The company’s director of operations, Maxime Picat, says he is not “optimistic” about the chances of competition of brands with Chinese manufacturers
The Director of Operations of Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Maxime Picat, said on Wednesday (15.MAI.2025), not “optimistic“About the future of Western automakers in China.”I’m a very optimistic guy, but not in this case“, He said during speech at the Future of the Car Summit dome (Financial Times).
According to Picat, local manufacturers have gained a considerable space in the Chinese market, previously occupied by foreign automakers, in the segments of electric cars and larger vehicles. However, brands like Toyota and Volkswagen are still able to sell large volumes of vehicles from “SEGMENT C“: Medium -sized gasoline cars.
The director said he was “hatchy”With the offensive of Chinese manufacturers. In their assessment, the expansion of these local brands occurs in all categories of vehicles and leaves western companies only with“segment C of internal combustion engines ”.” And this will not last“He added.
“If you observe what has happened in recent years, the trend [do recuo na participação de mercado] It is strong and has been very difficult for [montadoras] ocidental keep their position in China“, These.
Stellantis has gradually retired from China at the footsteps of other Western automakers. After reducing these operations, the multinational obtained a 20% stake in Leapmotor by 1.5 billion euros and now helps Chinese startup to grow sales in China and Europe.
German brands like Volkswagen, however, intensified their efforts to the Chinese market. With the strategy “in China to China“Volkswagen and Toyota want to regain consumers who have made the exchange for electric cars. In 2024, the German manufacturer announced 2.5 billion investment in China.
