Beginning ( Why to Buy EV From China)
Slowly but surely the world is moving on from fossil fuels and entering the world of electrification. China is one of the leading countries in this field with more than a dozen companies working hard to deliver the best products out there.
Some of these names are probably familiar to you, but some of them will be completely new. That’s why we created this compelling list of top 20 electric vehicle companies in China.
Why buy an EV from China? Well, the answer is simple. Chinese EVs are far cheaper and deliver more for the money compared to Tesla or other brands. So, let’s dive into our long list of Chinese brands.
At a Glance
BYD
2.1 Company Information
BYD Auto is the largest EV manufacturer in China. BYD started its life as a battery manufacturer but they wanted to diversify and entered the automotive industry in 2003 by purchasing a small car manufacturer in Norinco.
In the beginning the company struggled a lot in creating an impact on the market. But after they introduced the BYD F3 model, their popularity steadily rose. Nowadays BYD not only makes cars, it also produces electric bicycles, buses, trucks, and forklifts.
Currently BYD only makes plug-in hybrids and purely electric cars. Since November 2023, they have become the largest EV manufacturer in the world, surpassing Tesla.
In addition to this, BYD also became the best selling brand in China, overtaking VW which held the crown since 2008.
2.2 Popular EV Models
- BYD Seal
- BYD Han
- BYD Dolphin
- BYD QIN
- BYD Song
- BYD Tang
2.3 Recommended Reason
We recommend BYD because of its impeccable quality and reliability. BYD is making some of the best EVs in the world right now and they are definitely worth your attention!
SAIC
2.1 Company Information
SAIC Motor is one of the top four Chinese automakers. SAIC was founded in 1955 and since then is constantly evolving and delivering some of the best automotive products in China. Currently they produce cars as well as commercial vehicles.
SAIC has partnerships with many western companies, including General Motors, Iveco, as well as Volkswagen. Currently the yearly output of SAIC is about 5.4 million cars.
SAIC owns many different brands, including IM, MG Motor, Rising Auto, Roewe, and Maxus.
2.2 Popular EV Models
- IM LS6
- IM LS7
- IM L7
- MG ZS EV
- MG Mulan
- MG Cyberster
- Rising Auto F7
- Rising Auto R7
2.3 Recommended Reason
SAIC offers very affordable EVs with the MG brand. If you are after an entry level electric vehicle, SAIC has you covered. Also, their more expensive brands such as the IM and Rising Auto offer some of the best looking cars in the EV segment.
NIO
2.1 Company Information
NIO is one of the newest car companies to enter the automotive world. What is interesting about NIO is that it is privately owned and also a purely electric brand. Just like Tesla.
NIO was founded in 2014 by the entrepreneur William Li and since then the company is steadily evolving and growing.
What is interesting about NIO is that this company has a service called BaaS. This is battery swap as a service. Which allows the customers to swap batteries whenever they like and not worry about charging or battery life degradation.
Which is quite a revolutionary and extremely popular service in China with more than 1,300 stations for battery swapping that are doing more than 40,000 swaps per day!
NIO models are extremely well designed and offer a lot more features compared to Tesla models for cheaper price. That’s why NIO is growing rapidly and delivering more and more cars every day.
2.2 Popular EV Models
2.3 Recommended Reason
NIO is one of the fastest growing EV brands in China that offers BaaS, which is battery replacement as a service. Perfect for people who don’t want to bother with charging their EVs!
GAC
2.1 Company Information
GAC is another very large car manufacturer from China. This is another state owned company that was founded in 1955 and has headquarters in Guangzhou. Currently GAC is the fifth largest car manufacturer in China with 2.1 million sales annually.
GAC works with many other car companies and has a ton of joint ventures. Specifically with Honda, BYD, Mitsubishi, Toyota, and Hino.
Currently, they own two brands. These include AION and Trumpchi. Of which AION is the purely electric brand that makes some really affordable vehicles.
2.2 Popular EV Models
2.3 Recommended Reason
We recommend AION because their EVs are one of the cheapest electric cars in the industry, especially the AION S. They also have a very fast charging speed of 480 kW, which charges the battery from 20 to 80% in less than 10 minutes.
LI AUTO
2.1 Company Information
Li Auto is another new car manufacturer that is privately owned. This company was founded in 2018 and since then they have released four models.
Li Auto is not your typical EV manufacturer, they primarily offer range extenders. These are vehicles that use the internal combustion engine as a generator of electricity that charges the battery which drives the electric motors.
This is a pretty smart approach when it comes to tackling the greatest problems of EVs, which is range anxiety.
2.2 Popular EV Models
- Li Auto L7
- Li Auto L8
- Li Auto L9
- Li Auto Mega
2.3 Recommended Reason
Li Auto offers very luxurious models with great quality interiors and incredible approach by using range extenders. Which results in no range anxiety for the owner.
GEELY
2.1 Company Information
Geely is a company that has a long legacy in the Chinese market. This is a multinational corporation that is privately owned and led by Li Shufu. Geely is headquartered in Zhejiang, China.
Currently they are the seventh largest car manufacturer in China with more than 1.3 million cars sold annually.
Geely is very large and owns many other companies. These include Geely Auto, Volvo, Polestar, Livan, Lync & Co, Geometry, Proton, Zeekr, and Lotus.
2.2 Popular EV Models
- Zeekr 001
- Zeekr 009
- Zeekr X
- Polestar 2
- Polestar 3
- Geometry A
- Geometry C
- Geometry E
2.3 Recommended Reason
Geely is a very reputable brand that owns a couple of different sub brands such as Volvo, Polestar, and Lotus. They know how to build cars, especially on the higher end of the spectrum.
This is why if you are looking for a more upscale EV, brands such as Polestar and Zeekr are the way to go.
HUAWEI
2.1 Company Information
Huawei might be a very popular cell phone brand. But they are also definitely entering the world of electric cars as well. For those who don’t know, Huawei is the largest cell phone manufacturer in China as well as a very large manufacturer of network equipment.
Currently Huawei does not have its own line of production models but they cooperate with many Chinese automakers and help these companies build electric cars.
Some of these companies with whom they have deep cooperation involve Chery and Avatr Technologies.
2.2 Popular EV Models
- Avatr 11
- Avatr 12
- Luxeed S7
- AITO M5
- AITO M7
2.3 Recommended Reason
Huawei has a deep partnership with Avtr Technologies and together they created some incredible products, such as the Avtr 12.
CHANGAN
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2.1 Company Information
Changan is another state owned car manufacturer from China. Being founded in 1862, Changan is considered to be the oldest car manufacturer in China.
Currently this brand is in the top four largest carmakers with an output of 1.9 million cars every year.
Changan has the standalone Changan brand as well as a few other brands. Most notably Avatr and Deepal which produce EVs and Oshan which produce standard vehicles. There is also the brand Oshan which makes SUVs and MPVs
2.2 Popular EV Models
- Changan Lumin
- Avatr 11
- Avatr 12
- Deepal SL03
- Deepal S7
2.3 Recommended Reason
Changan owns Avatr Technology and together with Huawei they make some of the most incredible electric luxury sedans. These include the Avtr 11 and Avtr 12 models.
GWM
2.1 Company Information
Great Wall Motor is another large Chinese manufacturer. Founded in 1984, Great Wall is China’s eight largest car manufacturer. The company is located in Hebei, China.
Great Wall is primarily a truck manufacturer and EVs are not a priority for this brand. But Great Wall offers EVs through one of its brands known as Ora.
This is their EV division that makes one of the most popular EVs on the market. Other divisions include Haval, Wey, and Tank.
2.2 Popular EV Models
- Ora Good Cat
- Ora Ballet Cat
- Ora Cherry Cat
- Ora Lightning Cat
2.3 Recommended Reason
Ora models are greatly inspired by some VW products such as the Beetle and the Porsche Panamera. So, if you are a fan of these models, you will definitely appreciate the Ora electric vehicles.
CHERY
2.1 Company Information
Another state owned Chinese EV manufacturer is Chery. Chery Automobile is currently the 9th largest car manufacturer in China. Chery was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Wuhu, China.
What is interesting about Chery is that this company has a few brands. These brands include Chery, Chery NEV, Exeed, Jetour, iCar, Luxeed, and Karry.
Currently iCar, Chery NEV, and Luxeed offer electric vehicles in their lineups. Chery collaborated with Huawei to make the Luxeed S7, a Tesla Model S competitor.
2.2 Popular EV Models
- Chery eQ1
- Chery eQ7
- Chery Wujie Pro
- Chery QQ Ice Cream
- iCar 03
- ICar GT
- Luxeed S7
2.3 Recommended Reason
Chery is a company with a great reputation in the Chinese market, as well as abroad. They existed for decades and always deliver when it comes to their products. Especially with the latest Luxeed S7 model.
XPeng
2.1 Company Information
Xpeng is another company like NIO that was founded fairly recently. This is a privately owned company founded in 2014, they have headquarters in Guangzhou, China. The company was founded by two senior executives of GAC, He Xiaopeng and Xia Heng.
Xpeng is a company that works on programs for autonomous driving and also cooperates with many Chinese top companies such as CATL, which makes the best EV batteries in the industry.
Currently Xpeng has a very large lineup of models and we can honestly say that these vehicles are definitely some of the best in the industry.
2.2 Popular EV Models
2.3 Recommended Reason
Xpeng is driven by a young force of executives that are working according to the latest standards in the automotive industry and working really hard to make the company thrive. The designs that Xpeng offers are one of the best and the technology is top of the line.
Aion
2.1 Company Information
AION is a company that is owned by GAC. GAC is one of the largest carmakers in China. They created AION as their EV division in 2017. The company is located in Guangzhou, China.
AION offers some of the cheapest models in this industry. Specifically the AION S which is one of the most affordable electric cars that you can find.
They also have a network of very fast 480 kW battery chargers that will charge the battery from 20 to 80% in only 10 minutes or less.
2.2 Popular EV Models
- AION S
- AION V
- AION Y
- AION LX
- AION Hyper GT
2.3 Recommended Reason
AION models are really affordable and you can purchase a model for a really good price. The AION S starts as low as $20,000 in China, which makes it one of the most affordable EVs out there.
Zeekr
2.1 Company Information
When talking about top 20 Chinese EV brands, the name Zeekr is one that we really can’t miss out on. This brand is owned by Geely and serves as a premium electric division. It brings the latest and greatest technology and luxury that the industry can offer.
Zeekr is a name derived from Gen Z and the word Geek, which tells a lot about the main focus of this brand to market their cars to the youngest buyers.
The company was founded in 2021 and we can honestly say that it is already thriving with four models being available for sale. And reportedly, more are coming in the near future.
2.2 Popular EV Models
- Zeekr 001
- Zeekr 007
- Zeekr 009
- Zeekr X
2.3 Recommended Reason
Zeekr is a brand specifically tailored for the buyers who want to get a high-performance luxury electric vehicle. This brand is on par or even better than Tesla in many aspects. Especially the 001 model that is definitely one of the biggest hits in the industry right now.
Voyah
2.1 Company Information
When we are talking about luxury EV brands, we must also cover Voyah. Voyah is one of the brands that popped up in recent times.
Founded in 2020, Voyah is a car brand that is owned by Dongfeng Motor Corporation, one of the largest carmakers in China. They have invested heavily in the Voyah brand and already introduced three models to the market.
What is interesting about their models is that they were designed by ItalDesign, which is the design studio founded by Giorgetto Giugiarro.
2.2 Popular EV Models
- Voyah Free
- Voyah Dreamer
- Voyah Passion
2.3 Recommended Reason
Voyah is definitely one of the most premium brands in the industry right now. This brand simply thrives with design and also with luxury. That’s if you are looking for a luxury model, we definitely recommend Voyah.
LYNK&CO
2.1 Company Information
Another brand owned by Geely is Lynk&Co. This is another division of this carmaker besides Zeekr. This company was founded in 2016 and since then it creates some really interesting products and targets the younger demographic.
What is interesting about this company is that it does not offer purely EVs but offers plug-in hybrids, as well as standard ICE models.
This company was heavily influenced by Tesla and they don’t work through dealerships, they mainly do business directly with the consumer.
2.2 Popular EV Models
- Lynk&Co 01
- Lynk&Co 05
- Lynk&Co 06
2.3 Recommended Reason
We recommend Lynk&Co to the younger audience. The designs that they offer are really smart and ahead of their time. Making them perfect for the younger buyer.
Neta
2.1 Company Information
Another very popular and affordable brand is definitely NETA. Neta is a company that makes all-electric cars and is owned by Hozon Auto. This is a fairly new enterprise founded in 2014 and they have headquarters in Zhejiang, China.
They also have offices in the Silicon Valley in California. This center is dedicated to autonomous driving. So, we can say that NETA works in parallel with its manufacturing business as well as with autonomous driving technologies.
2.2 Popular EV Models
2.3 Recommended Reason
We recommend NETA to those who want to get an EV at a discounted price. Their EVs might not be one of the most powerful on the market but are definitely some of the cheapest deals that you can find.
MG
2.1 Company Information
MG is another very popular brand in China as well as abroad. MG is an old British brand that was bought by SAIC Motor in 2006 and since then they have created many MG models.
Currently they offer some purely electric models under the MG brand that are sold in China, India, Australia, Thailand, UK, and the rest of Europe.
They are one of the most affordable EV brands that you can get along with NETA and Ora.
2.2 Popular EV Models
- MG4
- MG5
- MG ZS EV
- MG Cyberster
2.3 Recommended Reason
MG is one of the most affordable EV brands along with NETA and AION. This is why we recommend these models to the ones who want to get an entry level EV.
Jetour
2.1 Company Information
Jetour is another fairly new brand in the car world. This brand was launched by Chery in 2018 and serves as an entry level SUV brand for Chery.
This means that Jetour models are more entry level models compared to other SUV vehicles. They lack options and technology that is more and more present in newer models. This is why they are so cheap.
The cheapest Jetour X70 starts at only $9,000 in China. And you can get the Jetour Dasheng which is a Lamborghini Urus lookalike for only $13,999.
2.2 Popular EV Models
- Jetour Shanhai L6
- Jetour Shanhai L9
2.3 Recommended Reason
Jetour is a really affordable brand that offers good quality vehicles. Their models might not exceed in luxury and technology but they are definitely worth the purchase if you want to get a reliable commuter.
Hongqi
2.1 Company Information
Hongqi is a luxury brand that is operated by FAW Group. Hongqi is a legendary Chinese brand that was first created in 1958 and since then, they created a true legacy in the Chinese market. Hongqi is something like Mercedes Benz is for the rest of the world.
Currently they have futuristic looking models, as well as retro styled ones that are hugely popular in China.
2.2 Popular EV Models
- E-QM5
- E-HS9
2.3 Recommended Reason
We recommend Hongqi to those who want to get the most luxurious model out there. Hongqi models are a true status symbol and if you want to drive in style, Hongqi is the way to go.
Wuling
2.1 Company Information
Wuling is another very popular EV brand in China. This brand is also owned by SAIC Motor company.
Currently Wuling offers one of the cheapest EV models on the market that start as low as $4,000. Which for an EV is quite a lot and they are selling them in 400,000 units annually. This model is the Hongguang Mini EV.
2.2 Popular EV Models
- Hongguang Mini EV
- Wuling AIr EV
- Wuling Bingo
- Wuling Starlight
2.3 Recommended Reason
We recommend Wuling to those who want to get the cheapest EV out there. Starting as low as $4,000, the Hongguang Mini EV is breaking records in terms of sales.
