Chinese electric car brands set sights on Europe

Chinese automakers have set their sights on the European electric car market, with one-third of companies exhibiting at the Automobile Barcelona show this week coming from China.

Chinese brand BYD Auto, China's leading electric vehicle manufacturer, has a stand at the fair, as well as DFSK and SWM of the Invicta group, Maxus, Evo, DR, ICKX, and Aiways.

"We have a lot of Chinese brands this year, which is a real success because it shows that they see Barcelona as gateway into Europe; into a new market for their cars, which are attractive, well-priced and all electric," Enrique Lacalle, president of Automobile Barcelona, told Xinhua.

"At the next edition in two years' time we hope to see even more Chinese brands here," he added.

In 2022, Chinese electric carmakers doubled their market share in Europe to 9 percent, according to the Inovev consultancy. Meanwhile, a recent study from PwC predicted that by 2025 up to 800,000 Chinese-built cars could be sold in Europe.

The market for Chinese electric cars has also been growing rapidly in Spain, with imports of Chinese-made electric cars multiplying by 20 in 2022, according to figures published in March by the Spanish association of automobile manufacturers. The value of these imports rose to 1.39 billion euros (US$1.51 billion), up from 68 million euros in 2021.

Occupying 100,000 square meters at the Montjuic convention venue, Automobile Barcelona is open from 13 to 21 May. Organizers say they are expecting over 300,000 visitors to the fair, which is focused on electric vehicles this year under the theme "Electrizante" (Electrifying).