SHANGHAI, April 17 Reuters China39;s auto market, the worlds largest, is accelerating toward an electric future leaving established global brands stuck in the slow lane.

When auto executives convene in Shanghai for the auto show starting Tuesday, they will return to a sharply different market from the one they left in 2021 when the industry gathered for a limited event under strict COVID19 controls.

The biggest change Chinamade brands now lead in key segments and their rise has been powered by new electricdrive models that are gaining share at home and overseas.

The biggest winner has been BYD, which will use the Shanghai show to unveil a new hatchback electric vehicle EV for valueseeking buyers and a pricier EV styled as an SUV.

BYDs sales in China are up almost 69 this year, giving it an 11 share of the overall car market, more than the Volkswagen brand or the Toyota brand, according to an analysis of sales data.

The stratification of this market into clear winners and losers is becoming clear, Bill Russo, founder of consultancy Automobility said in a note issued on Tuesday. And there are very few winners and a whole lot of losers.

Chinas passenger car sales were down 13 in the first quarter, data from the China Passenger Car Association show.

But sales of EVs and plugin hybrids an area where Chinese automakers led by BYD now dominate were up 22. Sales of internalcombustion vehicles were down by an almost equal margin.

The result has been a double whammy…