The Chinese auto giants are quickly changing how cars are made and sold around the world. Companies like BYD and Cherry are moving faster than their global rivals, including GM, VW, and Tesla.
A major reason? Speed. While traditional automakers take four to five years to develop a new model, Chinese companies are doing it in just 18 months. That gives them a huge edge in a market where technology changes fast.
For example, Chery redesigned its Omoda 5 SUV in just six weeks to fit the needs of European roads. A project that would take a Western company more than a year was completed in days. That’s the kind of agility that sets Chinese auto giants apart.
BYD, China’s largest carmaker, has also built a strong lead. It launched over 40 new models in 2020, compared to Tesla’s five. It also employs more than 900,000 workers, giving it the capacity to push cars out quickly and at lower prices.
Another big difference, Chinese carmakers often build most of their car parts themselves. This lowers costs and shortens the time it takes to bring a car to market.
As a result, from 2020 to 2024, foreign carmakers like GM, Toyota, and VW saw their sales in China drop by 3 million cars. Meanwhile, Chinese brands more than doubled their own sales.
Today, Chinese auto giants are also exporting vehicles to more than 100 countries, including Europe. Chery plans to build factories in Spain and other European markets to keep up with demand.
While the U.S. and other countries are imposing tariffs to slow them down, it’s clear: the global car race is being led from China. Also Read: Netflix partners with NASA to stream spacewalks and rocket launches bringing real-time space adventures to your screen like never before.
