From ultra-fast charging to intelligent driving, Chinese automakers are presenting new models better tailored to the European market at the ongoing 2026 Paris Motor Show, making the country's brands one of the biggest attractions as they deepen their presence on the continent.
The biennial show, which opened on Oct. 12 at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, brings together 61 automotive brands from Europe, America and Asia. The 25 Chinese brands taking part, represented by 16 automakers, account for 41 percent of the total, roughly double the number at the 2024 edition.

Among them is Li Auto, a Chinese automaker appearing at an overseas auto show for the first time, which unveiled the European version of its Li 6 mid-size electric SUV and displayed its self-developed chips, tuning adapted for European conditions and after-sales service platform.
"We will still focus on the products themselves, while considering how to better adapt them to Europe -- to European usage scenarios and family habits," said Wu Zuomin, head of international business at Li Auto.

BYD, meanwhile, showcased a complete lineup ranging from entry-level models to its premium Denza brand, pairing its second-generation Blade Battery with megawatt flash-charging technology that can charge a vehicle from 10 percent to 97 percent in just nine minutes.
"Following the launch of the Bao 5 and Denza Z at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK in July, we are bringing them to Paris for the first time. In particular, we demonstrated our flash-charging technology on site, which really impressed our colleagues here," said Li Ke, executive vice president of BYD.

In addition, Leapmotor set up a 500-square-meter booth displaying nearly 10 models already on sale in Europe, with its new A05 electric compact car and flagship D19 SUV making their European debuts.

XPeng gave its flagship G9L SUV a global debut at the show, with European orders opening simultaneously. The automaker is making intelligent driving the centerpiece of its push into Europe, using localized production to gradually build a technology-driven brand image on the continent.