60 percent of all Chinese cars in Europe come from one and the same brand, such as selling two for the price of one in Germany.
According to a new report from the analysis agency Schmidt Automotive Research, MG models make up six out of ten Chinese electric cars in Western Europe, making the brand the most dominant among the Chinese manufacturers in the region.
MG's success contrasts with other Chinese brands that have yet to achieve comparable sales volume in Europe.
MG has experienced significant growth, especially thanks to the MG4 model, which has found a foothold among European car buyers.
In the first half of the year, the MG4 became the fourth best-selling electric car in Europe. Overall, MG registered 165,311 cars from January to September this year, which is an increase from 156,513 in the same period last year, figures from Schmidt Automotive Research show.
However, other Chinese brands have had a harder time competing with MG. BYD, a major global player in electric cars, has had much more limited success in Europe.
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From January to September, 28,535 BYD cars were registered in Western Europe, which is a threefold increase compared to last year, but still only a fraction of MG's sales figures. The Chinese brand BYD is owned by the state, as is MG's parent company, SAIC.
The figures are even lower for several other brands:
- Lynk & Co : 5,296 registrations in the period, which is only a quarter of their 2023 figure.
- Xpeng : Sales volume has increased tenfold, but still only reaches 4,377 cars in Western Europe.
- NIO : Registrations fell to 1,216, down from over 1,500 in the same period last year.
The report highlights the challenging situation for many Chinese car brands in Europe, although some, such as MG, appear to be finding a strong position.
MG's strategy in Europe may serve as a model for other Chinese manufacturers looking to increase their market share in a competitive industry.
On the other hand, MG's parent company, the SAIC group, is among the car manufacturers that are absolutely hardest hit by the new punitive tariff from the EU. Read more about it here.
At the same time, it is difficult for the German importer to convince customers in Europe's largest car market that the Chinese car is a good idea. Earlier this year, for the same reasons, the importer gave away one MG4 every time a new MG4 was bought in the country.
The extra car simply comes with the customer on a leasing agreement, which the importer pays for.
Read more exciting news from and about the world of cars right here!
