Canton Fair Autumn 2026 for Car Buyers: Phase 1 EVs, and Seeing Real Export Stock in Guangzhou

Phase 1 of the 140th Canton Fair runs from 15 to 19 October 2026 at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Pazhou, Guangzhou, and it is the phase that covers vehicles and new energy. If you are coming to source Chinese cars or EVs, Phase 1 is the one to attend. The booths are good for seeing new models and meeting manufacturers. They are not where you inspect a specific car by VIN or load a mixed container. Plan an extra half-day to visit an exporter’s yard while you are in Guangzhou. We are in Nansha, in the south of the city, and we host buyers in person.

👉 Tell us your Canton Fair dates and the models you’re interested in. We’ll set a time and have the cars ready to see. Ask us on WhatsApp · About Hanvia Motors →

The key facts for Phase 1

Dates and categories come from the fair’s published schedule as reported by several visitor guides. Always confirm the final details on the official Canton Fair website before booking flights, because the organisers occasionally adjust categories between sessions.

What you’ll see at the vehicle and NEV halls

Phase 1 is where Chinese manufacturers and their export arms show passenger cars, electric vehicles, two-wheelers, mobility products and vehicle parts. It is a good place to:

• See new models in person, including EVs and plug-in hybrids that have only recently launched in China.
• Meet manufacturers’ export teams, if you want to talk about distribution rights or large-volume supply.
• Compare several brands in one day without travelling between cities.
• Look at parts and accessories suppliers, if you also run after-sales or a parts business.

What the booths don’t show you

A trade-fair booth is built to present a brand. For a dealer or importer who needs cars on the ground soon, some questions can’t be answered there:

• What is available to ship now. Display cars are display cars. You need a VIN-level list of units that can go in a container this month.
• Condition of a specific unit. For nearly-new and used cars especially, you need to see the actual car: odometer, paint, battery health, documents.
• Mixed loads. Many importers want three or four different models in one container. That’s an exporter’s job, not a factory booth’s.
• Small first orders. A first order of a few units is normal for a new dealer testing a market. Booth conversations tend to be about distribution and volume.
• Your market’s rules. Left- or right-hand drive, age limits on used cars, EV-only import rules. These decide which cars you can legally import. A good exporter checks them unit by unit.

None of this is a reason to skip the fair. It is a reason to see both: the fair for the market overview, and an exporter’s yard for the cars you will actually buy.

Why visit an exporter while you’re in Guangzhou

Guangzhou is one of China’s biggest car-trading cities, and the port at Nansha is a major vehicle export gateway. Being in the city for Phase 1 is the cheapest chance you’ll get to check a supplier in person.

Checking a supplier in person beats any document they can email you. Before you wire a deposit to any Chinese car exporter, you want to know four things: that the company is registered, that the office is real, that the cars exist, and that the people you’ve been talking to on WhatsApp work there. A two-hour visit answers all four. Our guide to choosing a Chinese car exporter lists what to check, and who actually sells you a car in China explains how the supply chain works.

Visiting us in Nansha

Hanvia Motors is the export brand of Guangzhou Hanvia Motors Technology Development Co., Ltd., registered in Nansha District, Guangzhou. Buyers from Africa, the Middle East and Latin America come to our Nansha office to meet the team behind their orders.

What a visit covers:

• The cars themselves. You walk around the actual units, check VINs, open the doors and look underneath. For used and nearly-new cars, we go through odometer readings, paintwork and any disclosed damage. See our condition report for what we document.
• Our yard and loading. You see how cars are prepared, inspected and secured in a container before they leave. Our guide to how many cars fit in a container explains the loading side.
• Models for your market. We go through which models fit your market’s rules and buyers. That means left-hand drive for most of Africa and Latin America, age limits on used cars, and EV and hybrid rules where they apply.
• Pricing and shipping, face to face. Before anything is signed, we go through prices, Incoterms (EXW, FCA and FOB as standard, CIF for some destinations), payment schedule and shipping time.

If your dates are tight, tell us before you arrive. We’ll prepare the models you’re interested in so the visit fits into half a day between fair sessions.

If you can’t travel, we do the same walkthrough on a live video call. You choose the cars, and we show the VIN plate, the interior, the paint and the engine bay or battery label in real time.

Brands and models we export

We export new and nearly-new vehicles across JETOUR, BYD, Geely, Changan, Chery, Zeekr, Great Wall and Foton. Buyers who visit during the fair most often ask about:

• BYD electric SUVs and hatchbacks — the Atto 2 and Atto 3, the Sealion 05 EV and the Dolphin and Seagull.
• BYD plug-in hybrids — see Qin Plus vs Seal 05 DM-i.
• Large SUVs — see Zeekr 8X vs 9X and Zeekr 9X vs Lynk & Co 900.
• Off-road and 4×4 — see Jetour T2 vs Dashing and BYD Shark 6 vs Toyota Hilux.
• Compact petrol SUVs — see Geely Coolray versions.

For Ethiopian buyers, we also hold BYD Atto 3 and Sealion 05 EV units that have already landed in Djibouti. See our Djibouti stock.

How to plan the trip

1. Register as a buyer early. Use the fair’s official buyer registration system. If you need a visa, the registration system can provide an invitation letter. Leave time for the visa process in your country.
2. Book Phase 1 days. Vehicles and new energy are in Phase 1, 15–19 October. Phase 2 and Phase 3 cover other product categories.
3. Send your model list before you fly. Tell the suppliers you plan to visit which models, quantities and markets you’re working on. A supplier who knows that in advance can show you real units instead of brochures.
4. Bring your market’s rules. Know your country’s steering side, used-car age limit and any EV or emissions rules. If you aren’t sure, our country guides cover Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Ethiopia.
5. Plan a half-day outside Pazhou. Exporters’ yards and offices are elsewhere in the city. Book the visit on a fair day when you have fewer booth meetings, or on the day before or after.
6. Don’t pay deposits at a booth. Take quotes, compare, visit, then decide. Our checklist of import traps covers the mistakes buyers make under time pressure.

After the visit: from deposit to shipment

Once you’ve chosen the cars, the steps are the same as for any order: deposit to reserve the units, export clearance in China, loading and shipping, then clearance in your country. Container space is allocated in the order deposits arrive, so a decision made in Guangzhou can go into an early container.

For the full process, see how to import cars from China: a guide for dealers and shipping routes to African ports.

FAQ

When is the Canton Fair in autumn 2026?

The 140th Canton Fair runs in three phases: 15–19 October, 23–27 October, and 31 October to 4 November 2026. Confirm the final dates on the official Canton Fair website before you travel.

Which phase of the Canton Fair has cars and electric vehicles?

Phase 1, 15–19 October 2026. It covers vehicles, new energy, electronics and machinery.

Where is the Canton Fair held?

At the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Pazhou, Haizhu District, Guangzhou.

Can I buy cars directly at the Canton Fair?

You can meet manufacturers and take quotes. For inspecting specific units by VIN, small first orders, mixed containers and used or nearly-new cars, most importers also work with an exporter who can show them real stock.

Can I visit Hanvia Motors during the Canton Fair?

Yes. We are in Nansha, Guangzhou, and host buyers in person. Send us your dates on WhatsApp and we’ll arrange a time and prepare the models you want to see.

What if I can’t travel to Guangzhou?

We do the same walkthrough on a live video call, showing the actual cars, VIN plates and condition in real time.