Brazil Emerges as a New Battleground for China’s EV-Makers
00:00/00:00
Listen to this article
1x
Subscribe now
Listen to the full version
Listen to the full version
Visitors gather around BYD’s newly unveiled Tang L at the São Paulo International Motor Show. The SUV is priced at 399,900 reais ($73,600). Photo: Zhao Xuan/Caixin
(São Paulo, Brazil) — When the São Paulo International Motor Show reopened in late November after a seven-year absence, the most striking feature was not the size of the venue or the crowd, but who filled it.
Around a dozen of the roughly 30 brands exhibiting at Latin America’s largest auto show were Chinese, underscoring how quickly China’s carmakers have turned Brazil into a critical battleground for their global expansion. Brands including BYD Ltd., Great Wall Motor Co. Ltd., Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd., Chery Automobile Co. Ltd., Chongqing Changan Automobile Co. Ltd., Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. Ltd., Zhejiang Leapmotor Technologies Ltd. and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp. Ltd. (JAC) were present. Some also unveiled new models, many of them electric or hybrid.
You've accessed an article available only to subscribers
VIEW OPTIONS
Unlock exclusive discounts with a Caixin group subscription — ideal for teams and organizations.
Subscribe to both Caixin Global and The Wall Street Journal — for the price of one.
- RELATED
Share this article
Open WeChat and scan the QR code
- DIGEST HUB
Digest Hub
Back
Explore the story in 30 seconds
- Chinese automakers now control over 10% of Brazil’s passenger-car market and 70% of its new-energy vehicle segment, with brands like BYD, Chery, and Great Wall leading.
- BYD sold 79,500 vehicles in Brazil in the first nine months of 2025, up 55% year-on-year, while Brazil's pure EV sales surged over 200% in 2024.
- New factories, model launches, and joint ventures (e.g., Geely-Renault) are expanding Chinese presence; many European automakers skipped the 2025 São Paulo Motor Show.
AI generated, for reference only
Explore the story in 3 minutes
[para. 1]
AI generated, for reference only
Who’s Who
- BYD Ltd.
- BYD Ltd. is a significant Chinese automaker experiencing rapid expansion in Brazil's auto market. It displayed its new Tang L (Atto 8) SUV at the São Paulo International Motor Show. BYD is Brazil's top EV brand, with sales of 79,500 vehicles in the first nine months of 2025 and a network of about 200 dealer outlets. The company has also opened a production plant in Camaçari, Bahia, with a planned annual capacity of 150,000 vehicles.
- Great Wall Motor Co. Ltd.
- Great Wall Motor Co. Ltd. was a prominent Chinese exhibitor at the São Paulo International Motor Show. Its Haval H6 was one of Brazil's three best-selling new-energy vehicles in 2024. In the first nine months of 2025, Great Wall delivered 27,000 vehicles, achieving double-digit growth. The company also brought its Iracemápolis factory online in August, producing the Haval H6 for Brazil and other markets.
- Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd.
- Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd. was present at the São Paulo International Motor Show, showcasing its brand among other Chinese automakers. Unlike some competitors, Geely is adopting an asset-light strategy for its South American expansion by forming a joint venture with Renault Group, named Renault-Geely Brazil. This partnership will localize new energy vehicle platforms and models, with the first Geely model, the EX5 EM-i, expected to be produced locally in late 2026.
- Chery Automobile Co. Ltd.
- Chery Automobile Co. Ltd. is a Chinese automaker active in the Brazilian market. It was an early entrant, building its first local plant in 2014 and is now revamping it for new-energy vehicle production. In the first nine months of 2025, Chery sold 49,000 units in Brazil. Its sub-brands, Omoda and Jaecoo, were showcased at the São Paulo auto show.
- Chongqing Changan Automobile Co. Ltd.
- Chongqing Changan Automobile Co. Ltd. was among the Chinese brands exhibiting at the São Paulo International Motor Show. Its premium EV brand, Avatr Technology Co. Ltd., unveiled the Avatr 11 as its first model for the Brazilian market. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visited their booth.
- Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. Ltd.
- Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. Ltd. (GAC) was among the Chinese brands exhibiting at the São Paulo International Motor Show. GAC showcased flying-car concepts alongside electric vehicles (EVs) and confirmed plans for local research and development and production in Brazil.
- Zhejiang Leapmotor Technologies Ltd.
- Zhejiang Leapmotor Technologies Ltd. was one of the Chinese carmakers exhibiting at the São Paulo International Motor Show. The company formally entered Brazil and Chile at the event, announcing plans to open dozens of retail outlets in these South American markets.
- Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp. Ltd.
- Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp. Ltd. (JAC) was an exhibitor at the São Paulo International Motor Show. JAC was mentioned as one of the Chinese carmakers that laid early groundwork in Brazil through gasoline-powered vehicles before the recent EV boom.
- Avatr Technology Co. Ltd.
- Avatr Technology Co. Ltd. is a premium EV brand under Changan Automobile. It showcased its Avatr 11 at the São Paulo International Motor Show, marking its first model destined for Brazil. The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, even appeared at their booth, highlighting the brand's significant entry into the Brazilian market.
- Mercedes-Benz Group AG
- Mercedes-Benz Group AG, along with other European automakers like Audi AG, BMW AG, and Volkswagen AG, was notably absent from the São Paulo International Motor Show. They opted out of the event, citing reasons such as high costs or a preference for smaller, more niche exhibitions.
- Audi AG
- Audi AG, a German automaker, was notably absent from the São Paulo International Motor Show in late November. The company, along with other European automakers like Mercedes-Benz Group AG, BMW AG, and Volkswagen AG, skipped the event. Their absence was attributed to costs or a strategic shift towards smaller, more niche exhibitions.
- BMW AG
- BMW AG, a German automaker, was notably absent from the São Paulo International Motor Show. Along with other European brands like Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Audi AG, and Volkswagen AG, BMW AG skipped the event. The article indicates their absence was due to concerns about costs or a strategic shift towards smaller, more specialized exhibitions.
- Volkswagen AG
- Volkswagen AG, a German automaker, was notably absent from the São Paulo International Motor Show. Along with other European brands like Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and BMW, Volkswagen chose to skip the event, citing costs or a shift towards smaller, more specialized exhibitions.
- Renault Group
- Renault Group, an established giant, has formed a joint venture with Geely called Renault-Geely Brazil. This partnership will invest 3.8 billion reais to localize new-energy vehicle (NEV) platforms and models in Brazil. By leveraging Renault's existing factory capacity and dealer network, Geely is pursuing an asset-light strategy for its South American expansion. The first Geely model, the EX5 EM-i, is scheduled for local production in the second half of 2026.
- Volvo
- In the Brazilian EV market, BYD has surpassed Volvo, becoming the top electric vehicle brand and outselling it by more than seven to one.
AI generated, for reference only
What Happened When
- 2014：
- Chery built its first local plant in Brazil.
- Around 2021–2022：
- Chinese carmakers began entering the Brazilian market in earnest.
- Around 2022：
- Chinese firms accelerated exports of electric and hybrid vehicle models to Brazil.
- 2024：
- Brazil's new vehicle sales totaled 2.63 million units.
- 2024：
- The three best-selling new-energy vehicles in Brazil (BYD Song, Great Wall Haval H6, BYD Dolphin Mini) were all Chinese.
- First nine months of 2025：
- Brazil's new vehicle sales rose 3.5% to about 1.81 million units compared to the previous year.
- First nine months of 2025：
- BYD sold 79,500 vehicles, Chery sold 49,000, and Great Wall delivered 27,000 vehicles in Brazil.
- July 2025：
- BYD rolled its first passenger car off the production line at its new plant in Camaçari, Bahia.
- August 2025：
- Great Wall Motor brought its Iracemápolis factory online after acquiring it from Daimler AG.
- 2025：
- Chery began revamping its Brazilian plant to produce new-energy vehicles.
- November 2025：
- Geely announced a joint venture with Renault Group to form Renault-Geely Brazil.
- Late November 2025：
- The São Paulo International Motor Show reopened after a seven-year absence.
AI generated, for reference only
- MOST POPULAR
Sign in with Google
Sign in with Facebook
Sign in with 财新