This is one of the desired effects of the proposed tariffs on imports of cars produced in China: to encourage foreign brands to produce in Europe. Indeed, some Chinese manufacturers could face a surcharge of around 38%, enough to consider another strategy.
An underlying trend?
Some brands have already confirmed factory plans, such as BYD, with two planned sites, one in Hungary and the second in Turkey. The SAIC group, with its MG brand, is reportedly targeting Spain to produce locally.
Another Chinese brand with strong ambitions in Europe: Xpeng. This premium brand is launching this year in several countries on the Old Continent, including France, with two SUVs, the G9 and the G6.
Against a backdrop of rising customs duties, Xpeng is looking for the ideal location to set up a factory in Europe, founder and CEO He Xiaopeng said in an interview with Bloomberg.
The Chinese brand, founded in 2014, also plans to set up a data centre to be able to offer high-quality connected services. Xpeng relies heavily on advanced on-board functions, but also on intelligent driving functions.
Source: BFM TV
