Brussels Motor Show kicks off, Chinese brands under spotlight

BRUSSELS, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- The 101st edition of the Brussels Motor Show kicked off on Friday, offering car enthusiasts an opportunity to explore the latest automotive innovations and trends.

This year's show, held from Jan. 10 to 19 at the Brussels Expo and focusing on engine diversity and the growing accessibility of electric vehicles, features a record number of 63 car brands, representing 90 percent of the Belgian market.

Visitors can explore a multitude of new products, including seven world premieres, 14 European premieres, and 63 Belgian premieres.

Among the highlights are Chinese brands including Leapmotor, Maxus, BAIC, BYD, Hongqi, Xpeng, and Omoda, among others.

With cutting-edge models and technologies, Chinese automakers provide European consumers with a broader selection of electric and hybrid vehicles.

Debuting its Omoda-5 and Jaecoo-7 models, Chinese automaker Chery Automobile underscores its commitment to the European market.

Belgian distributor Hedin Automotive introduced Hongqi and Xpeng to the show for the first time.

Xpeng captivates visitors with its G6, G9, and P7+ models, as well as the Voyager X2 -- a concept vehicle that combines electric propulsion with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities, popularly referred to as a "flying car."

"It is a very conservative market in Belgium ... but we want to be persistent and we think that an amount of Chinese brands have a future within the European markets," said Philip Eeckels, implementation manager new brands at Hedin Automotive.