- Are Japanese carmakers lagging behind with their electric cars? This is a question that can be asked if the global 100% electric vehicle (BEV) market grows to 6.8 million units by 2022, up from 4.5 million units in 2021 and 2.0 million units in 2020, and if Japanese electric-drive models today account for only a tiny fraction of BEV sales.

- In fact, only 40,000 Japanese electric vehicles were sold globally in 2021. In 2022, based on figures for the first nine months of the year, Japanese BEV sales will not exceed 50,000 units, which would represent less than 1% of total global sales.

- So it's safe to assume that Japanese carmakers have accumulated a significant BEV backlog compared to European, Chinese and even Korean carmakers, as Hyundai-Kia sold twice as many BEVs in 2021 as all Japanese carmakers combined. And in 2022, the Koreans will sell nearly 350,000 BEVs worldwide, up from 220,000 in 2021. For their part, European carmakers sold 1,000,000 BEVs worldwide in 2021 and 1,300,000 BEVs in 2022. U.S. carmakers sold 1,600,000 BEVs worldwide in 2021 and probably 2,100,000 units in 2022.

- Chinese carmakers sold 1,500,000 BEVs in 2021 and likely nearly 3,000,000 BEVs in 2022. Japanese carmakers are starting to take more interest in the BEV market after hesitant beginnings (Nissan Leaf, Mitsubishi I-Miev, Honda E, Mazda MX30). Toyota is reportedly preparing a dozen electric models and Honda has teamed up with GM Group to launch a full line of electric vehicles, with the Prologue being the first model.

- China's Geely Group had sold 2,148,405 light vehicles (passenger+LUV) by 2021, up 2% from 2020, ranking twelfth in the world last year. Sales were distributed as follows: 831,551 of the Geely brand, 698,693 of the Volvo brand (33% of group sales), 259,703 of the Emgrand brand, 220,516 of the Lynk&Co brand, 107,530 of the Proton brand, 29,101 of the Geometry brand and 1,311 of the Lotus brand, with Polestar brand sales counted in Volvo's figures.

- The Geely Group, which was the first independent Chinese automaker in 2021, is now displaced in 2022 by electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle producer BYD, which is performing spectacularly this year, doubling its sales volume year-on-year.

- Geely nevertheless remains one of the leading Chinese carmakers and one of the most ambitious, thanks to its acquisition of Volvo and Polestar, but also thanks to a 49.9% stake in Proton, 51% in Lotus, 50% in Smart, 9.7% in Mercedes and now 7.5% in Aston-Martin (already 9.7% owned by Mercedes). Geely also owns a minority stake in Volvo Trucks. Geely also owns London Taxis International, which manufactures the TX4 cab. Finally, Geely vehicles will be manufactured at Renault's Korean site (formerly Renault Samsung) in 2024. In addition, the Lynk & Co brand is starting to be known in Europe, expect the new premium brand Zeekr. The Chinese carmaker is thus showing some momentum, which makes it optimistic about the future.