With sales of electric and hybrid cars growing at double-digit rates, the Auto Shanghai 2025 not only offers a look at the future of mobility, but also captures a shift in what Chinese consumers demand from their vehicles.

Performance still matters, but it is no longer the sole differentiator. Today鈥檚 buyers are weighing intelligent driving features, personalized in-car experiences and brand identity alongside speed, battery life and range. From six-seater electric vehicles tailored to family life to pink-furred show cars designed to attract women drivers, the definition of 鈥渧alue鈥� in China鈥檚 auto market is being rewritten.

Intelligent performance

China鈥檚 electric vehicle sector has entered what many call its 鈥渟econd half鈥� 鈥� no longer driven by early adoption incentives, but by practical, data-driven upgrades. Consumers want smart driving to be seamless, not experimental. This year, 65 percent of all new EV models at the show featured Level 2 or higher autonomous driving systems.

BYD showcases its latest Sky Eye system, while Huawei鈥檚 Qiankun Autonomous Driving Solution 3.0 promises full-scenario intelligent navigation. Xiaomi鈥檚 SU7 Ultra boasts 0-100kph acceleration within two seconds, but what draws equal attention is its compatibility with domestic smart ecosystems and a cockpit interface optimized for Chinese apps and voice commands.

What鈥檚 new in 2025 is the deeper integration of artificial intelligence, particularly large language models, into the in-car experience. BMW is co-developing a conversational cockpit system with Alibaba, while Nio鈥檚 flagship ET9 not only comes with a 900V high-voltage platform for performance, but also features anti-nausea technology and adaptive comfort systems.

Meanwhile, Huawei is expanding its influence beyond driver assistance. Through its Huawei HiCar platform, the tech giant is building a 鈥渉uman-car-home鈥� intelligent ecosystem, turning vehicles into extensions of users鈥� mobile lives. HiCar allows smartphones to serve as the central hub of an interconnected environment, enabling navigation, communication and personalized services to flow naturally between car and phone.

Performance, in this context, is being redefined. It now includes how a car sees, thinks and responds as much as how it moves.

鈥淥ver the past decade, China has made remarkable progress in transforming its auto sector. It has effectively become a testing ground for the global shift toward electrification and smart mobility,鈥� said Guan Mingyu, senior partner at McKinsey & Company and head of McKinsey鈥檚 Automotive Practice in China.

鈥淭hese rapid changes are continuously shaping consumer preferences in China, and in turn, those preferences are pushing the industry to further embrace EVs and smart technologies. This mutual reinforcement is not only defining the future of China鈥檚 auto market, but also gradually influencing the global industry, from technology development and business models to the competitive landscape over the next five to 10 years,鈥� Guan said.

Diversification of value

As China鈥檚 EV market matures, carmakers are no longer designing for a monolithic buyer. Instead, they鈥檙e targeting increasingly segmented user groups 鈥� young, urban, female, family-oriented 鈥� with tailored offerings that blend emotional appeal with functional logic.

At this year鈥檚 Shanghai auto show, this shift is easy to spot.

IM Motors draws attention with a display SUV LS6 covered in soft pink fuzz and rabbit ears, explicitly designed to attract female buyers.

鈥淥ne of our major customer groups is female drivers. This pink look isn鈥檛 just cute; it鈥檚 a design choice based on real preferences,鈥� said IM鈥檚 Zhou Lingyuan. 鈥淲e鈥檝e tailored the exterior and features to make the car more approachable, functional and fun for them.鈥�

The car also features assisted parking systems, customizable light-permeable rooftops for sun protection, and smart voice controls 鈥� features that resonate with a demographic often overlooked by traditional auto marketing.

For Gen Z buyers, value is increasingly defined by design, tech and affordability in equal measure. Lynk & Co鈥檚 Z20 show car, for instance, features a limited-edition 鈥渃apybara wrap鈥� 鈥� a cute, cartoonish car skin that draws young crowds to its booth.

鈥淚t looks great, drives well and hits 0-100kph in just 5.3 seconds,鈥� said Yang Yuling, a staff member at the brand鈥檚 Chengdu base. 鈥淓ven the top trim is priced under 150,000 yuan (US$20,550). It鈥檚 within reach for them.鈥�

For family users, multi-row, large-battery SUVs dominate the halls. Models such as the Li Auto i8 and the new ONVO L90 emphasize long-distance comfort, child-friendly cabin space and backup power functions for emergencies.

What links these efforts is a consumer mindset that blends form with function: Buyers want cars that reflect who they are, but also what they need.

Social to showroom

In China鈥檚 highly digitized consumer landscape, car buyers increasingly begin their journey not at the dealership, but on platforms such as Xiaohongshu (RedNote), Douyin and Bilibili. The decision-making path now starts with short videos, influencer reviews and esthetic-driven content, long before a buyer ever steps into a showroom.

This digital-first behavior is reshaping how automakers market their vehicles. Livestreamed test drives, showroom walkthroughs and 鈥渄ay in the life鈥� vlogs featuring specific car models are becoming central to brand storytelling. Esthetic appeal, such as color schemes, dashboard interfaces and even personalized sound systems, is often fine-tuned for virality as much as for function.

At this year鈥檚 event, the showroom is just as much a content studio. Beyond the traditional press corps, the venue was swarming with livestreamers and influencers, many equipped with professional lighting and audio gear, broadcasting in real time.

At some booths, livestreamers aren鈥檛 merely promoting the cars; they are closing deals. Dealers and brand reps stand by their side, shouting out specs, highlighting discounts and guiding viewers through in-app purchase flows.

The livestream audience on Douyin for Bo Ge Talks Cars is firing off questions in real time: 鈥淲hat鈥檚 the price?鈥� 鈥淗ow big is the trunk?鈥� 鈥淐an you show us the back seat?鈥�

Bo responds instantly 鈥� sitting inside to demonstrate cabin space, opening the rear hatch and panning the camera to the car鈥檚 rear design.

The Auto Shanghai 2025 makes one thing clear: China鈥檚 car buyers are driving the industry forward 鈥� demanding smarter tech, more personal design and faster, social-powered ways to shop. What starts in China no longer stays in China. These shifts in consumer behavior, product strategy and retail logic are reshaping not just the domestic market, but the global future of mobility.