Cars on display at IAA motor show

Munich, GERMANY — The IAA Mobility motor show is taking place in Munich, Germany this week, and there is no shortage of cars on display.

The theme was electrification, with major players like BMW and Mercedes showing off their electric vehicle offerings. A large number Chinese players from Xpeng to BYD were also in attendance, as they set sights on international expansion.

Here’s a look at some of the cars on display in Munich.

The BMW Vision Neue Klasse is the German giant’s concept model built on an architecture that will underpin the company’s electric cars over the coming years.

The first cars built on the Neue Klasse architecture are set to enter production in 2025.

The concept vehicle has a glass roof, and BMW said the design embodies classic brand elements that fans know. The company has also focused heavily on the technology inside the vehicle.

The Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA Class is built on a new architecture from the German titan, as it pushes into electric vehicles.

The range will comprise a total of four new models — a four-door coupé, an estate, and two sports utility vehicles.

Mercedes claims the model will have a range of 750 kilometres (466 miles) on a single charge.

Announced in June, the Vision One Eleven is an extravagant car from Mercedes-Benz that was on display.

Just a concept, the car was designed to be all-electric and is inspired by the C 111 experimental vehicles from the 1960s and 70s.

There was a big Chinese presence at IAA, and Hangzhou-headquartered Leapmotor announced plans to bring its C10 sports utility vehicle — or SUV — to European markets next year.

“All of Leapmotor’s subsequent products will be designed and developed with a global mindset and adhere to global standards,” Leapmotor CEO Zhu Jiangming said at a press conference on Monday.

Another Chinese carmaker, Warren Buffett-backed BYD launched its Seal electric sedan for Europe on Monday, for a starting price of 44,900 euros ($47,992). 

BYD says the car has a range of up to 570 on a single charge. BYD is one of China’s biggest electric carmakers and has been aggressively expanding overseas.

Stellantis-owned Opel debuted its Experimental concept car in Munich after the official launch in July.

The futuristic looking vehicle was designed “to provide a tangible vision of where the Opel brand is heading,” the company said in a press release.

Lucid said the car has a range of 799 kilometers on a single charge. The seats have a massage function, while the car boasts a spacious interior.

The car will only be available in Europe.

Volkswagen’s ID. GTI Concept car was designed to show off what the German automaker will do with GTI versions of its ID electric cars.

It’s part of a major push by Volkswagen into the electric car sector. The company said at the IAA Mobility show that it will launch 11 new all-electric models by 2027.

The Porsche Mission X is a concept electric “hypercar,” as the company describes it.

It was first announced in June, but displayed at IAA. The model’s doors open upwards. Porsche calls the vehicle “a technology beacon for the sports car of the future,” and says it “picks up the torch of iconic sports cars of decades past: like the 959, the Carrera GT and the 918 Spyder before it.”