By the point the UK bans the sale of recent ICE autos, new entrants – dominated by Chinese language manufacturers – may account for as much as 25% of the UK EV market or 400,000 vehicles on the street in keeping with Auto Dealer’s Highway to 2030 Report.
QuMind surveyed 3,985 customers and located that 4 in ten UK customers would think about a Chinese language automotive model. The best assist comes from the 17-34 age group. Chinese language EV manufacturers, akin to BYD, GWM and Omoda, would entice 57% of youthful patrons with modern know-how and affordability in comparison with simply 25% of over 55s.
Ian Plummer, Auto Dealer’s industrial director, stated: “Chinese language manufacturers are more and more pivotal gamers within the UK’s electrical transition. Their skill to supply inexpensive, high-quality electrical autos, is successful over the youthful drivers who will play a significant position in driving the widespread adoption of electrical autos.
“However the rise of Chinese language manufacturers comes with challenges. Shoppers’ belief within the high quality and security of those new entrants stays blended, notably amongst older patrons.
“To succeed, Chinese brands will need to focus on reassuring consumers through strong safety ratings, data security, expert reviews, and customer service that they are as good as the more trusted traditional manufacturers.”
Analysis discovered 41% of 55+ customers have been involved by knowledge safety and privateness dangers, with 43% of the identical age group mistrusting high quality of the product.
Regardless of this, new Chinese language entrant share of enquiries on Auto Dealer for brand new vehicles greater than doubled final yr, up from 1.3% in 2023 to three.4% in 2024. The variety of retailer websites stocking a Chinese language new entrant automotive was up from 34 in January 2024 to 173 by the top of the yr.
Chinese language new entrants helped increase the variety of sub-£30,000 new EV choices from 9 to 29 between 2024 and 2025, with examples together with the Leapmotor T03 (£15,164) and GWM ORA 03 (£24,995).
