Chengdu Motor Show 2026: dates, premieres and what's new from BYD, BMW and Mercedes

© A. Krivonosov / SPEEDME

The 29th Chengdu International Motor Show opened today, August 21, 2026, turning the city into China's automotive hub for ten days. Through August 30, the China Western International Expo City will host around 1,600 cars from nearly 120 Chinese and international brands, with the show floor spanning 220,000 square meters. The first day is reserved for the media, August 22–23 for trade visitors, and the show opens to the general public on August 24.

This year the show is betting on more than static premieres. Organizers have added an official intelligent-driving demonstration area for the first time, with automated parking, tight lane courses and chassis testing. BYD has taken its own dedicated pavilion, where it is showing the second-generation Blade Battery, fast charging in normal conditions and at −30 °C, and new driver-assistance systems.

Among the headline premieres and market launches are the flagship BYD Da Han, the long-wheelbase Mercedes-Benz GLE, the new-generation BMW iX3, and the Volkswagen ID.ERA 8X and 5X. The hybrid ID.ERA 5S is also entering the market in Chengdu, Jetta is showing its M6 EV, and the Dongfeng-Huawei joint project, the production Yijing X9 SUV, is on display as well. The show is taking place ahead of China's traditional autumn sales uptick, so brands are revealing not just concepts but pricing, trim levels and delivery timelines.

For international audiences, the official pricing and production specifications matter most. SPEEDME has previously covered the 5.26-meter BYD Da Han, rated for up to 1,008 km CLTC range, and the Hyundai IONIQ V, capable of up to 650 km CLTC. The data from Chengdu will help estimate the likely cost of independent imports more precisely, though the announcements so far apply to the Chinese market and do not confirm an official launch of these cars elsewhere.