Motor show: Chinese manufacturers are pushing ever harder for the IAA

Munich. Chinese manufacturers are pushing for the International Motor Show (IAA). Companies from the country currently make up more than a quarter of the registrations for the mobility fair, as they announced. The IAA is scheduled to take place in Munich in September 2027. Chinese manufacturers also increased overall registrations: ten months before the start of the trade fair there were 166 registrations - 58 percent more than at the same time two years ago.

The 45 Chinese applicants include brands such as BYD, Xiaomi, Xpeng, Geely, which is also represented by its subsidiaries Zeekr and Polestar, SAIC and Leapmotor. However, the IAA restricts the fact that the current share of Chinese companies in registrations will continue to decline until the trade fair itself. The particularly high level is also due to the fact that Chinese manufacturers in particular booked early this time in order to secure good seats. But even if you take this into account, the number of Chinese companies represented at the trade fair will probably ultimately be significantly higher than last year.

The development at the IAA, which takes place every two years, also reflects a trend that can be observed in Germany and Europe. Chinese manufacturers are increasingly entering the market here and are sometimes recording high growth rates. On the one hand, this is because they have a large product portfolio, especially in the area of ​​electromobility, but on the other hand, the Chinese brands are also intensively looking for alternatives given the weak domestic market.

The IAA sees itself on the right track for the upcoming trade fair. The current bookings already correspond to 79 percent of the total area from 2025. “The fact that so many companies are committing to the IAA MOBILITY 2027 so early is a strong signal - for the event and for the Munich location,” says Jürgen Mindel, Managing Director of the Association of the Automotive Industry.

85 percent of the open spaces are now fully booked. These freely accessible exhibition areas in public spaces in the city of Munich are popular with manufacturers and car fans, but are also controversial among parts of the population.