Skywell eyes global market for its NEVs

Chinese electric carmaker Skywell is stepping up efforts to expand its overseas footprint as it sees growing opportunities from a booming new energy vehicle market.

The company aims to sell 30,000 vehicles this year, with 4,000 in overseas markets.

In the longer term, it aims to expand its global sales to 250,000 vehicles in 2025, with overseas markets accounting for 32 percent, or 80,000 vehicles.

Geopolitical headwinds have brought challenges for Chinese companies, including Skywell, "but we should not be too pessimistic," said Huang Hongsheng, founder of Skywell and Chinese television maker Skyworth Group.

Although the United States is seeking the decoupling of supply chains from China, economies have become intertwined and they will rely increasingly on each other, he said.

"We will certainly move forward through difficulties, but there is still much space for us to grow."

Last year, Skywell bought Skyworth's trademark for vehicles. It is taking advantage of Skyworth's dealerships to showcase and deliver its vehicles.

The company launched the HT-i on Wednesday. It claims the plug-in hybrid passenger car has an endurance mileage of over 1,200 kilometers.

Wu Longba, co-founder of Skywell, said Chinese electric car makers have the potential to take the lead in the global sector, with their mature technologies and the country's sound industry chain.

Last year, Skywell delivered a total of 11,105 vehicles globally in a nine-month period.

At present, major international markets of Skywell are Israel, Jordan, Mexico, Germany and other European countries.

According to Canalys, 6.5 million electric vehicles were sold worldwide last year, up 109 percent from 2020. Electric vehicles represented 19 percent of new car sales in Europe, 15 percent in the Chinese mainland and 4 percent in the US.

sally@chinadailyhk.com