Photos: Shanghai Auto show 2021

The Xpeng Heitech flying vehicle: Alibaba-backed electric vehicle maker Xpeng is developing a series of flying cars as part of its long-term growth strategy. Xpeng head He Xiaopeng said he sees the on-the-ground market for EVs entering into a period of rapid expansion. Still, at the same time, the upstart sees flying vehicles benefiting its future mapping technologies.

BMW iX SUV: BMW's flagship electric vehicle, designed to look like a clean and "well-rounded stone," has a spacious cabin and minimalist interior. It's largely made from carbon-fibre enforced plastic, making it lighter and capable of travelling about 300 miles per charge.

SAIC MG Cyberster: The Cyberster has a range of up to 805 kilometres (500 miles) and an interactive cockpit with 5G connectivity and multiple screens for the driver to browse. Its Zero Gravity seats also come with floating head restraints for extra comfort.

Geely Zeekr 001: Geely is targeting a younger audience with its new Zeekr 001 electric sedan. The "Zeekr" brand name comes from "z" for Generation Z and "geek", which Geely defines as "those that are fixated with and have extensive knowledge of technology." With facial recognition, the car automatically detects approaching passengers and adjusts to their personal preferences. Geely promises to upgrade the car's software at least once per quarter via over-the-air updates.

Wuling Hongguang Mini electric vehicles, manufactured by SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co., a joint venture between SAIC Motor Corp., General Motors Co. (GM) and Liuzhou Wuling Motors Co., at the Auto Shanghai 2021 show in Shanghai.

BAIC Arcfox Alpha S: BAIC's Arcfox Alpha S electric vehicle comes equipped with technology and equipment produced by China's telecom giant Huawei. The electric sedan features autonomous driving-enabling Huawei chips and lidar technology.

The Volocopter GmbH 2X electric air taxi, manufactured between Volocopter and Geely Technology Group Co., at the Auto Shanghai 2021 show in Shanghai.

Visitors attend the Shanghai Auto Show in Shanghai.

Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan: The EQS illustrates what a luxury-car maker has to offer to the electric vehicle segment. It's expected to have a range of 770 kilometers (478 miles) — over 100 miles more than the 2021 Long Range Tesla Model 3. The interior in particular steps away from traditional styling elements with three individual information displays built into the car's spacecraft-like glass dashboard.

A visitor tries out a concept vehicle at the Mercedes Benz booth during the Shanghai Auto Show.

Toyota BZ4X: The bZ4X electric SUV is the first model of Toyota's recently-announced “bZ” series, which stands for “beyond zero,” or cars that exceed being “just zero-emission.” The bZ4X, set to go on sale globally by mid-2022, features a distinctive yolk that eliminates the need to change grip when steering and a system that charges the car's battery using solar power when it's stationary.

Evergrande Hengchi 1: Evergrande hasn't sold a single car under its own brand, but shows it doesn't lack ambition with its planned Hengchi 1 electric vehicle. The luxe sedan, targeted for mass-production and delivery next year, has a range of 760 kilometers (472 miles) per charge, which puts it in the same league as Mercedes-Benz's luxury EQS EV.

SAIC-GM - ​​Wuling Hongguang Mini: The Hongguang Mini quickly topped China's new-energy vehicle sales when it debuted last year at a base price of just $4,230. The no-frills, 106-mile-per-charge SAIC-General Motors joint venture model sold more than 20,000 units in September, almost double that of Tesla's Model 3 that month.

The Volkswagen ID.6: Volkswagen's ID.6 takes styling cues from its previous ID.4 iteration but is far more spacious. The electric SUV seats seven, putting it up against other elongated models such as the Volvo XC90 and Land Rover Discovery Sport.

A model vehicle at SZ DJI Technology Co.'s booth booth.

The BMW AG Vision M Next concept vehicle.

The General Motors Co. (GM) Cadillac Lyriq concept electric vehicle.

A model stands near a car from Chinese auto brand Ora at the Shanghai Auto Show in Shanghai.

Receptionists wait for visitors at the booth for Chinese luxury auto brand Hongqi at the Shanghai Auto Show in Shanghai.

Zhiji IM Airo Concept: Looking more like a futuristic chariot on wheels, the Zhiji IM Airo Concept car comes from a joint venture between SAIC, Alibaba and Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Group. With seats that face each other and horizontal sliding doors, this isn't one you can expect to see on roads anytime soon.