Chinese automakers expanded their presence at the 2026 Mondial de l’Auto in Paris as their share of Western European car registrations rose and European Union talks with China turned to hybrid exports.
The show’s organizer counted 518,372 visitors across its six public days, Oct. 13-18, and said more than 60 automakers participated. Its exhibitor directory included AITO, Changan and Denza. It also identified Zeekr and OMODA & JAECOO as first-time participants.
Before the show, Reuters reported that 20 Chinese brands were expected, twice the number at the 2024 event. Euronews later counted 25 Chinese carmakers among the exhibitors and reported that their displays drew groups of visitors. The organizer did not publish a country-by-country exhibitor count.
Across 18 Western European markets, Chinese brands accounted for 10.7% of new passenger-car registrations in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 5.7% a year earlier, Schmidt Automotive Research said. The figures show growth in the brands’ share of new registrations in those markets as they seek more European buyers.
EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič said Oct. 9 that the European Union and China had reached an understanding to moderate Chinese hybrid and plug-in hybrid exports. He projected that exports over four years would be more than 50% below a scenario with no policy change.
China’s Ministry of Commerce described the arrangement as allowing an increase relative to the 302,000 hybrids the EU imported from China in 2025. Its comparison uses last year’s imports; Šefčovič’s projection uses a four-year scenario.
Separately, the European Commission maintains duties of 7.8% to 35.3% on battery electric vehicles from China. Imposed in 2024, those duties do not cover hybrids.
Chinese manufacturers are also pursuing production in Europe. Geely Automobile Holdings and Ford have proposed a joint venture at Ford’s Valencia plant in Spain, with the first vehicles expected in 2028, subject to regulatory approval. Geely described the project as local production.
Šefčovič said he expected further ministerial contact by January 2027. A third EU-China trade consultation at ministerial level is scheduled for March 2027.
