Chinese NEVs vroom in Latin America

HEFEI/MEXICO CITY — After driving a Chinese-made electric vehicle for nearly a year, Israel Aguilar from Mexico found that transitioning from a fuel-run vehicle to a new energy vehicle has provided him with a different transportation experience.

Like Aguilar, many people in Latin American countries have opted for NEVs, and electric cars from China have become a popular choice.

Jimmy Deng, deputy director of the passenger car department of the international branch of JAC Group based in Hefei, Anhui province, said the company is expected to export 4,000 to 5,000 NEVs to Latin America this year.

Since the official launch of the company's electric vehicle in Mexico in 2019, JAC has been one of the major sellers in the Mexican NEV market, Deng noted, adding that the increasing attention to carbon reduction in Latin American countries has boosted sales in the region.

The Latin American market is one of the major destinations for China's auto exports. Statistics from China Customs show that in 2021, China exported about 1.98 million vehicles, and the Latin American market accounted for 26.19 percent of the total export volume, up 143.6 percent year-on-year.

The NEV sector is a fast-growing category in auto exports. From January to July this year, China's NEV exports surged by more than 90 percent year-on-year, official statistics showed.

Margarita Beristain, general operations manager of JAC Coyoacan, a Mexican car dealership, said that the sales of NEVs are on the rise in Mexico.

"Being in densely populated cities with a high emission of pollutants, the Mexican market is increasingly turning to sustainable and environmentally friendly electric vehicles," said Beristain.

Deng said that China's automobile manufacturing industry had achieved developments and breakthroughs in innovations, product quality and styling, and NEVs are a typical representative.

Technology is truly very important in these times, especially for driving in cities, Aguilar noted, adding that it has been extraordinary for him to experience the technologies that come from China.

Xinhua