Chinese car companies are entering the heart of Europe. The German Chancellor encourages car companies: Don't be scared

Recently, the International Automotive and Smart Mobility Expo (IAA) kicked off in Munich, Germany. As one of the most influential auto exhibitions in the world and the largest auto event in Europe, traditional European automakers are not the only protagonists at this auto show. Nearly 50 Chinese companies also participated in the exhibition, including BYD, NIO, Xpeng and other highly anticipated electric vehicle brands.

These Chinese brands not only exhibited their own new energy vehicles and concept cars, but also brought the latest progress and solutions in battery technology, intelligent driving systems, etc. The performance of these Chinese brands has attracted widespread attention and discussion from the European media and the automotive industry, and some European automakers' executives have even publicly admitted that they must speed up the gap in cost and technology with Chinese electric vehicle brands.

So, what are the highlights of Chinese electric car brands at the Munich Motor Show? Why do they put pressure on European car companies?

First of all, Chinese electric vehicle brands have achieved certain results in market layout.

According to statistics, in the first seven months of this year, 8% of new electric vehicles sold in Europe were manufactured by Chinese brands, up from 6% last year and 4% in 2021. Among them, brands such as BYD, NIO and Xpeng have entered 15 European countries, established more than 140 stores in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and other countries, and established good relationships with local partners.

These brands not only provide European consumers with diverse choices, but also create local jobs and tax revenue. Moreover, these brands have more ambitious goals. For example, Xiaopeng plans to occupy more European markets in 2024, and Leapmotor announced that it will launch five models for overseas markets including Europe in the next two years.

Secondly, Chinese electric vehicle brands have shown certain advantages in cost control.

According to researchers, in the first half of 2022, the average cost of a new electric car sold in Europe was less than 32,000 euros (about 250,000 yuan), while the average cost in Europe was about 56,000 euros (about 430,000 yuan). This is mainly due to China's leading position in battery manufacturing, which can account for 40% of the cost of electric vehicles.

Moreover, Chinese battery manufacturers not only provide low-cost batteries for Chinese electric vehicle brands, but also provide high-quality batteries for European automakers. For example, Chinese power battery companies such as CATL, EVE Energy, and Sunwoda all displayed their cutting-edge technology products at the Munich Motor Show, bringing new technological achievements and solutions to the European automotive industry.

Finally, Chinese electric vehicle brands have demonstrated certain advantages in technological innovation.

China is the world's largest automobile market and also the world's largest new energy vehicle market. The Chinese government's support and encouragement for new energy vehicles, as well as Chinese consumers' demand and acceptance of new energy vehicles, have provided a good development environment and market opportunities for Chinese electric vehicle brands.

In this context, Chinese electric car brands continue to increase their R&D investment and launch new products and technologies that meet market demand and consumer preferences. For example, at the Munich Motor Show, BYD launched six new energy vehicles and concept cars at once, covering multiple market segments such as sedans, SUVs, and MPVs.

Among them, BYD Dolphin is a smart pure electric car designed for young people, using BYD's self-developed blade battery and e-platform 3.0 technology, with a range of up to 600 kilometers, and supports fast charging, wireless charging and other functions. BYD Denza D9 is a medium-sized SUV for the European market, using BYD's self-developed DM-i hybrid technology, with a fuel consumption of only 1.5 liters per 100 kilometers and a comprehensive range of more than 1,000 kilometers.

In addition to BYD, other Chinese electric vehicle brands also showcased their latest achievements and solutions in intelligent driving systems at the Munich Motor Show.

For example, Xpeng Motors brought its third-generation intelligent driving system XPILOT 3.5, which demonstrated its automatic parking assistance system (APA) and automatic driving assistance system (ADAS) for the first time in Europe, while NIO Motors displayed its second-generation intelligent driving system NIO Pilot 2.0, which demonstrated its automatic parking assistance system (APA) and automatic driving assistance system (ADAS) for the first time in Europe.

In addition, Chinese smart car software and hardware suppliers such as Horizon, Ecarx, QINGZHOU Zhihang, and Yuanrong Qixing also showcased their latest products and technologies at the Munich Motor Show.

To sum up, Chinese electric car brands shined at the Munich Motor Show, which not only proved that they have certain advantages in market layout, cost control and technological innovation, but also demonstrated their strength and charm to European consumers. This undoubtedly brought huge pressure and challenges to European automakers. German Chancellor Scholz said to German auto companies that in the face of competition from Chinese electric vehicles, German companies "should be encouraged, not scared."

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.