Chinese companies are not afraid. This is how they conquer the car market not only in Europe

• BYD plans to double overseas sales to 800,000 vehicles in 2025.
• The Chinese are ahead of the Americans and Japanese in terms of electric car patents.
• In 2024, BYD overtook Tesla to become the leader in global electric vehicle sales in terms of number of cars sold and revenue.

From a manufacturer of phone batteries to one of the largest automotive companies in terms of employees and sales, BYD's success casts a shadow over the leader of American electric vehicles, Tesla . The keys to the Chinese company's success are the dynamic adaptation of its offer to the needs of users, often leaving the competition behind in its solutions, the price-quality ratio, rapid expansion into global markets and a focus on innovation. As reported by Reuters, BYD's board chairman Wang Chuanfu informed analysts that the company plans to double its foreign sales in 2025, reaching 800,000 vehicles this year.

At the same time, critics do not shy away from pointing out the state subsidies that have significantly contributed to the rapid development of the EV industry in China . Interestingly, BYD entered the European Union via Hungary in 2017, opening a factory in Komarom. Electric buses intended for the European market are manufactured there.

The Chinese company has also reached Europe

BYD is also spreading its wings in Central and Eastern Europe and, according to announcements, is to launch an electric car factory by the end of 2025, with a target production of 200,000 cars per year. The investment is located in the Hungarian city of Szeged, near the borders with Romania and Serbia. However, the new investment has been overshadowed by the investigation of the European Commission, which is to concern whether BYD received subsidies from the Chinese state for the construction of the factory. In the face of the EC's doubts, Budapest takes the position that the legal situation of BYD's investment, including its subsidies, has been analyzed in detail and meets Hungarian legal requirements.

Global tensions and the trade war may hinder BYD's investment plans in some places , but in some cases Chinese companies may use the tensions to conquer markets, especially in the Southeast Asian and Central Asian regions.

The Chinese are overtaking the Japanese and Americans, but challenges in foreign expansion remain

Chinese automakers and battery makers are outperforming Japanese and American competitors in the quality of electric-vehicle patents, according to the Tokyo-based Global Strategic Studies Institute (MGSSI), a think tank owned by Japanese conglomerate Mitsui & Co. That creates an opportunity for Chinese companies to license their own technologies in response to the threat of U.S. tariffs.

The road to foreign expansion is not a bed of roses in North America either. Chinese authorities have long refused to greenlight a production plant in Mexico, fearing that it would give Mexicans unrestricted access to BYD's advanced technology and know-how.

Chinese officials generally must approve any investment by domestic companies outside China. In this case, they said Mexico could allow the United States access to the technology. For years, Americans and Europeans worried most about economic and technological espionage, a trend that now appears to be reversing.

PIX Moving, or innovation at a new level

In Guizhou Province, the autonomous vehicle sector is operated by, among others, PIX Moving, which has developed its own series, including, for example, a vehicle with a robot barista or with the ability to prepare make-up. Its distinguishing feature from the competition is its specialization in solutions for short-distance logistics. Its strongest point, however, is the production of drive-by-wire chassis platforms for autonomous systems. The vehicles are also equipped with sets of sensors that enable the implementation of basic autonomous driving functions. The company also produces some vehicles using 3D printing technology.

PIX Moving is headquartered in Guiyang, China, but it is worth noting that it also has a branch in San Francisco, California, and is also expanding into the UK. This shows that the company thinks globally.

Vehicles designed and manufactured by PIX Moving are autonomous and fully automated, and their goal is to deliver products that meet the challenges of mobility in the cities of the future. The company therefore anticipates the needs of cities in a decade or more, trying to not only refine its offer now, but also actively participate in the creation of future solutions and standards.

In practice, this means that engineers are working on combining the mobility function - travel together with offering a specific service for sale. At the same time, vehicles are to be part of the Internet of Things (IoT) and be available on demand from the phone. Some vehicles are to be based on subscription models.

PIX Moving is a good example of how Chinese companies are trying to not only be expansive and global, but also innovative when it comes to possible future applications.

Poland can learn a lesson from observing Chinese tycoons

Polska Izera tried for several years to put an electric car on four wheels - without success. Despite the involvement of public money and good Polish engineers, as well as foreign partners, all that remained of the ambitions was an empty plot (the program was officially canceled).

Despite the fact that China is a communist regime, and therefore declaratively not meeting Poland's political standards, it does not mean that constructive lessons cannot be drawn from its successes. Like Poland, China has been a proven partner and supplier of components and materials for cars for decades.

Beijing has gone from being the world's cheap factory to one of the world's most innovative economies . Before the dreams of Polish companies like Izera fade into oblivion or are forgotten, it is worth taking a look at the successes of Chinese companies - and perhaps drawing inspiration from them for the future.