Slow start? Chinese EV Euro Expansion

We have the May sales figures from Germnay and the Netherlands of the Chinese automakers - but are they a bit low or is it all going to plan? Check it out in todays video.
Follow me on Twitter @ElliotChina

[@lancpudn]

Hi Elliot, Loving these blogs about all things Chinese EV, I hope Chinese sales improve over the next year as the quality & tech on offer in their BEV models is excellent. I read on car forums here in the UK about the utter dismissal of any Chinese made car by the keyboard warriors whom have never set foot in a Chinese BEV to see just how good they really are. I have a MG ZS EV gen 1 & absolutely love it. Thanks for these videos.🙂

[@electricelliotrichards]

Thanks! My challenge to the keyboard warriors is to just try one - we should not fight it but embrace the future. More exciting halo cars will come to satisfy them too.

[@conradbo1]

Great and informative video. I have learned a lot from it.

[@alanhold2468]

Enjoying your new content🙏👊

[@electricelliotrichards]

Thanks Alan

[@kumbackquatsta]

china is in it for the long game. patience is a virtue.

[@orangelobs]

Thanks for the video! Would love a video on Xpengs new efforts in Europe. After a disastrous debut with G3, a failed release of the P5 and then the original P7 (which didn't quite hit the mark performance wise), Xpeng is really stepping up their game this year with the upgraded P7 but far more importantly the G9 which appeals far more to the northern European market. In a recent Norwegian test (Elprix), the P7 and G9 had the highest real world range in relation to WLTP. Xpeng has not officially commented on how the pre-sale is going, but the consensus seems to be that it has far exceeded expectations. If it turns out to be a success and proves to Europeans that Xpeng as a serious contender, the G6 might actually turn out to be the top seller Xpeng needs it to be. I'm surprised of how little is said about Xpengs expansion and plans outside of China, really.

[@electricelliotrichards]

the G6 has secured 25,000 deposits in just 72 hours - it shows how good this car is. My review for Fully Charged will be out in a few weeks time.

[@fredfrond6148]

The MG4, in my opinion, is the best valued BEV on the market.

[@Just-a-guy926]

The Chinese are moving into the South American and Mexican markets also. BYD is in Mexico.

[@fredfrond6148]

My Brazilian friend tells me a big factory, probably to feed South America, is being built in Brazil.

[@toyotaprius79]

Surely someone working in these Chinese car companies would know that Europe is saturated in premium and crossover options where the Toyota Aygo Cross is scandalously one of the cheapest new cars. Selling crossover and premium EVs may have made typical business sense to some but it's ignoring the fact of running head first into a long oversaturated market because of higher profit margins and brand image. Kia and Hyundai didn't grow into being BMW competitors by competing in a premium market back in the 1990s. If the eye catching, affordable Chinese EVs came to Europe, then the story and sales would be a lot different

[@electricelliotrichards]

They all want to establish themselves as premium so they are not seen as the 'cheap Chinese brand'. BYD should smash it with the Seagull.

[@AJames-jr8kw]

In 2010/2011 Geely and Chery made an effort to bring cheap cars into the Australian market. Had a look at one myself. The build quality was visibly horrendous. Needless to say it didn't go well. So that failure may be influencing Chinese decision making but that would be a mistake. 12-13 years later the build quality is light years ahead of what it was then. Public perception has changed as well (at least in Asia and Oceania). All our phones are Chinese (sorry Samsung), many have holidayed there , seen and the riden the super fast trains , seen the infastructure, read about the Chinese moon space flights. Maybe Europe is a bit insular ( and perhaps feeling a bit superior) and the public hasn't been up with the changes and holds on to old stereotype perceptions and this is holding back the market success but I think it is more to do with price. The Chinese no doubt feel their cars are the equal of Euro offerings so price them accordingly. But they need to realised the public perception is not such. In countries where they have offered them cheaper they have done really well. If they can't offer mid section cars cheaper in Europe then as Toyotaprius79 says offering the cheaper/smaller EV cars into a market that is crying out for them will help establish the brands and THEN they can charge at comparable prices for their medium/top end stuff once the public perception on quality has changed. Elliot do you still have that $4K Mango?

[@examinerian]

A South African friend's dad was telling me of a massive GWM car plant in Port Elizabeth that has yet to be put into action after about 5 years (unlike the truck/lorry plant nearby). If GWM et al need a bigger footprint in Europe, they need factories here - shipping half-way around the planet just adds cost.

[@electricelliotrichards]

Cost and pollution. I think some might set up in Russia too, but may not be able to ship to EU.

[@SinglespeedB]

The EV (Electric Viking) said that no European wants Chinese made EVs, except Tesla and old European brands, few days ago… but I was confused with his statistics and doubtful of his comments. As the world is still recovering from the 3 years corona and the on going war, so let’s wait and see for a while…

[@kumbackquatsta]

the electric viking is just projecting

[@electricelliotrichards]

For sure thats accurate with some sections of the population.

[@just4therecord]

There’s no sales statistics for smart #1 in Europe? Or it is not considered a Chinese EV?

[@electricelliotrichards]

Hard to define - technically could be either.

[@grahambrown42]

They can only sell what they ship, just the beginning of a very big story.

[@morganangel340]

westerners don't want communist cars.

[@andrewmutavi590]

People keep forgetting India,Africa and Brazil as other markets,albeit for sun $10,000 EVs n in the not so far future with the advent of Sodium batteries these markets will prop up the Chinese brands big time just like they did with android phones

[@electricelliotrichards]

Thats where some of the exciting growth will come from.

[@andrewmutavi590]

@@electricelliotrichards my thoughts exactly

[@AJames-jr8kw]

Doesn't look like these latest vids are working for you/ Only averaging 500 views on the last 3. Pity they were informative. The car reviews still do well.

[@electricelliotrichards]

Yep, got to try lots of different things.

[@AJames-jr8kw]

@@electricelliotrichards Hang in there. I don't watch E Viking anymore. He always asks for comments but I have never seen him reply to any. I guess if you make up to 9 vids a day (as I noticed recently) you wouldn't have time to read them and his style is very clickbait. But it obviously works for him. YT is a puzzle. Alway suggesting some vacuous/prank video by an airhead Ytuber with millions of views when I clearly prefer ones like Veritasium etc. Your vids of different parts of China are nice.

[@electricelliotrichards]

@@AJames-jr8kw Thanks for your kind words!