The interest of Chinese manufacturers in the Spanish market is occurring in parallel with a sustained growth in their registrations.
This was confirmed by Faconauto, the association of car dealerships, following its institutional participation at the Auto Show Shanghai 2025, where it held meetings with some of the most relevant groups and brands from the Asian country.
“Spain not only interests them: it convinces,” stated Marta Blázquez, president of Faconauto, highlighting the interest shown by Asian companies in establishing commercial operations in the country.
The association emphasizes that all the brands with which meetings were held expressed their intention to reach the end customer through the dealership network, reinforcing the strategic role of this channel in economic dynamization and job creation.
This edition of the Auto Show Shanghai confirmed the advance of electrification as a central phenomenon in the automotive industry. Electric vehicles dominated the exhibition, along with major innovations in batteries, connectivity, and automation.
“It is clear that the electric car revolution waits for no one,” Blázquez pointed out. “Electrification is accelerating, with very ambitious plans from both Chinese brands and traditional manufacturers.”
Faconauto also warned that the escalation of tariffs and cross-restrictions are conditioning manufacturers’ decisions, pushing them to seek new markets less exposed to trade barriers.
In this context, Spain is positioning itself as a priority destination, offering stability, industrial capacity, and a mature distribution network.
The Spanish delegation in Shanghai was headed by Marta Blázquez, members of Faconauto’s Executive Committee, and dealership groups, and was supported by CaixaBank Payments & Consumer and BCA Spain.
Expansion of Chinese brands and evolution of registrations
The interest of Chinese manufacturers in the Spanish market is occurring alongside a sustained growth in their registrations.
According to data from IDEAUTO-ANFAC, during the first quarter of 2025, 19,225 units of 100% electric vehicles (BEVs) were registered in Spain, representing a year-on-year increase of 68.94%.
Within the top 10 best-selling models in the BEV segment, two BYD vehicles —the Dolphin (839 units) and the Atto 3 (658 units)— managed to position themselves, consolidating the presence of Asian brands in the local market.
Although Tesla and European manufacturers such as Renault and Mini maintain their sales leadership, BYD’s breakthrough anticipates greater competition in the coming quarters.
This growth aligns with a broader European trend: manufacturers such as BYD, NIO, and XPeng have intensified their investments, including the establishment of distribution centers, dealership networks, and industrial projects.
Specifically, BYD began construction of its first European production plant in Szeged, Hungary, in 2024, while XPeng is evaluating industrial projects for manufacturing in Western Europe.
The installation of gigafactories is also part of this strategy.
In Spain, the government has promoted plans such as the PERTE VEC to support the production of batteries and key components, which could attract new Chinese investments in the medium term.
Charging infrastructure: sustained progress in 2024
The deployment of charging infrastructure strengthens the country’s attractiveness.
According to AEDIVE data, Spain closed 2024 with 40,438 operational public access charging points, representing a 33.2% increase over the previous year.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, 3,302 new charging points were installed, reaching an average of 1,100 units per month, the highest rate in historical records.
Of the total, 69% correspond to points of 22 kW or more, and 35% are high-power points (greater than 22 kW), facilitating long-distance travel and reducing range anxiety.
The trend shows a growing commitment to ultra-fast infrastructure: points of 50 to 250 kW grew by 15% year-on-year, and those over 250 kW grew by 17%.
The regions with the highest number of installations are Cataluña, Madrid, and Andalucia, with the latter approaching second place in terms of infrastructure volume.
“These figures dispel the false belief that Spain lacks a sufficient public charging network, surpassing 40,000 operational points and highlighting the investment and technological effort made,” said Arturo Pérez de Lucia, General Director of AEDIVE.
Spain facing a new phase of transformation
The combination of a dynamic domestic market, an expanding charging infrastructure, consolidated industrial capabilities, and a favorable political environment strengthens Spain’s role in the new geography of electric mobility.
For Faconauto, the opportunity to attract investments from new manufacturers reinforces the country’s position on the strategic map of the energy transition, provided that industrial policies support the sector and foster the deployment of innovation and technology.
“Spain can become a protagonist of this transformation if policies are adopted to boost manufacturing, investment, and a strong distribution network,” concluded Blázquez.
