The Paris Auto Show opened on the 12th, local time. About 20 Chinese car brands came to Paris, doubling in number from the previous 2024.
Biadi, Cherry and other companies that have already entered the European market continued to expand their stands, participating for the first time in the industry; Chang‘an brought brands such as Deep Blue and Avita, announcing further entry into Europe.
According to official information from the car exhibition, more than 60 car manufacturers participated in this year‘s exhibition, with Chinese brands already accounting for a significant proportion.
Reuters reported that the head of technology at Stellantis also said the company is adopting a faster “Chinese-style” development cycle.
Reuters wrote that European traditional car shows such as Paris had previously declined in attractiveness, until four years ago when Chinese car companies participated in the show on a large scale.
Reuters‘ car show forward-looking report quoted François Roudier, Secretary-General of the World Automobile Manufacturers Association, as saying: “After some traditional car manufacturers‘ interest waned, the arrival of Chinese brands helped revive the car show.”
According to the Ministry of Commerce of the People‘s Republic of China, the EU imported 107,000 hybrid cars from China in 2024, up to 302,000 in 2025, according to EU Statistics Bureau data. The two sides reached an “upward arrangement” based on 2025 to ensure export space and steady growth for Chinese companies.
According to Chinese customs data, in the first half of this year, China exported US$7.5 billion in hybrid vehicles to 27 countries in the European Union, three times the US$2.5 billion in the same period last year, and close to nine times the total US$845 million in 2021.
Data from Schmidt Automotive Research, an automotive market research institution, showed that in the second quarter of this year, Chinese brands achieved a record-breaking 15% share of the European electric car market.
Chinese car companies are turning more attention to local production in Europe. Zhao Fei, president of Chang‘an Motor, said in Paris that the company is in talks with European manufacturers, hoping to produce its first batch of European-made cars by early 2027; Li Ke, executive vice president of BYD, revealed that the company is exploring the possibility of building a factory in France.
Ji Li had previously announced that it would use Ford‘s factory in Spain to produce electric SUVs.