Invited by XPENG to visit its facilities in Guangzhou, this was the first time that I've set foot in China.

And the first thing that I noticed was the scale of things - coming from Singapore, China is simply massive! From the four-lane expressways to the vast plot of lands, to the fact that it's going to take as much time as it takes for me to fly from Guangzhou to Beijing to visit the Auto China 2024 (Beijing Motorshow's official name) for me to fly from Singapore to Guangzhou in the first place, everything is just bigger. 

I thought I knew what to expect at the motorshow in Beijing, but nothing could have prepared me for just how overwhelming the entire experience was.

Auto China 2024 is huge, and I mean MASSIVE

Our shuttle bus stopped a short distance away from the exhibition centre where Auto China 2024 was held. The scale of it was slowly showing itself as we walked towards the convention centre cluster.

Auto China 2024 is held in eight indoor halls, each almost the size of the entire Singapore Motorshow

The booths within are massive - many also had a second-floor hospitality area for guests and customers

Heading in, I realised that this year's show takes up eight indoor halls, along with a couple of outdoor booths - yes, there are outdoor booths as well. I can tell you that each of these halls were almost twice the size of a Singapore Expo Hall - the ceiling's easily three to four floors tall as well, so almost all booths have their own second-floor area to accommodate guests and potential customers.

The massive scale of Auto China 2024 allows elaborate booth designs such as this

To put all these into perspective, I went online to have a quick look at the numbers. The New China International Exhibition Center where this show is held at has a total of 16 indoor exhibition halls, which adds up to a total of 200,000sqm - the eight halls that Auto China 2024 took up would have accounted for 100,000sqm. Additionally, Auto China 2024 also has another show that is held at a different convention centre, and the total area of both areas adds up to 220,000sqm!

On the contrary, the entire Singapore EXPO has a total of 123,000sqm with indoor, outdoor spaces, halls and meeting rooms considered. Meanwhile, the exhibition hall in Suntec Convention Center where Singapore Motorshow 2024 was held at is a mere 12,000sqm.

Simply put, the Auto China 2024 show that we attended has an indoor exhibition that is almost as big as the entire plot of land that Singapore EXPO is sitting on, and almost 10 times the size of the Singapore Motorshow…

There were many new and unfamiliar brands at Auto China 2024 - most of these are currently domestic-only brands, or brands that have yet to enter Singapore's market

Unfamiliar car brands, or familiar brands with unfamiliar models

In case you can't already tell, China's automotive market is massive. And it means that there is plenty of space for different players in the industry. As a result, there are countless China-only car brands that we have never heard of, along with China-only models from brands that we are familiar with.

These futuristic cars are from brands that I have never heard of prior to my visit to Auto China 2024

Just to name a few domestic brands that are quite foreign to me, there are AITO, Li Auto, Avatr, and Leapmotor, along with many other brands with Chinese names that I'm not sure how to pronounce as well. Familiar brands such as Mazda and Honda also brought along some China market-specific offerings.

Even familiar brands had unfamiliar China-specific models that we don't get in Singapore

Internal combustion engine cars to Electric Vehicles (EVs), from compact cars to trucks, supercars and SUVs, and even concept cars. With such a wide range of cars showcased at the motorshow, and the sheer size of it, I reckon it would take me more than a few days to thoroughly experience it - but I only had an afternoon's time…

'New Energy' is clearly the current buzzword - referring to full EV and Hybrids, and most cars at the show belongs to this category

I'm seeing a pattern..

It doesn't take long for one to notice the heavy presence of EVs in the exhibition halls. While the entire world is gradually phasing out internal combustion engines in favour of the greener, cleaner EVs, China is undoubtedly the one leading the charge. When travelling on the roads in China, you'll notice many 'green-plated' (China EVs and hybrid cars are denoted by a special green number plate) cars. 

Hence, it isn't surprising there's so many companies dedicated to producing EVs in China, and as such, it appears that more than half of the exhibitors are EV brands.

The SUV is also a vehicle type that you'll see plenty of at Beijing's motorshow

Apart from EVs, it seems that family oriented cars such as SUVs and MPVs are the current trend. Many of these cars also have features that facilitate camping activities - there are EVs showcasing their Vehicle-to-Load features, cars outfitted with actual tents and camping equipments, and then there are also cars with interiors that can be configured into a comfortable living space.

Auto China 2024 isn't just a massive roadshow - many brands took the opportunity to showcase their latest technology as well

Not just cars, but a showcase of technology

If you have been to Singapore Motorshow, you would know that it is much like a massive roadshow, where new cars are being shown, and hopefully sold to members of the public.

However, at Auto China, it is clear that the exhibitors aren't there simply to showcase their cars. There is a huge emphasis on the technology that each brand is proud of. At the booths, you'll get to see monocoque structures of cars, showing the material and techniques that have been applied.

You'll also get to see entire powertrain and EV platforms, where the brand's technology is being showcased, along with representatives from the company to explain to you in detail.

With this approach, interested buyers would be able to base their decision on not just how a car feels like to sit in, but also with a thorough understanding of the technology that makes the particular car better than other choices. With such an approach, not only will cars be sold, but brands are better able to educate customers as well, helping build brand cachet. 

Located outdoors is a tentage labelled with the words - Auto Parts Hall

Automotive OE parts exhibition

This segment is something that is entirely new to me - there was an auto parts exhibition section in the outdoor area. I walked in out of curiosity, expecting to see shops selling car accessories and maintenance products, but it turned out to be a business to business section showcasing actual vehicle components!

You won't find aftermarket parts here. Instead, this section is a B2B-dedicated one, offering components such as electric motors, sensors, complete systems and solutions for car manufacturers

Inside, there are companies selling sensors and camera modules, electric motors and aircon compressors, all of which are parts destined to go into complete vehicles. There are even companies that are specialised in complete solutions for autonomous driving and other smart systems. With the vast amount of car manufacturers and brands within China, such an exhibition makes plenty of sense. After all, motorshows aren't only attended by car buyers, but many manufacturers are on site as well!

I need more time here!

Due to the sheer size of Auto China 2024, you should definitely plan for more than two days or so for a proper experience. I spent around five hours of non-stop walking and I barely scraped the surface of the show.

Hopefully I'll have more time to spare on my next visit, whenever that might be.