Beijing Auto Show Postponed Due to Coronavirus

The Beijing auto show, which had been scheduled to run April 21-30, is being postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak. A new date will be announced later.

The biennial Beijing event alternates with the Shanghai auto show. It typically draws about 800,000 visitors—including 5,500 attendees from overseas—and 1,200 exhibitors.

Other Affected Industry Events

The delay follows a similar decision last week to reschedule the Formula E and Chinese Grand Prix races that were to have taken place in Sanya and Shanghai, respectively, over the next two months. Meanwhile, the Mobile World Congress that was due to start next week in Barcelona has been canceled altogether because of the crisis.

As of now, the Geneva auto show is due to start as planned early next month. But organizers say they are closely monitoring the situation.

Production Limbo

Most carmakers and suppliers halted production at the beginning of the month to help prevent the virus from spreading amid rising concerns.

Tesla restarted operations at its new Shanghai facility last week. Other carmakers aren’t expected to do so for another week or more.

Supply chain constraints in China also caused Hyundai to suspend vehicle production in South Korea.

Magnitude

To date, more than 70,500 people have been infected by the epidemic and nearly 1,800 have died. It started in the central Hubei province, which includes China’s Wuhan manufacturing hub.

Some 11 million people have been quarantined in Wuhan since late January.