Chinese EV start-up Rox Motor to push overseas amid ruthless domestic price war

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Shanghai-based carmaker aims to grow sales channels in the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia as price war at home erodes margins

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Rox Motor is viewed as a latecomer in mainland China’s EV race, where 50 or so players are now embroiled in a discount war. Photo: Weibo/Rox Motor

Daniel Renin Shanghai

Published: 1:12pm, 2 Sep 2024Updated: 1:14pm, 2 Sep 2024

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) start-up Rox Motor has charted a new course into international markets after securing partnerships with distributors in a handful of markets amid cutthroat competition at home.

The Shanghai-based carmaker aims to pick up its go-global pace by expanding sales channels in the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia, it said in a statement to the Post.

Last week, Rox Motor signed agreements with dealers in Qatar, Kuwait, Azerbaijan, the Philippines and Egypt to distribute its electric cars and create local service systems.

Founded in 2021 by Chinese entrepreneur Chang Jing, Rox Motor is viewed as a latecomer in mainland China’s EV race, where 50 or so players are now embroiled in a discount war to retain market share. The company has raised US$1.4 billion of capital from a clutch of investors such as IDG Capital and Tencent Holdings, according to data compiled by Crunchbase.

“Rox Motor has fully embarked on its international journey,” the statement said. “We have always been committed to uncovering unmet real needs.”

The company focuses on designing electric cars for people keen on outdoor activities such as fishing and camping.

Its only model, the Rox 01, starts at 309,900 yuan (US$43,623) in a six-seat version and 299,900 yuan in a seven-seat variant. It takes on SUVs assembled by Beijing-based Li Auto, Tesla’s nearest rival on the mainland. The hybrid car, launched in August 2023, has a small internal-combustion engine that generates additional power to charge the battery when needed. It has already been supplied to a police force in the United Arab Emirates.