Chinese electric cars win Americans’ hearts via social media
Chinese automakers cannot sell their cars in the US, but they are already building an army of devoted fans across the country. This is happening thanks to targeted campaigns involving popular automotive bloggers. If these brands are ever allowed to sell cars in the American market, local players will need to be on alert.
Millions of views and growing popularity
If you follow such influencers, you’ve likely seen many videos testing Chinese cars on American roads, even though they are not officially available there. Forrest Jones, one of the first to create short car reviews on TikTok, has tested numerous such cars over the past couple of years, racking up tens of millions of views.
Jones told Bloomberg that his content on Chinese cars gets the highest engagement.
Last year, tech blogger Marques Brownlee tested the popular Xiaomi SU7 in the US. That video, which garnered 10 million views, is estimated to have provided the company with $1.2 million in free advertising.
Surge in popularity for Xiaomi and other brands
Data from Sprout shows that thanks to videos by Brownlee and other bloggers, Xiaomi’s TikTok audience grew by 20% in 2025. Notably, about half of these 7.8 million followers are from the United States. Such videos also trigger a spike in inquiries from Americans.
According to China EV Marketplace, a popular platform for exporting Chinese electric cars, after Brownlee’s video was released, they received over 1,000 price inquiries from the US. Most inquirers seemed unaware that cars like the SU7 cannot be legally insured or registered in the US.
The role of the DCar platform in promotion
The Chinese automotive content platform Beijing Dongchedi Technology Co., or DCar, is helping popularize Chinese cars in the US. Having spun off from ByteDance (TikTok’s parent company) in 2023, DCar, according to Bloomberg, “invites American influencers to create content for its mobile app and showcase Chinese technologies.” The platform has 10 million daily active users in China.
Bloomberg reports that in early 2025, DCar funded a trip to Alaska for YouTuber Richard Benoit (Rich Rebuilds), providing him with a catalog of electric cars, including the BYD Fangchengbao and Wuling Bingo, and then delivering the cars to the US. DCar covered travel expenses and paid Benoit a fee equivalent to “the price of a cheap Chinese electric car” for his reviews.
The company told the publication that it independently purchased or leased all models, without involvement from automakers, to maintain “objectivity and credibility.” In return, DCar receives a stream of high-quality posts from influencers, introducing a broader audience to the brand.
Future plans and potential changes
It is worth noting that Chinese brands like BYD and Xiaomi insist they have no immediate plans to start selling passenger cars in the US. However, given potential legislative loopholes, one can be sure they will actively lobby for easing regulations to gain access to the American market.
This situation demonstrates how digital marketing and social media can shape demand even in the absence of a product’s physical presence in the market. Chinese automakers, using platforms like DCar and collaborating with popular bloggers, are essentially creating “pre-demand” and building brand loyalty among American consumers. This could become a powerful tool to pressure regulators and prepare the ground for a future market entry when political and trade barriers are overcome. At the same time, many Americans’ lack of awareness about the legal restrictions on using such cars indicates that the information campaign is outpacing actual changes in legislation.