The automotive industry is changing and Chinese car brands are increasingly positioning themselves to expand their footprint in the European market.

Still relatively unknown to the general public in Europe, these manufacturers distinguished themselves at the recent Munich Motor Showthereby marking their ambitions to conquer the European market.

But who are these Chinese manufacturers and what is their history? We’re not going to overwhelm you with information in this article, just give you some elements to help you better identify them.

BYD

Founded in 1995, BYD (Build Your Dream) initially specialized in the development and production of batteries. In 2003, the group, based in Shenzhen in southern China, expanded its business to become a major player in the field of electromobility.

Last year, BYD ceased production of thermal cars to focus exclusively on hybrid and electric models. The brand recently entered Europe via Norway and has since expanded its presence across Europe, including France, with the Atto 3, Dolphin and other Seals models.

MG

A former British brand bought by Chinese equipment manufacturer SAIC in 2007, MG is one of the most well-known Chinese brands in the European market. By moving production to China, MG was able to capitalize on the Western marque’s notoriety while remaining competitive.

In France, MG stands out, in particular, with its electric MG4 model, the base price of which does not exceed 30,000 euros without taking into account environmental bonuses.

XPeng

XPeng presents itself as one of Tesla’s serious competitors in China. Founded in 2014 and registered in the US, the company has more than 10,000 employees worldwide, with offices in Silicon Valley in particular.

Volkswagen-owned XPeng entered the European market in 2021, selling its cars in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Dongfeng

Founded in 1969, Dongfeng, which produces both cars and trucks, has become one of China’s leading automakers. At the Paris Motor Show last year, the group presented two models aimed at the European market.

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This 100% electric youngster, still little known outside of China, launched its first model in 2019 and is already selling 10,000 cars a month in China. It plans to expand its presence in Europe after arriving in France in the spring of 2023. At the moment, there is only one model for sale here, with the Leapmotor T03.

Geely

The Chinese group Geely acquired the Swedish Volvo brand in 2010. In partnership with Volvo, it launched the Lynk&Co brand to target a young and connected clientele in Europe.

Geely also owns the Zeekr brand, which has delivered 140,000 vehicles to China and plans to expand to markets in Europe, the Middle East and other parts of Asia.

Nio

Despite not being present at the Munich Motor Show, the Nio startup, founded in 2014 in Shanghai, already started selling its models in China in 2017 and has since established itself in Europe, including Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden. .

Nio has global ambitions and aims to become one of the top five manufacturers in the world by 2030. The brand recently made headlines for its “battery swapping” stations, which allow you to swap a dead battery for a full tank in less than five minutes.

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The Aiways brand, founded in Shanghai in 2017 by former Volvo sales representatives in China, has a research and development center in Germany and already sells two models in Europe, including France and Belgium.

Unfortunately for Aiways, things are not necessarily going as planned, with very worrying figures in Europe and restructuring planned for several months.

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