Hi! I’ve been considering a Mini Aceman after a test drive that I absolutely loved. The only thing making me hesitate is that it’s one of the few Mini models manufactured in China instead of Europe.
I’m not very knowledgeable about cars or manufacturing processes, but this fact makes me a bit uneasy. I’m also unsure if this is ethical or environmentally better/worse.
I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts. Would it bother you to buy a European brand EV that’s made in China? Or does it not matter as long as the car meets your needs?
It shouldn’t bother you unless you specifically have an issue with Chinese-made products. Here in Australia, the Chinese-made cars we get are high quality. Some say they’re better than cars made in the U.S.
There aren’t many manufacturers producing the same EV in both China and elsewhere for a direct comparison. But, for example, many Tesla owners claim the Chinese-made Teslas are higher quality than the ones built in the U.S. or Europe.
@jabali
People say that a lot, but do we have solid evidence? It doesn’t make much sense. Why would Tesla use worse robots or processes in Europe compared to China? Or is it just that Tesla pays more attention to quality in China due to higher competition there?
@Ronald
I’ve seen videos comparing Tesla MYs from Berlin and Shanghai. The Chinese ones have less rattling noise. From what I’ve seen, the Shanghai ones even seem quieter than my Austin-built MY, which is annoying since U.S. roads tend to be worse.
@Ronald
It’s about efficiency. China has better-qualified staff and a supply chain that supports rapid changes. If an issue is found in production, it can be fixed within a day in China, whereas it might take weeks elsewhere.
@Ronald
Robots help, but humans still play a role. China has a higher level of quality control overall, plus Tesla’s Shanghai factory was purpose-built for EV production, making it more efficient than older plants like Fremont.
I’m also shopping for an EV, and for me, it does matter. While most batteries come from China, having the whole car made there feels different. It’s also about supporting local economies—EU car manufacturing is a big part of GDP, and losing it could be disastrous.
Christopher said: @Amelia
Does that mean you’d avoid other non-EU-made European cars? For example, some Fiats are made in Serbia, and Peugeot makes cars in Morocco.
My requirements list is pretty long, so I haven’t bought anything yet! Ideally, I want something like the BMW i4—smaller, not an SUV, and with decent range. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to exist yet.
It doesn’t bother me. Nearly every car has some Chinese-made parts anyway. What I don’t like about many Chinese EVs is their reliance on touchscreen-only interiors.
Nathan said:
It doesn’t bother me. Nearly every car has some Chinese-made parts anyway. What I don’t like about many Chinese EVs is their reliance on touchscreen-only interiors.
Touchscreens have become standard across most EVs and even new ICE vehicles. Tesla’s cost-cutting has influenced the entire industry. That said, some newer Chinese models are starting to bring back physical buttons, like BYD’s latest designs.
Nathan said: @Maria
Physical buttons might end up being a luxury feature in the future.
Possibly, but historically, luxury features eventually trickle down to cheaper cars. For instance, power windows used to be a premium feature, but now even budget cars have them. Competition in the Chinese market might drive physical buttons back into popularity.
Any car you buy will have Chinese-made components. Even a Chinese-assembled car supports a European company like Mini. I wouldn’t worry too much about where it’s assembled.