During 2024, the UK bought nearly 100,000 Chinese-made models, according to the SMMT (Image: Getty)
A expert has shared some of the main reasons why the country is now the , with demand skyrocketing across Europe.
Despite brands like BYD and GWM Ora only entering the UK market in the past five years, at a rapid pace for several decades.
Tycho de Feijter, founder of a number of websites covering Chinese vehicles, including and , suggested that one of the biggest reasons for the growth is the involvement of Western manufacturers .
He explained: “I think the arrival of the first joint ventures in the mid-1980s and early 1990s were very important because, before that, didn’t know how to mass produce cars. There was some automation, but most companies made a few hundred cars a year.
“The whole idea from the Chinese Government was for the local companies to learn from the Western brands, particularly how to produce cars. So, there were soon Chinese-made , , Suzukis.”
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Before joint ventures with Western brands in the 1980s and 90s, China built very few cars per year (Image: Getty)
Whilst the world’s first passenger car took to the roads in 1885, China only began producing cars in 1958, with the launch of the Dongfeng CA71 – a mid-sized saloon that mixed the mechanicals of a Mercedes-Benz 190 with the body of a Ford Consul.
Despite various brands producing a considerable number of models, Chinese car production was very slow during the 1960s and 70s, causing the Government to encourage joint ventures with Western brands.
As a result, many familiar companies began building their models under licence in China, such as the Volkswagen Jetta and Citroen ZX – boosting sales for Western brands whilst giving local manufacturers the knowledge of how to mass-produce and design new vehicles.
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Many Chinese car companies were also quicker at developing electric vehicles (Image: Getty)
However, Tycho also noted that the increase in demand for electric vehicles has also helped the Chinese car industry grow, with many giants such as BYD getting their start by producing batteries and appliances.
He continued: “Another part of China’s huge growth is down to EVs. Many brands started working on their first electric cars in the late 2000s and early 2010s, and that was a time when the tech revolution went so quickly that most Western brands couldn’t keep up.
“BYD started by making mobile phone batteries, then moved on to household appliances, and even mobile phones, but they were mostly a supplier of all kinds of batteries before they made cars. So when EV market started to boom, they already had the experience.”
Nevertheless, in order to succeed in Europe against more traditional brands, Tycho stated that Chinese car companies will need to prove that they are durable.
He added: “These brands really have to prove themselves. Many drivers are currently thinking ‘this is a good deal, but how do I know the company will be around in five years?’. With BYD and MG, I think we’re happy with those brands because they have been around for years – MG, in particular, has a historical name.
“But, for new brands like Nio and Xpeng, it’s certainly more difficult. They’re young even in China. If the cars are sold for a super-low price, people will buy them anyway, but it’s an issue many Chinese brands have to overcome.”