April in Beijing: Ultimate Showdown – Ultimate Preview of Launching New Models at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show

On April 24, the 2026 (19th) Beijing International Automotive Exhibition will grandly open at the China International Exhibition Center (Shunyi Hall) and the Capital International Convention & Exhibition Center (New China International Exhibition Center Phase II), with a total exhibition area of 380,000 square meters – the largest in the event‘s history. Under the theme “Leading the Era, Intelligent Future,” all major global automakers have confirmed their participation. Hundreds of new models will compete on the same stage, from domestic flagships to luxury benchmarks, from pure-electric intelligent vehicles to rugged off-roaders, fully showcasing the critical path of the automotive industry’s electrification and intelligent transformation.

I. Domestic Brand Flagship SUVs: A Collective Assault on the Premium Luxury Market

The first half of 2026 is a concentrated burst period for domestic high-end flagship SUVs, and the Beijing Auto Show has become their premier battlefield. Six leading brands – Li AutoUAE Li AutoKSA Li AutoBahrain Li AutoEgypt Li AutoKuwait Li AutoOman Li AutoQatar Li Auto, AITOUAE AITOKSA AITOKuwait AITOQatar AITOOman AITOBahrain AITOEgypt AITO, NIOBahrain NioEgypt NioKSA NioKuwait NioOman NioQatar NioUAE Nio, BYD, Xpeng and Leapmotor – are all bringing their top-tier models, each positioned as a brand flagship, targeting the premium market long dominated by BBA.

BYD Tang – All-New Flagship 7-Seat SUV from Dynasty Series

BYD‘s all-new flagship SUV from the Dynasty series, positioned as a large 7-seat SUV, measures over 5.3 meters in length with a wheelbase of 3,130 mm. The pure-electric version features second-generation Blade Battery and a full-domain 1000V architecture supporting megawatt flash charging, replenishing 400 km of range in 5 minutes; the plug-in hybrid version utilizes the fifth-generation DM system with a combined range exceeding 2,000 km. Standard equipment includes Yunlin-A intelligent air suspension, LiDAR and God’s Eye advanced intelligent driving, supporting urban NOA. Expected price around 400,000 yuan, with public debut and pre-sales starting at the auto show.

NIO ES9 – Full-Size Pure-Electric Flagship Large 6-Seat SUV

NIO ES9 made its global debut on April 9 and will appear on stage at the Beijing Auto Show, with market deliveries expected to begin by the end of May. The vehicle measures 5,365 mm in length with a 3,250 mm wheelbase, positioned with dual “technology + executive” attributes. Built on a 900V high-voltage platform, it features NIO‘s self-developed Shenji NX9031 intelligent driving chip and Tianshu chassis system, equipped with three LiDAR units, delivering a combined maximum power of 520 kW and a CLTC pure-electric range of 620 km, while also supporting NIO’s battery swap network.

Li Auto L9 (New Model) – Benchmark Family Flagship SUV

The all-new Li Auto L9KSA Li Auto L9UAE Li Auto L9Bahrain Li Auto L9Egypt Li Auto L9Kuwait Li Auto L9Oman Li Auto L9Qatar Li Auto L9 has already opened pre-sales, with the top-tier “Li Auto L9 Livis” priced at 559,800 yuan, positioned as an embodied intelligent flagship large 6-seat SUV. It features an 800V high-voltage platform + fully active suspension + fully-by-wire chassis, achieving zero body roll and road preview capability. On the intelligent driving front, it is equipped with dual Mach 100 chips delivering a total computing power of 2,560 TOPS, with four LiDAR units, hardware pre-installed for L3 autonomous driving capability, and CLTC pure-electric range exceeding 420 km.

AITO M9 (New Model) – Intelligent Luxury SUV Powered by Huawei

The new AITO M9 features comprehensive upgrades. The exterior lighting and grille have been redesigned, with new starry door handles added, and the intelligent driving and cockpit experience have been further optimized. The physical debut is expected to once again ignite the exhibition hall.

Xpeng GX – AI-Enhanced New Luxury Large 6-Seat Flagship SUV

Xpeng GX will make its debut at the Beijing Auto Show, focusing on AI intelligent luxury to meet the demands of young, high-end users, further enriching the domestic high-end flagship lineup.

Leapmotor D19 – Large Cost-Effective Flagship SUV

Leapmotor D19 is positioned as a large SUV, measuring 5,252 mm in length with a 3,110 mm wheelbase, available in 6-seat and 7-seat configurations. The extended-range version offers a CLTC pure-electric range of 500 km, while the pure-electric version features a 1000V platform with a CLTC range of 720 km, capable of replenishing over 350 km in 15 minutes. With an 88% space efficiency ratio and 3-second-class acceleration, the large vehicle remains agile. Expected price between 250,000–300,000 yuan, making it the most noteworthy cost-effective flagship at this year‘s auto show.

II. Joint Venture Brand New Energy Vehicles: Accelerating Counter-Offensive Deployment

Volkswagen Group – Four Global Premieres

Volkswagen Group will present ten flagship models across Volkswagen, Jetta, and Audi’s Four Rings and AUDI brands during the Beijing Auto Show, with four of them making their world premieres. The new ID.UNYX model, jointly developed by Volkswagen and Xpeng over 24 months, will make its world premiere; FAW-Volkswagen‘s first all-electric model in the ID.AURA series will also be unveiled. Jetta’s all-new pure-electric show car will have its world premiere. Porsche will globally debut a new model in the all-electric Cayenne family.

Hyundai IONIQ – Pure-Electric Brand Officially Enters China

Hyundai Motor has officially launched its IONIQ pure-electric brand in China, unveiling the VENUS CONCEPT sedan and EARTH CONCEPT SUV at the IONIQ brand launch event, both of which will make their global debuts at the Beijing Auto Show. Hyundai has also confirmed that the first mass-production IONIQ model for China will officially debut at this year’s Beijing Auto Show, marking a new phase in Hyundai’s new energy strategy for China.

ID. UNYX – German Foundation with Chinese Intelligence

ID. UNYX is built on the CEA architecture jointly developed by Volkswagen and Xpeng. The German-tuned chassis with double wishbone front and five-link rear suspension, combined with adjustable air suspension and CDC, delivers a solid German driving feel, while the Snapdragon 8295P chip and Xpeng‘s intelligent assisted driving system provide a first-tier intelligent experience. With a 3,030 mm wheelbase for a large five-seat layout, the 800V platform offers a maximum range of 730 km, with fast charging adding 150 km in 5 minutes. Pre-sales began at the end of March with prices starting from 239,900 yuan.

Nissan NX8 – Japanese Extended-Range SUV’s Sincere Counter-Attack

As Dongfeng Nissan‘s first extended-range SUV, the Nissan NX8 targets the 200,000-yuan large five-seat segment, with a wheelbase of 2,917 mm and an 83% space efficiency ratio. The extended-range version features a 1.5T range extender with a maximum pure-electric range of 310 km; the pure-electric version features an 800V platform with 5C ultra-fast charging and a starting range of 580 km. It also comes equipped with the industry’s first e-Damper electronically controlled shock absorber system.

III. German Luxury Brands (BBA): Accelerating Transformation

BMW – Most Powerful Debut Lineup in History

The BMW Group will appear at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show with an unprecedented lineup, bringing 16 new models across BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad, including 4 world premieres and 8 China premieres. The all-new BMW 7 SeriesBahrain BMW 7 SeriesEgypt BMW 7 SeriesKSA BMW 7 SeriesKuwait BMW 7 SeriesOman BMW 7 SeriesQatar BMW 7 SeriesUAE BMW 7 Series and all-new BMW i7UAE BMW i7Egypt BMW i7KSA BMW i7Oman BMW i7Qatar BMW i7 will make their world debuts on the eve of the auto show; the new-generation BMW iX3 long-wheelbase version and new-generation BMW i3 long-wheelbase version, both tailored for Chinese consumers, will be jointly unveiled. The two models not only feature all the cutting-edge Neue Klasse technologies but also integrate Chinese intelligence, Chinese AI and Chinese scenarios. Additionally, the BMW Speedtop concept car and the BMW V12 LMR – overall winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans – will also be on display.

Mercedes-Benz – S-Class Facelift and New Pure-Electric C-Class

The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class will make its major debut in the Chinese market at this year‘s Beijing Auto Show. As a mid-cycle facelift, over 50% of the components have been redesigned and developed. On the exterior, the grille has been enlarged by approximately 20%, the standing three-pointed star emblem features a self-illuminating function for the first time, and the headlights utilize next-generation micro-LED technology digital lights with an ultra-long-range illumination capability of up to 600 meters. The all-new pure-electric C-Class bids farewell to the EQ design language, built on the 800V MB.EA dedicated platform with a CLTC maximum range of 900 km.

Audi – Fully Upgraded A6L + Debut of AUDI Brand First Model

The new-generation Audi A6L (C9), built on the all-new PPC luxury fuel vehicle platform, features both elegant and sporty exterior designs, with standard Star Matrix LED headlights across all trims. More significantly, the new model is equipped with Huawei Qiankun intelligent driving, bringing its intelligence fully in line with domestic standards. In addition, Audi‘s second mass-production model under the AUDI brand, created specifically for the Chinese market – the Audi E7X pure-electric SUV – will also make its debut at the auto show.

IV. Emerging Forces and Chinese Brands in Full Force

Geely Galaxy – New Entrant in Rugged Off-Road Segment

Geely Galaxy’s first rugged off-road SUV has been officially named “Galaxy Warship 700” and will be formally unveiled at this year‘s Beijing Auto Show. The vehicle features Geely’s self-developed GVMC full-domain vector dynamic control system, paired with AI intelligent all-wheel drive, supporting tank turns and crab walk modes, with a maximum wading depth of up to 800 mm. The roof-mounted LiDAR supports the Qianli Haohan H7 high-end intelligent driving solution, enabling full-scenario navigation-assisted driving on both highways and urban roads. Based on mainstream pricing benchmarks, the estimated price ranges from 200,000 to 350,000 yuan.

BYD – All Five Brands Ready for Launch

BYD will bring its five major brands – Dynasty, Ocean, Denza, Fangchengbao and Yangwang – to the exhibition. In addition to the BYD Tang, the Ocean series flagship SUV Sealion 08 will make its global debut, measuring over 5 meters in length with flexible 6/7-seat layouts and featuring EV/DM-i dual powertrains; the second-generation Denza D9 will begin deliveries, priced at 389,800–489,800 yuan, with the pure-electric version offering a maximum range of 800 km; Fangchengbao’s first coupe-style sedan will make its global debut, featuring a three-motor Yi San Fang all-wheel-drive system and a CLTC pure-electric range exceeding 1,000 km, with an estimated price of 200,000–250,000 yuan; and the Yangwang U8L four-seat million-yuan flagship will also appear on stage.

GAC + Huawei – Qijing GT7 Unveiled for the First Time

The first model jointly developed by GAC and Huawei – the Qijing GT7 – has finally been unveiled, debuting with Huawei‘s latest-generation 896-line LiDAR, the next-generation Xiaoyi intelligent agent, an 88-inch XHUD and an AI star-ring scatterer, with its 5-meter-long large coupe-style body offering high recognizability and a substantial “Huawei content” quotient.

V. New Energy Technologies and Intelligence: From Hardware Competition to Experience Implementation

A key highlight of this year’s Beijing Auto Show is the shift in new energy technologies and intelligence from “configuration parameters” hardware competition to “real-world experience” implementation. BYD‘s exhibition will feature full-domain 1000V high-voltage flash charging technology (400 km of range replenished in 5 minutes), V2G vehicle-to-grid interaction technology, and mass-production technology for all-solid-state batteries (planned for vehicle installation in 2027). BMW’s Neue Klasse models deeply integrate Chinese AI capabilities into their cockpits and intelligent driving systems. Volkswagen Group‘s CEA electronic and electrical architecture, together with the advanced driver assistance system developed by CARIZON, enables navigation-assisted driving covering both urban and highway scenarios, and is steadily advancing the development of self-developed high-compute SoCs, laying the foundation for progressing toward L3 and L4 autonomous driving.

Conclusion: The Beijing Auto Show – Ready to Ignite

From BYD Tang to NIO ES9, from BMW Neue Klasse to Volkswagen’s four world premieres, from Hyundai IONIQ‘s entry into China to Geely Warship 700 – the 2026 Beijing Auto Show brings together the strongest lineup in the global automotive industry. On one side, Chinese brands are collectively ascending, challenging BBA head-on with flagship products; on the other, traditional luxury brands are setting aside their pride, accelerating their electric and intelligent transformation. This is not just a new car launch; it is two battle lines opening fire simultaneously. From April 24 to May 3, 2026, at Shunyi and the Capital International Convention & Exhibition Center in Beijing, the ultimate showdown is about to begin.