Source: NYT > Business (paywall)
Chinese carmakers are moving from niche players to mainstream competitors at Europe's flagship auto show. EU tariffs and regulatory barriers have slowed but not halted their market penetration. The underlying gap remains: Chinese brands are competitive on price-to-features in mass-market segments because they have lower costs and better manufacturing efficiency than legacy automakers. European manufacturers now face a two-front battle—defend market share against cheaper imports while investing in EV platforms that demand the scale and vertical integration Chinese makers already possess.