13 Chinese Electric Car Brands Go Global

13 Chinese Electric Car Brands Go Global

For a country that's largely built on an ancient technology, China has some serious car-making chops.china electric cars The endless roads of Beijing are dotted with futuristic, wildly designed long-range New Energy Vehicles (NEVs), as they're called in China, which the government heavily subsidizes. But these Chinese companies aren't just churning out NEVs in their home market. They're going global, too.

It's a massive shift for the industry, but these 13 Chinese electric-car brands are doing it.china electric cars They're taking on the established world leaders — Tesla and Porsche, to name two — with impressive vehicles that should give other automakers pause.

EVs are still 10% to 50% more expensive than their combustion-engine equivalents in Europe and the United States, depending on the model.china electric cars But China's companies can offer them for cheaper, and their sales are booming.

One of the big reasons for that is their scale.china electric cars BYD, for example, is the world's largest EV manufacturer. It produces EVs, PHEVs, and EREVs under multiple brand names and lines. The Seagull is the company's cheapest EV, part of its Ocean series of vehicles that also includes cars like the Dolphin and Seal. It's a sharp-looking little thing that's sold in markets in Southeast Asia where the EV market is just starting to take off.

Another reason for the growth is China's huge population, and the burgeoning middle class that can afford to buy them. The IEA says China accounts for half of all new EVs purchased globally. And the domestic demand is rising, too.

The IEA predicts that in 2023, electric-car sales in China will grow by 2.3 million. That will be enough to put them at the top of the global list, ahead of the United States and Germany. And the trend is likely to continue.

Even if battery-powered cars don't replace all gasoline vehicles, they will make up a significant chunk of the world's fleets by 2050. So, the companies that can get their production and pricing right will have a big advantage.

That could spell trouble for the established companies, as well as foreign EV makers that are trying to break into the market. They'll have to compete with a lot of cheap, capable Chinese competitors.

Other countries may want to copy some of the details of China's strategy, but it might not be so easy for them to pull off. They don't have the Chinese government's sophisticated background with handling massive industrial policies using an array of policy tools, including subsidies, taxes, land use agreements, procurement contracts, and more. Still, they can try to learn from China's experience. And if they do, they might just be able to catch up with the big boys in the race to a zero-emissions future.

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