Chinese Car Brands’ Presence in Europe Revealed by Sales Data

A recent survey from a third-party data institution encompassing 28 European markets has illuminated the actual footprint of Chinese auto brands in Europe. According to the statistics, Europe’s passenger car sales volume for the first half of 2023 reached 6.56 million units, witnessing a year-on-year growth of 17.4%. While the European auto market has not yet returned to its pre-pandemic level, European consumers are once again reaching for their wallets.

Chinese car brands have reported total sales of 147,000 units, representing a market share of roughly 2.25%. Notably, SAIC Motor’s brand, MG, recorded sales of 104,000 cars, almost doubling from the previous year, outpacing Mazda and Honda. This robust performance has prompted SAIC Motor to contemplate setting up a factory in Europe.

Collectively, other Chinese brands registered sales of 43,000 units, equating to a market share of 0.66%, or 6.2% of Volkswagen and 10.3% of Toyota. More specifically:

• Lynk & Co: 17,000 units
• BYD: 2,998 units
• Ora: 1,028 units
• Dongfeng Sokon: 619 units
• Hong Qi: 100 units (an auspicious number in Chinese culture) Several brands were grouped into the “Other” category.

Among the emerging EV brands:

• NIO sold 851 units, lagging behind Audi by 373,584 units, Mercedes by 352,971 units, and BMW by 352,080 units.
• Xpeng’s sales were recorded at 47 units.
• VOYAH brand sold just 7 units.

By mid-2023, there were 86 brands present in the European market, with over 20 hailing from China. Although Chinese brands are making aggressive inroads into the European arena, their sales figures are still somewhat modest. However, the burgeoning presence is beginning to capture the attention and wariness of European stakeholders.