China is not hiding its ambition to become the world leader in the new era of electric vehicles. In China, electric vehicles are more commonly known as new energy vehicles (NEVs).
Thanks to government support, China’s electric vehicle market is booming. These electric vehicles are high-quality and most importantly, affordable, and thus they are good enough both for the domestic market and the global market.
In this guide, I ranked and reviewed the 4 best Chinese EV brands in 2023.
- BYD
- Great Wall Motors
- Nio
- Xpeng
For many Chinese EV companies who want a piece of the global electric vehicle market pie, Europe is their first destination. The market demand for electric cars in Europe is strong because many European nations have taken the development of electric vehicles as the main way to reduce environmental pollution and ease the oil crisis.
Chinese EV brands have invested heavily in the European market and developed early, so in terms of price, quality and iterative updates, they can meet the needs of European countries.
In addition, advanced battery technology and large-scale production capacity also contribute to good sales. For example, Chinese EV battery manufacturers account for more than half the global production, which puts them in the driver’s seat when it comes to the supply chain of electric vehicles.
What are the 4 Best Chinese EV Brands in 2023?
My top picks are BYD, Great Wall Motors, Nio and Xpeng.
1. BYD
BYD is one of our favorite Chinese EV brands that are already super well-known across the world. In fact, we have mentioned the company before in our list of Top 5 EV Battery Manufacturers.
The company is famously known for having Warren Buffett as one of its investors. In 2022, it also surpassed Tesla in terms of global EV sales, which really speaks volume of the quality of its electric vehicles, and the confidence that the global market has in the Chinese electric car brand.
Founded in 2003, BYD, which stands for Build Your Dreams is headquartered in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China.
The company produces passenger cars, buses, trucks, electric bicycles, forklifts and rechargeable batteries. The current model range of automobiles includes battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).
Blade Battery
Developed and produced by FinDreams Battery, a BYD subsidiary, the Blade Battery is a type of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery for electric vehicles.
It has distinct benefits over ternary lithium batteries and conventional lithium iron phosphate batteries in terms of high safety, a long operating range, enduring longevity, super strength, and high power.
Comparing the Blade Battery to the majority of traditional lithium iron phosphate block batteries, space utilization is significantly increased. Some electric cars with Blade Battery technology have a driving range of more than 600 kilometres.
BYD asserts that the Blade Battery is extremely safe and that even severely damaged EVs fitted with the Blade Battery would be much less likely to catch fire.
The Blade Battery passed the nail penetration test with flying colors when it emitted no smoke or fire after being penetrated, making it the only power battery in the world that can safely pass the test.
Best Selling Electric Car Models
Some of the best selling electric cars manufactured and sold by BYD include:
- Atto 2 (aka Dolphin)
- Atto 3 (aka Yuan Plus)
- Atto 4 (aka Seal)
- Han
Atto 2 (aka Dolphin)
The Dolphin is an electric car in the Ocean Series, which includes BEVs named after sea animals, such as Seal, Seagull and Sea Lion.
It is an all-electric subcompact 5-door hatchback which uses the new e-Platform 3.0 that offers more efficient performance and range thanks to its better weight distribution.
The electric car boasts a 44.9 kWh battery that can deliver up to 405 km of electric range.
Atto 3 (aka Yuan Plus)
The Yuan Plus is in the Dynasty Series, which features electric cars named after ancient Chinese dynasties, such as Tang, Song, Yuan and Han.
It is the Yuan’s second-generation model. It has slightly larger proportions, a more upscale design, and BYD’s exclusive blade battery than the original edition.
The Yuan Plus is powered by BYD’s own Blade Battery, and is based on the company’s most recent e-Platform 3.0 architecture and features a 152 kW front wheel drive electric motor with 310 Nm of torque.
The 60.48 kWh battery pack gives it a range of up to 510 kilometers.
Atto 3 rated 5 star in Euro NCAP.
Atto 4 (aka Seal)
The BYD Seal is a battery electric compact executive, fastback 4-door sedan produced by BYD Auto. Like the Dolphin, the Seal is an electric car in the Ocean Series.
The Seal’s top speed is limited to 180 km/h, and the 0–100 kph acceleration is around 4 seconds.
The car has vehicle-to-grid capability and has a domestic driving range of between 550km and 700km.
Han (aka E9)
The Han Dynasty, the first golden age of Imperial China, inspired the naming of the BYD Han EV, a mid-size luxury vehicle.
The 76.9 kWh battery pack in the electric saloon is said to be capable of quick charging from 30-80% in 25 minutes.
Visit their website for more information.
2. Great Wall Motors
With its headquarters in Baoding, Hebei, Great Wall Motor (GWM) is a privately held Chinese automotive manufacturer that was established in 1984.
Vehicles made and sold by the company are branded with its own names, including GWM, Haval, WEY, TANK, POER, and ORA. ORA is a brand that specifically designs and produces electric vehicles.
Best Selling Electric Car Models
Some of the best selling electric cars manufactured and sold by GWM include:
- Good Cat (aka Funky Cat)
- White Cat (aka R2)
- Black Cat (aka Adora)
“Be it a white cat or a black cat. As long as it catches mice, it is a good cat.” This is the traditional Chinese proverb where the ORA electric cars get their name from.
Good Cat (aka Funky Cat)
With such a funky name, ORA Good Cat is definitely a funky and eyeball-catching car. It is the first pure electric model built based on the GWM L.E.M.O.N pure electric platform.
The front-mounted electric motor on the Good Cat has a 105 kW rating. The electric car has a top speed of 152 km/h and 210 Nm of torque. The 63.1 kWh battery in the Ultra trim extends the NEDC electric range to 500 km.
Adora (aka Black Cat)
The Black Cat is built on the ME platform, the first GWM exclusive platform for electric vehicles.
The Black Cat’s lithium-ion battery gives the car a top speed of 102 km/h and a NEDC range of up to 301 km. The motor is a 36 kW, 125 Nm, front-mounted permanent magnet motor.
White Cat (aka R2)
The White Cat is also known as the R2 and is a battery electric city car.
With a 34kWh or 38kW battery and a claimed NEDC range of 360km and 401km, respectively, the White Cat is available in two configurations. The 401km model has a 45kW motor with a maximum torque of 130Nm, compared to the 360km model’s 35kW motor with a maximum torque of 125Nm.
Visit their website for more information.
3. Nio
Nio is a Shanghai-based, Chinese multinational automaker that specialises in designing and creating electric vehicles. For its automobiles, the business is renowned for creating battery-swapping stations as an alternative to traditional charging stations.
Battery Swap
Nio Power Swap is the company’s patented battery-swapping technology that allows fully-automatic battery swaps in just 3 minutes.
To maintain the greatest possible condition for the vehicle and battery, automatic battery and electrical system inspections are carried out during each switch.
The technology is undeniably very impressive. However, our verdict is that when battery charging technology becomes advanced enough in hopefully a few years, and car batteries can be fully charged in minutes, the Power Swap technology might not be that relevant anymore.
Best Selling Electric Car Models
Some of the best selling electric cars manufactured and sold by Nio include:
- ET7
- ET5
- ES7
- EC6
- ES8
- ES6
Nio ET7
Three different battery configurations are available for the Nio ET7, an executive electric vehicle.
A mind-blowing NEDC range of 1,000 km is provided by the 150 kWh Ultra High Range semi-solid-state battery.
A total of 480 kW and 850 Nm are generated by the ET7’s two electric motors, one of which is located in the front and the other at the back of the vehicle. The car accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, which is really impressive and places it among the fastest electric vehicles.
The Nio ET7’s Aquila autonomous driving system uses a variety of sensors, including high-definition cameras, light-sensitive surround-view cameras, a high-resolution LIDAR, wave radars, ultrasonic radars, and high-precision positioning systems.
Nio ET5
The Nio ET5 is a compact executive electric sedan that comes available with three battery options.
A jaw-dropping NEDC range of 1,000 km is provided by the 150 kWh Ultra High Range semi solid-state battery option for the ET5, just like the ET7.
The ET5 is compatible with Nio’s Power Swap Stations.
The 0 to 100 km/h acceleration is 4.0 seconds.
Nio ES8
The ES8 is a full-size, all-electric sport utility vehicle with 6 or 7 seats.
A 100 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that is exchangeable powers the electric SUV.
It has a NEDC extended range of up to 580 kilometres and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds.
The ES8 has been given a 5-star rating by Euro NCAP.
Visit their website for more information.
4. Xpeng
Xiaopeng Motors, also referred to as XPeng, is a Chinese electric car manufacturer with offices in Mountain View, California, and Guangzhou, Guangdong. It is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Best Selling Electric Car Models
Some of the best selling electric cars developed by Xpeng include:
- P7
- P5
- G3i
- G9
P7
Watch out, Tesla. The XPeng P7 is a direct competitor to the Tesla Model 3.
The award-winning P7 has an NEDC range of 706 km and is powered by a 80 kW electric motor.
The stylish electric sedan is equipped with an adaptive cruise control system and an autonomous driving assistance system that features XPeng Navigation Guided Pilot (XNGP).
P5
The XPeng P5 is a battery-powered subcompact sedan. It is the first mass-produced vehicle to have LIDAR sensors installed for cutting-edge driver assistance systems.
The maximum driving range of the P5’s fully electric drive system is 600 kilometers on a single charge.
G9
The XPeng G9 is a battery-powered mid-sized luxury SUV. The G9 is the first XPeng product that was created and planned from the ground up for both the Chinese domestic market and the global market.
In terms of an advanced driver-assistance system, the G9 is outfitted with the centralised electronic and electrical architecture of XPeng and Xpilot 4.0. (ADAS).
It has hardware capable of L4 autonomous driving.
Visit their website for more information.
Summary
To learn more about Chinese EVs, head over to 10 Bestselling Chinese EV Brands in China.
Read also: Ultimate List of 100+ EV Brands.
It can be said that Chinese car companies have seized part of the overseas market through years of deployment of electric vehicles, but they still have a lot of work to do if they want to gain a foothold in the international market in the long run.
User experience is highly important when consumers purchase electric vehicles. Consumers are very concerned about cruising range, price, and charging infrastructure.
Chinese electric vehicles may be very good in the country, but in the process of localization, many technical problems need to be overcome in the process of overseas development.
Building a brand, especially word-of-mouth in the consumer market, requires a complete system, and it takes a long time to succeed.
Nevertheless, it is good to see more electric vehicle startups enter the game.