Paris Motor Show: Emmanuel Macron opens a show marked by the presence of Chinese brands

An opening under the head of state's patronage

According to BFM Business, the 91st Paris Motor Show opens its doors Monday in Paris. It will be inaugurated by Emmanuel Macron, and European carmakers intend to push back against increasingly fierce Chinese competition. According to the outlet, this will be the last Motor Show of his two five-year terms, as the head of state is due to leave office in May 2027.

The Élysée announced Sunday that the president will focus on three priorities: the electrification of vehicles, European preference and innovation, particularly in autonomous driving. On Monday, still according to BFM Business, he is due to visit the stands of Valeo, Renault, Stellantis and La Fabrique de l'Innovation, the stand of the Plateforme de l'automobile (PFA), which represents carmakers and co-organizes the show. He will then chair a round table devoted to autonomous vehicles.

A dinner at the Élysée without Chinese carmakers

On Sunday evening, Emmanuel Macron hosted about sixty European industry players at a dinner at the Élysée. According to BFM Business, Chinese carmakers were conspicuously absent: the Élysée specified that the evening brought together players "who have invested in Europe for a long time."

The outlet reports that the president is at the forefront of defending the European auto industry against the influx of Chinese hybrid vehicles, and that he is also calling for Chinese technology transfers to Europe. Antonio Filosa, CEO of Stellantis, welcomed this commitment and highlighted "made in Europe" in an interview with AFP on Sunday.

The place of Chinese brands

According to BFM Business, the show opens against a complex backdrop. The European auto industry has never regained its pre-Covid sales levels. It operates within a European regulatory framework described as simultaneously protective of "made in Europe," incentivizing electric vehicles and demanding on environmental targets.

Chinese brands now account for 10% of vehicle sales in Europe, according to the outlet, and will make up more than a third of the show's 60 exhibitors. BFM Business adds that China agreed on Friday to significantly curb its exports of hybrid cars to the European Union, which should prevent millions of these vehicles from arriving in the coming years.

Statements from officials

The Élysée states that "electrification is the driving force behind the recovery of the market and of production in France." The presidency says the market share of electric vehicles rose from 1% in 2017 to 40% in September in France.

Sébastien Martin, Minister Delegate for Industry, said Sunday, during a presentation of new Volkswagen Group models, that the Motor Show is taking place "at a very particular moment." He cited an external shock and expressed the hope that the industry and public authorities would show their determination to meet this challenge.

The show's director, Serge Gachot, told AFP that "the world is moving" and promised a great celebration of the automobile. Emanuele Cappellano, CEO of Stellantis' European operations, declared at a group evening event that Paris was becoming the world's automotive capital during the show.

Test drives and novelties on the agenda

Held every two years in the capital, the show expects about 500,000 visitors, as in 2024. According to a Motor Show press release cited by BFM Business, they will be able to test nearly 90 models from 20 brands, including city cars, sedans and SUVs, electric or hybrid, with more than 5,000 test-drive slots. Serge Gachot said fully automated, supervised test drives are also planned, notably with Tesla.

Stellantis, present with eight brands, is due to unveil the electric version of the Citroën 2CV, whose production stopped in 1980. It is expected to cost less than 15,000 euros. All Volkswagen Group brands are expected, along with Renault, Mercedes, Hyundai, Volvo and Smart, the last four having been absent in 2024.

Analysis

Based solely on the information published by BFM Business, the show appears both as a commercial showcase and as a moment of tension for the industry. Chinese brands are well represented there, while the officials quoted describe an external shock to the European auto industry. The absence of Chinese carmakers at the Élysée dinner and the emphasis on European preference illustrate, according to these sources, how the public authorities are approaching the event.