Thousands of British drivers 'considering’ buying Chinese cars

Thousands of British motorists have confirmed they would be prepared to buy Chinese vehicles as competition between Beijing and Western manufacturers heats up. The new poll from the AA shows British drivers were excited by Chinese models despite brands having next to no long-term presence in the UK.

Chinese-built vehicles tend to have a much lower price tag, often making electric cars obtainable for those on lower incomes. However, the findings could suggest UK road users will not be loyal to existing Western brands when more Chinese companies enter the market in a potential threat. The July study of 12,104 AA members revealed that 33% of road users accept that they would consider buying a Chinese car.

A further 33% said they would not consider buying a car from a Chinese brand with the rest simply claiming they didn't know either way.

Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, AA President Edmund King explained: "Like all ‘new’ car marques coming to the UK it takes a while for UK consumers to get used to new brands from different countries.

“Think Nissan/Honda/ Toyota from Japan in the 1970s or Hyundai and Kia from South Korea in the 1980s/90s. If the cars are good, they will sell. It remains to be seen whether the EV discounts will apply to Chinese EVs based on the science-based-targets."

However, British motorists appear to have no objection to new brands entering the market. When asked if competition from Chinese manufacturers is good for consumers, as it encourages ‘established’ manufacturers to keep pace with new rivals, 49% agreed.

Just 16% disagreed with the statement, suggesting less than one-fifth were completely against Chinese brands.

The interest in Chinese models comes at an important time for the UK’s electric car transition. The Government's recently announced EV grant — and further discounts from Chinese brands may be leading to a resurgence in interest.

Data from Cawow shows that overall EV consideration has risen to 37% today, up from 33% over the first half of the year. Among new car buyers, 59% said they are now considering an electric vehicle compared to 48% between January and June.

Philipp Sayler von Amende, Chief Commercial Officer at Carwow stressed said enquiries around electric vehicles had started to increase.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, he explained: "We’re seeing a surge in interest – not just in the sub-£37,000 category targeted by the government’s new grant, but also in higher-priced EV models.

“Enquiries for electric cars under £37k are up 124% on Carwow week-on-week, and even models above that threshold have seen a 57% rise, indicating that the grant is helping to stimulate demand more broadly.”