Fleets anticipating a reported price war heading this way in the electric car market may do well to look to the East for inspiration. As average discounts on new electric vehicles top 10%[i], Venson Automotive Solutions has launched a free new white paper, ‘Chinese BEV Power – An opportunity or a threat?’ to slice through the discussion and arm fleet managers with essential information.
The UK is now the biggest market in Europe for Chinese EV brands[ii] but as geopolitical debate rumbles on surrounding unfair competition and the EU anti-subsidy investigation, the Venson paper introduces the biggest and best Chinese BEV brands, profiles key models, and predicts the likely implications of Chinese BEVs for UK fleets and the wider automotive industry.
Comments Simon Staton, Director Client Management, Venson Automotive Solutions, “Discussions about security and competition concerns surrounding the penetration of Chinese BEVs into the UK market is incredibly relevant to Government officials and those higher up the automotive food chain. Fleet managers ‘on the coalface’, however, tasked with meeting EV transition and corporate sustainability goals on a budget, simply need to know what vehicles will best suit their fleet needs. Whether they are from UK, EU or elsewhere.”
As well as highlighting the different Chinese BEV marques and models available, the Venson white paper outlines suggested fleet BEV strategies from respected bodies including the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) and the National Franchised Dealer Association (NFDA). It also summarises the latest thoughts on the insurance, Service Maintenance and Repair (SMR) and cost of ownership issues that surround BEVs which fleet managers also need to keep on top of.
Simon Staton concludes, “Despite Government pushing back the ban on sales of new ICE vehicles until 2035, the introduction of the ZEV mandate means that manufacturers are still under pressure to sell more electric cars. While tax incentives mean fleet operators are doing the lion’s share of turning the UK car parc green, there is still progress to be made. By outlining the essential information on the lesser-known Chinese BEV market, in our latest white paper we hope to empower fleet managers with the facts they need to choose the best possible vehicles for their fleet.”
[i] https://plc.autotrader.co.uk/news-views/press-releases/price-war-looms-as-china-readies-charge-into-uk-electric-car-market/
[ii] Chinese brands accounted for 5% of all new car sales in the UK in the first seven months of 2023. In terms of total sales, therefore, the UK is now the biggest market in Europe for Chinese EV brands – Schmidt Automotive Research – December 2023