Sales of Chinese cars in Europe grow non-stop

Europe has a serious problem with its automotive industry, which can be summarized in the inability of traditional European manufacturers to face the arrival of brands and models from China, which are more economical and of a perceived quality similar to that of the major French, Italian or German automotive groups.During the first six months of 2026, Chinese brands have managed to register more than 663,000 new cars in Europe, which represents an increase of 107% compared to the first six months of 2025. However, what is most worrying for European manufacturers is that they already hold 9.2% of the total market, with a view to continuing to grow and gain sales percentage in the not-too-distant future.The rise of Chinese manufacturers – who will almost certainly exceed one and a half million units sold in Europe this year or next – is explained by a product that is comparable in terms of quality and design to that of traditional manufacturers, but at a significantly lower price. Despite the tariffs imposed by European administrations to try to curb the growth of Chinese automotive manufacturers, they have managed to circumvent bureaucratic obstacles by opening assembly plants in Europe (as in the case of Ebro, Omoda, and Jaecoo in the Zona Franca of Barcelona, for example) or by limiting the commercial margin of each unit sold to practically non-existent values, which traditional European manufacturers do not want or cannot compete with.MG continues to lead, but feels BYD's breath

MG, the British subsidiary of the state-owned company SAIC Motor, continues to lead the ranking of vehicles sold by brands in Europe with a total of 180,101 units sold during the first six months of the year, with an 18% increase compared to the first half of 2025 and achieving a market share of 2.49% of the total.

Very close to MG is BYD, a privately funded manufacturer that has become the benchmark for plug-in hybrid vehicles or PHEVs in Europe. BYD has registered 172,964 units during the first six months of the year, with year-on-year growth that – pay attention – reaches 145% and a market share of 2.39% of the total. At this point, the question is not whether BYD will become the main Chinese manufacturer in Europe, but when it will do so.

The podium of Chinese brands in Europe is completed by Omoda and Jaecoo, the two European market-oriented brands of the automotive giant Chery, which, like SAIC, is also state-owned. Omoda and Jaecoo have sold 124,280 vehicles in the first six months in Europe, representing spectacular growth of 224% compared to 2025 and achieving a market share of 1.72% of the total.Leapmotor, the biggest growth with a different model

Leapmotor reaches fourth position in the ranking of the best-selling Chinese brands in Europe, with 55,744 units sold during the first six months of 2026 and a year-on-year increase of 569%. At this point, it is worth noting that Leapmotor is a Chinese brand specializing in electric vehicles – it does not manufacture combustion vehicles unlike MG, BYD, Omoda, and Jaecoo – which operates through an agreement or business alliance with the industrial group Stellantis, and which, therefore, could be considered partially European, as it can leverage the commercial network and industrial plants of brands rooted in the Old Continent such as Opel, Fiat, or Citroën, among others.

In fact, it is entirely accurate to predict that Leapmotor, China's leading electric car manufacturer, will continue to grow exponentially in Europe and will be one of the reference brands for electric vehicles in Europe in the coming years.Ebro continues to grow and already surpasses Geely

The Ebro brand, based in the Zona Franca of Barcelona and under the umbrella of the parent company Chery, continues its growth and establishment process in Southern Europe, centrally in the Spanish and Portuguese markets. During the first six months of the year, Ebro has sold 13,946 units, which represents an increase of 277% compared to the year 2025 and could exceed 25,000 units sold by the end of this year 2026. Ebro is a brand with a limited commercial network, which has a practically null presence beyond the Pyrenees, but which during the first semester of the year has managed to surpass the sales of giants like Geely and its aspirational subsidiary Lynk & Co or the DR brand, with a strong presence in Italy.