Back in 2007, the idea of Chinese carmakers exporting their ‘own-brand’ products to the UK seemed somewhat fanciful, even though MG had been bought by Nanjing Automobile Corporation (NAC) the previous year and veteran British car salesmen – including Paul Williams, then MD for Landwind’s European operation – were talking up their plans.
Although Williams conceded back then there was little need for most Chinese car brands to export anywhere, as the domestic Chinese market was so buoyant – it topped seven million vehicles in 2007 to become the world’s second biggest and has long since been the number one sales region – he reckoned their reasons were more about having “a point to prove”.
While that particular plan never bore fruit, partly due to several terrible and widely-publicised crash-test results for its X-Pedition SUV (based on an old Isuzu Rodeo), elsewhere, other Chinese car groups had started making more serious moves.
Geely was another Chinese brand tipped to import its own cars to Europe by 2010 and while that didn’t happen either, its parent group bought Volvo in the same year and has succeeded in turning around the historic Swedish brand’s previously shaky financial fortunes during the next decade. Indeed, the Geely Group, which now includes Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, Proton, Lynk & Co, sold 2.3m vehicles in 2022 – of which 1.43m are Geely-badged – and is now the 11th biggest car-making group in the world, ahead of Mercedes (12th, 2.04m) and Tesla (15th, 1.3m).
But it’s another Chinese group, BYD – thirteenth on that global sellers list with 1.86m units shifted in 2022 on the back of very strong EV sales – which has become one of the first Chinese domestic marques to have showroom-ready cars on these shores under its own brand name. Some might know the Chinese brand BYD – Build Your Dreams – because they’ve jumped on one of its fully-electric buses active in the UK since 2013, or heard about a few fleet trials and private hire deals before, but the battery-specialist, turned carmaker finally launched its first credible car into the UK retail market in March 2023.
Called the Atto 3, the right-hand drive, all-electric compact C-segment crossover has a smart, if slightly generic exterior, courtesy of ex-Audi and Alfa design boss Wolfgang Egger now in charge of the look, feel and function of BYD’s global range.
But, the interior is quite different. Sitting inside, space is decent and the cabin reveals lots of unusual details, from curved interior door handles that wrap over protruding speakers and a large centre infotainment screen that can rotate from vertical to horizontal and back at the touch of a button – similar tech was premiered on the Fisker Ocean – but BYD has made it into production first.
The brand already has four UK dealerships, represented by Arnold Clark in Glasgow, LSH Auto in Manchester and Stratstone in Birmingham and Milton Keynes, with a further flagship site – Stratstone Mayfair – due to open in London later in 2023.
The Atto 3 EV offers a competitive-for-segment 260 miles of range, priced from £36,490-£38,990, and BYD also has a USP in developing its own drive motors, semiconductors and batteries using lithium-iron phosphate – which do without the need for controversial cobalt – and are different to the industry-standard lithium-ion.
BYD says this alternative chemistry and design makes its 60.48 kWh battery more stable, durable and safe. Either way, the Atto boasts a five-star Euro NCAP rating.
Alongside MG – now owned by Chinese mega corporation SAIC – and which has had considerable UK success in the last few years with its affordable EVs while other global makers have struggled to meet demand, BYD, Ora and Nio represent a new wave of Chinese influence in the UK. And they could soon be joined by others. It’s very early days of course, but the sales landscape has changed since 2007.
The new Chinese products this time round are safer and of better quality, and in many cases have the advantage of learning from the biggest EV market (by numbers) in the world. So the dealer opportunities could be significant.
Great Wall Motors, long-established in China, is another brand from that country now offering a credible UK product under its Ora sub-brand. Its Funky Cat model may have a daft name – it’s called the fractionally less-silly Good Cat in China and has been on sale there since late 2020 – but has been created by an ex-Porsche designer.
That makes sense when you see its smooth and curvy shape, but it’s still a smart-looking five-seat supermini EV with a simple interior dominated by a combined large driver display and infotainment screen neatly embedded into its dash.
The Funky Cat also has a five-star Euro NCAP rating, it’s 48kWh battery is good for a 193-mile range and prices start from £31,995. Quite a few sales dealerships are already in place, run by Lookers in Braintree and Wolverhampton, Peter Vardy in Glasgow, Charles Hurst in Belfast, Chor
