Mondial de l'Auto 2026 opens in Paris with twenty Chinese brands and major European debuts

The Mondial de l’Auto 2026 international motor show opened at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles exhibition center, running from October 12 to 18. The main theme of the motor show was the intensified rivalry between European automotive giants and carmakers from China seeking to gain a foothold in the European market against the backdrop of falling sales in the PRC.

20 Chinese brands arrived at the exhibition—twice as many as at the previous motor show. Participants included BYD, Chery, Changan, Geely, Aito, Avatr, and Zeekr. BYD's exposition occupied about 1,000 square meters, showcasing the Dolphin G DM-i hatchback and the Shark pickup. Premium brand Aito, created by Seres and Huawei, displayed the 6, 7, 8, and 9 crossovers, aiming to enter the European market in 2027 and bring overseas deliveries to 20%. Zeekr debuted in Paris with the 001, X, 7X, 7GT models and the large 9X SUV. According to Schmidt Automotive Research, in the second quarter of 2026, the share of Chinese brands in Europe reached 10.7% compared to 5.7% a year earlier, surpassing Japanese competitors.

European automotive groups responded with large-scale expositions. Renault Group occupied 5,000 square meters, displaying 50 cars and concepts under the Renault, Dacia, and Alpine brands. Among the premieres were the 8 Gordini Concept coupe, the Striker crossover, the Alpine A110 Sculpture and PS1 concepts, and the E-Space electric minivan. Stellantis presented more than 60 vehicles across eight brands, including the DS N°7 crossover, the new Fiat Grizzly, the revived Lancia Gamma, and the Opel Corsa GSE electric sports car. The Volkswagen Group brought an electric lineup consisting of the ID. Polo, ID. Cross, Cupra Raval, Skoda Epiq, and the ID. Tiguan crossover, intended to replace the ID.4 and ID.5.

A separate trend of the motor show was affordable cars and a return to past heritage. Citroën showed the 2 CV Concept with the prospect of serial production by 2028 at a price of around €15,000 (1.4 million rubles). Dacia unveiled the second generation of the Spring electric car on a new platform priced at up to €20,000 (1.9 million rubles). Smart rolled out the #2 two-seater urban electric car on the new ECA architecture. Among Stellantis's experimental developments, the 4.45-meter-long Fiat Multiplay transformer stood out, combining minivan, crossover, and pickup formats, along with the Alfa Romeo Cuorerosso coupe and the aerodynamic Opel STX station wagon.

Automakers also continue to develop hybrids: half of the electrified cars at the Renault stand are equipped with hybrid systems. Volvo displayed the XC60 Long Range plug-in hybrid, while Leapmotor showcased the D19 crossover with a range-extended hybrid powertrain providing an electric range of 200 to 300 km. Meanwhile, starting December 1, the EU is introducing hybrid import quotas of up to 350,000 units per year.