On the streets of Rio, it's not hard to find electric vehicles from China.
I've seen a lot of BYD cars on the streets, and many electric cars because of the price.
Everyone is getting on board.
There are a lot of Chinese cars on the streets.
Brazil is South America's largest auto market,
and the country is quickly becoming the next frontier in China's EV expansion.
In 2024, Brazil imported around 138,000 EVs and hybrids from China.
That number is up nearly 100,000 from 2023.
The momentum in South America mirrors a global trend.
Chinese automakers have been shut out of the US by tariffs,
so they're turning to emerging markets Southeast Asia, the Middle East,
and Latin America to sell their oversupply of cars.
Chinese EV makers are facing a lot of pressure within China.
They are under a lot of pressure to find new customers and new markets, a
nd they've been going abroad in a very big way.
Some companies are already breaking ground on factories in the country.
I think Chinese influence has become very strong in vehicles,
and they're also investing in the country.
But officials say that the influx of cars could come at a cost, fewer jobs for Brazilian workers.
This is a worrying scenario for us Brazilian workers