Chinese brands, Tesla will face off with BMW, VW, Mercedes at Munich show

Europe's most important auto show will provide insight into how successfully the region's established automakers can fight off a growing threat from Chinese rivals such as BYD and U.S. upstart Tesla.

The battleground is clear: electromobility, autonomous driving, fast-charging batteries with long ranges and user-friendly software features.

These will be the key themes of the IAA Mobility auto show in Munich (formerly held in Frankfurt), which has its press day on Monday, Sept. 4 and is open to the public from Sept. 5-10.

There will be nearly twice as many Chinese brands at the show this year as there were in 2021 when coronavirus travel restrictions kept away many exhibitors and visitors.

BYD and SAIC-owned MG Motor are seen by industry insiders as the main threat to European brands. BYD and MG are expanding step-by-step into Europe, targeting key markets and building up retail networks. Both companies are also looking to open factories in Europe.

Their strategies echo those of Japanese and South Korean automakers such as Toyota, Hyundai and Kia. Having no Japanese or Korean brands at the show shines the spotlight even more strongly on Chinese newcomers.

Europe's giants are not standing still. Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Renault will debut their latest electric cars in Munich.

Tesla will also make a rare auto show appearance.

European supplier giants such as Robert Bosch, Continental and Valeo also face growing competition from Chinese competitors as well as U.S. tech giants in fields such as autonomous-driving, battery technology and software.

Qualcomm, Nvidia and Intel's Mobileye will be highlighting their latest technologies, alongside with Google and Amazon.

China's electric mobility showcase, the World New Energy Vehicle Congress, will be held as part of the Munich show on Sept. 6, the first time it has been staged outside China. BMW CEO Oliver Zipse and Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kallenius are among the speakers.

Below are some key debuts.

AUDI

Audi will show a new display operating concept in its Q6 E-tron, exhibited as a camouflaged prototype. The Q6 E-tron is the first of the brand's new generation all-electric cars. Audi will also show how the Q6 E-tron's PPE platform, co-developed with Porsche, provides the technical foundations of future e-mobility products from the brand.

BMW

BMW's Vision Neue Klasse previews a near-production design study for a 3 Series-sized all-electric sedan due in 2025. It follows the environmentally friendly BMW i Vision Circular and the software-focused BMW i Vision Dee unveiled last year to demonstrate the automaker's development expertise in the areas of circular economy and digitalization. BMW will also debut plug-in hybrid variants of the new 5 Series and the i7 Protection, a version of its full-electric flagship that has bulletproof glass, a stronger chassis and bodywork capable of protecting against explosives.

BYD

BYD, which released a video on August 9 calling for the country's automakers to "demolish the old legends," continues its push into European markets at the show. The company will give a European debut to its Denza premium electric brand, a joint venture with Mercedes-Benz, while also showcasing new EVs from the BYD brand that it plans to launch in Europe. This year BYD will launch the Seal midsize electric sedan and Seal U midsize crossover in its European markets, bringing the number of cars it sells in the region to six.

CUPRA

The Tavascan, Cupra's first all-electric crossover that shares its MEB underpinnings with the Audi Q4 E-tron and VW ID4, will get a public outing. The VW Group brand will also burnish its performance credentials by showing the Formentor VZ5 BAT, a 385-hp limited-edition black-colored version of the Formentor compact crossover.

DONGFENG

The Chinese automaker is poised to sell vehicles in Europe including the M6 passenger van.

FORD

Ford will have an open-air booth at Munich's Königsplatz. The automaker is expected to highlight its latest battery-electric cars.

HIPHI

The high-end EV startup will show the Z GT sedan at the auto show grounds, while the X crossover and the Y sedan with gullwing rear doors will be on display at its new retail space, called the HiPhi Hub, at Munich airport.

LEAPMOTOR

The Chinese startup is in talks with VW Group to provide EV technology to VW's budget Jetta brand in China. The brand has launched the T03 minicar in Europe; the next model set for a European launch is the C11 crossover.

MERCEDES-BENZ

Mercedes-Benz is moving its product lineup toward higher-priced models. In Munich it will show an "entry luxury" concept car that is expected to preview the next CLA. The E-Class All-Terrain, an off-road variant of the E-Class, will also debut, along with updated versions of the EQA and EQB electric SUVs.

MG

MG, which sold about 100,000 cars in Europe in the first half, will show the Cyberster full-electric sports car; the MG4 Electric XPOWER, a high-performance variant of the compact EV; and the MG Marvel R, an all-wheel-drive high-performance version of the electric SUV.

MINI

Mini is launching two new full-electric models -- the Cooper E/SE small hatchback and Countryman crossover. The three-door Mini Cooper will replace the current battery-electric version of the Mini hatchback.The Cooper E and the higher spec SE version are based on an electric platform developed by the Spotlight Automotive joint venture between BMW and Great Wall. They will be built in China. The Countryman has two variants badged E and the higher-spec SE ALL4. It has grown in size compared to the combustion-engine model to move it into the compact crossover category from the small segment. It shares its platform with the BMW iX1 compact EV and will be built alongside the iX1 in BMW’s plant in Leipzig, Germany.

OPEL

Opel says its Experimental all-electric concept car gives a "clear vision" of the Stellantis brand's future design and technology direction. A production version could revive the brand's Manta name used on an Opel sports-coupe built from 1970 until 1988. The brand will also debut all-electric versions of the Corsa and Astra Sports Tourer.

POLESTAR

The high-performance EV brand will show the Polestar 2 midsize sedan and Polestar 3 large crossover in a city center display area.

RENAULT

Renault will reveal the new Scenic E-Tech, a full-electric compact crossover and a sister model to the Megane E-Tech launched last year.

SERES

Seres, which is the cellphone giant Huawei's EV brand, has begun selling two models in Europe, the Seres 5 midsize coupe crossover (known as the Aito M5 in China) and the smaller Seres 3 crossover.

SMART

The onetime Mercedes-Benz brand is now a 50-50 joint venture with Geely. At the Munich show Smart will give the #3 compact crossover a European debut.

TESLA

The EV maker will show a face-lifted version of the Model 3. The company will present its vehicles in an open-air booth at Munich's Königsplatz. Its participation in the Munich show comes after CEO Elon Musk said in May that the company will use traditional advertising for the first time.

VOLKSWAGEN

VW's ninth-generation Passat gets a debut. The midsize car will be sold only as a station wagon as sedan buyers switch to crossovers. The wagon is longer than the current car and has more cargo space. The new Passat has been designed alongside the upcoming Skoda Superb and will be built in the same VW Group factory in Bratislava, Slovakia.

XPENG

Xpeng's partnership with VW in China for EV technology instantly raised the automaker’s profile in Europe, where it has just started deliveries of the P7 midsize sedan. The P7 and G9, a midsize crossover, will be on display.