China has positioned itself as the main car supplier in Mexico, with exports reaching $4.6 billion in 2023, according to data from Mexico’s Secretariat of Economy.

The Chinese automaker BYD surpassed Honda and Nissan to position itself as the seventh largest automaker in the world by number of units sold during the April to June quarter. This growth was driven by increased demand for its affordable electric vehicles, according to data from automakers and research firm MarkLines.

The company’s new vehicle sales rose 40 percent year over year to 980,000 units in the quarter—the same quarter wherein most major automakers, including Toyota and Volkswagen, experienced a decline in sales. Much of BYD’s growth is attributed to its overseas sales, which nearly tripled in the past year to 105,000 units. Now BYD is considering locating its new auto plant in three Mexican states: Durango, Jalisco, and Nuevo Leon.

Foreign investment would be an economic boost for Mexico. The company has claimed that a plant there would create about 10,000 jobs. A Tesla competitor, BYD markets its Dolphin Mini model in Mexico for about 398,800 pesos—about $21,300 dollars—a little more than half the price of the cheapest Tesla model.

That tariff-free access is part of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (T-MEC), an updated version of the North American Free Trade Agreement that, as of 2018, eliminated tariffs on many products traded between the North American countries. Under the treaty, if a foreign automotive company that manufactures vehicles in Canada or Mexico can demonstrate that the materials used are locally sourced, its products can be exported to the United States virtually duty-free.

MAGA strikes again

  • jimbolauski
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    3 months ago

    Mitsubishi sold 87,000 vehicles in 2023 only 13,000 were mirages. Kia sold 782,000, 27,000 were rios. Nissian sold 235,000, 4,000 were versas.

    In Europe the dacia sold 493,000, 200,000 were sanderos. Those are the numbers needed to make cheap compact cars.

    • Rekorse@sh.itjust.works
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      3 months ago

      Its an example of the type of car I think would sell well if an american car company made it.

      There is no comparison vehicle by american brands at the moment.

      • jimbolauski
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        3 months ago

        Renault could import the Dacia Sandero and have its msrp be $1000 less than the versa after terrifs. With that kind of price advantage you’d think they would but there’s been no effort on their part. The US market for cheap vehicles is too small.

        • Rekorse@sh.itjust.works
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          3 months ago

          I don’t have an issue myself but I think. the average american wants to buy from one of the american brands, even the one thats not american anymore.

          I don’t think Americans trust dirt cheap foreign goods just yet. Harder to find the right person to yell at you know, or whatever.

          • jimbolauski
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            3 months ago

            The Mazda 3s in the 2010s were cheap and were competitive with the focus sales wise. Kia has sold tons of vehicles and they are piles of cheap garbage yet Americans keep buying their larger vehicles.

            • Rekorse@sh.itjust.works
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              3 months ago

              So do we have demand for cheap cars or not then? I thought you were arguing the demand wasnt there.

              Besides you confirmed by opinion that its common to not trust “piles of cheap garbage”.

              In my opinion the ford focus was just as much a pile of cheap garbage as the rest but people think Ford is more reliable or at least wouldnt try to kill its own citizens.

              • jimbolauski
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                3 months ago

                So do we have demand for cheap cars or not then? I thought you were arguing the demand wasnt there.

                The demand isn’t there for small cheap vehicles, my point was Americans have no problems buying cheap “foreign” cars.

                Besides you confirmed by opinion that its common to not trust “piles of cheap garbage”.

                My opnion of does not reflect the opnion of the American population, kias and Hyundai sell well here.

                In my opinion the ford focus was just as much a pile of cheap garbage as the rest but people think Ford is more reliable or at least wouldnt try to kill its own citizens.

                Our opinions on vehicles are not the issue. Americans don’t want cheap domestic small cars which is why they don’t sell well here. Americans don’t want cheap small foreign cars not because they don’t trust cheap foreign vehicles but because they don’t want cheap small cars.

                • Rekorse@sh.itjust.works
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                  3 months ago

                  Then why do people want a cheap small electric? It being electric changes the whole equation?

                  I know a ton of people that won’t buy new cars to begin with too, you don’t think the used car crowd loves cheap small cars?

                  Is it possible instead of the demand not being there at all, its being diverted to used automobiles and so new car sales are skewed to more expensive cars and luxury cars?

                  The working class does not buy new cars on the regular as far as I know. The median wage in america is what like 50-55k a year?

                  • jimbolauski
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                    3 months ago

                    Then why do people want a cheap small electric? It being electric changes the whole equation?

                    Where’s the evidence people want compact electric cars?

                    I know a ton of people that won’t buy new cars to begin with too, you don’t think the used car crowd loves cheap small cars?

                    They are used cars for financial reasons not for preference. Further many people purchase a larger 3 year old used vehicle for the same price as a new small one.

                    Is it possible instead of the demand not being there at all, its being diverted to used automobiles and so new car sales are skewed to more expensive cars and luxury cars?

                    If small used cars were in demand then wouldn’t they depreciate less? There are fewer used Honda fits then civics yet they depreciate at the same rate. It appears the used car market preference is similar to the new.

                    The working class does not buy new cars on the regular as far as I know. The median wage in america is what like 50-55k a year.

                    Median household income is $75k. Though car size preferences don’t seem to change based on income.