Chinese carmakers excel in premium EVs: survey

Chinese carmakers are outperforming international brands in the sector of smart high-end electric vehicles, according to a recent survey.

Four Chinese models made into the top 10 list in a survey of over 20 electric vehicles priced over 300,000 yuan ($46,890) in the market, with China's HiPhi X winning the No 1 position, according to survey findings released on Sunday.

Porsche's Taycan ranked second. It was followed by another Chinese model, Hongqi's E-HS9, and Tesla's Model Y was the fourth. Nio's ES8 and Xpeng's P7 ranked sixth and eighth respectively.

The models were assessed in five aspects ranging from their luxury and electric technology to comfort and service.

The survey was conducted by the Institute of Industry Research at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the Price Association of China and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

Li Jie, a professor at the Institute of Industry Research at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, said conventional gasoline vehicles focus on hardware but now electric vehicles are increasingly defined by software, which make them more than just a tool of transport.

He said the electric vehicle sector, especially the premium one, is offering opportunities for Chinese carmaker to catch up with or even overtake traditional international giants.

China started the sector in earnest in 2009, when most other countries thought it was premature.

The country has been the world's largest market for electric cars and plug-in hybrids since it overtook the United States in 2015.

Such vehicles have become a serious choice for car buyers after more than a decade of development, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

In September, 357,000 electric cars and plug-in hybrids were sold, which means almost two of 10 vehicles delivered in the month were either electric or plug-in hybrids.

Their cumulative sales in the first three quarters hit 2.16 million units, accounting for 11.6 percent of total vehicle deliveries in the period, according to the CAAM. It said their total NEV sales could reach 3 million this year.