KATHMANDU: Chinese automakers outsold South Korean brands in Western Europe, including the U.K., for the first time in September.
Data from Schmidt Automotive Research showed Chinese brands took 8% market share, narrowly ahead of South Korea’s 7.8%. In October, China slipped to 6.8%, while South Korea rose to 7.2%. Analysts said the shift signals a longer-term trend.
Between January and September, Chinese brands sold 503,321 vehicles, up 77.5% year-on-year. Overall market growth was just 1.1%.
Japanese brands were the hardest hit. Their market share fell to 12.5% due to weak electric vehicle lineups. Only 4.3% of their registrations were BEVs, compared to 20% for South Korea and 37% for China.
Chinese brands are gaining ground through aggressive pricing and strong EV portfolios. European and Japanese carmakers are losing share.
BYD has moved closer to local production in Europe. The first batch of production line equipment arrived in Szeged, Hungary, on December 9. The plant is expected to begin trial production in Q1 2026, with mass production in Q2 2026. BYD announced the Hungary factory in December 2023 to avoid EU EV tariffs and boost competitiveness.
New Chinese entrants like Chery and Changan are preparing to enter the European market. Competition in Western Europe is expected to intensify through 2026.
