Shanghai International Auto Air Conditioning and Thermal Management Technology Exhibition (CIAAR) brings vehicle air conditioning and thermal management together as a single supply chain. Air conditioning units for passenger cars and commercial vehicles — heavy trucks, construction machinery and agricultural machinery among them — sit with the compressors, condensers, evaporators, hoses and expansion valves that go into them.

Vehicle thermal management is the other main block — cabin, battery, motor and electronics cooling, engine cooling and heat pump systems — with electronic expansion valves, solenoid valves, heat exchangers, PTC heaters, heat pump modules, cooling plates and electronic water pumps on show. Parking air conditioners and mobile energy storage make up the newest zones, the latter adding lithium batteries, inverters and charging equipment. Buyers come from vehicle manufacturers, thermal management suppliers, the repair aftermarket and overseas distributors.