Wow!!!

Last month, I attended the Shanghai Auto Show, one of the largest auto shows in China and across the globe. Over 1,300 new vehicles went on display (probably tells you why auto business model is a tough one).  Here are my three biggest takeaways:

Buckle Up!

Electrification isn’t just a buzzword - it’s the auto industry’s main act. Case in point: EVs stole 70% of the spotlight at recent showcases, proving OEMs are racing to plug into this megatrend. Everyone’s terrified of becoming the next Nokia or Kodak (even if a few are doomed to).

Global EV sales surged past 17 million in 2024 (up 25%!), crossing the 20% adoption threshold. To grasp the velocity, the extra 3.5 million EVs sold vs. 2023 alone eclipsed all 2020 EV sales combined, globally.

I believe battery breakthroughs, price parity, charging network rollout, and policy pushes will further drive electrification from here.

EV Dynasty

China’s auto industry is driving the future: 15 straight years as the world’s top car producer and seller, a decade-long reign in EVs, and now—crowning the podium—the globe’s #1 auto exporter.

Think Usain Bolt in 100m race - 11 million EVs were sold in China (40% YoY jump), gobbling nearly half its auto market and almost two-thirds of global EV sales (up from 50% in 2021).

Watt's Next?

China’s supply chain prowess has turned CATL from a backstage ‘power whisperer’ to a headliner. At the auto show, the global battery giant unveiled its battery bonanza: sodium-ion cells, Freevoy hybrids, and Gen-2 ultrafast charging tech. These aren’t just shiny toys - they’ll improve user convenience (as quick as refuelling a conventional car), supercharge the global EV race, and (most crucially) charge up CATL’s dominance.

By Min