An unprecedented array of new car manufacturers from China are poised to open their doors in Australia – one of the world’s most competitive vehicle markets – over the next 18 months.
Close to 10 car makers founded or headquartered in China are looking to follow in the footsteps of compatriots such as GWM, BYD and Chery in stealing sales from established Japanese, South Korean and European marques.
While most are focused on electric cars – from budget-priced city hatchbacks to luxurious people-movers with airline-style style seating – there is still expected to be a number of new choices for buyers of petrol-powered family SUVs, 4WDs and utes.
China has become Australia’s third-largest source of new motor vehicles, outnumbering cars from the US and South Korea – and behind only Thailand and Japan.
Two in five Chinese-built cars sold in Australia are now electric – compared to nearly zero five years ago.
Australia is often used as a test bed by new car brands looking to expand globally, as we have similar safety rules and car-buying tastes to much of the US and Europe, as well as high salaries and diverse road conditions – but with less than a tenth of the sales.
It means Australia is one of the most competitive new-car markets in the world, with approximately 60 brands fighting for around 1.2 million new-vehicle sales annually – compared to around 50 competing for 15 million deliveries in the US.
Here’s what you need to know about Australia’s next wave of new Chinese car brands.
Zeekr – second half of 2024
Zeekr is one of many subsidiaries of Chinese car giant Geely, which many Australians many not have heard of – but it has owned Volvo for about 15 years, and is one of its home market’s largest car conglomerates.
The Zeekr brand has only been selling cars since 2021, but has commenced a global roll-out set to include Europe, South-East Asia, and Australia.
It is due to introduce two electric models in Australia initially – the Zeekr 009, a luxury people-mover, and the Zeekr X, a city SUV.
The Zeekr 009 is larger than a petrol or diesel Kia Carnival, offering six nappa leather-trimmed seats, a big 15-inch infotainment screen, and 0-100km/h acceleration in a claimed 4.5 seconds – or up to 822km of claimed driving range based on Chinese lab testing.
Meanwhile, the Zeekr X is a small SUV sized similarly to a Volvo XC40 or BYD Atto 3, with up to 445km of claimed driving range based on more stringent European testing, and a 0-100km/h claim of 3.6 seconds, quicker than a base-model Porsche 911.
Prices are yet to be confirmed. In Germany the cheapest Zeekr X starts from around $AU65,000 – similar to a Tesla Model Y before two recent price cuts – while in China the Zeekr 009 is priced from $AU105,000 to $AU125,000.
Both vehicles share a Geely-designed electric-car platform known as SEA.
