Chinese Cars Poised to Dominate European Car of the Year 2024

2023-12-04 Car News 1410 Views

The lineup for the Car of the Year in Europe 2024 has been disclosed, featuring an impressive seven Chinese models out of a total of 28 candidates. Constituting 25% of the contenders, this formidable group, labeled the “Magnificent Seven,” includes BYD Atto 3 (Yuan Plus), BYD Han, BYD Dolphin, BYD Seal, Nio ET7, Smart #1, and Volvo EX30.

A noteworthy point of discussion surrounds the inclusion of Smart #1 and Volvo EX30 in the Chinese car category. In 2020, Geely acquired 50% of Smart’s shares from Mercedes-Benz, leading to the formation of the Smart Automobile Joint Venture (JV) in 2021, with Mercedes handling design and Geely focusing on engineering. Both Smart #1 and Volvo EX30 stand on the SEA platform developed by Geely and are manufactured in China, solidifying their status as Chinese cars.

As we anticipate the November 27 announcement of the seven nominees after the first voting stage, it’s evident that China holds the largest share (25%) among all contenders. To put this into perspective, Japanese cars account for 21.4%, German cars for 17.8%, North American cars for 10.7%, South Korean cars for 10.7%, French cars for 10.7%, and Italian cars for 3.7%.

The list of contenders includes a diverse range of vehicles, such as BMW 5-Series, BYD Atto 3, Ford Bronco, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Lucid Air, Nio ET7, and Volkswagen ID.7, among others. The voting process involves two stages, with the final winner announced on February 26 at the Geneva Motorshow. The esteemed Jury, comprised of 59 members from 22 countries, plays a crucial role in determining the European Car of the Year 2024.

As we eagerly await the results, there is a possibility that one or more Chinese-made vehicles may advance to the second stage, with the slightest chance of all seven Chinese candidates making it to the final round.