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Keywords: IAA Mobility, Drinktec, Food & Beverage, Automotive, Sustainability, Circular Economy, Electric Vehicle, Flash Charging, Software-Defined Vehicles, High-Performance Computing, Smart Packaging
Overview
Not all trade fairs are created equal. The industrial community witnessed this fact this month in Munich, Germany, with the juxtaposition of two signification shows. IAA Mobility, Europe’s largest automobile trade show, was moved to Munich from Frankfurt several years ago, but is now only a shadow of its former glory years. This limited “international” trade fair stood in stark contrast to the successful Drinktec fair held a week later at the same fairgrounds.
IAA Mobility: China Meets Bavaria
Expanded to cover all modes of mobility, the IAA now has two faces. Industry professionals can visit six halls at the Munich fairgrounds to see the latest that carmakers and their suppliers have on offer. This year’s exhibition was dominated by the plethora of Chinese EV manufacturers with some observers dubbing it “The Chinese Motor Show, Bavarian Edition.” With the exception of Ford, American manufacturers were missing, and not a single Japanese carmaker was to be found. Among European automakers, only Volkswagen and BMW had a significant presence. Mercedes-Benz was present with a modest showing.
The other side of IAA is the outdoor exhibits in various locations around downtown Munich. This clever concept brings the show closer to the car-buying public in the spirit of traditional auto shows, including on the weekend after the indoor show closed its doors. Here, entire boulevards are shut down for a week to allow potential car buyers and fans to get a close-up view of next generation automobiles. Of China’s roughly 130 carmakers, BYD, Xpeng, Changan and Dongfeng dominated the show with flashy exhibits of mostly lookalike EVs, including dozens of cars available for test drives. As a whole, the Chinese auto industry clearly has the European market in its sights. This planned expansion is crucial to the survival of many small Chinese carmakers that are currently suffering under overcapacity and precipitous price drops in the home market.
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