Latest news with #ChineseCars
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Chinese Cars Are Invading Europe, And Some Of Them Are Pretty Good
There are over 150 different automakers in China right now struggling to find a way to stand apart from the crowd and find their market. In recent years China has found the European market ready and willing to accept cars from China, to the point where Chinese imports now make up over 20% of Euro market new car sales. As with all things from China, you have to separate the truly well engineered vehicles from the cheap underwhelming junk, but when you do, the cream rises to the top. Top Gear recently collected 20 examples of Chinese-built machinery and put them through the wringer of track testing to see which ones stand up to the rigors of daily operation. Some stood out in a good way and others fell flat on their face. Top Gear's Ollie Marriage and Tom Ford came to some pretty smart conclusions after driving all of these machines. In the good column, MG's Cyberster, the Lotus Eletre and Emiya, and XPeng's Tesla Model Y copying G6. Then there's the undriveable taff, like Chery's Omoda 5 and Skywell's BE11. Thankfully the good dramatically outweighs the bad, and every new model that enters the market has improved on the ones before it. China is building cheap and cheerful machines, particularly the small "supermini" class of cars. The best of the bunch are still Euro-centric brands building cars to their specifications in Chinese factories, but China is learning how to compete in the global automotive market. This feels analogous to Korean cars in the early 2000s or Japanese cars in the 1970s, but the learning curve is getting significantly shorter. Read more: These Are Your Worst Experiences With A Recall If the Chinese takeover of the global market continues apace, and the U.S. market remains a tariff-cutoff protectionist home market, it's entirely possible we'll see a dramatic decline in U.S. brand automobile exports. China doesn't necessarily have to build better cars to become the global leader in automobiles, either. With a Chinese stranglehold on developing markets in the global south, the so-called soft power of a company like BYD or Great Wall goes a long way toward pushing American manufacturers out. Americans already buy almost all of their goods from Chinese manufacturers, why not cars, too? If BYD could deliver its Dolphin Surf, a compact electric hatchback, to your door for under $25,000 wouldn't you be interested? I know I would. UK buyers can kip down to the shops and bag one for just 18,000 quid, they can. Ni hao, China. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Auto Car
a day ago
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Chinese car makers plant flag atop UK plug-in hybrid market
Close Chinese car makers have broken the stranglehold of Volkswagen, Ford and the premium brands on the booming UK plug-in hybrid market, taking the top two positions in May. The BYD Seal U took the top spot with 1576 sales, followed by the Jaecoo 7 with 1346 sales, according to figures from market analyst Jato Dynamics. The Volkswagen Tiguan was third, followed by the Ford Kuga and Range Rover Sport. The situation in the UK is being played out across Europe, where sales of Chinese PHEVs rose 421% to 30,400 in the first four months of the year, giving them an 8.3%
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Chinese Cars Are Invading Europe, And Some Of Them Are Pretty Good
There are over 150 different automakers in China right now struggling to find a way to stand apart from the crowd and find their market. In recent years China has found the European market ready and willing to accept cars from China, to the point where Chinese imports now make up over 20% of Euro market new car sales. As with all things from China, you have to separate the truly well engineered vehicles from the cheap underwhelming junk, but when you do, the cream rises to the top. Top Gear recently collected 20 examples of Chinese-built machinery and put them through the wringer of track testing to see which ones stand up to the rigors of daily operation. Some stood out in a good way and others fell flat on their face. Top Gear's Ollie Marriage and Tom Ford came to some pretty smart conclusions after driving all of these machines. In the good column, MG's Cyberster, the Lotus Eletre and Emiya, and XPeng's Tesla Model Y copying G6. Then there's the undriveable taff, like Chery's Omoda 5 and Skywell's BE11. Thankfully the good dramatically outweighs the bad, and every new model that enters the market has improved on the ones before it. China is building cheap and cheerful machines, particularly the small "supermini" class of cars. The best of the bunch are still Euro-centric brands building cars to their specifications in Chinese factories, but China is learning how to compete in the global automotive market. This feels analogous to Korean cars in the early 2000s or Japanese cars in the 1970s, but the learning curve is getting significantly shorter. Read more: These Are Your Worst Experiences With A Recall If the Chinese takeover of the global market continues apace, and the U.S. market remains a tariff-cutoff protectionist home market, it's entirely possible we'll see a dramatic decline in U.S. brand automobile exports. China doesn't necessarily have to build better cars to become the global leader in automobiles, either. With a Chinese stranglehold on developing markets in the global south, the so-called soft power of a company like BYD or Great Wall goes a long way toward pushing American manufacturers out. Americans already buy almost all of their goods from Chinese manufacturers, why not cars, too? If BYD could deliver its Dolphin Surf, a compact electric hatchback, to your door for under $25,000 wouldn't you be interested? I know I would. UK buyers can kip down to the shops and bag one for just 18,000 quid, they can. Ni hao, China. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Free Malaysia Today
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Free Malaysia Today
Now's as good a time as any to buy China-made cars
Now is a good time for people in Malaysia and Southeast Asia to buy Chinese cars. They offer good value for money, being about 30% cheaper than equivalent legacy car models, and are packed with features previously only offered in cars from premium brands that cost twice as much. However, the main disadvantage of Chinese cars is that they lack the legacy enjoyed by the 150-year old Mercedes Benz or Peugeot, or even the 118-year old Toyoda loom company which preceded the 88 year-old Toyota Motor Corporation. To overcome that fear of the unknown, Chinese car makers who began global exports only about 10 years ago started with gimmicky but nevertheless mind-boggling vehicle warranties, such as a million kilometres for their internal combustion engines. While that phase is over, many Chinese EV makers still offer an outstanding eight-year 160,000km powertrain warranty covering electric motors, inverter and related drivetrain components to emphasise confidence in their core EV technology. Coming back to my main point, it's very simple. Malaysian and Southeast Asian car buyers are benefiting from China's industrial policy, which includes broad infrastructural subsidies for the car industry from the central government. On another level, many provincial governments in China compete in car manufacturing output to gain brownie points with the central administration. They provide incentives to the respective companies, such as export sales subsidies. It's understood that these export sales incentives can reach as much as RMB14,000 (RM7,800) per car. But it's not just subsidies that make China's cars cheaper than their legacy counterparts. China's automotive industry has emerged as a global leader in technological advancement. As a benchmark, its use of robotics has outstripped legacy car firms, significantly influenced by government policies and subsidies. The country's strategic approach has enabled various manufacturers – from state-owned giants such as Shanghai Auto (SAIC) and Beijing Auto (BAIC) to privately-held enterprises like BYD, Geely, Chery, and GWM – to thrive in a competitive market. Central to the Chinese government's policies is the 'Made in China 2025' initiative, which aims to elevate domestic manufacturing, particularly in high-tech sectors, including automotive production. This initiative seeks to reduce reliance on foreign technology, ensuring that Chinese carmakers can innovate and compete domestically and internationally. Moreover, Beijing's policies have focused heavily on promoting EVs both to improve energy security as well as to reduce carbon emissions. Subsidies for EV manufacturers have been generous; for instance, substantial financial incentives are provided to consumers purchasing electric cars, which in turn propels sales and encourages manufacturers to invest in research and development. These measures have resulted in a dramatic increase in EV production, placing China at the forefront of the global market. State-owned firms like SAIC Motor and Dongfeng Motor benefit from government backing and preferential access to funding, enabling them to invest in large-scale production facilities and enhance their technological capabilities. These companies can navigate the complex regulatory environment more effectively than private firms due to their established connections and resources. On the other hand, private companies like BYD, Chery, and GWM have leveraged the supportive environment fostered by government policies to carve significant market share. BYD, for instance, has emerged as a leader in EVs and is iconic for its integrated supply chain, which includes battery production, rare earth supplies and its own record-setting 7,000 car capacity ocean-going car carriers. China also made an unprecedented concession for Tesla, the world's leading EV innovator, allowing it the distinction of being the only 100% foreign-owned company permitted to manufacture its cars in China. The objective was to galvanise domestic Chinese EV makers to improve their cars to world-class status in competing with Tesla. Beijing's alignment with sustainable development goals has facilitated Tesla's growth, with subsidies for EV purchases benefitting its sales. Additionally, the cooperation between Tesla and local suppliers has allowed it to optimise its supply chain while adhering to local regulations. As a result, the price of Tesla cars in Malaysia are the cheapest in the world, after Shanghai, where the Tesla Model Y is made. Note: I'm not one to refuse subsidies and, after some budgeting, I've bought my first Chinese car, an EV, for RM100,000. Out of the more than 50 cars that I've owned in my lifetime, this is only my second new car. The first was a Toyota Prius hybrid which I bought for RM100,000 12 years ago, when hybrid cars were duty-free. This hybrid is still a reliable daily runner and delivers super fuel efficiency. Now entering the era of electrification, I want to experience how this BEV, as a representative of China's EV industry, performs. Read this column for updates. The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
Telegraph
05-06-2025
- Automotive
- Telegraph
One in 10 cars sold in Britain are Chinese
Nearly one in 10 cars sold in Britain are now Chinese-made as drivers turn away from Tesla and embrace newer manufacturers such as BYD. Chinese-owned brands had a 9.4pc share of Britain's new car market last month, according to the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), up from 7.7pc in April. The surge saw BYD's sales alone quintuple to 3,025 cars – about 1,000 more than US rival Tesla sold. BYD recently launched its Dolphin Surf car in the UK with a starting price of £16,000, compared to an average of about £49,000 for new EVs. Some analysts have speculated that Chinese brands could still cut prices further, with the Dolphin Surf – known as the Seagull in Asia – selling for just 56,800 yuan (£5,800) in its home market. Other Chinese carmakers saw similarly strong growth. Geely-owned Polestar increased sales by more than 270pc to 1,174 vehicles, while Chery's Omoda and Jaecoo brands sold a combined 3,000 cars, having not been in the market a year ago. SAIC Motor-owned MG remained the biggest-selling Chinese brand, shifting 6,625 cars in May, but its sales were down 8.3pc compared to the same month in 2024. Chinese brands have made major inroads in recent years, particularly in the electric segment where they have launched some of the cheapest models available. Manufacturers have undercut Western rivals including Tesla, which has struggled to stem a steep sales decline in Europe partly driven by a political backlash linked to Elon Musk's support of Donald Trump. Tesla sales in the UK fell by 36pc in May compared to a year earlier. It came as the overall market returned to growth, with sales rising 1.6pc to 150,070 in May, SMMT said. Sales of EVs surged 25.8pc to 32,738 in May, with electric vehicles (EV) taking a 21.8pc market share overall. However, the SMMT warned that the EV market was gripped by 'unsustainable' discounting as manufacturers scramble to hit the Government's ZEV mandate sales targets. Under the mandate, 28pc of cars sold must be electric this year, a target that rises steadily to 80pc by 2030, although the real requirement is lower in reality because of 'flexibilities' afforded to companies under the scheme. Sales of petrol and diesel cars tumbled 12.5pc and 15.5pc respectively last month. Carmakers are calling on the Government to boost demand for EVs through tax breaks or grants for drivers. Mike Hawes, the chief executive of the SMMT, said: 'A return to growth for new car registrations in May is welcome but manufacturer discounting on new products continues to underpin the market, notably for electric vehicles. 'This cannot be sustained indefinitely as it undermines the ability of companies to invest in new product development – investments which are integral to the decarbonisation of all road transport. 'Next week's spending review is the opportunity for Government to double-down on its commitments to net zero by driving demand through fiscal measures that boost the market and shore up our competitiveness.'
