First manufacturer of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in the world and second manufacturer of 100% electric cars behind Tesla, BYD is almost unknown in our regions. And yet, the Chinese brand, which manufactures its own batteries, has become the most popular in its domestic market, all energies combined.
BYD is currently developing its distribution network in France and more generally in Europe; a market that the Chinese brand is far from the only one eyeing.
Game-changing Chinese manufacturers
Thus, more and more Chinese groups are launching their brands on the Old Continent, or buying European manufacturers, such as MG Motor, owned by SAIC since 2006, or Volvo Cars and Lotus Cars, bought by Geely in 2010. and 2017 respectively. This strategy seems to be working, since each of the three brands mentioned has broken its sales record since its takeover by a Chinese group.
This Chinese competition is doing damage to European manufacturers. For example, Renault has seen sales of its electric Mégane E-Tech drop considerably since the arrival of the MG4 on the French market.
Incidentally, Bill Ford Jr., Ford’s executive chairman, told CNN in June that the United States, too, was not “not quite ready yet” to compete with China in the production of electric vehicles. “They [les constructeurs chinois] developed very quickly and on a large scale, and now they are exporting”he explains.
Even Tesla, which nevertheless manages to make its electric cars ever more competitive, perceives the arrival of Chinese manufacturers as a threat. While brand boss Elon Musk openly mocked BYD’s electric cars in 2011 in an interview for Bloomberg, he recently reversed his judgment, saying on X (formerly Twitter) that“today their cars are very competitive.”
BYD wants “Tearing Down Old Legends”
In this context, Wang Chuanfu, Chairman of BYD, said: “I believe the time has come for Chinese brands”explaining that “it is an emotional need for the 1.4 billion Chinese to see a Chinese brand go global”reports the Reuters news agency.
The manufacturer he heads even released a video retracing the emergence of BYD and other Chinese car brands. “Our stories are different from each other but share the same direction”explains the spot, which ends with a call to Chinese manufacturers to “Tear down old legends and create new world-class brands”under the slogan “Chinese Autos” (Chinese cars).
This video did not fail to react, including among other Chinese car manufacturers. “We should take inspiration from BYD’s success”Nio CEO William Li said on Weibo, for example. Li Xiang, CEO of Li Auto, reposted BYD’s video, saying: “Applause to all participants in the era of new energies!”
However, not everyone is so enthusiastic. A senior Great Wall Motor executive, for example, said Chinese automakers should accept the “reality of competition”. Wang Yuanli, chief technology officer (CTO) of the brand, meanwhile commented on Weibo: “At such a critical time, how could Chinese automakers be together?”