Shanghai Motor Show a Battleground for Electric Cars
20 April, 2021
The Auto Shanghai, among the world's major automotive exhibitions, opened on Monday in the Chinese city with around 1,000 carmakers and parts manufacturers displaying around 150 new vehicles.
This year's show, the first one because the coronavirus pandemic started, highlights the rivalry in electric car development between established heavyweights and newcomers.
One industry insider said, "Almost half of the cars being showcased this year are EVs. Nowadays, an automaker can’t hope to compete unless it produces EVs."
Hyundai unveiled the electric version of the premium Genesis G80 sedan, while displaying its latest all-electric Ioniq 5 and Nexo hydrogen sedan. Affiliate Kia is showing off its first electric car, the EV6.
Hyundai and Kia are banking on green cars to recapture their market share in China and intend to launch some 20 environment-friendly models there by 2030.
Most global automakers 're going the same way. Japan's Toyota, which includes come late to the field, is finally showcasing its first electric SUV concept, the tongue-twisting bZ4X. Toyota said it now really wants to introduce 15 EVs by 2025.
Volkswagen unveiled a crossover EV called ID.6, while Mercedes-Benz introduced the EQB electric SUV.
Chinese EV start-ups unveiled a raft of partially self-driving cars. Xiaopeng launched a level-three self-driving EV called P5 which has environmental detection capabilities and can make informed decisions like accelerating past slow-moving cars, though it still requires human override.
Nio and Li Xiang also showcased EVs with an increase of advanced autonomous driving features, and tech giant Huawei gets in on the act by launching the Arcfox Alpha S EV in collaboration with BAIC.
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