Sweden
Chinese cars in Sweden: which brands sell there and since when
Facts checked
Sweden is the European market where Chinese ownership is most deeply embedded in the local industry and least visible in the showroom. Volvo Cars has been majority-owned by Geely Holding since 2010 and still builds cars at Torslanda in Gothenburg, engines at Skövde and body panels at Olofström; Polestar and Zeekr both design and develop in Gothenburg. Yet Chinese-badged brands took only just over 2.1% of Swedish registrations in 2025, roughly a third of their share across Europe as a whole.
The pattern within that small number is distinctive. It is the Geely-owned marques with Swedish engineering roots — Zeekr, which grew 52% in the first half of 2025, and Lynk & Co — that are gaining, while MG fell 46%. BYD continued to grow. Sweden was one of Zeekr's two European launch markets, with the Netherlands, in the fourth quarter of 2023, and one of the four countries Nio named at its Berlin launch event in October 2022.
Sweden abstained in the member-state vote of 4 October 2024 on the EU's definitive countervailing duties but applies them like every member state: the EU's standard 10% duty on imported cars plus 7.8% to 35.3% on battery electric cars built in China, depending on the producer.
At a glance
| Country code | SE |
|---|---|
| Region | Europe |
| Market status | Open |
| Brands recorded | 12 |
| Chinese-owned plants | 3 |
| Models on this site | 26 |
Brands sold in Sweden
| Brand | Status | Since | Route to market | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 名爵MG | Sold | July 2021 | The company itself | MG opened Swedish sales in the third quarter of 2021, after Italy and Spain. Registrations fell 46% in 2025. |
| 比亚迪BYD | Sold | October 2022 | The company itself | Sweden was one of the first delivery countries for BYD's European passenger-car range announced at the October 2022 Paris show; deliveries began in the fourth quarter of that year. Sales have continued to grow. |
| 蔚来NIO | Sold | October 2022 | The company itself | Announced at Nio's European launch event in Berlin in October 2022, alongside Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark. Nio has said the Swedish operation may move to a distributor model. |
| 小鹏Xpeng | Sold | 2022 | An independent importer | Sweden was among Xpeng's early European markets after Norway; by February 2023 the G9 and P7 could be ordered here alongside Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands. |
| 极氪Zeekr | Sold | October 2023 | The company itself | Sweden and the Netherlands were Zeekr's two European launch markets in the fourth quarter of 2023, with the 001 and X. Zeekr's design and development work is based in Gothenburg. Sales grew 52% in the first half of 2025. Zeekr moved its EU sales operation from Sweden to the Netherlands in October 2023. |
| 领克Lynk & Co | Sold | not published | The company itself | Lynk & Co is a Geely brand with Gothenburg engineering roots; it is one of the two Chinese-owned marques gaining ground in Sweden. It became a subsidiary of Zeekr in February 2025. Swedish start date not established in this pass. |
| 极星Polestar | Sold | not published | The company itself | Polestar is headquartered in Gothenburg and uses Volvo's Swedish service network. The Polestar 2, 3 and 4 are built in China. |
| 沃尔沃Volvo Cars | Sold | not published | The company itself | A Swedish company, majority-owned by Geely Holding since 2010, that still builds cars in Sweden. Several current models are built in China. |
| 智马达smart | Sold | not published | The company itself | A 50/50 Mercedes-Benz–Geely Holding joint venture since 2020; the #1 and #3 are built at Xi'an. |
| 路特斯Lotus | Sold | not published | An independent importer | Geely Holding has held a controlling stake since 2017. |
| 上汽大通Maxus | Sold | not published | An independent importer | SAIC's Maxus sells cars and vans in Sweden; start date not established in this pass. |
| 爱驰Aiways | Withdrawn | not published | An independent importer | Aiways sold in Sweden during its 2020–2023 European period; production in China stopped in the summer of 2023. |
The rules
Stated from the document that issued them, with the date each was read. Nothing here is an interpretation.
| Rule | What it says | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU import duty on cars | The European Union's standard most-favoured-nation duty on imported passenger cars is 10%. Any countervailing duty is charged on top of it. | European Commission, Access2Markets | |
| Countervailing duties on China-built battery electric cars | Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2754 of 29 October 2024 imposed definitive countervailing duties on new battery electric vehicles for the transport of persons originating in China, applicable from 30 October 2024 for five years: BYD Group 17.0%, Geely Group 18.8%, SAIC Group 35.3%, Tesla (Shanghai) 7.8%, other cooperating companies 20.7%, all other non-cooperating companies 35.3%. The 18.8% Geely rate applies to China-built cars from Volvo, Polestar, Zeekr, Lynk & Co and smart as well as to the Geely marque. | European Commission, Access2Markets | |
| Price undertakings as an alternative to the duties | On 12 January 2026 the European Commission published guidance on how Chinese exporters may offer a price undertaking instead of paying the duty, covering the minimum import price, sales channels, cross-compensation, annual volume caps and future investment in the EU. | European Commission, Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security | |
| First accepted price undertaking | On 10 February 2026 the Commission accepted a price undertaking from Volkswagen (Anhui) Automotive Company Ltd. covering the Cupra Tavascan, in exchange for a minimum import price, a volume limit and defined EU investment milestones. The duties remain in force for every other exporter. | European Commission, Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security | |
| Sweden's vote on the duties | Sweden abstained in the member-state vote of 4 October 2024, in which ten states supported the duties, twelve abstained and five voted against. The measure passed and applies in Sweden like every other member state. | European Council on Foreign Relations |
Chinese-owned plants in Sweden
| Owner | Location | Since | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geely Holding | Torslanda, Gothenburg — Volvo Cars | 2 August 2010 | Volvo Cars' main Swedish car plant, on the island of Hisingen north-west of Gothenburg. The factory dates from 1964; Geely Holding bought Volvo Cars from Ford in 2010 and remains the majority owner. |
| Geely Holding | Skövde — Volvo Cars engine plant | 2 August 2010 | Volvo Cars' Swedish powertrain plant, under Geely Holding ownership since 2010. |
| Geely Holding | Olofström — Volvo Cars body components | 2 August 2010 | Volvo Cars' body-panel plant, under Geely Holding ownership since 2010. |
Western badges built in China and sold in Sweden
| Model | Badge | Plant | Years | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EX30 | Volvo | Zhangjiakou, Hebei; also Ghent, Belgium from April 2025 | 2023–present | A Swedish-brand car built in China; Volvo added Ghent production in April 2025. |
| S90 | Volvo | Daqing, Heilongjiang | 2018–present | |
| Polestar 2 | Polestar | Luqiao, Taizhou, Zhejiang | 2020–present | |
| Polestar 3 | Polestar | Chengdu, Sichuan | 2024–present | |
| Polestar 4 | Polestar | Ningbo (Hangzhou Bay), Zhejiang | 2024–present | |
| Model 3 | Tesla | Gigafactory Shanghai | 2021–present | Start year for Shanghai supply not confirmed from a primary source. |
| Cooper Electric and Aceman | Mini | Spotlight Automotive, Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu | 2023–present | |
| Tavascan | Cupra | Volkswagen Anhui, Hefei | 2024–present | Covered by the EU price undertaking accepted on 10 February 2026. |
| Spring | Dacia | Shiyan, Hubei | 2021–present | |
| #1 and #3 | smart | Xi'an, Shaanxi | 2023–present | |
| Eletre and Emeya | Lotus | Wuhan, Hubei | 2023–present |
Polestar Polestar 2 · Polestar Polestar 3 · Polestar Polestar 4 · Volvo EX30 · Volvo S90
Models recorded in Sweden
| Model | Body | Status | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firefly Firefly | Hatchback | Announced | 420 km CLTC |
| LEVC TX | MPV | Sold | 109 km (manufacturer figure, cycle not stated) |
| Lynk & Co 01 | SUV | Sold | 70 km WLTP |
| Lynk & Co 02 | Crossover | Sold | 435 km WLTP |
| Lynk & Co 08 | SUV | Sold | 200 km (manufacturer figure, cycle not stated) |
| NIO ES8 | SUV | Sold | 630 km CLTC |
| NIO ES6 | SUV | Sold | 450 km CLTC |
| NIO ET5 | Saloon | Sold | 585 km CLTC |
| NIO ET7 | Saloon | Sold | 550 km CLTC |
| Polestar Polestar 2 | Hatchback | Sold | 658 km WLTP |
| Polestar Polestar 3 | SUV | Sold | 647 km WLTP |
| Polestar Polestar 4 | Crossover | Sold | 619 km WLTP |
| Polestar Polestar 5 | Saloon | Sold | 677 km WLTP |
| smart smart #1 | SUV | Sold | 311 km WLTP |
| smart smart #3 | Crossover | Sold | 325 km WLTP |
| smart smart #5 | SUV | Sold | 463 km WLTP |
| Volvo Cars EX30 | SUV | Sold | 344 km WLTP |
| Volvo Cars EX90 | SUV | Sold | 460 km WLTP |
| Volvo Cars XC40 / EX40 | SUV | Sold | 569 km WLTP |
| Volvo Cars XC60 | SUV | Sold | 77 km WLTP |
| Xpeng G6 | SUV | Sold | 625 km CLTC |
| Xpeng G9 | SUV | Sold | 725 km CLTC |
| Zeekr 001 | Estate | Sold | 710 km CLTC |
| Zeekr 007 | Saloon | Sold | 715 km CLTC |
| Zeekr 7X | SUV | Sold | 620 km CLTC |
| Zeekr X | SUV | Sold | 330 km WLTP |
Best sellers
| Model | Brand | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zeekr | Zeekr | 2025 | Grew 52% in the first half of 2025, the strongest of the Chinese-owned brands in Sweden; Zeekr's design and development are based in Gothenburg. |
| Lynk & Co | Lynk & Co | 2025 | One of the two Geely-owned marques gaining ground in Sweden. |
| BYD | BYD | 2025 | Continued to grow in 2025. |
| MG | MG | 2025 | Fell 46% in 2025. |
Chinese cars in Sweden: questions people ask
- How well do Chinese brands sell in Sweden?
- Not well. Chinese-badged brands took just over 2.1% of the Swedish market in 2025, against roughly 6% across Europe as a whole. That excludes Volvo and Polestar, which are Swedish marques under Chinese ownership.
- Is Volvo a Chinese company?
- Volvo Cars is a Swedish company that has been majority-owned by Zhejiang Geely Holding since 2010. It still builds cars at Torslanda in Gothenburg, engines at Skövde and body panels at Olofström, and several of its models — including the EX30 and S90 — are built in China.
- Which Chinese brands are growing in Sweden?
- The Geely-owned marques with Swedish engineering roots. Zeekr, whose design and development work is in Gothenburg, grew 52% in the first half of 2025, and Lynk & Co is also gaining. BYD continued to grow while MG fell 46%.
- Why did Zeekr launch in Sweden?
- Sweden and the Netherlands were Zeekr's two European launch markets in the fourth quarter of 2023, and Zeekr does its design and development work in Gothenburg alongside Volvo and Polestar. Its EU sales operation moved from Sweden to the Netherlands in October 2023.
- How did Sweden vote on the EU tariffs?
- Sweden abstained on 4 October 2024, with eleven other member states. Ten voted in favour and five against. The measure passed and Sweden applies it like every other member state.
- Do Volvo and Polestar pay the EU's Chinese-EV duty?
- On the cars they build in China, yes. Regulation (EU) 2024/2754 sets an 18.8% rate for the Geely group, which covers China-built battery electric cars from Volvo, Polestar, Zeekr, Lynk & Co and smart. Cars built in Ghent, Torslanda or South Carolina are not affected.
What changed
The only dated surface on this page. It records status changes, not news.
-
The Commission accepts the first price undertaking, from Volkswagen (Anhui) for the Cupra Tavascan.
European Commission, Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security
-
The European Commission publishes guidance on price undertakings as an alternative to the duties.
European Commission, Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security
-
Zeekr completes its integration of Lynk & Co, taking a 51% stake with Geely holding the rest.
-
The countervailing duties of Regulation (EU) 2024/2754 begin to apply for five years, including an 18.8% rate for the Geely group.
-
Sweden abstains in the member-state vote on the EU's definitive countervailing duties.
-
Zeekr moves its European sales operation from Sweden to the Netherlands, weeks before its fourth-quarter launch in both countries.
-
BYD names Sweden among the first delivery countries for its European range, and Nio announces Swedish sales at its Berlin launch event.
-
MG opens Swedish sales.
-
Geely Holding completes its purchase of Volvo Cars from Ford, bringing the Torslanda, Skövde and Olofström plants under Chinese ownership.
Related
Sources for Sweden
- Official Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex), Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2754 of 29 October 2024. Read .
- European Commission, Access2Markets, EU Commission imposes countervailing duties on imports of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from China. Read .
- European Commission, Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security, Commission issues Guidance Document on submission of price undertaking offers for battery electric vehicles from China. Read .
- European Commission, Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security, Commission accepts price undertaking from Chinese electric car producer. Read .
- European Council on Foreign Relations, Divided we stand: The EU votes on Chinese electric vehicle tariffs. Read . The 4 October 2024 tally and Sweden's abstention.
- Volvo Car Corporation, Volvo Cars reopens Torslanda manufacturing plant and offices in Sweden. Read . Volvo's own material on the Swedish plants; the company boilerplate names Gothenburg for cars, Skövde for engines and Olofström for body components, with Geely Holding as owner since 2010.
- MG Motor Europe, MG expands in Europe: where are we for sale and where soon?. Read . MG's own account of the Swedish launch in the third quarter of 2021.
- NIO Inc., NIO Announces Details of its Expansion into German, Dutch, Danish and Swedish Markets at European Launch Event. Read .
- Electrek, ZEEKR to move EU sales from Sweden to the Netherlands. Read .
- CnEVPost, Zeekr closes deal to integrate Lynk & Co, CEO unveils 2025 product plans. Read .
- Auto Motor & Sport Sverige, Sverige motstår den ökande andelen kinesiska elbilar. Read . The just-over-2.1% Swedish share for Chinese brands in 2025 against about 6% across Europe.
- Carup.se, Fiasko för flera kinesiska bilmärken i Sverige. Read . Brand-level Swedish performance in 2025: Zeekr +52%, Lynk & Co and BYD up, MG −46%.
- Mobility Sweden, Nyregistreringar 2025. Read . Sweden's mobility industry association publishes the monthly new-registration press releases and statistics; the brand figures quoted here come from published analyses of that series.
- The Car Expert, Which new cars are built in China?. Read .