Auto China 2026: Inside the Future of Motoring with Digi Cars Group

A Beijing recap from the Digi Cars Group team, and what it means for South African drivers

Auto China 2026 was, in every sense, overwhelming. Spread across 380,000 square metres in Beijing, the world's biggest motor show brought together 1,451 vehicles, 181 world premieres, and 71 concept cars over a 10-day run that drew an estimated one million visitors. There were robotaxis on stage, robotic traffic officers patrolling the aisles, a robotic dog handing out high-fives, and a relentless soundtrack of fanfares, flashbulbs, and back-to-back product unveilings.

For the Digi Cars Group team, walking the floor was more than a privilege, it was a front-row look at exactly where the brands we represent are headed. Four of our key partners, Chery, Omoda Jaecoo, Lepas, and iCaur, used the Beijing stage to make some of the boldest announcements of the entire show. Here's what we saw, what's coming, and why it matters for buyers back home in South Africa.

Chery: "For Family" and the road to 10 million households

After 23 years and 4.5 million families served across more than 120 countries, Chery used Auto China 2026 to unveil its new global brand value proposition: "For Family."

It's more than a tagline. CEO Jeff Zhang announced a clear strategic vision to serve 10 million global family users by 2030. Built around three pillars: uncompromising safety, space equality, and technology equality. In plain language, that means the same crash-tested body strength, the same generous interior packaging, and the same advanced driver assistance, hybrid technology, and intelligent cockpit features in every Chery, in every market, regardless of price point.

The headline product reveal was the Tiggo V, a clever new model that fuses SUV, MPV, and bakkie characteristics into a single body. Purpose-built for the multi-functional lifestyles of modern families. Looking further ahead, Chery confirmed a complete product roadmap by 2028 covering three series: Tiggo, Arrizo, and Himla. With more than 20 models spanning PHEV, HEV, and full-electric powertrains, all underpinned by the new sixth-generation Chery Super Hybrid (CSH) system.

For Digi Cars Group customers shopping at our Chery Sandton and Chery Northcliff branches, the takeaway is simple: the brand you already trust is doubling down on family-first values, and the model pipeline coming our way over the next few years is one of the most ambitious in the industry.

Omoda Jaecoo: One million in three years, and only just getting started

If Chery's announcement was about long-term vision, Omoda Jaecoo's was about staggering pace.

Three years after its global debut, the brand crossed 1 million cumulative global sales, the fastest million-unit milestone for any young automotive brand in industry history. To put that in perspective: traditional carmakers typically take more than a decade to hit that number. Omoda Jaecoo did it in 36 months, opening a new dealership somewhere in the world every single day along the way.

Europe is now the brand's growth engine, accounting for 41.5% of global sales, with the Jaecoo 7 topping the UK sales charts and being hailed as "Europe's most successful Chinese model."

But it's what's coming next that excited us most:

The Omoda C4, already confirmed for a South African launch later this year, debuts the brand's new AI Cabin, an intelligent cockpit built specifically for younger users. Think conversational AI that genuinely understands intent ("take me to the nearest live music venue") rather than rigid voice commands, with route planning, traffic avoidance, and emotionally engaging interaction handled in the background. There's also a sportier Omoda C4 Ultra performance variant for buyers who want their family SUV to deliver a proper driving experience.

Also launching in the second half of 2026 is VPD: Valet Parking Driver. Omoda Jaecoo's intelligent self-parking technology. Imagine pulling up to the entrance of Sandton City on a busy Saturday, stepping out, and letting the car find a parking bay on its own, then summoning it back when you're done. That's where the brand is headed.

On the performance side, the Omoda C9 PHEV has been undergoing track validation at circuits including the Nürburgring and Monza, building genuine motorsport DNA into a plug-in hybrid family flagship. And on the technology front, the SHS super hybrid system, already proven in models like the Omoda C5 SHS and the Jaecoo 7 SHS is rapidly becoming one of the most respected hybrid systems in the industry.

The next goal? One million sales in a single year by 2027. Across our three Omoda Jaecoo branches in Sandton, Melrose Arch, and Northcliff, we're proud to be part of that journey.

Lepas: A brand-new premium NEV brand takes its bow

One of the most significant announcements of the show came from a brand that most of the world is meeting for the very first time.

Lepas, Chery's new dedicated premium new energy vehicle (NEV) brand, made its global public debut at Auto China 2026, unveiling three production models simultaneously:

• Lepas L6 EV: an urban-focused electric SUV equipped with Bosch IPB 2.0 brakes, advanced driver assistance, and an integrated AI agent
• Lepas L4 EV: a 160 kW electric model offering multi-link suspension, 21 ADAS and connectivity features, and 500 km-class range with fast charging
• Lepas L6 PHEV: a plug-in hybrid built for both city and long-distance driving

All three are built on the new LEX intelligent NEV platform, and Lepas has confirmed plans to launch 10 NEVs over the next three years, anchored by the L4, L6, and upcoming L8.

Positioning matters here. Lepas sits above Chery's existing line-up as a premium NEV play, and in the days surrounding its Beijing launch, the brand made its European debut at Milan Design Week. A clear signal of where it sees itself in the market. CEO Zhai Xiaobing called 2026 the brand's "Year of Delivery," and with more than 4,000 dealer partners attending the Chery stand, the global rollout looks like it'll move fast.

For our Lepas Northcliff branch, this is our moment. We're getting in on the ground floor of a brand engineered from day one to compete in the premium NEV space, and our customers will be among the first in South Africa to experience it.

iCaur V27: The right-hand drive reveal South Africa has been waiting for

Saving the best for last, at least from a South African perspective.

iCaur officially pulled the wraps off the right-hand drive V27 at Auto China 2026, and it has already been approved for South Africa, with an official local launch date to follow.

The V27 is iCaur's first range-extending electric vehicle (REEV) and slots in as the new flagship above the V23 and 03T. Visually, it's hard to miss. The front-end nods unmistakably to the Toyota Land Cruiser 70-series and Mercedes-Benz G-Class, while the rear borrows cues from the classic Isuzu Trooper. It's bold, retro, and unapologetically built for adventure.

The numbers are equally serious:

• 5,055 mm long, 2,910 mm wheelbase, 1,984 mm tall, 1,976 mm wide
• 5 seats with up to 1,818 litres of boot space with the rear seats folded
• 34.3 kWh battery pack powering twin electric motors
• 1.5 T-GDI petrol engine (105 kW) acting purely as a generator, it never drives the wheels directly
• Combined system output of 335 kW, courtesy of what iCaur calls its "Golden Range Extender"
• 0–100 km/h in 5 seconds
• Claimed 156 km of all-electric range

In other words, it's a rugged, retro-styled flagship SUV that drives like an EV in the city, never gives you range anxiety on the open road, and looks like nothing else on sale.

iCaur officially launches in South Africa next month with the V23 and 03T, with the V27 anticipated to land late 2026 or early 2027. We can't wait.

What this means for South African drivers

Auto China 2026 made one thing crystal clear: the centre of gravity in the global automotive industry has shifted, and the brands we represent are leading that shift.

For our customers, here's what it translates to over the next 18 months:

The Chinese brands you can already buy from Digi Cars Group Chery, Omoda Jaecoo, Lepas and the soon-to-launch iCaur, are no longer "value alternatives" to the established names. They're setting the global benchmark for hybrid efficiency, intelligent cockpits, autonomous parking, premium design, and family-first packaging. Many of these technologies will arrive on local roads sooner than you'd expect.

It also means our 15 dealerships across 13 brands are about to get even more interesting. Whether you're shopping for a family SUV, a premium electric flagship, an off-road-ready REEV, or a plug-in hybrid that drives like a sports car, the next 12 months are going to deliver options that simply didn't exist this time last year.

If you'd like to be the first to know when any of these models touch down in South Africa, get in touch with your nearest Digi Cars Group dealership, or follow us on our social channels for launch updates as they happen.

The future is coming. We'll bring it to your driveway.