We're At The Shanghai Auto Show To See The Future

China's electric car market has handily outpaced the rest of the world. From Avatr to Zeekr, we're about to experience that firsthand.

Zeekr Store Shanghai

Photo by: Patrick George

Patrick George

By: Patrick George

Apr 22, 2025 at 9:00am ET

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When automotive executives in the United States and Europe talk about electric vehicles, they usually talk about tomorrow: the need to prepare for some vaguely defined "future" where their customers are largely moving beyond gasoline. But in China, that's not the future at all. It's the present.

China's electric vehicle sector is now light years ahead of the rest of the world, outpacing traditional rivals in everything from battery technology and charging speeds to autonomous driving and software.

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This isn't some secret anymore. After spending decades making vehicles under joint ventures with traditional automakers like General Motors and Volkswagen, China put everyone else on notice at the 2023 Shanghai Auto Show—the country's first major car industry event since its strict pandemic lockdowns. Since then, China's newcomer brands have raced ahead, leaving the companies they once learned from scrambling to "catch up."

Gallery: Nio Store Shanghai

Nio Store Shanghai

Source: Patrick George

Today, about 70% of the world's new plug-in vehicle sales happen in China. And those buyers aren't really going back to gas—or the American, European and Japanese carmakers they once bought from. So what's next for China's auto brands when they're already dominating the EV race?

That's what InsideEVs intends to find out. I'm writing this from the 2025 edition of the Shanghai Auto Show, where I finally get to see things I've only read about (or covered from afar) for myself. I'm joined by Staff Writer Kevin Williams, now a veteran of covering China's auto industry and one of the leading voices sounding the alarm about how advanced it's become.

Gallery: 2024 Beijing Auto Show Trip China

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Both of us were invited to the show by Zeekr, a Geely Group brand (the parent company of Volvo, Lotus and Polestar, in case you didn't know) that's quickly making inroads into Europe with its feature-packed EVs. We'll be driving several of them this week. But we also intend to test some cars from several other brands, and if all goes according to plan, we'll have some exciting surprises for you as well.

Above all, I am curious about two things: where China's auto sector is headed next as the rest of the world seeks to contain it or fence it off, and how the so-called "traditional" automakers that we know intend to catch up. Or, perhaps more accurately, if they even can.

Huawei Store Shanghai

Photo by: Patrick George

You can follow along here at InsideEVs, as well as on our social channels like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X, Bluesky and more. In the meantime: is there anything specific you want to see at the show? Drop a note into the comments or shoot me an email using the address below.

What do you think?

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I have a feeling we're about to be in for a very eye-opening week.

Zeekr Store Shanghai

Photo by: Patrick George

Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com

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