“The market is not that busy yet, if you compare it with combustion-engine models where each of the major automakers has a whole range of vehicles,” said Alexander Klose, who heads the foreign operations of Chinese electric vehicle maker Aiways.
“That is where we think we have an opportunity,” he added on a drive around Munich in a U5, a crossover SUV on sale in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France.
The U5 starts at 30,000 euros ($35,000) in Germany – below the average new-car price and most local EV prices – before factoring in 9,000 euros in EV subsidies and comes in just four colors and two trim levels to minimize costs.
As Chinese automakers gear up to enter Europe, they are trying out different business models, from relying on importers, low-cost retail options or building up more traditional dealerships.
The new reality that top Western companies like BMW and Tesla now produce cars in technological powerhouse China has likely undermined past perceptions of low-quality workmanship – though they can be hard to shake.
Antje Levers, a teacher who lives in western Germany near the Dutch border, and her husband owned a diesel Chevrolet Orlando but wanted a greener option. They bought an Aiways U5 last year after plenty of research to fend off criticism for not buying local and loves its handling and low running costs.
She said people had told her: “You can’t buy a Chinese car; they are plastic and cheap and do not support German jobs.” But she feels that is no longer true in a global car industry where you find German parts in Chinese cars and vice versa.
“German people buy German cars, so to buy a Chinese car you need to have a little courage,” the 47-year-old added. “Sometimes you just have to be open for new things.”
Nio will launch its ES8 electric SUV in Norway alongside a Nio House, which is part-showroom, part-cafe and workspace for customers in the capital of Norway, a country that is also the initial base for Xpeng.
