NIO, Zeekr & Firefly in Amsterdam — Is China Winning the EV Race?

Описание: The striking thing about Amsterdam is just how many EVs there are driving around, including many cars we’re simply not used to seeing in the UK. Chinese brands like NIO and Zeekr have established themselves here in a big way, so I chat to Dutch EV expert Felix Hamer (@electricfelix) about China’s dominance, what they’re doing right — and whether the UK could ever become as EV-friendly as The Netherlands.

We talk about why Amsterdam feels like a glimpse into the future: dense public charging, EVs as the default rather than the exception, and a culture that has properly embraced electrification. Why does it feel so normal here — and why does the UK still feel like it’s debating whether EVs are a good idea?

Felix explains how Chinese manufacturers have moved at extraordinary speed. While legacy brands refine and iterate, companies like NIO, Zeekr and others are launching new platforms, new tech and new models at a pace that’s hard to ignore. We discuss whether that speed is their real competitive advantage — not just price.

We also dive into:
• Tesla’s influence — and whether it paved the way for Chinese brands in Europe• NIO’s battery swap model and whether it’s genius or over-engineering• Firefly and the rise of smaller, design-led Chinese EVs• How China’s domestic scale gives its brands a structural advantage• Why Hong Kong is an interesting contrast in EV adoption• And whether Europe (and the UK especially) is underestimating what’s coming

We wander through Zeekr and NIO showrooms in Amsterdam, take a close look at the interiors and tech, and try to work out whether these cars are simply competitive — or genuinely ahead of the curve.

Is this what the UK could look like in five years?Are Chinese EVs the disruption the market needs?Or is Europe about to put the brakes on?

Let me know in the comments — would you buy a Chinese EV?

A big thank you to EVision Electric Vehicles, the UK’s first and largest all-electric vehicle rental company
https://www.evisionevs.co.uk • 01634 914063
Use the code MREV5 for 5% off the rental hire. (Excluding insurance, excess, deposit & delivery.)

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Chapters:

00:00 Introduction
03:24 Can the UK be a utopia like The Netherlands?
05:10 Hong Kong
06:32 A look around Zeekr's store
07:10 Zeekr 7X
09:07 Zeekr 001
10:48 Zeekr X
14:19 Tesla
18:47 Firefly
23:53 China charging ahead
34:13 NIO ET5
35:08 Are NIO swap stations a good idea?
37:44 NIO ES6
39:15 NIO ES8
40:16 Goodbye