How BYD and Chinese peers are transforming Europe’s small EV market
Volkswagen, Renault and other EU stalwarts prepare a slew of smaller, cheaper EVs to fight an influx of Chinese models
The compact segment was “the next frontier for electrification in Europe” and had huge potential, said Maria Grazia DaVino, BYD’s regional managing director for Europe, at a launch event in Berlin.
“It’s a declaration of intentions from BYD that it is exploring the small car segment [in Europe],” said Felipe Munoz, senior analyst at Jato Dynamics. “It is a very competitive car, and can also shake the small car segment because of its price.”
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The car’s introduction represents a big opportunity for European consumers to “finally” benefit from a competitive product, he said. “But it’s also an alarm for the European carmakers, which have been struggling to come up with really competitive small cars.”