New car buyers in the US don’t currently have many Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) to choose from, but a new study shows that many drivers under 40 would buy one if given the chance.
The study was conducted by a research company AutoPacificreceived responses from nearly 800 people aged 18-80 and showed that 76% of people aged 40 and under would consider buying a car from the Chinese brand.
However, only 35% of all respondents said they would be interested, a statistic largely influenced by the fact that only 26% of people aged 60 and over said they would be willing to consider it.
The survey results were issued regardless of US Government policy 100% tariff of Chinese-made electric vehicles to protect its own auto industry, although AutoPacific expects it is only “a matter of time” before they reach American shores.
“A surprising number of American consumers are familiar with Chinese car brands even though none are currently sold here. This is especially true for savvy Millennials and Gen Z,” said AutoPacific President and Chief Analyst Ed Kim.
Although most respondents would not consider buying a Chinese-made vehicle, 16% of 800 said they would be more willing to buy a Chinese-branded vehicle if it were made in China. in the US, Mexico or Canada.
Some Chinese automakers already sell and are looking to produce cheaper cars in Mexico for the Mexican market. Such cars could be sold in the US to avoid tariffs under current US free trade rules.
Overall, 78% of respondents said they would be at least somewhat concerned about their privacy if Chinese-brand vehicles were sold in the US, with 73% of people under 40 sharing this view.
81% of people over 60 said they would be concerned about their privacy, while respondents of all ages were concerned about potential national security risks regardless of production location.
“Privacy concerns about Chinese brand vehicles may eventually subside because most smartphones, smartwatches, laptops, home devices are connected,” Kim said. that we use every day are actually made in China.”
AutoPacific attributed the general increase in awareness of Chinese manufacturers to social media exposure, even in cases where respondents said they would not consider buying a brand car China.
THAN: It’s official – the US taxes China’s electric vehicles with huge tariffs
THAN: Polestar, Lotus lose big when the US plans to impose huge tariffs on Chinese electric cars
THAN: China responds to the tariff war with Europe and the US
