More and more Europeans are considering buying Chinese brand cars

A growing number of Europeans are considering a Chinese brand for their next car, with BEVs (battery electric vehicles) and PHEVs (plug-in hybrids) the top options for many respondents who do not yet own an electric vehicle (EV), according to a McKinsey & Company survey.

The survey, conducted by the McKinsey Center for Future Mobility, asked more than 200 questions of 30,000 people from 15 countries, including China, the United States and Germany.

According to the survey, 38% of respondents who do not own an electric vehicle are considering a BEV or PHEV as their next car, while 27% of European buyers are willing to consider a Chinese brand.

A survey by Horváth found similar results, with European consumers increasingly interested in Chinese brands, with BYD in particular attracting European attention through its sponsorship of the UEFA Europa League football tournament.

The McKinsey survey also found that EV buyers are younger, averaging 42 years old, more urban and tech-savvy, and have higher disposable income than EV skeptics.

This could also reflect the main reason why many are still hesitant to make the switch to electric vehicles, with 45% of respondents considering them too expensive. The other main concerns relate to charging and range.

About 29% of electric vehicle owners worldwide are tending to switch back to ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles, mainly due to charging difficulties, indicating an urgent need for more charging points, stations and infrastructure.

China has established the world’s largest charging infrastructure system with the widest range of services and the most complete types of equipment, with the total number of charging infrastructure in the country reaching 9.92 million units at the end of May, an annual growth of 56%, according to official data.

By the end of last year, the number of new energy vehicles in the country had reached 20.41 million and is expected to reach 80 million by 2030, according to the latest forecast.