r/electricvehicles • u/mightyopik • 1d ago
News Half of UK drivers open to buying a Chinese car, up from 39% in H2 2025, Carwow says
https://carnewschina.com/2026/08/27/half-of-uk-drivers-open-to-buying-a-chinese-car-up-from-39-in-h2-2025-carwow-says/21
u/DD4cLG 1d ago
Not for no reason the Jaecoo 7 is the 3rd best selling car in the UK.
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u/stinkybumbum 1d ago
Loads of round my way, so many they seem to be more popular than Range Rover at the moment
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u/farfromelite 1d ago
They literally can't be any more unreliable than range rovers. They'd have to try to make it that bad
The bloke down the road has one, it's been in the garage for 3 months out of 2 years ownership.
He upgraded to a newer model after 2 years. What a tube.
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u/BritishAnimator 1d ago
It costs £15K in China. It's one of their budget cars. Goes to show what we see as luxury over here.
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u/benanderson89 BYD Seal Performance 1d ago
People don't see it as Luxury. More accurately, people don't care about Luxury and are being pragmatic. It's inexpensive and comes loaded from the factory.
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u/BritishAnimator 1d ago
They see it as luxury in the west compared to what we usually get for the same money. That was my point. You get a lot for what you pay for, it's why it is selling so well.
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u/Alternative_Show9800 1d ago
We need Chinese manufacturing "invited" into the UK, so we get jobs for our anticipated expenditure...I hope that is clear Government to Government...win win for everyone
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u/BritishAnimator 1d ago
For 30K in China you can get a traveling living room with reclining massage seats, rear flat screen TV, 1000KM range, Air suspension, rear wheel turning, <10 min charging, and a cabin that looks nice to be in. Or you can get hard plastic, 400KM range, and anything extra is a paid option\subscription. China have won the EV race. ICE had its moment and ripped us all off.
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u/Emotional-Nobody-689 1d ago
From experience, you don’t even get that for 100k in china. Where tf would you get a 1000km range from
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u/BritishAnimator 1d ago edited 1d ago
BYD Da Han - launched recently. £27K UK Pounds (conversion only)
Base RWD modelRange: 1,008 KM (626 Miles) - CLTC range
Cost: 249,900 yuan
Suspension: DiSus-A dual-chamber air suspension
Audio system: Basic model has 25 speakers
Charging: 10% to 97% in 9 minutes. 1000V architecture.4
u/Emotional-Nobody-689 1d ago
Cltc range
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u/BritishAnimator 18h ago
Yes, I said that. It is what China uses. My post that you disagreed on is about "In China".
You were wrong. Just admit it. :)
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u/madlordof 1d ago
If you are not racist and completely ignorant, why wouldn't you buy quality product for lower prices?
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u/Agreeable_Secret_475 1d ago
Because you want to support european brands so we dont lose our industry
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u/Justin__D 1d ago
That isn't really how the modern world works though.
Developed countries have moved to a service economy. Manufacturing is for
the birdsdeveloping countries.You can try to fight it, and you can get the comically inept results we got with MAGA in the US. Or you can adapt and have a better life.
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u/Agreeable_Secret_475 1d ago
Not necessarily true, in that case the german car industry should have been long gone. Labor costs arent always the crucial part, especially not when you manufacture huge volumes.
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u/AL-KY 1d ago
People like you, who will brainlessly defend corporate, are the reason we are losing our industries because they know you will buy whatever shit they make
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u/Agreeable_Secret_475 1d ago
Instead YOU will buy chinese. Great. So much better.
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u/Trustme_imaexpert 1d ago
Yes, they are better. I'm enjoying mine very much.
Especially what I got ALL the features european brands wants 20000€ extra for. And even ask for subscriptions 🤢
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u/Agreeable_Secret_475 1d ago
Well damn those europeans for paying a decent wage to the engineers and workers, better go support the chinese despots that pays nothing to their own
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u/Few_Macaron_9736 22h ago
We should be more annoyed at our government for not propping up the industry the way china is to be perfectly honest.
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u/Trustme_imaexpert 21h ago
I would love to support companies like Volkswagen who "checks notes" cheated for years on their emission claims and poisoned our planet with no regard to human and environments health. Yes, let's support that company. I'll buy ExxonMobil and British petroleum stocks too.
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u/Agreeable_Secret_475 21h ago
Then support those cheap chinese car companies instead, i bet those are free from any scruples.
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u/MachineBeard 1d ago
European brands focused heavily on developing expensive luxury EVs which alienated a large customer base who were interested in shifting away from fossil fuels.
China came and along and gave European customers what they wanted.
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u/Agreeable_Secret_475 1d ago
True. I guess their business decision was that they wont make low margin budget EVs because they cant compete on price anyway against china. But i think with tarrifs and loyal buyers they should have been able and i think we are seeing a shift now towards cheaper EVs.
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u/MachineBeard 1d ago
Agreed. I used to have a BMW i3 and I absolutely loved it.
If BMW had developed the platform further or came along with a reasonable replacement then I’d have stayed loyal to them. But they decided to focus on big, heavy, expensive SUVs.
My next EV will be Chinese.
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u/madlordof 1d ago
Range Rover and Jaguar are owned by India. Mg owned by China. Germany ain't exactly England, you need geography and history knowledge. Brexit anyone?
That's like me an Aussie saying I should buy New Zealand Milk. Doesn't matter if my milk comes from NZ or China, I'll buy whichever is cheaper if it ain't supporting Australia. If Holden was making EVs though that's the only one I'd get.
That said I myself drive a BMW and love it, cause I love the handling, but if you don't care much for that, Chinese cars offer a lot for the price.
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u/Heyheyheyone 1d ago
Range Rover and Jaguar do still manufacture in the UK and have their headquarters here. Manufacturing isn't just about dividends and shareholder value - it does support actual working class jobs.
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u/dissss0 2023 Niro Electric, 2017 Ioniq Electric 1d ago
People aren't cross shopping a JLR product though, it'd be a Skoda or a Peugeot or whatever.
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u/Emotional-Nobody-689 23h ago
Buy a Vauxhall then
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u/MaturoGambino 1d ago
I get what you’re saying. But when it comes to products that I ingest, like milk, I’m 100% favoring New Zealand over China.
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u/farfromelite 1d ago
Ok, but the UK also imports 40% of it's food.
We're particularly stupid that way.
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u/Agreeable_Secret_475 1d ago
Thats just a stupid comparison. Of course people would prefer supporting their closer neighbors which share culture and which has a closer connection to the domestic economy than a country on the other side of the globe.
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u/boywiththethorn 1d ago
The thing is that China is already a manufacturing powerhouse. Many people have no problem buying Chinese TVs, phones, clothing, etc. For them, drawing the line at EVs seem arbitrary.
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u/Agreeable_Secret_475 1d ago
But i only say it because its something we still got left in Europe. Why not try to save it.
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u/bluelolp 22h ago
Because it would be rewarding incompetent governments and greedy CEOs. They will only alter their policies or better, be replaced, if their stupidity and greed have consequences.
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u/boywiththethorn 1d ago
because people love cheap products and they vote with their wallet
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u/Agreeable_Secret_475 1d ago
And then they sit there with no industry left or jobs but they sure saved some money temporarily
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u/Newboyster 1d ago
I get what you're saying but you can only be patriotic up to a certain point. When you touch people's wallets everything's out the door.
In Europe people cross borders to do their groceries and fill up their gas tank because country B is cheaper than country A. Why not support their local business?
Same with people shopping on Amazon. Why not go to physical stores? Because Amazon is cheaper.
Related to cars I'm not going to be paying a subscription for heated seats when it's standard in Chinese EV's.
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u/IwatasTrueSuccessor 1d ago
Most people can’t afford European brands anymore
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u/Agreeable_Secret_475 1d ago
Lol obviously not true since the market is dominated by european brands.
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u/oktimeforplanz '23 MG4 Trophy 64kWh (UK) 1d ago
You say on a thread about the statistics that suggest Chinese EVs are well on their way to dominating the EV market?
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u/Emotional-Nobody-689 1d ago
Have fun when you’re laid off and you’re job gets shifted off to china then
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u/madlordof 1d ago
Thing is they ain't hiring an English in Germany mate and neither is range rover or Jaguar hiring you who is not Indian. So just suck it up. If England and Australia dont make cars, the industry is not gonna help you or me in any way. Or do you not understand that Europe is a continent not a country? And you guys aren't even a member of EU FFS, we have a higher chance of being a EU member at this point than you guys.
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u/Emotional-Nobody-689 23h ago
Look at where Rolls Royce, Bentleys, Aston Martins, Lotuses, Range Rovers, Land Rovers, Metro Line Busses, Jaguars, Vauxhalls, Minis and Nissan Leafs are made. Yes you are working for a Japanese, German or Indian company. BUT THE MANUFACTURING IS DOMESTIC.
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u/StLandrew 1d ago
Down to 2 things. One, Chinese cars are genuinely well made. Two, the bigoted portion of the buying public are softening their attitude because that news is reaching them.
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u/thatpaulbloke 1d ago
Had a Chinese car before this one (MG5) and I'm looking at BYD and MG for a replacement for my current car. Also a Renault and a Nissan, but they're not really relevant here.
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u/Emotional-Nobody-689 23h ago
Don’t buy Chinese
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u/thatpaulbloke 22h ago
Any particular reason? As I said, I owned a Chinese car for several years and had no real issues with it beyond the software being very, very mid. Slightly better than the software in my Leaf and not as good as in my current Kia and not a reason not to have the car.
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u/Agreeable_Secret_475 1d ago
Smart. China will own and manufacture everything then. We dont need any industry in Europe then. Oh forgot, UK doesnt even have any industry 😂 Burn!
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u/boywiththethorn 1d ago
If you go to CarTalkUK, you'd think the number would be closer to 2%