2025 Shanghai Auto Show highlights low-carbon, intelligent mobility innovations

The 2025 Shanghai Auto Show kicked off on Wednesday in the east China metropolis, showcasing a wide array of technological innovations with a strong focus on low-carbon and intelligent mobility solutions.

The 10-day auto show has attracted nearly 1,000 globally renowned automakers and supply chain enterprises from 26 countries and regions to attend, making it the largest edition in the event's history.

More than 100 new vehicles are expected to debut during the exhibition.

"Approximately 1,300 vehicles are on display at this year's show, with new energy vehicles accounting for over 70 percent of the total. Overseas dealers from more than 100 countries and regions have also traveled to Shanghai to attend the event," said Gu Chunting, vice chairman of the Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shanghai (CCPIT Shanghai), which organized the event along with the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

Another major highlight of this year's Shanghai Auto Show is the inaugural Automotive Technology and Supply Chain Pavilion, which showcases cutting-edge innovations and achievements across the entire industry chain.

The number of exhibitors in this section has seen a significant increase compared to the previous edition, with nearly 50 renowned domestic and international companies in technology, semiconductors, and chips making their debut at the show.

Prior to the opening of the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show, several major Chinese and international automakers and supply chain companies have unveiled breaking announcements, further fueling the momentum for this year's event.

Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp. on Tuesday signed an agreement to establish a wholly-owned electric vehicle (EV) plant in Shanghai, in a strategic move to bolster its presence in China, the world's largest automotive market.

In the strategic cooperation agreement with the Shanghai municipal government, Toyota commits to invest a total of 14.6 billion yuan (about 2 billion U.S. dollars) into a new energy vehicle (NEV) project in the city that focuses on the research and development, production and sales of Lexus EVs and EV batteries.

"We look forward to working with more local suppliers to showcase the competitive strengths of China's new energy vehicle industry chain to the world, and to jointly promote the global reach of Chinese technology," said Tatsuro Ueda, chief executive officer of China Region and chairman of Toyota Motor (China) Investment.

Volkswagen, which has been deeply rooted in the Chinese market for over 40 years, is showcasing more than 50 models at this year's auto show. The company also plans to launch more than 30 new models specifically for the Chinese market over the next three years.

According to Stefan Mecha, CEO of Volkswagen China Passenger Cars Brand, this expansion is in line with the German carmaker's strategy as it further boosts its presence in China.

"So you see that the China market is very conducive to technology. We are here for such a long time, we are deeply entrenched in the market, we have a lot of local knowledge, and we can really scale this and bring it back also to our global business. And I think this synergy to benefit from being a very strong Chinese partner here, I would say at least a half Chinese company and being here for such a long time and being a global company also with a lot of access to knowledge and technology globally, I think that's a perfect match and we use what we do in China here and bring it back to the world," he said.

In the battery sector, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) unveiled its latest dual-core structure battery technology, which divides a single battery into two independent energy zones. Each zone uses different materials for the cells to maximize their respective strengths.

Running this year through May 2, the auto show also showcases intelligent connectivity technology and products, safety and vehicle security systems, and automotive financial services.

2025 Shanghai Auto Show highlights low-carbon, intelligent mobility innovations

Artificial intelligence and robotics, both major topics of discussion at the ongoing Boao Forum this year, are also being widely adopted at the event as ways to improve the service inside and outside the venue.

The BFA Annual Conference 2026 is being held in Boao, south China's Hainan Province. Running from March 24 to 27, this year's conference is themed "Shaping a Shared Future: New Dynamics, New Opportunities, New Cooperation."

A water generator at the venue cools and condenses moisture from the air into water, then filters and sterilizes it. It can also run on solar power for a completely off-grid, zero-carbon operation.

Meanwhile, a special robot barista operates a coffee stand where guests can order a drink with the press of a button, prompting the robotic arm to get to work -- grabbing a cup, brewing, and frothing -- all in one smooth motion.

The venue has also adopted an AI-based management system, which can automatically adjust a range of factors based on current conditions and detect and respond to anomalies when they occur.

These sorts of systems are already being adopted at a wider scale across Hainan.

"This is our operational management center for the zero-carbon demonstration zone. It’s powered by an AI-driven system that manages all energy consumption and carbon emissions. From here, we can remotely control over three thousand devices across the island with a click, including air conditioners and lighting. It's smart management, done remotely," said Zeng Youwen, chief general engineer of the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design Hainan Branch.

Outside the venue, some smart equipment is also sharing the workload. On Boao's coastline, a beach-cleaning robot moves along the shore, sweeping up cigarette butts, debris, and coconut shells.

The robots can work before visitors arrive or after sunset, cleaning up to 3,000 square meters of beach per hour. In the water, a diving robot that clears debris and even has emergency rescue capabilities.

These on-site applications of emerging technologies have helped spur discussions at the forum on how the deep integration of technology and industry is gaining momentum as China enters the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

"Industries can only be upgraded by applying the new technologies, by applying AI, by applying other innovative technology, science and technology, there should all be injected into industries. And that's how the industries are going to produce high quality products. And you will have high quality productive forces that will change the lifestyle, the living standard of the Chinese people and the people living beyond," said Sohail Khan, deputy secretary-general of Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Founded in 2001, the BFA is a non-governmental and non-profit international organization committed to promoting regional economic integration and bringing Asian countries closer to their development goals.

Robots, AI facilitate guest services at Boao Forum venue