SHANGHAI/WUHU: While a number of auto shows around the world are fading or have shuttered, that’s not the case in China.
Things went full throttle in Shanghai, where the recently concluded car show drew over a million visitors who came not just to glimpse the future of mobility, but also to experience the excitement of what’s arriving in showrooms.
Spanning 360,000 square metres — equivalent to 288 Olympic-sized swimming pools — Auto Shanghai 2025 isn’t just large, it’s monumental.
The event alternates between Beijing (even years) and Shanghai (odd years), and has become a global stage for automotive innovation.
Of the 1,366 vehicles on parade at the April 23–May 2 show, 70 per cent were new energy vehicles (NEVs) and 163 made their world debut.
Chery Auto was among the top Chinese exhibitors, its expansive presence reflecting strategic intent to lead not only in electrification, but also in smart mobility and global market expansion.
The group reeled out over 50 models from its core marque and seven sub-brands — Exeed, Jetour, iCAR, Luxeed, Omoda, Jaecoo and Lepas — underscoring its breadth across price-points and powertrains.
Against the show’s theme of “Embracing Innovation, Empowering the Future”, Chery used its pavilion to unveil a comprehensive roadmap through 2027, anchored by an ambition to sell one million vehicles in two years.
Central to that vision is the Chery Super Hybrid (CSH) system — a fifth-generation hybrid engine with 44.5 per cent thermal efficiency paired with a stepless DHT transmission boasting 98.5 per cent efficiency—delivering over 1,400km of “worry-free” range.
Omoda 3
In a live endurance demonstration, Tiggo 9 CSH and Arrizo 8 CSH completed over 1,400km on a single charge-depleting cycle at just 4.2 l/100km.
Chery’s “Safe & Family-oriented” values were in evidence across its flagship Tiggo 7, 8 and 9 models, each equipped with its Guardian Battery Safety Protection System designed to perform reliably in extreme climates and terrains.
These hybrid-and-internal combustion engine (ICE)offerings sit alongside pure electric vehicles (EVs) like the iCAR V3 and V23.
The V3 is a retro-styled off-roader with dual-motor AWD, 275hp, 385Nm and a 501km range from its 81.8kWh battery, while the V23 blends similar rugged looks with convertible and pickup variants.
The rugged Himla pickup series — a family-friendly double-cab with lifestyle cabin trim and genuine workhorse capability — made its global debut, as did concept-level highlights such as the Tiggo 9L with three-motor drive and Falcon 700 advanced driver aids.
Omoda’s C3 (or Omoda 3) catered to younger buyers with “Mecha DNA” styling, split LEDs, a gloss-black aero-blade profile and a Nintendo Switch dock in its “Starship Cabin,” while the revived QQ concept harked back to Chery’s entry-level hatch, now reimagined as a rounded-square, grille-less EV “starter car” for urban newcomers.
Beyond vehicles, Chery staged an eye-catching robotics showcase in its technology zone, starring an inhouse-developed robot dog called Argos and humanoid robot Mornine. Mornine performed customer-service routines, visual tracking demonstrations and coordinated “robotic flash mobs.”
This marked a clear shift from “intelligent manufacturing” to “intelligent service,” as Chery plans to deploy 220 units of the humanoid robot globally in showrooms in 2025 and explore leasing models for greater dealer adoption.
Chery International president Zhang Guibing expressed confidence that as robots grow smarter and cheaper, the robotics business could one day eclipse car sales.
At its Wuhu headquarters, a day after the show opened, Chery formally launched its premium Lepas brand and debut the L8 SUV, built on the T1X platform with ICE, BEV and PHEV options. The platform also underpins the Chery Tiggo 7, Omoda C7, and Jaecoo J7.
Series production of the plug-in hybrid L8 was announced on the same day, with the smaller L6 and L4 SUVs being previewed.
Lepas — pronounced “Lay-pass” — combines “Leap” and “Passion,” drawing on leopard-inspired aesthetics and other natural motifs. Lepas aims to target younger customers with a focus on elegant mobility, blending intelligent technology with refined design.
Sedans and even smaller cars are planned.
Chery aims to roll Lepas out to 89 markets with over 1,200 outlets by 2027, targeting regions such as Southeast Asia — where SUV demand remains robust — to broaden its customer base and offset slowing sales of its core models.
Chery’s blended strategy of volume-driven hybrids, cutting-edge EVs, lifestyle pickups and service-oriented robotics positions it to challenge global incumbents.
Its investments in Malaysia — as a right-hand-drive production, R&D and export hub — alongside seven other R&D centres, nine production bases and strategic parts hubs worldwide, are shoring up its resilience against trade tensions sparked by the US tariff war.
As Chinese automakers set the pace in NEVs and intelligent systems, Chery’s marathon from Shanghai to Wuhu crystallised one message: it is not merely keeping up with the future of mobility, it intends to define it.
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