From BYD’s crab-walking car to Nissan’s all-glass roof and holographic wheels, it’s mostly electric and batteries at the 2023 Shanghai Auto Show
- The 2023 Shanghai Auto Show runs from April 18 through 27
- China’s marquee industry trade fair rotates between Beijing and Shanghai every other year
From sci-fi style concept cars featuring holograms and neon lights, to more run-of-the-mill hatchbacks, some of the world’s biggest automakers showed off their latest models at the bustling auto show in Shanghai.
Once again, battery power took center stage, with makers jostling to show off their electrification credentials.
Here’s a selection of the best cars the show has to offer:
BYD Yangwang U9
Karlmann King
Karlmann King, a high-end custom SUV brand, made an appearance at the Shanghai auto show. A 2016 model no longer in production wowed spectators with its design and price tag of 12 million-yuan — likely one of the most expensive makes exhibited at the show this year. The company is working on larger production runs of similar models that would bring the price down, a spokesperson said.
Nissan Max-Out
Nissan’s Max-Out electric convertible is a concept car first introduced in 2021 and a physical prototype was exhibited at the Shanghai show. With a low center of gravity, neon lighting and holographic projections on its wheels, the vehicle looks like it comes right out of a sci-fi movie.
Mercedes Maybach All-electric EQS
Mercedes has gone all out with its first all-electric production vehicle, the Maybach EQS. It features all the luxurious touches you’d expect from an ultra-luxury brand, from its two-tone paint finish and 24-inch light alloy wheels, to the spacious individual rear seats, where the white-piano lacquer and deep-sea blue trim evokes the feeling of being on an elegant yacht. Expected to start at around US$200,000, the standard all-wheel drive option should get about 370 miles per charge.
Nissan Arizon
Nissan’s Arizon concept electric SUV was designed with Chinese consumers in mind. The vehicle has a futuristic look that features a roof made mostly out of glass with automatic light adjustment and no center pillar, extending the spacious interior. The Arizon comes equipped with the Japanese carmaker’s Eporo intelligent system that provides driver assistance and information such as the time and weather.
BYD Seagull
At the other end of the spectrum is BYD’s entry level Seagull. The electric hatchback is priced between 78,800 yuan and 95,800 yuan, but could be even cheaper given China’s price war. The 55kW motor provides a top speed of 80 miles per hour and around 190 miles per charge, while the 75kW motor bumps that up to 250 miles.
Lincoln Nautilus
The revamped Nautilus SUV features a dash-wide screen, bigger grille and LED daytime running lights. The Nautilus will also feature a 48-inch panoramic digital dashboard, an 11-inch touch screen between the front seats and the latest version of its BlueCruise hands-free driving system.
Porsche Cayenne
Porsche has refreshed its flagship Cayenne SUV with an updated interior, with three screens spanning the dashboard. There’s a 12.6-inch digital instrument cluster with curved screen, a rectangular 12.3-inch screen in the middle that supports Siri voice commands to operate vehicle functions and an optional 10.9-inch screen on the passenger side that can stream videos. The updated model will come standard with a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, producing 349 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque.
BYD U8
Xpeng G6
Polestar 4
The Volvo-backed electric vehicle maker’s fourth model is a coupe SUV, designed to rival Tesla’s Model Y and the upcoming electric Porsche Macan. CEO Thomas Ingenlath has previously said the company is targeting a starting price of around US$67,000 in Europe. It should deliver around 370 miles per charge.
Nio ES6
