On the opening day, various Chinese auto brands launched technology platforms for their NEVs, exhibited in the 20,000-square-meter NEV hall.

China is expected to see continued growth momentum in NEVs this year, with sales likely to exceed 5 million units as this sector has grown from being policy-driven to market-driven, the Beijing-based China Association of Automobile Manufacturers predicted in January.

China has been the world's largest NEV market for seven years in a row, with production increasing from 507,000 units in 2016 to 3.52 million last year. The country also exported 310,000 units, a nearly threefold surge from year to year according to data released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

The event, which is set to run through July 3, will showcase over 1,000 models from more than 110 major global brands.