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Chinese Electric Vehicles (EVs) Gain Market Share in the Middle East

Xinhua reported that Chinese EVs are popular in Middle Eastern countries since those countries are focused on developing the green transportation.

According to statistics from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China exported 1.2 million new energy vehicles in 2023, an increase of 77.6 percent from 2022. China’s new energy vehicles now account for over 60 percent of the global market. To the Middle East market, China exported 578,100 automobiles in the first ten months of 2023, a year-on-year increase of 32.61 percent; among them, over 110,000 are new energy vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 66.44 percent.

China’s Yutong Bus provided Qatar with 1,002 electric buses for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. These were later integrated into Qatar’s public transportation system. Among the electric buses serving the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, more than half were from Chinese manufacturers such as Yutong, BYD, and King Long. In October 2022, Hongqi electric cars successfully “joined” the Dubai police force, becoming the first electric vehicles in the Dubai police fleet. The Hongqi E-HS9 has now become a favorite among local sheikhs, royal family members, and government officials.

Geely vehicles are sold in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain. BYD has entered the markets of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, and Israel, establishing a leading position for its electric vehicle brand in the Middle East. Other Chinese electric vehicle companies such as Great Wall Motors, BAIC, Changan, XPeng, and Skyworth are also expanding into the Middle East market.

In 2023, Chinese EVs accounted for about 61 percent of the EV market in Israel. This share increased to 68.31 percent in the first half of 2024. In countries such as Jordan and Egypt, sales of Chinese brand EVs are also continuously growing.

Source: Xinhua, July 18, 2024
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