For some Hong Kong residents, this year’s Dragon Boat Festival is not about shopping or dining in Shenzhen — they are flocking to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Auto Show.

Some sales representatives said they have received “quite a few” inquiries from Hong Kong residents who are “getting more interested” in domestic car brands.

The auto show, spanning about 260,000 square meters, kicked off in Shenzhen on Saturday and runs through Sunday. The event showcases over 1,000 models from more than 100 auto brands, with Shenzhen-based electric vehicle-maker BYD and tech giant Huawei setting up dedicated pavilions.

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A number of new models and latest technologies are making their appearance at the event. For example, Maextro S800, a flagship luxury sedan jointly created by Huawei and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group, was officially launched.

BYD announced a partnership with charging-service platforms Xiaoju Charging and Xindiantu to cobuild 10,000 and 5,000 ultrafast charging piles respectively. The megawatt flash chargers can provide 400 kilometers of range in just five minutes.

The booth of Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA), Huawei’s smart-car alliance, was packed with visitors, along with several livestreamers who were vigorously introducing vehicle features in front of their smartphone cameras.

“We have seen a steady stream of visitors all day,” said salesman Chen Min. “People are eager to explore the latest innovations in the automobile sector, and domestic brands are catching their attention.”

Another HIMA salesman, surnamed Li, said, “Quite a few visitors from Hong Kong have come to us, asking questions about the latest technology and prices. … They are getting more interested in domestic brands, especially electric models.”

Peter Tang from Hong Kong, who went to the auto show with his wife, said the auto show represents more than just a chance to explore new cars. “It’s an opportunity to witness the evolution of the automotive industry in the region. I’m particularly interested in how domestic brands are integrating cutting-edge technology with sustainability,” he said.

Marco Yeung, another Hong Kong resident, said he hopes to see more mainland electric car brands enter the Hong Kong market. “Electrification is vital in our push for carbon neutrality before 2050. We need to catch up in this field,” he said.

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The auto show comes as the country is ramping up efforts to boost domestic consumption. Automobile consumption, which plays an important role in the Chinese economy, is one of the key areas that the government is focusing on supporting.

According to the Department of Commerce of Guangdong province, more than 450,000 new vehicles were sold in the province last year, with sales value hitting 80 billion yuan ($11.1 billion).

At this ongoing event, consumers can enjoy up to 15,000 yuan in subsidies to replace their old cars with new ones. A maximum 20,000 yuan in subsidies will be granted to car owners who scrap their old cars.

Contact the writer at sally@chinadailyhk.com