Chinese electric car makers pin hopes on Europe's fading auto dealers

An Xpeng P7 EV during the Munich Motor Show. 'It’s a huge challenge for Chinese carmakers to make clear to Europeans that their cars are on par with Tesla, at a better price.'

Even before the European Union targeted imports of cheap Chinese electric vehicles, their makers faced another big challenge: winning over consumers who don’t know or necessarily trust their brands.

At the heart of their strategy is the traditional dealership model that European carmakers have been exiting in favour of direct sales. BYD, Xpeng, Great Wall Motor and others hope dealerships will quickly help them mobilize robust sales and service networks as they try to establish reputations for quality and reliability.