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Car wars: international marques from VW to Honda fight to regain ground lost to their EV rivals in China
- Most of them are focusing on both conventional and battery-powered vehicles, in stark contrast to their home-grown rivals
- Their market share had fallen to 48% last year from 80% in 2004 as electric cars have become increasingly popular
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Daniel Renin Shanghai
International marques from Volkswagen to Honda, grappling with falling market share in China, are mounting a spirited fightback in the world’s largest automotive market, focusing on reliability and safety as they build cars for a new generations of local customers.
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Most of them plan to take a balanced approach – focusing on both conventional and battery-powered vehicles – to pursue sales growth in a market where electric vehicles (EVs) are rapidly gaining ground.
That strategy stands in stark contrast to their home-grown rivals, who are betting on the swift adoption of pure-electric and hybrid cars to lure consumers away from petrol-guzzlers.
“We believe that competitiveness originates from the long-time accumulation of strength and experience,” Li Jin, vice-president of GAC Honda, told reporters in a press conference at the Auto China Show in Beijing on Thursday.
“Reliable and high-quality vehicles are supposed to give users a sense of safety.”
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He said the venture between Honda and its Chinese state-owned partner Guangzhou Automobile Group viewed petrol and hybrid cars as growth engines just as important as EVs.
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