Australia is already house to extra automotive manufacturers than another nation, making it one of many world’s best auto markets in addition to one of many smallest, however Chinese language large BYD says value-focused native shoppers will profit from much more of them as model loyalty disappears amid the price of residing disaster.
“Australia has essentially the most manufacturers obtainable in any market, however I believe what we’re seeing is a shift in understanding as nicely,” BYD Chief Advertising and marketing Officer (CMO) Kate Hornstein instructed CarExpert.
“The partitions are coming right down to new manufacturers. I believe model loyalty is considerably disappearing, and I believe Australians are very pushed, particularly in at the moment’s local weather, by worth and what their very own private household wants.
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“By having the ability to give them selection and extra choices, it’s solely going to be higher for the client.”
BYD launched in Australia in 2022 and has since introduced it is going to convey its Denza luxurious model – which is able to play the same function for BYD as Lexus does for Toyota – to showrooms earlier than the tip of 2025.
Whereas it hasn’t introduced any others, BYD additionally has its Yangwang and Fangchengbao manufacturers in China, and fashions from every are on the playing cards for Australia – though they are going to doubtless be bought as BYD or Denza fashions.
Different Chinese language automakers have additionally introduced a number of manufacturers to Australia, together with Chery which not too long ago launched its Omoda Jaecoo model and doubtlessly has extra to return.
The primary Geely-badged mannequin – the EX5 mid-size electrical SUV – went on sale right here in March 2025, including to different Geely owned or managed model already current domestically together with Volvo, Polestar, Good and Zeekr.
Whereas many extra are coming right here, Australia at present has about 70 auto manufacturers, regardless of the exit of a number of in comparatively latest years together with Holden, Daewoo, Daihatsu, Dodge, Chrysler, Citroen, Opel and Alpine, which is able to make a comeback in 2026 with the Alpine A390 hatch.
Within the area of lower than 5 years, Australia could have added a few dozen new Chinese language manufacturers, offering extra selection for shoppers than ever, but additionally forcing every automaker to struggle over a comparatively small gross sales pie – 1.2 million complete gross sales throughout all manufacturers in 2024.
That compares to roughly 30 million new automobile gross sales yearly in China, 16 million within the US, 2.8 million in Germany and 1.95 million within the UK.
Chinese language automaker MG turned a top-10 promoting model for the primary time Down Underneath in July 2021. It’s now firmly entrenched right here and can launch its IM Motors premium electrical model right here later this 12 months.
IM Motors is to MG what Denza is to BYD, which beforehand acknowledged plans to eclipse native market chief Toyota by 2027. Ms Hornstein says Denza will probably be one other different to luxurious marques primarily from Germany.
“Once we take a look at Denza, the [luxury car] section is essentially populated by European manufacturers and I believe after we take a look at value of possession, preliminary outlay, value of prolonged possession, it’s extremely costly for Australians simply given the place we’re geographically,” she stated.
“So I believe what this offers is another choice for purchasers to discover when they’re available in the market for a automotive.”
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