The Chinese Seres Group and Lee Auto are preparing to enter the European electric vehicle market in 2027. The expansion of sales outside China is taking place against a backdrop of declining domestic demand: in the first nine months of 2026, new car sales in China fell 22% year-on-year. Finding overseas buyers is becoming more important for manufacturers as the domestic market cools.
The European direction already shows an increase in the presence of Chinese brands. In December 2025, their share in the EU market reached 9.3%, and by the end of 2026 it is expected to exceed 10%. Additional import tariffs have not stopped this process, although they increase supply costs and complicate price competition with local producers.
The plans of Seres and Lee Otto mean a further intensification of the fight for the European buyer. For Chinese companies, exports become a way to compensate for weak demand in China, and the European car market - a new source of competitive pressure even if trade barriers remain.
Ξeconomy.