As the global automotive industry accelerates its deep transformation toward electrification, intelligence, and connectivity, automotive air conditioning and thermal management systems – core components ensuring driving comfort and the safe operation of electric vehicle powertrains – are facing unprecedented technological changes and market opportunities. From traditional fuel vehicles to new energy vehicles, from single cooling functions to integrated vehicle thermal management, the industry is undergoing a profound value reconstruction. Against this backdrop, the 24th Shanghai International Automobile Air Conditioning & Thermal Management Technology Exhibition (CIAAR 2026) will be grandly held at the Shanghai New International Expo Center from November 16 to 18, 2026. As one of the longest-standing and most professional international exhibitions in the global mobile refrigeration sector, this edition will bring together industry elites from around the world to explore cutting-edge trends and showcase the latest innovative achievements.

24 Years of Deep Industry Expertise, Forging a Global Professional Platform

With the rapid growth of China’s automotive industry, the domestic mobile refrigeration sector has developed at an accelerated pace, with production, sales, and after-sales service chains maturing to form a complete industrial system. Meanwhile, increasing national requirements for low-carbon, environmentally friendly products have accelerated corporate product innovation and industrial upgrading, revealing tremendous market potential. Guided by the “dual carbon” goals, the automotive air conditioning industry is accelerating its transformation toward high efficiency and low emissions, with new energy thermal management technology becoming a new frontier of industry competition.

Now in its 24th year, the Shanghai International Automobile Air Conditioning & Thermal Management Technology Exhibition has consistently kept pace with the latest trends in the mobile refrigeration industry and continues to innovate. Its influence extends not only across China but also throughout Asia and globally, establishing itself as one of the most important professional exhibitions in the mobile refrigeration sector. Over the past 24 years, the exhibition has witnessed the journey of China’s automotive air conditioning industry from weakness to strength, from technology introduction and assimilation to independent innovation, serving as a crucial bridge connecting the upstream and downstream of the global industrial chain. This year’s exhibition is expected to cover an area of 45,000 square meters, attracting thousands of leading enterprises and tens of thousands of professional visitors from around the world to gather in Shanghai, collectively charting a new blueprint for the mobile refrigeration and thermal management industry.

Focusing on Thermal Management and Mobile Energy Storage, Five Highlight Zones Fully Upgraded

With a core positioning of “deepening expertise in automotive air conditioning, refrigeration components, automotive thermal management, and mobile energy storage,” this year’s exhibition will comprehensively showcase cutting-edge technologies and products. In response to the wave of automotive electrification, the automotive air conditioning industry is transitioning from traditional cooling to efficient thermal management, while the deep integration of parking air conditioners with lithium battery energy storage, along with the integrated design of thermal management systems and complete vehicles, is emerging as a new growth driver. Compared with previous editions, this year’s exhibition places special emphasis on the following five highlight zones:

Zone 1: Traditional Automotive Air Conditioning Systems Zone – This zone comprehensively showcases various types of automotive air conditioning units and core components for passenger cars and commercial vehicles, including compressors, condensers, evaporators, air conditioning pipelines, expansion valves, and other traditional superior products, providing mature and reliable technical solutions for the industry.

Zone 2: Commercial Vehicle Air Conditioning Systems and Components Zone – Focusing on heavy truck air conditioning, construction machinery air conditioning, agricultural machinery air conditioning, and other specialized segments, this zone highlights the opportunities and challenges brought by the rapid growth of the parking air conditioner market, offering a one-stop procurement platform for the commercial vehicle air conditioning aftermarket.

Zone 3: Automotive Thermal Management Systems and Components Zone – As one of the core highlights of this year’s exhibition, this zone concentrates on cutting-edge technologies such as new energy vehicle cabin thermal management, battery thermal management, motor and electronic control thermal management, engine cooling systems, and heat pump systems. Exhibits include key components such as electronic expansion valves, solenoid valves, heat exchangers, PTC heaters, heat pump modules, cooling plates, and electronic water pumps, comprehensively presenting innovative achievements in thermal management technology.

Zone 4: Parking Air Conditioner Products Zone – As a newly established special zone, this section showcases the latest achievements in the parking air conditioner field. With truck drivers’ increasing demands for driving comfort and the country’s continued promotion of energy conservation and emission reduction policies, the parking air conditioner market is experiencing explosive growth. This zone will bring together well-known domestic and international parking air conditioner brands, displaying the latest products featuring high efficiency, energy savings, quiet operation, and comfort.

Zone 5: Mobile Energy Storage and Lithium Battery Products Zone – Aligned with new energy development trends, this zone will focus on innovative products such as mobile energy storage power supplies, lithium batteries, inverters, and charging equipment. As an emerging track in the new energy sector, mobile energy storage has natural synergies with the automotive air conditioning industry and has become a highly anticipated new highlight of the exhibition.

The exhibit scope covers the entire industrial chain, including automotive air conditioning parts and components, supplies, equipment, and materials – from raw materials to finished products, from production equipment to testing instruments, from traditional components to innovative products – providing professional buyers with a truly one-stop procurement platform.

Global Exhibitors Gather, Industry Giants Converge

Looking back at the 23rd edition, the exhibition brought together a stellar lineup of exhibitors, featuring renowned domestic and international companies such as Kangpurui, Ganfeng Lithium Battery, Haier, AVIC, Meizhi, Panasonic, Gree, Hisense, TCL, Carrier, Highly, and Sanmei, demonstrating the industry’s strong innovation vitality and market potential. This year’s exhibition is expected to attract even more leading brands, covering the entire industry chain, including vehicle manufacturers, air conditioning OEMs, component suppliers, aftermarket distributors, and cold chain logistics companies, all coming together to showcase the latest technologies and products.

The exhibition not only provides a display platform for exhibitors but also creates an efficient mobile refrigeration trade platform, meeting the diverse needs of enterprises for market expansion and integrated development. Through the exhibition platform, participating companies can directly reach tens of thousands of professional buyers, precisely connect with procurement needs, gain deep insights into market changes, and grasp industry development trends. Additionally, the exhibition will organize supporting activities such as technical exchange sessions, new product launches, and procurement matchmaking meetings, creating more opportunities for communication and cooperation between exhibitors and visitors.

Seize Industry Opportunities, Embrace Exhibition Advantages

Currently, the automotive air conditioning industry is undergoing a profound transformation – from traditional cooling to efficient thermal management, from single functions to system integration. As the penetration rate of new energy vehicles continues to rise, thermal management systems, as key technologies ensuring battery safety, improving driving range, and optimizing driving experience, are growing increasingly prominent in market value. According to industry research institutions, the global new energy vehicle thermal management system market size is expected to exceed RMB 100 billion by 2028. Meanwhile, the integration of parking air conditioners with lithium battery energy storage, the popularization of heat pump technology, and the application of new environmentally friendly refrigerants are bringing new development opportunities to the industry.

In the midst of this profound industrial transformation, the 24th Shanghai International Automobile Air Conditioning & Thermal Management Technology Exhibition will undoubtedly become the premier platform for enterprises to showcase their strengths, explore markets, and seek cooperation. Whether you are an industry-leading enterprise or an emerging startup, whether you are a researcher seeking technological innovation or a buyer looking for business opportunities, CIAAR 2026 will provide you with an unmissable opportunity.

Exhibition participation registration for the 24th Shanghai International Automobile Air Conditioning & Thermal Management Technology Exhibition is now fully underway. Industry professionals from around the world can visit the official website www.autocoolexpo.com to reserve booths, obtain the latest information, and pre-register for visits. Exhibition consultation, media cooperation, visitor pre-registration, and other services are all available online. All industry professionals are welcome to actively participate.

November 16-18, 2026, at the Shanghai New International Expo Center – we look forward to joining global elites in the mobile refrigeration and thermal management industry for this annual grand event, witnessing a new chapter for the industry, and working together to create a bright future for automotive air conditioning and thermal management!