New-energy vehicles were the main attraction at this year's Guangzhou Auto Show. (Photo : www.gbtimes.com)
The overall growth of new-energy vehicles (NEVs) and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in China’s car industry has made them the highlight at this year's Guangzhou Auto Show, an annual showcase for the sector held in South China's Guangdong Province. The event opened on Friday, Nov. 20, and will run until Nov. 29.
According to the report, major carmakers also brought new models to the event in an effort to boost sales in the slow-moving market.
Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) showed that growth in China's vehicle sales slowed to 1.51 percent year-on-year in the first 10 months, compared with 6.9 percent in 2014.
The auto show's official website said that the sales slowdown is reflected in the size of the show, with 1,000 models on display this year, a decrease from 1,095 last year.
The report added that this year's show also marked the global debut of 36 vehicles, which is a lower number compared to last year's 56.
Sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and new-energy vehicles (NEVs) are the highlights at this year's Guangzhou Auto Show, as the two sectors are growing much faster than the overall market.
According to CAAM data, NEV sales surged 290 percent year-on-year, while the SUV segment grew more than 48 percent year-on-year in the first 10 months of 2015.
The report said that most of the major carmakers promoted SUVs at the Guangzhou event.
Mercedes-Benz's locally produced GLC SUV was officially launched during the show, while its rival Audi showcased its new Q7 luxury SUV. Great Wall Motor Co., a leading Chinese SUV producer, also showed its new H7 and H5 SUV models.
Domestic and foreign auto brands also focused on NEVs, another booming sector, and the government has rolled out measures to boost NEV sales.
The show featured an independent exhibition for NEV in an area with a floor space of 20,000 square meters, double the size of last year's event, according to the event's website.
Domestic carmaker BYD Co. also displayed its plug-in hybrid SUV model, the Yuan, while BAIC Motor Corp. launched its new electric sedan, the EU 260.
Germany-based automaker Volkswagen AG also announced that it will introduce 15 locally produced NEVs to China in the next three to five years.
