience amid restructuring.<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 2; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>In sharp contrast, Indus Motor Company (IMC) delivered the strongest gains, posting 44% MoM growth to 4,529 units. Corolla, Yaris, and Cross models collectively rose 41% MoM and 78% YoY to 3,742 units, while Fortuner and IMVs climbed 58% MoM and 83% YoY to 787 units.<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 2; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>IMC&rsquo;s four-month sales surged 66% YoY to 14,418 units, driven by robust demand for sedans and SUVs.<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 2; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>Hyundai Nishat recorded the highest YoY growth among automakers, rising 82% to 1,086 units, led by Tucson and Elantra, though MoM sales dipped 8%. Its four-month total reached 4,698 units, up 81% YoY.<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 2; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, Umair Shahid of Hyundai Central Sales said the improvement is closely tied to monetary easing. &ldquo;Sales have increased thanks to the fall in bank interest rates,&rdquo; he said.<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 2; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>Shahid added that in-house financing has strengthened the upswing: &ldquo;Hyundai is offering promotions, including easy monthly installments and even 0%-markup purchase options, making it easier for customers to acquire vehicles.&rdquo;<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 2; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>Honda Atlas Cars Limited (HACL) also posted strong results, with 72% YoY and 13% MoM growth in October, driven by steady demand for City and Civic models. Four-month sales rose 54% YoY to 7,487 units.<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 2; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>Growth extended beyond passenger cars. Two- and three-wheeler sales increased 20% YoY and 4% MoM in October to 165,500 units, nearing a four-year high. Atlas Honda Limited set a new benchmark with 140,178 CD70 units sold, surpassing its September 2025 record.<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 2; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>The agriculture and commercial sectors also saw momentum. Tractor sales jumped 67% YoY and 265% MoM to 2,886 units, buoyed by the Punjab Green Tractor Scheme, though four-month numbers slipped 15% YoY to 5,867 units. Truck and bus sales rose 118% YoY, despite a 7% MoM decline, bringing four-month totals to 2,630 units, up 106% YoY.<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 2; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>Looking ahead, analysts expect the upward trajectory to continue. In her latest report, Myesha Sohail of Topline Securities wrote: &ldquo;Lower interest rates and the launch of new models &mdash; conventional, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid- are expected to sustain momentum in FY26.&rdquo;<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 2; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>With rising demand across sedans, SUVs, motorcycles, tractors, and commercial vehicles, Pakistan&rsquo;s auto market appears poised for a high-powered year, signalling renewed confidence for manufacturers, dealers, and consumers alike.

File - Hyundai dealership in Lahore on November 15, 2025. (Faraz Saeed/ Pakistan TV Digital)

Economy

Analysts cite improved economic conditions, lower interest rates, restored production, and growing consumer confidence as key drivers behind the surge in cars, SUVs, motorcycles, and commercial vehicles.

Articles tagged with "automotive sector"

Chinese EV makers take center stage at world's biggest auto show

Pakistan’s automotive sector hits high gear as sales surge nationwide

Chinese EV makers take center stage at world's biggest auto show