La Jornada: Chinese automotive brands are on the rise in the Argentine market

Buenos Aires., Chinese automotive brands are gaining more and more ground in Argentina, driven by rising demand and the arrival of new companies in the country, according to sector data.

Its expansion in the Argentine market is supported by the incorporation of new technologies, high safety standards, competitive prices and higher levels of comfort, explained the managing partner of Adachi Motors and member of the Chamber of Vehicle Importers in Argentina, Diego Sánchez Navarro, in an interview with Xinhua.

Brands such as BYD, BAIC, Chery, Haval, Jetour, Geely and the recent announcement of the landing of Lynk & Co, also belonging to the Geely conglomerate, are among those that are making the most progress in the South American country within the passenger vehicle segment, while at the commercial car level, firms such as Foton stand out.

Recently, the eventual installation in Argentina of an assembly factory by Omoda & Jaecoo, belonging to the Chery Group, was announced.

The trend is also favored by the continuity of an import quota with zero percent tariffs for hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles.

Sánchez indicated that the participation of Chinese brands in the automotive market went from one percent in 2025 to 10 percentage points so far this year.

“Chery has grown a lot, Haval and all its brands. Several are appearing and some are already announcing themselves to come. We are seeing a distinction in the way in which brands enter the country. They do so through representatives, that is, Argentine companies that act as importers and distributors, and are in charge of network development and after-sales,” Sánchez said.

He explained that “this boom” in electrified vehicles made China, due to its great progress over the years in electrification, hybridization, plug-in hybrids and 100% electric vehicles, have a great advantage.

“It already has a very large-scale production, it has very good prices for the technology it provides, and they are also vehicles made for global taste and very accepted in the Argentine market,” he explained.

Sánchez specified that of the quota of 50 thousand units imported with zero import tariffs, about 25 thousand were granted exclusively to importers and practically all of those vehicles come from China.