What are the Chinese cars sold in Belgium worth?
Prices are very competitive, especially for electric models. But are these cars made in China just as reliable?
Journalist in the General Editorial Office
Published on 03/08/2024 at 2:10 p.m.
In January 2024, 655 Chinese cars were registered in Belgium. With 140 examples sold, the most popular is the ZS, an MG essence which starts at €19,285. It is just ahead of the Polestar 2, an electric with a base price of €44,990. The price seems high, but it is “reasonable” for an electric vehicle with a theoretical range of 546 km WLTP, capable of towing a load of up to 1,500 kg. “Overall, the Chinese electric car dictates the tempo a little, particularly in affordable models,” estimates Xavier Daffe, editor-in-chief of Moniteur automobile.
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The price is low, but what about the quality? “They are completely at the level of the Europeans, whether in terms of materials, finishing or safety. Today, all Chinese electric cars have five stars in the Euro-Ncap test. The quality/price ratio for the standard equipment is very attractive,” continues our interlocutor. For him, we are “at the beginning of something”. The Chinese are starting to attack the market. “Europeans are reacting with announcements of electric vehicles priced at less than €25,000 for the period 2024-2026. The response is being organized slowly because Europe has fallen quite behind technologically.”
For the moment, the Chinese car is mainly driven by the company vehicle sector. “For a brand like BYD, the residual value is practically guaranteed thanks to the quality of the product,” cites Xavier Daffe as an example, before adding a caveat: “This is not the case for all Chinese women. Today we are witnessing the explosion of new brands who all say they are targeting Europe with excessive ambitions. I wonder how many will be left. The cake is not big enough.” And remember that Chinese brands have already gone bankrupt, notably Byton and Qoros.
For the moment, BYD and MG are pursuing the most aggressive policies in Belgium, followed by Polestar. “There are also brands like Forthing or Seres, which we don’t hear about because they have a small distributor here. It’s difficult for them to emerge,” notes Xavier Daffe. According to him, the market is mainly driven by BYD, present in Charleroi, Namur and Liège, and whose Dolphin has been named the Best buy car of Europe. “This is the first time that a Chinese woman has won this title and it is the herald of a trend that is beginning.”
The Moniteur specialist points out a weak point – just one –: digital technology, not yet 100% ready. Manufacturers tend to pass all controls via touchscreen, including opening the roof from the central screen: “In fact, this mode of use is impractical, not very responsive and not very intuitive”. But that’s no reason to turn away from Chinese women.
“It’s starting to be a good time to consider it for someone who is considering purchasing an electric car as a private purchase. The offer is diversifying. What saves the European industry is the brand image of a Chinese car among a certain clientele when objectively there is no reason,” concludes Xavier Daffe. The offer should further expand in 2024 with the arrival of promising brands like Nio and XPeng which promise theoretical ranges of up to 1,000 km… according to a more optimistic calculation method than our WLTP system.
