XPeng, BYD, Nio and others no longer appeared as tentative newcomers. They arrived with confidence, sharp design language, advanced tech - and price tags that made Europe’s incumbents sweat. What once looked like cautious first steps into Europe now feels like a decisive stride forward.

For Europe’s household names, the picture was more mixed. BMW struck a chord with its new iX3, evoking the elegance of the Neue Klasse while moving toward calmer, cleaner lines (and finally stepping away from the meme-worthy mega-grilles). Mercedes polished its reputation for luxury, though the question remains how to make premium EVs relevant to everyday buyers. VW continues to wrestle with its identity as the “people’s brand” while producing cars that increasingly feel out of reach. And Renault, refreshingly, reminded everyone with its updated Clio that affordability and pragmatism can be just as radical as a futuristic SUV.

But IAA wasn’t only about shiny metal on stands. The deeper conversation was about the systems that will carry these vehicles into daily life. Charging - often the overlooked backbone of the EV era - emerged as the silent headline. Europe already counts over one million public charging points, but only around 16 percent are fast chargers. And even where the hardware exists, usability lags: the new Fast Charging Usability Index, developed by &Charge with Porsche Consulting, revealed that only one in three sessions works flawlessly. Payment failures, broken stations, and app chaos leave drivers frustrated - and 44 percent say they avoid certain operators after just one bad experience.

This matters. Fast charging is the bridge that makes long-distance EV travel viable and reassures newcomers. Reliability, not expansion, is now the battleground.

For us at MOTION, the IAA was not just about observing - it was about engaging. We chatted with startups like XYTE Mobility, filmed interviews, and teamed up with Taylor Wessing and Hampleton Partners to co-host an exclusive side event. At the Mobility Lounge in Munich, founders and senior executives from across the automotive industry came together for an evening of exchange. The highlight: keynote speaker Ash Warne, founder of Dynisma, who shared the success story of his company, now a leading provider of advanced simulator technology to Formula 1 teams and automotive OEMs.

So while Chinese brands are setting the tempo with speed, design, and price, Europe has an opening of its own: to lead in infrastructure, reliability, and user experience. Cars like XPeng’s P7 Plus show what happens when desirability and usability align; studies like the Usability Index remind us that the real race is about making mobility seamless.

Munich made the industry’s crossroads visible: too many SUVs for some tastes, concept designs that divided opinion - but also an unmistakable sense of urgency. Mobility is no longer just about cars; it’s about ecosystems, software, charging, cities, and climate.

IAA 2025 wasn’t a revolution, but it was a marker. It showed a sector caught between bold newcomers and cautious veterans, between ambition and affordability, between technical possibility and everyday usability. And if there’s one lesson, it’s this: the next leap in mobility won’t wait for comfort zones. It will happen fast - at china speed.

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