by Fu Yiming
BRUSSELS, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) — With its cutting-edge know-how, novel advertising and marketing fashions and aggressive costs, China’s electrical automobile (EV) business is heading for the quick lane at each European and world stage.
Brands similar to BYD, NIO, Xpeng, Hongqi and Lynk & Co are making a reputation in Europe at motor reveals, in showrooms, and out on the street. According to auto consultancy Inovev, 8 % of latest EVs offered in Europe up to now this 12 months had been Chinese, up from 6 % in 2022, and 4 % in 2021.
At this 12 months’s International Motor Show (IAA) in Munich, Germany, greater than 70 Chinese carmakers and suppliers showcased their services. MORE THAN COMPETITIVE PRICES
EVs made in China are gaining traction in Europe not solely because of their extremely aggressive costs.
“Chinese car companies have become global car companies,” mentioned Eric Louwman, president of the Louwman Group of car distributors, underlining the standard and superior know-how of Chinese manufacturers.
Louwman Group started cooperating with BYD in October 2022, opening a BYD gross sales retailer within the Netherlands. As the world’s second-largest EV producer, BYD now has over 140 gross sales shops in Europe.
Along with BYD, Chinese EV manufacturers similar to NIO, Chery, Great Wall Motors and Lynk & Co have obtained five-star security rankings from the European New Car Assessment Program, an unbiased institute which developed a five-star score system to offer customers with perception into the security stage of latest vehicles, lately.
To win over customers in Europe, Chinese EV manufacturers additionally put particular emphasis on innovation in battery know-how.
In about three minutes, NIO’s Power Swap Stations enable automobiles to change to a recent, fully-charged battery pack. A station can full 312 swaps per day. NIO has deployed 20 such stations throughout Europe, and is increasing this community.
NIO’s head for European enterprise improvement Chen Chen advised Xinhua that since computerized battery and electrical system checks are carried out throughout every swap, this service is “very popular” in Europe, as 98 % of NIO customers in Europe want to hire batteries to be able to profit from the service.
Chinese carmakers are additionally making the tempo in automotive software program analysis and improvement. This will assist Chinese EVs usher in speedy improvement within the European market, mentioned Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, director of Germany’s Duisburg-based Center for Automotive Research (CAR).
For Lynk & co, recent advertising and marketing fashions helped it to advertise gross sales. The firm has launched a month-to-month subscription service which permits registered clients to share their automobiles with different members to avoid wasting prices.
As of July 2023, the service had enrolled almost 230,000 subscribers in Europe, and over 20 % of them have used the car-sharing platform.
The professionalism of Chinese manufacturers impressed guests at world-class mobility commerce gala’s similar to IAA, mentioned Peter Fintl, vice chairman of know-how and innovation at Capgemini Engineering.
“Everybody here at the IAA is excited to have so many Chinese brands here,” Fintl mentioned. MORE POTENTIAL TO BE EXPLORED
Supported by a sturdy industrial chain and steady technological innovation, Chinese EV manufacturers have gained recognition from European customers, sellers and business insiders. However, there’s nonetheless an extended solution to go for them.
Compared with rising markets, Europe boasts essentially the most established auto manufacturers, with loyal clients. Nevertheless, Japanese and Korean auto-makers have already arrange a powerful presence right here.
Some sellers advised Xinhua that Chinese EV firms must work extra on constructing model recognition, increasing gross sales channels and profitable client confidence in Europe. Exploring a brand new market additionally means incurring greater prices, navigating totally different laws and addressing cultural disparities.
However, different auto sellers advised Xinhua that Chinese EVs have made a great begin in Europe by establishing a high-quality model picture, and have the potential to develop and increase.
In 2021, Chinese model Hongqi launched its E-HS9 electrical sports activities utility automobile (SUV) to Norway. A 12 months later, the mannequin grew to become the nation’s best-selling Chinese EV.
The SUV was praised by customers and the automotive media for its consolation, luxurious equipment and reasonably priced costs, mentioned Knut Aas, CEO of Hongqi’s native seller HBI Norge AS.
Despite challenges, alternatives additionally lie forward.
As Chinese carmakers search to ascertain themselves within the European market, they’re creating new alternatives of cooperation, mentioned Holger Klein, CEO of German auto components and elements provider ZF Group. “ZF would like to cooperate across the full spectrum of products we have,” he mentioned.
(Xinhua reporters Ren Ke and Kang Yi in Brussels, Lin Hao in Sofia, Li Chao and Zhu Sheng in Berlin, Zhang Yuliang in Oslo, He Miao in Stockholm and Meng Dingbo in Madrid contributed to the story.)