Cars from Beijing auto show reflect China's vision for the future of driving

The Beijing auto show is a showcase for China's vision of the future of the automobile - electrified and digitally connected.

Organizers say that 117 new models are making their debut at Auto China 2024, which runs through May 4. They range from eye-poppingly cutting edge to more subtle novelties. Below are five different cars that show the the future of car-making now.

THE CONNECTED CAR

Xiaomi, a major Chinese maker of smartphones and trendy, affordable smart appliances aimed at younger generations that's entering the car market for the first time, was one of the highlights of the first day.

Xiaomi announced that it had received more than 75,000 orders in the four weeks since the launch of its first car, the SU7, with a list price of 215,900 to 299,900 yuan ($29,800-$41,400). Analysts say that consumer technology companies want to connect the lives of their customers across all their devices - phones, laptops, televisions and now cars.

"It starts with the concept of the third place," said Beatrix Keim, the China director at German auto research center CAR. "Because nowadays people are at the office, at home and then mainly they're spending the time in the car."

The approach works well in China, a highly digital society where e-payments are the norm and the convenience of connectivity trumps privacy concerns for most. Chinese telecoms behemoth Huawei has also dipped its toes into the automotive industry, although Apple abandoned similar plans earlier this year.

THE CAR AS LIVING SPACE

Some Chinese manufacturers are pushing the concept of a third space to new extremes. Zeekr has revealed the Mix, an electric vehicle that can morph into a compact room when stationary. The front seats rotate to face the rear ones, with a table in the middle that, according to a company executive, could be used for card games or a Chinese hot-pot meal.

Stefan Sielaff, Zeekr's design director, referred to the Mix as "a nice experiment" aimed at younger families. "I wouldn't even call it a car or an MPV or a van," he said. "It's more a lifestyle capsule. It's an iPod on wheels."

The Mix is the fifth model from Zeekr, a premium EV brand under China's Geely group, which owns Volvo and employs designers in Sweden and Shanghai. The brand is just two and a half years old. The company announced that the Mix will be available in China by the end of June, but did not disclose the price.

THE HYBRID APPROACH

China's EV boom, which began three years ago, has started to chip away at the market for petrol-powered cars, but they're not extinct yet.

That's according to Chery Automobile Co. , China's largest exporter, which told attendees at its auto show that it would continue to develop both petrol cars and EVs, as well as hybrids. Its EXEED Yaoguang C-DM, a hybrid SUV launched last month, was one of four vehicles it showcased - two hybrids and two EVs.

The Yaoguang SUV, priced between 159,800 to 225,800 yuan ($22,000-$31,000), is not only targeted at the Chinese market but also aims for a global reach. Hybrid vehicles, which have been trailing behind EVs in China, are now being viewed as a potential growth sector. In the previous year, around 2.6 million new hybrids were sold in China, approximately half the number of EVs sold. Combined, they made up 36% of the market.

THE LUXURY TANK

Chinese EV manufacturer BYD, renowned for its affordable battery technology and vehicles, is also setting its sights on China's high-end market, defined as cars priced at 1 million yuan ($140,000) and above.

Its Yangwang brand has unveiled the latest version of the U8, a colossal off-road SUV that was first launched last September. Designed for survival in harsh conditions, it comes equipped with a satellite phone for situations where mobile phone coverage is unavailable. Built on a platform that allows it to rotate on the spot like a tank, the U8 carries a price tag of 1.1 million yuan ($150,000). For an additional 100,000 yuan ($13,800), buyers can opt for an integrated drone system.

A SIMPLER APPROACH

Volvo, the Swedish brand now owned by Geely, has proposed a solution for those feeling overwhelmed by technology. "The current EV market is marked by a prevalent trend of excess and addition," commented Roger Yu, Volvo's managing director for sales in greater China.

He presented the EX30 electric SUV as a user-friendly vehicle, boasting a sophisticated sound system and a tablet screen that are both simple to operate. "By subtracting for ease of use and adding for safety, Volvo aims to give users the clearest interface, the most user-friendly operation, and the most reassuring intelligent experience," he said of the in-car screen.

The company announced that the EX30 would sell in China for 210,000 to 260,000 yuan ($29,000-$36,000).