Pi-datametrics, a global search engine data collection company took an in-depth look at the online auto market in China, which revealed some interesting data points. Pi-datametrics collected data from China’s number one search engine Baidu for its research.
Key Points:
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Online search for Tesla is growing in China.
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Tesla is the most searched brand in 13 cities.
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When all the cities were included, Toyota came out on top.
Unlike the rest of the global automotive economy, China’s favoured brands/vehicles are not lead by the whims of the people but controlled by the government. Pollution is a huge issue in China so its within the government’s interest to diminish the use of fuel driven cars. To this end, in 2017 Beijing joined some European countries in planning a move away from diesel and petrol fueled cars in future years.
– pi-datametrics
China is the world’s number one EV market attracting nearly 40% of global investment in electric vehicles. In 2017, China sold nearly 777K EV’s (all electrics and hybrids), a stunning growth of 53% compared to 2016.
“UBS, a global securities firm, estimates that global EV sales will reach 14.3 million units in 2025, with China accounting for 4.8 million of the total.”
My 2 cents:
China will always be a huge market for electric vehicle manufacturers, but the on going trade war between United States and China is not going to help Tesla in any way.
Tesla has made its intentions clear to build a factory in China and that seems to be the only way to improve its relationship with the Chinese government. But that’s not going to happen this year due to Tesla’s cash crunch. Until then, a vast majority of Chinese customers will have to keep searching for Tesla.
