Interest in Chinese EVs from UK car buyers soars
Auto Trader, the UK's largest online automotive marketplace, said more than 1.4 million adverts viewed in the first four months of this year were for Chinese brands.
That represented a market share of 5.3%, compared with 1.3% during the same period in 2024.
A host of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers such as Jaecoo, Leapmotor, Skywell, Omoda and Xpeng have joined BYD and GWM in entering the UK market.
Auto Trader said the stock of Chinese EVs listed for sale on its website between January and April was more than 10 times higher than a year ago, exceeding 3,300 units.
BYD accounts for around half of advert views and stock on Auto Trader.
It is becoming a more familiar brand with car buyers, aided by its sponsorship of the Euro 2024 football tournament.
The BYD Dolphin Surf will be among the UK's cheapest electric cars when it becomes available later this year.
Auto Trader said Chinese manufacturers are often able to undercut Western rivals as they benefit from 'affordable battery technology'.
It cited research showing drivers have less brand loyalty when it comes to EVs than for petrol or diesel cars.
Ian Plummer, commercial director at Auto Trader, told the PA news agency: 'Our research shows a breakthrough for Chinese manufacturers in the UK market over the last 12 months.
'Several brands are now motoring from a standing start and bigger names like BYD have embedded themselves in the public consciousness.
'Chinese electric vehicles are cutting-edge products, backed by affordable battery technology.
'Trade turbulence with the US and EU tariffs is also making the UK relatively more attractive as a market.
'There will be much more to come from Chinese carmakers.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Vladimir Putin given stark 'on the verge' warning by top minister
Russia's economy could be 'on the verge' of a recession, according to one of the top officials in Vladimir Putin's Kremlin - Russia's economy remains on a war footing Vladimir Putin received a stark warning from one of his own ministers as Russia's economy remains on a war footing. The Russian Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said that Russia 's economy is 'on the verge' of transitioning to a recession. 'We have a cooling stage,' Reshetnikov said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, calling the numbers bedding his comments like looking at a 'rearview mirror'. He said: 'According to current business perceptions, we are already, it seems, on the verge of a transition to a recession.' Reshetnikov said that a recession was not inevitable and would depend on decisions taken by the Kremlin. Putin, in a speech at the forum, mentioned the recession warnings but emphasised that 'it mustn't be allowed'. Putin said Russia has managed to curb inflation and ease its reliance on energy exports. He pointed out that manufacturing industries have posted steady growth, allowing the country to reduce its reliance on oil and gas exports. 'The perception of Russian economy as based on raw materials and dependent on hydrocarbons exports have clearly become outdated,' Putin said, adding that the economy grew by 1.5 percent in the first four months of 2025 and inflation has dropped from double digits to 9.6 percent. Putin has used the annual forum to highlight Russia's economic prowess and encourage foreign investment, but Western executives have shunned it after Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in 2022, leaving it to business leaders from Asia, Africa and Latin America. The economy, hit with a slew of Western sanctions, has so far outperformed predictions. High defence spending has propelled growth and kept unemployment low despite fuelling inflation. Large recruiting bonuses for military enlistees and death benefits for those killed in Ukraine also have put more income into the country's poorer regions. But over the long term, inflation and a lack of foreign investments pose threats to the economy. Economists have warned of mounting pressure on the economy and the likelihood it would stagnate due to lack of investment in sectors other than the military. Putin said the growth of military industries helped develop new technologies that have become available to the civilian sector. He vowed to continue military modernisation, relying on lessons learned during the fighting in Ukraine. 'We will raise the capability of the Russian armed forces, modernize military infrastructure and equip the troops with cutting-edge equipment,' Putin said. But Russian Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina said that the factors that had helped Russia with sustained growth could no longer be relied upon. On June 19, The Moscow Times said that Nabiullina said Russia had been growing on the back of 'free resources'. This includes its bank reserves, liquid assets in the country's wealth fund, industry and labour. Such resources are now reaching their limit, Nabiullina said. 'We grew for two years at a fairly high pace because free resources were activated," she said. "We need to understand that many of those resources have truly been exhausted."
Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Leading car brand launches new SUV that looks just like a Land Rover but only costs £9,000
Scroll down to see the motors impressive features WHEEL DEAL Leading car brand launches new SUV that looks just like a Land Rover but only costs £9,000 Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A LEADING car brand has launched a new SUV that looks just like a Land Rover and is easier on the wallet. The Chinese car firm have obviously taken inspiration from one of the biggest SUV brands on the market but for a fraction of the price. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 The Chinese model is eerily similar to a Land Rover Credit: David Shepherd Chery's 2026 Tiggo 7 Sport and Tiggo 7 Plus have been unveiled with both designs looking almost identical to Range Rover's hugely popular Evoque. But it has one major advantage over its European competitors as its set to hit the roads for £9,000. Pricing for the new Tiggo 7 Sports starts at 87,900 yuan in Asia, or around £9,100. The higher end Tiggo 7 Plus is priced slightly higher at 91,900 yuan or £9,400. Compare that to a brand new Evoque and you're looking at an eye-watering £44,000 with costs even exceeding the £50,000 mark in some instances. It's still not as cheap if you purchase a second-hand Evoque which come in at around £20,000. The new Tiggo is not yet sold in Europe and prices are likely to be higher when the model is eventually made available due to importing costs. But British motorists will be happy to hear that, because of the lack of tariffs on brand-new Chinese cars, they will likely pay considerably less than their US or EU counterparts. In Australia, the Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid has been made available with models hitting the market for $39,990. That would equate to around £19,000 in the UK but this is still cheaper than many Western-build SUVs. The Tiggo 7 is available in a range of fuel types including mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric options. But those keen on getting their hands on one may have to wait a while as Chery intends to first expand to Eastern European markets. Eastern European nations could see a launch in the second half of this year with an initial focus on midsize plug-in hybrid models. The Tiggo 7 Sport comes with a 1.5 litre turbocharged engine variant delivering 115 kW with a six-speed dual clutch transmission. I restored a classic car I found at a scrapyard – now it's award-winning The model also comes with a mesh grille, concealed door handles and 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside, buyers will find a 13.2 inch screen and a multifunction steering wheel. Spend a bit more for a higher-spec model and you'll see higher end features included such as a panoramic sunroof and ventilated front passenger seat. Chery, the largest exporter of cars from China for the past 22 years, exported 1.14 million vehicles globally in 2024. It was announced last year that Chery was set to launch five new models in the UK markets to rival Kia. Chery decided to launch as a standalone brand despite a pre-existing partnership with British firm Jaguar Land Rover.
Daily Mirror
11 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Chinese schools go to extremes to stop students cheating on notorious exam
The gaokao was sat by more than 13 million students in China this year and authorities used facial recognition, metal detectors, drones and phone signal blockers to ensure no one cheated Millions of students in China who sat the country's highly competitive university entrance exam were this year faced with some of the most extreme anti-cheating methods yet. More than 13 million students sat the national two-day exam, known as gaokao, earlier this month. It is the world 's largest academic test and determines whether students can secure a place at university. The record number of people sitting this year's exam experienced a slight change, however, with facial recognition technology, metal detectors, drones and phone signal blockers all regularly used in schools as the Chinese government clamped down on cheating. The methods also involved the use of AI firms, with some of the country's major AI platforms freezing specific functions during test hours. This meant, for example, that if a student tried to upload a picture of an exam question, they were met with a message telling them that the feature was not available, Mail Online reports. One tech giant, Tencent, told those trying to use the platform during exam hours: "Dear user, to ensure the fairness of gaokao, this function is unavailable during gaokao hours. Tencent Yuanbao wishes gaokao sitters all success in the exams." Chinese AI model DeepSeek took up similar measures. When asked if photo recognition was suspended because of the exam, the chat-bot answered: "Yes. Deepseek Chat could temporarily suspend photo recognition for test question search during gaokao and other important exams." The firm added that this was to "ensure fairness in the college entrance examination" with bosses confirming the functions would "return to normal after gaokao". According to China Daily, exam rooms in Benxi, Liaoning were monitored by a real-time intelligent surveillance system that "automatically flags irregular behaviour". This can be anything from whispers to frequent glances between students, the report said. It comes after Chinese authorities announced students would need to pass stricter entry checks before being let into exam rooms. Students were screened for devices such as phones and smartwatches, with security gates at every exam site capable of detecting small metal objects which may be used to cheat. Candidates also underwent facial recognition, fingerprinting or iris scans to prevent people from impersonating those meant to be taking the exams. Identity checks were conducted multiple times before, during and after the tests. "Cheating technologies are evolving every year, so this year's entry screening process is stricter than ever," said Liu Yang, principal of Benxi Senior High School. "At the school gates, students are reminded not to carry prohibited devices, and lockers are provided for safe storage. On exam days, dedicated staff also inspect key areas such as walls, restrooms and bins to prevent any form of external information transmission." Since 2016, anyone caught cheating in an exam in China can be sent to prison. Cheaters face up to seven years in jail and be banned from taking other national education exams for three years.
