Three Hidden Battles to Watch at Chengdu Auto Show, 29 August-7, September, 2025

1. Chinese Brands’ “Specs Tsunami”

BYD’s “Eye of God” ADAS demo and “Megawatt Flash Charge” zone represent a pincer movement – one tackles range anxiety with physics-defying charging speeds (400km in 5 mins), the other redefines smart EVs with AI. Their outdoor “smart block” (U8 floating demo, drone launches) isn’t car-selling—it’s selling a tech-infused nomadic fantasy.

Chery’s Zongheng off-road series and revamped Weilin pickups reveal legacy automakers’ desperation: one attacks Great Wall’s Tank stronghold with PHEV traction, the other eyes the untapped North American pickup market.

Meanwhile, Harmony Intelligent Driving’s “Five Realms” (M5/M7/M9/Luxeed/Stelato) mimics Huawei’s smartphone playbook—their 3,000sqm booth is essentially a gigantic HarmonyOS ad. SAIC-Shangjie (don’t know its English name yet) is a killer.

The irony: When specs wars escalate to “megawatt charging” and flying drones, do consumers really need this much tech to justify a car purchase? I have to say, China’s automotive market is a unique entity, standing alone as the only one of its kind in the world. Its future trajectory remains uncertain.

2. Global Players’ “Nostalgia Gambit”

Mercedes’ all-electric CLA and BMW’s M3 E46 GTR tribute create a poetic contrast—one whispers of an electric future, the other screams ICE-age glory. That “Need for Speed” livery isn’t just paint: it’s a dopamine trigger for Generation X’s wallets. But where is BMW new killer iX3 then?

Ford’s global debut of the China-version Bronco EV shows American shrewdness: retain rugged signifiers (removable roof, roll cage) while slapping on a “smart electric” badge.

As for Hyundai’s new Palisade for Chengdu Auto Show, its presence is a silent rebuke—Korean automakers’ global competence remains criminally underrated in China. (I’ve never seen this car on the road. The last time was still two or three years ago, at the display area on the first floor of Beijing Hyundai HQ office building, quite impressive though.)

The twist: Global brands are fighting China’s tech barrage with “EV newcomers + heritage icons.” When that E46 engine roars at BMW’s stand, watch middle-aged crowds instinctively reach for their phones to scan QR codes.

3. Infrastructure’s Shadow War

CATL’s sodium-ion battery (-40℃ cold-start) targets northern markets, while its dual-core battery architecture could make 12V lead-acid obsolete. Notice its silence on solid-state: CATL is betting on “ultra-fast charge + sodium-ion,” not risky solid-state bets.

XPeng’s “Iron” robot exposes broader ambitions—when non-car products appear at auto shows, the game has shifted from “building cars” to “orchestrating mobility ecosystems.”

I will imagine a robot plugging in your charger while upselling XPeng’s charging membership—that’s next-gen foot traffic monetization.

The meta-narrative: When battery booths draw bigger crowds than car displays, Chengdu is no longer an auto show – we will see a tech bazaar CES debating “how human will move for 20+ years.” Brands still only showing shiny sheet metal have already lost the first half.