Affordable Chinese electric vehicle (EV) brands are winning over younger UK consumers, according to the latest Auto Trader research.
According to its Road to 2030 study, brands such as BYD, GWM and Omoda have gained ground in the UK marketplace, with four in ten UK consumers willing to consider a Chinese car brand.
The greatest support for Chinese brands comes from the 17-34 age group, with 57% attracted by factors including innovative technology and affordability, compared to just 25% of over 55s.
It predicts that by the time of the 2030 ICE phase-out in the UK, Chinese brands could account for up to 25% of the UK EV market, delivering around 400,000 vehicles onto the road.
But the study also revealed that older consumers were concerned about data security, quality and pricing for such brands. Some 41% of the over-55 age group were concerned by data and privacy risks and 43% mistrusted the quality of the goods.
It comes as the UK has overtaken Germany to become the biggest EV market in Europe, and the third largest worldwide. The country is still tariff-free for Chinese manufacturers, which contrasts with the EU, and also arrives as the new US President Donald Trump has announced a total scrapping of EV sales targets.
Chinese brands have raised the number of under £30,000 EVs from nine to 29 options in the past year. Such vehicles also doubled their enquiries on Auto Trader last year, up from 1.3% in 2023 to 3.4% in 2024. Retail sites stocking Chinese vehicles grew rapidly too – up from 34 in January 2023 to 173 by the end of the year.
Lower battery and production costs have lowered the price gap to ICE vehicles too, falling from 35% to 24% – a drop of £3,600.
Ian Plummer, Auto Trader’s Commercial Director, said
“Consumers’ trust in the quality and safety of these new entrants remains mixed, particularly among older buyers. To succeed, Chinese brands will need to focus on reassuring consumers through strong safety ratings, data security, expert reviews, and customer service that they are as good as the more trusted traditional manufacturers.”
“The intense competition in China has closed the price gap between EVs and ICE, a trend we expect to see here soon. These new entrants are setting new standards in car design, technology, and production, forcing all brands to work harder to attract buyers.
“In the long term, this will lead to more sustainable and affordable EV production, essential for a successful transition and cleaner air. These new players have the products and confidence to challenge established brands, sharpening competition and benefiting consumers.”
Industry reaction
Speaking about the study, Quentin Willson, FairCharge Founder and Electric Vehicles UK board member, said:
“We don’t know if Chinese EVs in the U.K. have the technology to spy on drivers and there’s certainly been no evidence yet. But if people are worried about Chinese tech becoming a secret back door into our lives, then with all the electronics now from China in the average UK home, it might be a little late to start worrying.”
Andy Palmer, Founder of Palmer Energy, said:
“Smart electronics and AI software are a phenomena of our time, and proliferate into almost everything we own, including the phones in our pockets and the cars on our drives. For some, this has raised concern about the growth in Chinese EVs and the risk of spying. We should be cognisant of the risk but not attribute this only to China and only to EVs; the same functions can exist on Internal Combustion Cars [the ones on many drives already] and the risk from phones is probably greater.
“It does however raise the need to protect what’s important to us in this modern world and we should set standards for software security and protect our homegrown software industry. This is exactly what we are doing with Palmer Energy, leveraging Chinese batteries managed by UK battery management systems designed and engineered by Brill.”
Ginny Buckley, the chief executive of Electrifying, the electric car advice site, said:
“Our research from 2024, based on over 1,000 visitors to our site, paints a very different picture from Auto Trader’s statistics. Nearly 80% told us they’re not concerned about where in the world their electric car is made – suggesting that those already engaged in the EV process don’t share these concerns.
“Similarly, a second study conducted in the past two weeks with a comparable sample size highlights the growing appeal of Chinese car manufacturers: 61% of EV owners said they’d be happy to buy from a Chinese brand, with 56% of potential EV buyers expressing the same view.”
Dan Caesar, CEO of Electric Vehicles UK, said:
“It’s natural to be nervous of change. Since the West offshored its manufacturing, a huge percentage of the products we own in 2025 are from Asia in general and China specifically. The idea that Chinese made EVs will spy on you is baseless fear-mongering. What about your Korean home assistant, or your Japanese laptop? The majority of iPhones are assembled in China. Chinese made EVs are amongst the best products in the market, affordable too and made by reputable companies determined to build a successful legacy.”
Image from Shutterstock
