In this country, Chinese electric cars replace German models

Invisible a few years ago in the Americas, Chinese brands are starting to make a place for themselves. This is particularly the case in Mexico. In this country where motorists were loyal to German companies, everything is changing.

Chinese electric cars are gaining market share all over the world. But while we are seeing some reluctance on the part of Europeans, other consumers, in other regions of the world, are asking fewer questions. In Mexico, sales of German models are declining in favor of Chinese ones.

It is in the high-end segment that this development is most noticeable. And, as our colleagues atAutoactu« the feat is significant in a country linked by a free trade agreement with the United States, vigilant on Chinese imports, and where the German giants Audi, Volkswagen and BMW have factories ».

Audi collapses in Mexico

Geely, BYD, Zeekr and Changan are among the manufacturers making a place for themselves in the Mexican market. Between January and November 2024, Audi sales, for example, fell by 21.9%. The Ingolstadt firm is the one that suffered the biggest setback in the country this year. Mercedes-Benz recorded a decline of 9.8%.

Also readElectric cars: Audi is banking on Mexico, but is it really a good idea?

Finally, BMW is perhaps the manufacturer that is doing the best. But it’s not glorious: according to the Mexican Association of Automobile Distributors (AMDA), the propeller brand has stood still. At the same time, Chinese manufacturers have progressed thanks to cars with “ a lower price “. They now hold 9.3% of the market in Mexico.

Asked about his recent purchase, a 71-year-old motorist said that “ choosing a Chinese car was simple arithmetic “. Miguel Reyes purchased a Chinese electric SUV for the equivalent of 26,000 euros. He estimates that an equivalent model from a European brand would have cost him “ between 40,000 and 50,000 euros ».

Precise sales figures will be communicated in the coming days. But the trend is there. As in China, consumers now favor vehicles that are more or less “ equivalents ”, but whose price is lower.

Also readMexico creates its brand of affordable electric cars