Since 2024, there are still a large number of Chinese car brands entering Mexico
EqualOcean reports that a BitCar car rental company report reveals that over the past five months, the entry of Chinese car brands into the Mexican market has remained "unstoppable." However, the incoming president will face challenges in the automotive industry, such as USMCA negotiations, the development of electric vehicles, and the growth and expansion plans of Chinese car brands and models, which are seen as a threat to the US.
According to data from the Mexican Association of Automobile Dealers (AMDA) cited in the report, Chinese brands account for 8% of Mexico's total sales, with 19% of vehicles sold in Mexico being Chinese brands. From January to April 2024, Chinese brands accounted for 8% of Mexico's total sales, with 19% of vehicles sold in Mexico being Chinese brands.
Andrés Luna, author of the "BitCar China Heat Map 2024," noted that from January to April this year, 17.4% of BitCar's fleet consisted of Chinese brands, up from 16% in 2023. “JAC Motors (江淮汽车)” had the largest share at 5.2%, with its E 10X model accounting for 33.3%, followed by Sunray at 33.3%, SEI4 Pro at 16.7%, and SEI6 at 16.7%.
Second place went to “Chery (奇瑞)”, with a 4.3% share. Its most representative models were the Tiggo 2 (40%), Tiggo 2 Pro (20%), Tiggo 7 (20%), and Tiggo 8 (20%). “Morris Garages (名爵)” came in third with a 2.6% share, with its top models being the MG5 (33.3%) and MG ZS (66.6%). Following closely were brands such as “BYD (比亚迪)”, “Changan (长安)”, “Geely (吉利)”, and “Haval (哈弗)”, which together accounted for 5.2% of the total fleet.
The BitCar analysis also evaluated brands based on eight criteria to verify their reliability, including their marketing potential in China and Mexico, plans for manufacturing plants in Mexico, the scale of their product lineup, the types of engines in their vehicles, the guarantees they offer, and the number of distribution points. "Of the 25 brands analyzed, 13 scored 60 points or higher and were listed as trustworthy brands. This means that seven new brands were added to the six brands that appeared in the first study. Given the changing landscape, continuous analysis is necessary to understand the evolution of this segment. The top three in this new heat map are MG (82), rising from second to first place, followed by JAC (75) and BYD (70).
In addition to MG, JAC, BYD, Chery, JMC, BAIC, and Omoda, the following brands were also added to the reliability ranking. A few months ago, the Great Wall Motor (GWM) Group began operations in Mexico with a broad product lineup spanning four brands, each serving different market segments. Although the group no longer ranks in the top 10 in sales in China, it has established a network of 52 distributors in Mexico, with agents in 25 states, and plans to open a factory in Coahuila or Durango. Additionally, in the second half of 2024, it will launch its fifth brand, Wey, to compete in the high-end market.