The automotive and smart mobility zone of the ninth China International Import Expo showed that electrification remains the main line for most exhibitors, while plug-in hybrids, range extenders and hydrogen are advancing in parallel, Xinhua reported on November 9. Volkswagen showed new battery-electric models, Nissan brought a multi-category new energy line-up, BMW displayed its sixth-generation large cylindrical cell technology, Hyundai presented a new hydrogen fuel-cell system and LG Energy Solution exhibited for the first time.
Green materials were another focus. Ye Fei, president of Michelin Greater China and Mongolia, said renewable and recycled materials made up 46% of its tyres in 2021 and now account for 75%. At the show, carbon fibre recovered from retired vehicles is being processed into door trims and interior parts, while silica derived from burned rice husks is used as a reinforcing filler for tyre rubber.
AI is spreading beyond the cabin. Smart cockpits remember the preferences of several occupants and automatically adjust seats, air conditioning and audio, while sensing technology analyses tyre grip, load, pressure and wear in real time to predict leaks and wear risks. Bosch China president Xu Daquan said Chinese consumers, especially younger buyers, place heavy demands on new technology, which is why the market starts in China.