Chinese automakers have been a hot topic in the U.S. auto industry for quite some time now. While we haven’t seen Chinese companies directly entering the U.S. market, some existing brands have been selling cars made in China to American consumers. In the first half of 2024, over 40,000 cars manufactured in China were sold in the U.S., and this number is expected to continue rising.
One notable example is the second-generation Lincoln Nautilus, which was initially designed with the Chinese market in mind. However, since its launch in the U.S. earlier this year, it has become the best-selling vehicle for the brand. With 17,504 Nautiluses sold in the first half of the year, there was a significant 41.7% increase compared to the same period in 2023. This model outperformed Lincoln’s next best-seller, the Corsair, by approximately 5,000 units.
On the other hand, Buick’s Envision SUV, the first China-built car sold in the U.S. back in 2015, continues to be popular in its second generation. Despite a recent facelift, the Envision experienced a decrease in sales by almost 21%, selling 21,860 units in the first half of the year.
Volvo, under the Geely umbrella, has been offering made-in-China vehicles in the U.S. for over five years now. Among these, the S90 sedan is the only model still available, although it has never been a top seller. In the first half of 2024, only 808 units of the 90 series were sold in America, with Volvo combining sales of the S90 with the V90 wagon built in Sweden.
Another Geely-owned brand, Polestar, introduced the China-built Polestar 2 in the U.S. market in 2020. However, global sales for Polestar have declined this year, with only 3,301 units of the Polestar 2 delivered in America in the first half of the year. The upcoming Polestar 4, set to go on sale later this year and also manufactured in China, is expected to boost production, with plans to shift production to South Korea next year.
The trend of Chinese-made cars entering the U.S. market shows no signs of slowing down, with more consumers opting for these vehicles for various reasons such as design, value, and performance. As the demand for these cars continues to grow, we can expect to see an even greater variety of China-built vehicles on American roads in the coming years.
