Nio, Zeekr — but not Jeep — tap into China's camping craze

The Chinese have a new love: camping. And in many cases they want to make their outdoor experiences as comfortable and premium as possible, elevating to the level of “glamping,” or glamorous camping.

Several automakers at the Shanghai auto show dedicated large swaths of space to equipment aimed at satisfying this growing passion -- which has been a post-pandemic global hit because it's an activity that can be enjoyed while socially distancing.

Another benefit is that provides the visuals that social media evangelists crave.

However, one brand with a long history of providing vehicles designed for outdoor adventures was absent from the show: Jeep.

Jeep, one of the first Western entrants into China in the 1980s, last year ended its stormy joint venture with Chinese automaker GAC that had been producing the American brand's SUVs.

Jeep's dwindling presence in China has left the door open for Chinese brands to define themselves as automotive champions of the outdoors.

The EV maker Nio recently started to offer trailer hitches for its cars. The move came after the Chinese government lifted a ban that prevented people from using their vehicles for towing.

The Nio ES7 SUV has a Camping Mode, which keeps air circulating and maintains cabin temperature while lowering power consumption to create a comfortable environment when parked for a picnic.

In addition, up to 3.3 kilowatts of power can be discharged from the ES7 to run a minibar, coffee machine or speakers when camping.

Brands such as Zhejiang Geely Holding-owned Zeekr, which plans to debut two cars in Europe this year, showcased a wide array of items aimed at campers. They include everything from storage boxes to lanterns to kettles and mugs – all with the Zeekr logo.

Another Chinese brand, Arcfox, displayed its aT crossover with a logo-emblazoned raft on the roof.

The car, which featured an elaborate mix of wooden and metal boxes in the back for packing supplies, was situated next to a campsite.

BAIC Group also had a campsite on its stand.

As did newcomer brand Dadao, which in Chinese translates into Open Road or Big Road.

State-owned Chinese automaker Jiangling Motors created Dadao in March for its new generation of pickups.

Dadao had a one of the show's largest and best-equipped campsites, which had no trouble luring in tired journalists looking to recharge (see below).

Yang Jian contributed to this report