EIGHT new car brands are set to land in the UK for the first time this year including a major Tesla rival and an EV firm that creates “flying cars.”
Almost all of the new manufacturers are Chinese, with one coming from nearby France.
Onvo’s L60 SUV is set to arrive in the UK this year and could rival both Tesla and Polestar[/caption]
Xpeng’s G6, described as a direct rival to Tesla’s Model Y, will also be sold in the UK for the first time[/caption]
Fans of compact vehicles will also be excited to hear French carmaker Mobilize will sell its tiny vehicles in the UK this year[/caption]
This influx of carmakers is not entirely unexpected as China is the world’s largest market for new cars, with more than 30 million units sold there in 2023.
Naturally, many of these auto firms would want to bring their products, many of which are hybrids and EVs, to Europe and the UK.
Autocar created a list of eight key brands that will be making this journey.
First up is Chinese carmaker Onvo, which was only founded last year but has already pitched itself as a rival to both Tesla and Polestar.
The Shanghai-based company, owned by parent company Nio, has chosen the UK before the EU because of a lack of import tariffs in Britain for Chinese-built EVs.
Its L60 will be the first to arrive on UK soil and it has been described by its maker as the most aerodynamically efficient SUV on the market.
The motor will likely be available with three BYD-supplied battery packs, the largest of which will offer a whopping 620 miles of range, according to China‘s generous CLTC test cycle.
Next up is another Chinese manufacturer, Xpeng, which attracted fame for its “flying cars”.
The Chinese Tesla, which has offices in California and Munich, was founded in 2014 and is set to export its electric SUV, the Xpeng G6, to the UK this year.
Described as a rival to the Tesla Model Y, the car comes in three versions: the single motor Standard Range, single-motor Long Range, and dual-motor Performance.
While those first two versions have been confirmed for UK sale, the latter has yet to have been.
Following on is Chinese carmaker Denza, which has been around since 2010 and acts as the premium line of its sibling brand BYD.
Originally a joint venture with Mercedes, its first Europe-bound car is the Z9 GT, a 925bph electric luxury motor.
Denza also aims to ship its mid-sized Bao 5, a Land Rover Defender-sized SUV, to the UK at some point too.
Following along after that is Chinese manufacturer Firefly, which operates the budget brands of parent company Nio.
Its EV rivals the Renault 5 and is currently priced at just £16,000 in China.
While it will no doubt cost more when it lands in the UK, the supermini will likely still be one of the cheapest electric cars on the market.
Adding on to its Chinese counterparts, Jaecoo, a brand under state-owned company Chery founded in 1997, is also set to make its UK entrance.
Chery is best known as the joint-venture partner of Jaguar Land Rover, handling the group’s production for the local market in China.
Jaecoo’s 7 SUV will be the first to land on UK soil and it’s of a comparable size to a Hyundai Tucson and comes with petrol and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
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It is also establishing a dealer network of 50 sites while its franchise partners Endeavour Automotive, Listers and Peter Very are already committed to sales.
Also making the list is Leapmotor, a standalone Chinese carmaker which sold its first vehicles back in 2019.
Stellantis has secured exclusive rights to exports its motors outside of China and plans to begin sales in the UK this year with three models.
This includes the Dacia Spring-rivalling 3620mm-long Leapmotor T03 that comes with a 34-mile range advantage on its Romanian competitor.
Another Renault 5 rival, the crossover-styled B10 will join it alongside the 262-mile range C10 family SUV.
Yangwang, also owned under BYD, is the last of the Chinese brands to be making their UK entrance.
The prestige brand’s largest car, the Yangwang U8 SUV, is expected to arrive later this year.
Powered by quad motors, the off-roader can float in water for up to 30 minutes, produces 1180bhp, and has a kerb weight of nearly 3500kg.
The range-extended vehicle comes with four motors, a 49kWh battery and a 2.0L turbocharged petrol engine that works as a generator
Finally, French carmaker Mobilize also sneaks into the mix with its Duo, which is reminiscent of parent company Renault’s Twizy.
Taking on the likes of the Citroen Ami and Micro Microlino, the Mobilize Duo has a large-battery version that claims to be able to cover 100 miles.
A van version, the Benton, swaps the single rear seat for more boot space.
Denza’s Z9 GT electric vehicle[/caption]
Nio’s Firefly EV[/caption]
BYD’s Yangwang U7[/caption]
The Leapmotor C10 battery powered electric vehicle[/caption]
