The future of electric vehicles (EV) is being forged in China with its leading carmakers ready to take on the world. In this first part of our analysis of what this means for the UK, we talk to industry experts on Chinese EV entrants' potential to transform the British marketplace

Many of Elon Musk’s overblown predictions pass their expiry date without overly troubling history. One celebrated incidence of industrial hubris occurred in 2011 when the Tesla chief ridiculed the very idea that a car made by Chinese manufacturer BYD could give his business a run for its money in the electric vehicle (EV) space.

Twelve years on, the world has moved on and Chinese EVs such as BYD and GWM Ora have come into their own with even Musk admitting that Tesla's principal competition will likely come from the once-derided Chinese brand.

UK dealerships are certainly preparing to offer a warmer welcome to Chinese EV brands with a recent survey by online marketplace carwow revealing that a third of its dealer partners expect Chinese brands to secure a market share approaching 30% within five years. Some 38% of car dealers are happy to host Chinese cars on their showroom floors, their reasoning being that customers need better choice and more competition between manufacturers.

Even within the next 12 months, most UK dealers believe that Chinese brands will make an impact on the new car market with customers hunting a competitively priced car (cited by 96%) that offers some smart in-car technology (35%). The only downsides will be, unsurprisingly, build quality (75%), lack of brand familiarity (57%) and limited aftersales support (56%).