Takeaways from Shanghai.

Like many, I’ve been watching the wave of new Chinese automotive brands arriving into the UK. There’s never been a better time to be a car lover. Every week seems to bring another exciting new brand, each taking a different approach, each with their own idea of how to win hearts and minds. It’s fascinating.

So, I was gripped by the Shanghai Motor Show last week. A deep dive into what’s happening in their home market, and a glimpse of what’s very likely coming to Europe soon.

I’ve been glued to the content showing how these brands show up at home. And it’s hard not to notice just how different the culture, the messaging and the customer expectations are when compared to what works here in Europe.

Right now, it feels like many of these brands can do no wrong.

Take BYD, for example, sales have grown seven-fold since 2020, hitting 4.2 million vehicles last year and overtaking Tesla as the world’s top EV seller.

When you’re winning at that scale, it’s easy to believe you’ve found the perfect formula.

So that’s why the recent Reuters piece “Exclusive: China EV giant BYD reboots Europe operations after strategic stumbles, sources say” really caught my attention.

Not because it was critical, far from it. But because it highlighted a familiar challenge I’ve seen many brands face as they expand into new markets.

The belief that if something works brilliantly in one market, it should work just as well everywhere else. And when it doesn’t, the local team often gets blamed, rather than the 'one size fits all' approach from Head Office.

The truth is, localisation isn’t about translation. It’s about understanding.

Understanding how people buy. How they research. Who they listen to.

What matters to them emotionally, practically, financially.

None of this is insurmountable, but it takes local expertise and perhaps more importantly, a willingness to value that expertise at every level, from strategic planning to creative execution and implementation.

Reading the article, it’s clear BYD are moving quickly to address the gaps: attracting the very best European talent, expanding dealer networks, and adapting their product line-up with hybrids to meet what local customers actually want.

These are smart moves, but there’s always more that can be done at every local touchpoint.

This is a timely reminder that localisation isn’t a layer you put on at the end. It needs to be baked into the thinking from day one.

If you’re serious about growth in Europe, especially in the UK, success comes from listening to the people who know these markets best, not just as a courtesy, but as a critical part of the strategy.

It might feel like nuance. But it’s the nuance that wins customers.

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