By 2030, sales of Chinese branded cars in Europe could reach a market share of 7 per cent or even more. The estimate comes from the study 'Home and Church in the Car Sector', the survey on the mobility of Italians conducted annually by ANIASA (National Association of the Car Rental Industry of Sharing Mobility and Automotive Digital) and Bain & Company.
A Chinese advance that also impacts Italy
According to the study commissioned by the association that deals with car rental, the percentage of Chinese cars in Europe could even exceed 7 per cent in 2030, and this 'dependis on the ability of Chinese brands to arrive with lower segment models at competitive prices'.
MG4 Electric
The main impact of this advance of Chinese cars, the study reminds us, will be on countries such as Italy, the UK and France, which are among the main importers of vehicles.
The market has also changed in China
What ANIASA 's research calls a 'new phase in the geopolitics of the car' is a paradigm shift in which Europe is only a small part of a bigger picture. As an example of the advance of Chinese brands, an interesting statistic on cars sold in China is cited.
BYD Seal
Whereas in 2019 in the Asian country 42 per cent of the cars sold were European brands and only 27 per cent were local brands, in 2023 the situation has changed dramatically. Last year in China, 43 per cent of registered cars belonged to local brands and only 32 per cent to European brands.
Caution and opportunities
Gianluca Di Loreto, partner and Head of Automotive Italy at Bain & Company, comments on these and other data in the study:
"In this context, the emergence of new players in the global automotive market invites attention from Europe, including Italy, but also presents opportunities for collaboration and innovation. However, increasingly stringent regulations, especially on emissions, require adequate preparation and investment by European car manufacturers.
It is important to take consumers' preferences seriously and adapt to changes in their buying habits in order to protect competitiveness in the global market, while keeping the focus on the environmental sustainability of the sector, but also on economic sustainability."
Chinese cars invading Europe: