Chinese car brands may be absent from the US market, but that doesn’t mean Chinese-made cars aren’t being sold in the country. In fact, Americans bought over 104,000 Chinese-made vehicles in 2023 and an additional 28,000 in the first quarter of 2024. Brands like Buick, Lincoln, Polestar, and Volvo sell cars in the US that are manufactured in China.
However, it’s important to note that these figures don’t include cars from popular Chinese EV makers like BYD and SAIC. The reason for their absence can be attributed to the existing 27.5% tariffs on Chinese-made cars and the recent 100% tariffs on Chinese-made EVs imported to the US. These trade barriers make it unlikely for Chinese car brands to enter the US market anytime soon.
While Chinese car brands may not have a presence in the US, many Chinese-made cars are still being sold. Volvo’s S60L sedan was one of the first Chinese-made cars to be sold in the US starting in 2016. It was followed by Buick’s Envision SUV and Cadillac’s CT6 Hybrid. According to Automotive News data, Americans purchased over 104,000 Chinese-made vehicles in 2023, which marked a 45% increase from the previous year. The trend continued with an additional 28,000 cars bought in Q1 of 2024.
Currently, Buick, Lincoln, Polestar, and Volvo are the brands selling Chinese-made vehicles in the US. However, it’s worth noting that only Polestar offers Chinese-made EVs. Polestar is a brand co-owned by Volvo and its parent company, Geely Automotive. In the first three months of 2024, Polestar imported just 2,217 EVs to the US. The future production plans of Polestar amidst the new tariffs remain uncertain. Although the company intends to move some of its production to South Carolina in 2024, the impact of the tariffs on this decision is yet to be determined.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the Chinese-made cars available in the US market.
Buick Envision:
The Buick Envision compact SUV was one of the first Chinese-made vehicles sold in the US when it launched in 2016. The second generation Envision, introduced in 2021, continues to be manufactured in China through a joint venture between GM and SAIC. In 2023, the Envision became Buick’s second-best-selling model, with over 44,000 units sold. While this may seem like a significant number, it’s important to note that Buick sold a total of 167,000 vehicles across its entire lineup in the US last year. This figure pales in comparison to Buick’s sales in China, which reached a staggering 517,000 units.
Lincoln Nautilus:
The Lincoln Nautilus midsize luxury SUV, originally launched in 2019 as a refresh of the existing MKX model, is now in its second generation for 2024. The all-new Nautilus is produced at Ford’s Hangzhou factory, which operates through a joint venture with China’s Changan Automobile. Previously, the Hangzhou plant manufactured the Nautilus exclusively for the Chinese market, while US versions were made at Ford’s Oakville facility in Canada. However, with Ford’s decision to repurpose the Oakville facility for EV production, all Nautilus units for the US market are now being produced in Hangzhou.
Polestar 2 and Polestar 3:
Polestar, originally Volvo’s performance division, became a stand-alone company under Chinese parent company Geely Automotive. The Polestar 2, the brand’s first EV offering, made its debut in the US in 2019. Designed in Sweden, the Polestar 2 is produced at the company’s factory in Chengdu, China. The newly-introduced Polestar 3, the brand’s first SUV, also started production in late 2023 in Chengdu. While initial US market vehicles will be Chinese-made, production for US and European Polestar 3s will eventually transition to Volvo’s Ridgeway factory in South Carolina.
Volvo S90:
The Volvo S90, the brand’s flagship luxury sedan, is manufactured at the Daqing Factory in Northern China. Shortly after its launch in 2016, Volvo made the decision to move S90 production from its factory in Sweden to China. However, the wagon variant of the S90, the V90, is still produced in Sweden.
In conclusion, while Chinese car brands may not have a foothold in the US market, Chinese-made cars are still being sold in significant numbers. Buick, Lincoln, Polestar, and Volvo are among the brands offering Chinese-made vehicles to American consumers. Despite the trade barriers and tariffs currently in place, these cars continue to find buyers due to their quality and competitive prices. As the automotive industry continues to evolve and international relations shift, it will be interesting to see how the presence of Chinese-made cars in the US market develops.