Lula Opens São Paulo Auto Show, Urges Brazil to Build Batteries and Master Rare Earths

Overview

• The Salão Internacional do Automóvel returns after seven years and opens to the public November 22–30 at Parque Anhembi with an expected 700,000 visitors.
• At the opening, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called for ending reliance on imported technology, saying Brazil must learn to produce batteries and manage rare earths.
• The federal Mover program offers nearly R$20 billion in financial credits through 2028 to support R&D, decarbonization and sustainable mobility technologies.
• The government says automakers plan to invest R$140 billion by 2033 in electrification, efficiency, connectivity and new production platforms.
• Chinese brands feature prominently with launches and EV-focused showcases including panoramic digital cockpits, AI assistants, advanced driver-assistance systems and an indoor test-drive track.