As is known, in an attempt to revive the European automotive sector, which from Volkswagen to Stellantis up to Mercedes and Porsche is in deep crisis, last September the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said that Brussels is ready to support the production of small, European, and eco-friendly cars at affordable prices to compete with China. Stellantis promptly responded to the call with the “E-Car” project. Where, as the Italian-French manufacturer explained, the “E” in E-Car stands for “European, Emotion, Electric and Eco-sustainable.” The project will be carried out in Pomigliano with the hope of releasing the first vehicles in two years. However, there is a problem: in the meantime, the roads of the Old Continent will already have been flooded by counterparts produced in Beijing and surrounding areas, as suggested by the arrival in Italy of Shandong Bontu New Energy Vehicle Industry.
WHAT IS BONTU
It is an unpronounceable brand (outside our borders it is Bentu, but for the Old Continent it has decided on a partial rebranding) and currently unknown but could become familiar to our ears in the two years still separating us from Stellantis’ response.
The Chinese company chose Milan to present its new range of electric quadricycles and officially start sales throughout Europe of small and colorful models that directly compete with the Fiat Topolino, the Opel Rocks, and the Citroen Ami that the Italian-French Group produces in its Moroccan plant in Kénitra.
TWO MICROCARS AND AN APE
The Asian company founded in Xintai in 2020 is led by CEO Wu Jinke and has decided to entrust the crucial European landing to two microcars and a sort of electric Ape car for transporting objects and not only people. The European project primarily involves a presence in the Eastern area (Poland and Romania) and then moving north through France, Germany, and the Netherlands by the end of next year.
Bontu also plans to build a plant to manufacture its vehicles locally and avoid the tariffs imposed by Brussels on cars made in China, but to take such a step it is looking for partners. Since recently several Western manufacturers have started a sort of scouting to welcome aggressive Chinese brands into their underutilized European production hubs, this operation should not be particularly difficult.
