How Chinese brands are using EVs to gain foothold in Europe

A Chinese manufacturer achieved a breakthrough in European sales during the first quarter. MG, the British brand owned by SAIC Motor, captured almost 2 percent of the region’s electric vehicle market with the ZS EV small SUV.

MG’s success came despite selling the ZS EV in just five European markets, led by the UK, where the SUV accounted for 10 percent of the country’s electric vehicle sales in the first quarter, making it the UK’s No. 3-selling battery-powered model behind the Tesla Model 3 and the Nissan Leaf.

In total, EVs represented 39 percent of MG’s 2,300 first-quarter sales, second only to Tesla’s 100 percent, according to data from Berlin-based analyst Matthias Schmidt.