In Beijing, automakers are all-in on EVs

The Beijing auto show, China's largest, opened Thursday with big and small automakers showcasing their latest electric vehicles, underscoring how the world's biggest auto market is all-in on the powertrain.

Show organizers said automakers were slated to introduce 117 new models compared with 93 at last year's Shanghai show. Some 278 EVs, plug-in hybrids and other new-energy vehicles were on display, seven more than last year, organizers said.

General Motors left gasoline-powered vehicles out of its display for the first time, and Tesla skipped the show altogether.

The show comes as EVs and other green vehicles reached a milestone in the first several weeks of April, accounting for more than half of passenger vehicles sold in China, the China Passenger Car Association said.

A yearlong price war, spurred by BYD and Tesla, has helped boost demand. Here's a look at some of the key models unwrapped in Beijing and geared for the Chinese market.

BYD's luxury brand, Denza, unwrapped its first sedan, the Z9 GT, in a challenge to Mercedes-Benz and other German premium brands. In a sign of China's growing engineering prowess, BYD chief designer Wolfgang Egger said the Z9 GT went from concept to mass production in about 24 months. The sedan has been championed by BYD founder Wang Chuanfu, who continued to support the project after Mercedes effectively became a sleeping partner in their decade-old, 50-50 premium EV venture. The car will complement Denza's N7 and N8 SUVs and D9 multipurpose vehicle, whose surging sales have contributed to BYD's firm grip on China's EV market.

The Smart Concept #5 electric crossover previews the brand's biggest model to date. A production version aimed at young families will be revealed in the second half and launched next year.

Toyota introduced the bZ3C and bZ3X, two electric crossovers designed specifically for China. The bZ3C was developed by Toyota and BYD, while the bZ3X was created by Toyota in cooperation with GAC Motor Co. The two models go on sale this year.

MG's EXE181 electric supercar concept draws inspiration from the British brand's classic models. It was unveiled to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the MG brand, now owned by China's SAIC Motor Corp.

The Mazda EZ-6, developed by Changan Mazda, a joint venture between Mazda and China's Changan Automobile Co., made its global debut. It combines Mazda's design language and signature driving dynamics with advanced EV technology and driver-assist technology supplied by Changan. It will go on sale in China in late 2024, with battery-electric and plug-in hybrid variants.

The MIX is a five-seat compact multipurpose vehicle from Zeekr, Geely's smart EV brand.

EV startup Leapmotor's C16, a six-seat SUV, will be available in BEV and range-extended variants.

The M5 is a crossover developed by Chinese technology giant Huawei Technologies for Seres, a Chinese automaker. The Aito-badged crossover will be available in BEV and range-extended versions.

Bloomberg and Reuters contributed to this report.