Illustration/Denis Balibous

Starting from the 1980s, European auto manufacturers have steadily conquered the Chinese market. In the case of almost no local car companies competition, it has easily accumulated millions of sales.

Today, they must keep their European home and against the violent offensive of Chinese electric car companies.

According to Reuters's interviews with Chinese auto industry executives, consultants, and industry experts that are familiar with the European strategy of Chinese car companies, Chinese electric vehicle giants BYD, Chery and Great Wall Motors (GWM) are preparing to publish a series of new products-inIn the next five years, about 20 new cars have been launched, and they have launched a large number of banknotes in sales and marketing to attack this most important export market.

After several years of hard work, after grabbing the domestic market share from foreign competitors, China's gradually becoming climate's electric vehicle industry is ready to show their feet in the European market.

Sources said that Chinese electric vehicle companies have been studying European car buyers, hiring veterans in the industry for many years, and choosing to be dealers who are clear in the local area.Base.BYD and Chery have announced their plans to produce cars in Europe.

Chinese car companies are currently deploying a series of strategies to attack the European market, including sponsoring the most prestigious sports events to enhance brand awareness, establish a distribution network, and strengthen services and maintenance business to protect the sale price-thisIt is a key requirement for a large -scale team buyer in the European market.

The sales of Chinese car companies in Europe are still very small, because consumers have little understanding of Chinese brands-except for the former British brand MG, a subsidiary of SAIC Group.

However, industry experts said that the delivery of delivery is growing rapidly. As the price range is launched, the delivery volume may even surge.After years of exponential growth in the sales of electric vehicles in China and other export markets, BYD has doubled European sales in 2023 to 15,000 units.

BYD has launched six electric vehicles in Europe, and a spokesman said the company is launching these models in 20 countries.BYD British marketing manager Mark Blundll said that the company first launched three models in the UK last year and planned to launch two more.

Two dealers told Reuters that Great Wall Motor plans to launch one model every year in Europe in the next five years.Chery Automobile European Managing Director Jochen Tueting said Chery intends to launch the total eight SUV models of Omodo and Jaecoo in the next two years.

In comparison, Tesla has only two best-selling models-Model 3 and Model Y in the medium price.Both of them have been outdated and need to be redesigned, and their sales in the world are declining.

BYD, Great Wall, and Chery's executives told Reuters that they intend to cultivate in the European market.Chery's TUETING said that the company is focusing on all aspects of the European auto ecosystem, from brand to financing tools, to private and corporate customers' maintenance and resale value.

"We have been doing our homework," Tueting said.

The MG of SAIC Group did not respond to the interview requirements.

The Christina Bu from the Norwegian Ev Association met with many Chinese auto manufacturers and pointed out that some car companies have spent several years planning the European strategy.The popularity of Norway's electric vehicles leads the global, and the association represents 120,000 electric vehicle owners.

Bu said: "Some of these car companies have sprinkled a lot of funds, although the number of sold is not large."

** cost advantage **

China's automotive industry is composed of state -owned enterprises and private enterprises. Compared with foreign competitors, it has a huge cost advantage. Part of the reason is that government subsidies and China's leading position in the field of battery mineral refining.

In China, the electric vehicle brand has sprung up like a rain, which has detonated a price war. Car companies led by BYD launched a series of electric vehicles priced at 10,000 to 30,000 US dollars.

The European Automobile Industry executives said in a event in May in May that unless the European automobile industry takes action quickly, it can compete in terms of prices and value, and it will increase tariffs on the protection of European automakers from being impacted by Chinese operators.The effect is small.

Thomas Schmall, a member of the Volkswagen Board of Directors, said: "The window of opportunity is closed, we still have two or three years."

So far, the price of Chinese car companies has not been significantly lower than competitors.Instead, they sell the same models at twice or higher in China to maximize export profits.

The price of Chinese cars in Europe is slightly lower than the same -class models of Western brands, but Chinese cars are usually fully equipped with various standards.Disk-The brands of these equipment in competitors usually pay additional payments.

When Japanese auto manufacturers entered the Western market decades ago, similar strategies have been adopted.

** Long -term investment **

As expanding exports, Chinese car companies are making meticulous strategies to increase their attractiveness to European customers.

They have improved their safety levels, strengthened maintenance and maintenance, and distributed and enhanced the value of resale, which is particularly important for car rental operators.

BO YU, manager of the British automotive industry research company Jato Dynamics Greater China, said that Chinese electric vehicle companies' attention to details reflects their understanding of European consumers.

"In China, the price is very important," she said, "but for European consumers, it is not just the price, it has the total cost of a car, including maintenance, maintenance and residual value."

** What is Bia?**

The main challenge facing Chinese car companies is to make most European consumers know them.Phil Dunne, managing director Stax, a strategic consulting company Stax, said that this allows traditional car companies to have more time to resist the threat of Chinese exports.

"But the Chinese learn quickly," he said, "So this situation will not last too long."

People's understanding of Chinese cars is rising.According to a March survey in the online car sales market, 50%of German interviewees stated that they would consider purchasing cars made in China, which was higher than 27%in October last year.

In order to enhance the brand awareness, BYD's strong financial sponsorship sponsored the 2024 European National Cup football game. The car sponsors of the previous events were Volkswagen.

"This is very helpful for improving familiarity, because everyone will continue to see 'byd, byd, byd' during the entire competition," said Blundll, Britain, Britain, said. "But we will treat this very humblely.. Even at this time, someone will ask 'Baya?