Chinese automakers built nearly 1 in 10 passenger cars sold in Europe last month, a record share that caps a year of rapid growth led by brisk sales of hybrid and battery-powered vehicles.
With December’s 9.5% share of the European car market, Chinese brands outsold South Korean rivals including Kia on a quarterly basis for the first time, based on figures from researcher Dataforce. BYD and its peers are poised to make further inroads as trade barriers fall and a Chinese export push accelerates.
The advance was strongest for the electrified cars that account for the bulk of Europe’s growth. Chinese automakers used their competitive edge in battery technology to win customers for electric vehicles and hybrid-electric vehicles from Spain to Greece, Italy and the United Kingdom.
