On April 23rd, the Shanghai Auto Show officially opened, attracting attention from around the world. Today, the Hubei Daily reported on our presence at the event.

On April 24th, the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai was filled with foreign visitors of various nationalities and skin tones, all gathered at the booths of major Chinese automobile brands. They carefully examined each electric vehicle, frequently asking questions. Despite adjustments in U.S. tariff policies, their enthusiasm for the Chinese automobile market remained undiminished.

The Dongfeng Auto booth attracted numerous foreign dealers, many of whom were dressed in blue checkered suits and red ties. Upon seeing a reporter, Branislav Kocper, CEO of Slovakia's Vihorlat Ltd., warmly greeted them and eagerly offered to participate in an interview. "We are an automobile dealer and a growing company," said Kocper. He attends the Shanghai Auto Show every year to explore cooperation opportunities. Since 2011, his company has been partnering with Chinese automakers and imported their first Chinese vehicle in 2014. In 2020, they established a deep collaboration with Dongfeng Auto. Today, Kocper is responsible for Dongfeng's sales operations in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. He also plans to expand Dongfeng's presence into the Austrian market.

“Chinese cars have a very bright future in Europe,” Kocper said enthusiastically. At the event, he couldn’t stop praising the DONGFENG BOX and MHEROI models. "The DONGFENG BOX is economical and practical, and it is very popular in Europe. The MHEROI has a unique design with powerful performance, and it has drawn a lot of attention from consumers." From January to March this year, the Slovakian market successfully delivered more than 10 units of the MHEROI and nearly 100 units of the DONGFENG BOX. "Next month, we will add more than 900 Dongfeng vehicles to our orders, and we expect to break 1,000 units by the end of Q2."

Kocper believes that with the rise of Chinese car brands, their international image has shifted from being labeled as "cheap" to being synonymous with "technology" and "fashion," qualities that are gradually winning over consumers' hearts.

Branislav Kocper, CEO of Slovakia’s Vihorlat Ltd., was accompanied at the Shanghai Auto Show by Marko Femc, CEO of Plan-net Avto, a Slovenian automotive company. Femc expressed his intention to deepen his cooperation with Dongfeng Motors. “Ten years ago, we were at the auto show looking for the best electric vehicles because China was the first country to vigorously promote electric cars,” said Femc. He has been an agent for Dongfeng Motors for many years, and in the Slovenian market, Dongfeng has sold over 1,000 vehicles, ranking among the top in Europe.

“Good quality, high technology content, environmentally friendly, and zero carbon emissions during use,” Femc believes these are the key reasons why Chinese electric vehicle brands are so popular in Europe. In Slovenia, the government is investing heavily in infrastructure, and consumers purchasing electric vehicles receive a subsidy of 7,200 yuan per vehicle, creating a favorable environment for the development of the electric vehicle market.

“Thank Dongfeng, thank China!” Femc called out, urging: “I hope the EU will reduce anti-subsidy tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles to create a fairer market environment and further boost the promotion of electric vehicles.”

Marko Femc, CEO of Slovenia’s Plan-net Avto, was accompanied by Armand Brousselle, an interior designer from FORVIA (Faurecia Group), France’s largest automotive equipment supplier, along with two other colleagues. The team spent a long time by the Dongfeng Nano 06, sitting inside and continuously filming videos.

“The Chinese market is very important to us, and we are eager to stay updated on the latest trends and technologies,” said Brousselle, who, along with his colleagues, was particularly interested in the interior design of Chinese vehicles and innovations in components like fans and sound systems. In his view, Chinese electric vehicles are not only affordable but also highly innovative, making them appealing to more European customers.

"Through this auto show, we hope to introduce more Chinese electric vehicle brands into the French market and jointly explore broader development opportunities," said Brousselle.

The auto show reportedly attracted nearly a thousand global automotive manufacturers and supply chain companies from 26 countries and regions, making it the largest scale in history. Behind the excitement of the event is the fact that China has held the top position in global new energy vehicle (NEV) production and sales for 10 consecutive years.