Breaking Down the Metrics: What the Numbers Tell Us About Chinese EV Growth

Exclusive Interview with Paige Lingwood, Insights Consultant, CARMA – Author of the “CARMA: Driving Change” report.

As Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers rapidly expand their global footprint, their media strategies are fundamentally reshaping how automotive innovation is communicated to consumers worldwide. In this exclusive interview, Paige Lingwood, Insights Consultant at CARMA and author of the “Driving Change” report, reveals how brands like BYD are capturing an unprecedented 41% of positive media coverage, while established automakers scramble to adapt their communication strategies.

How do Chinese EV brands’ media strategies differ from how traditional automakers typically approach innovation marketing?

Established brands have the ability to tether to their rich heritage, which can allude to brand loyalty and trust, while Chinese brands are currently needing to build this rapport.

Your report suggests that BYD alone generated 41% of all positive coverage. Could such media concentration around a single brand lead to distorted market expectations for other Chinese players trying to enter the EV space?

I wouldn’t necessarily say it distorts market expectations, but it does demonstrate just how much BYD is dominating coverage on behalf of Chinese brands. It also shows a level of white space that other CN OEMs have to play in with their Communications strategies, giving them the ability to understand what media are talking about in similar manners for BYD to emulate this for themselves.

How did Chinese automakers’ media resilience compare to established players during industry disruptions like chip shortages?

The Semi-Conductor shortages became a significant issue in the industry after the main wave of the COVID pandemic, therefore, this is slightly premature to the main insurgence of Chinese OEMs truly disrupting the industry. However, the incredible upcoming of Chinese automotive brands adds to the turbulence that the industry has faced over the past five or so years, having experienced COVID-19, into semi-conductor shortages, into Chinese brands shaking up the industry exponentially. It will be interesting to see what comes next!

What drives the UAE’s 75% innovative positioning of Chinese brands, while many other established markets remain skeptical of Chinese EVs?

UAE also supplied a large share of innovative positioning of established brands, demonstrating that media within the market are not necessarily aligning with one or the other, especially given its long-term affiliation and loyalty with some Asian legacy manufacturers. From our sampled coverage, a similar volume of media outlets highlighted both BYD and Tesla as being technologically innovative.

What do you believe Chinese automakers still underestimate in terms of building long-term brand loyalty beyond price and tech?

Long term loyalty comes with just that – longevity in the industry, something that is difficult to win over, just look at how dominant the likes of Nissan are in the UAE. We conducted a study at the end of 2024 that focused on car owners in the UAE where multiple nationals stated that they would continue purchasing the Patrol simply because it’s the Patrol – this is a very difficult mindset for other OEMs to overcome.

How are legacy OEMs interpreting this surge in media confidence for Chinese EV brands? Do you see a reactive shift in their PR and communication strategies, especially in this region?

On global scale, we have observed a substantial global shift in recent years, indicating a desire to innovate beyond conventional frameworks. For example, OEMs are shifting out of being labelled a volume brand to premium, then premium to luxury etc.

In a similar vein, more OEMs are wanting to shift to the title of “technology brand”, showcasing their innovative technological advancements. It will be interesting to see how legacy brands continue to future proof and look ahead from a technological point of view, especially when it has been proven that Chinese brands have the agility and speed to launch faster than their established counterparts.