- China’s smart NEV market has been dominated by local brands, but global auto brands have caught up, Deutsche Bank said.
- Global auto brands showcased a number of smart NEV products at the ongoing Shanghai auto show.
The ongoing 2025 Shanghai auto show is showcasing a wide range of new car models and technologies. Deutsche Bank analyst Wang Bin shared some interesting insights in a research note.
At the Shanghai auto show, global brands are leveraging China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) technology to fight back, Wang said in the note sent to investors today.
Chinese automakers have been developing smart NEV product lines for years, creating a wide array of products that have dominated the local NEV market.
However, international auto brands have caught up, showcasing a number of smart NEV products at the Shanghai auto show, Wang noted.
«We highlight that most of these global auto brands’ products leverage their Chinese partners’ NEV vehicle platform technologies along with third-party Chinese suppliers’ capability in intelligent vehicle features (such as intelligent cockpits and autonomous driving),» the note wrote.
Wang highlighted Volkswagen’s ID. EVO all-electric SUV (sport utility vehicle), SAIC Audi’s E5 Sportback, Changan Mazda’s EZ-60 SUV, and the Dongfeng Nissan N7 all-electric sedan.
Volkswagen showed the ID. EVO, based on Xpeng‘s (NYSE: XPEV) G9 electric SUV technology, which will be equipped with 800V high-voltage fast charging as well as urban NOA (Navigation on Autopilot), according to note.
SAIC Volkswagen presented the ID. ERA full-size extended-range SUV. FAW Volkswagen presented the ID. AURA pure electric sedan, which is based on Volkswagen’s low-cost, China-tailored compact main platform (CMP) and shares Xpeng-related China electronic architecture (CEA).
The E5 Sportback is built on SAIC Audi’s advanced digitized platform (ADP) technology, which incorporates SAIC’s years of experience in NEV product development, the analyst noted.
«We highlight that SAIC-Audi’s ADP’s new-product development cycle is only 18 months, less than half of Audi’s global product development cycle (of more than three years),» the note wrote.
SAIC-GM Buick showed off its ENCASA MPV (multi-purpose vehicle), as well as two precursor models for the sedan and SUV segments, which will be based on the China-tailored «Xiaoyao» platform, Wang said.
The Changan Mazda EZ-60 offers both an all-electric version and an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) version, sharing Changan’s electric platform architecture (EPA) technology, according to the note.
The N7 is based on Dongfeng Nissan’s modular NEV architecture and leverages Dongfeng’s knowhow in its «Quantum architecture 2.0» NEV technology, Wang said.
GAC Toyota had previously launched the bz3X all-electric SUV, which features GAC Aion’s «Aion Electric Platform (AEP) 3.0» EV technology.
In addition, Cadillac showed its Vistiq, which is equipped with Nvidia’s Orin-X chip and algorithms from a Chinese supplier to provide door-to-door NOA in urban areas.
GAC-Toyota showed its pure electric sedan bZ7 based on Huawei’s smart cockpit solution. FAW-Toyota showed its electric SUV bZ5, which is powered by Nvidia’s Orin-X chip and algorithms from a Chinese supplier to provide urban NOA capabilities.
Honda showed its electric sedan Ye GT, which will feature Huawei’s smart cockpit component. Dongfeng Nissan also announced that its new products will use Huawei smart cockpit component.
The biennial Shanghai auto show began on April 23 and will run until May 2.
Nearly 1,000 companies from 26 countries and regions are participating in the auto show, with a total exhibition area of more than 360,000 square meters, according to its organizers.
The Denza Z will feature BYD’s e3 technology and the new DiSus-M body control system.
