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Chinese models surpass Koreans in Europe with Japanese next in their sights.

  • Writer: Matthias Schmidt
    Matthias Schmidt
  • 2 days ago
  • 2 min read

Street scene with parked Xpeng, and GWM Ora models on a German road
Japanese and Korean cars on German roads

According to exclusive research by Schmidt Automotive Research on a three month trailing basis and partially excluding seasonality effects Chinese new passenger car registrations across Western Europe have now surpassed Korean models.


During the past three-month trailing month period 7.5% of all new passenger cars registered across Western Europe were models from Chinese manufacturers. This doesn't include Volvo Cars despite Geely's Holding Group equity stake. Between September and November just under 230,000 new Chinese brand passenger car models entered the region which compared to fewer than 225,000 Korean brand models, including the Hyundai/Kia models made in Europe. However September data includes some seasonality fluctuations from the UK which sees a boost in deliveries on account of the registrations plate changeover, with Q4 data set to present a more accurate picture but is unlikely to alter the underlying trend.


Line chart shows Chinese car registrations surpassing Korean in W. Europe by 2025. Japanese remain higher. Source: Schmidt Automotive Research.

UK soaks up the highest regional volume of Chinese models 30% of the region's Chinese models end up in the UK according to the same Schmidt Automotive Research data base. While Chinese OEMs have experienced a doubling in market share over the same three month period last year, despite EU anti-subsidy tariffs being implemented at the tail-end of last year, a pivot to non-tariff hit hybrids and traditional combustion engine models, as well as the focus on the UK which chose not to replicate the tariffs has kept momentum at a high pace. The wider supply of pure car truck carrier (PCTC) shipping vessels has likely also partly compensated for tariffs through lower logistical costs over the past 12-months with charter prices falling dramatically.


Meanwhile the Japanese-OEM share of the region has fallen to 10.8% from 12.2% during the same three month period up to the end of November last year.

Full details, data, forecasts, trends and background information can be found in our industry-leading studies, providing key context and trusted by stakeholders breaching industry divides. 


Source: Schmidt Automotive Research 




*Western Europe 18 Markets: EU Member States prior to the 2004 enlargement plus EFTA markets Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, plus UK

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