THOUSANDS of electric cars have arrived at a UK shipping port to be transferred to dealerships across the country.
The shipment, from China, was the largest ever received by the port and consisted largely of MG electric vehicles.
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Thousands of brightly-coloured cars – orange, white, red, and blue – arrived at the Port of Bristol on a large carrier named Wisdom Ace.
The massive load of 4,694 vehicles was the biggest-ever shipment of cars to make its way to the port in a single journey.
Some of the vehicles, most of which were Chinese-made MG electric models, will retail for less than £10,000 each.
A spokesperson for Bristol Port said: “This arrival has marked a significant milestone in Bristol Port’s automotive history.”
China is the world’s biggest producer of electric cars.
There are concerns that the country’s cheaper models could soon clog US, UK, and European roads.
About half of the most popular electric cars sold in the UK this year were made in China, with an increasing number of Chinese car brands targeting Europe as a source of growth.
One of the more affordable Chinese electric vehicles favoured by drivers is the MG3 2018 model, available for just £9,495.
The shipment to Bristol came after Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said last week that some electric vehicles could “be easily turned into mobile intelligence gathering platforms”.
A top-level review looking into whether hostile states could use electric vehicles to gather intelligence is currently underway, according to Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden.
Tom Pollard, an editorial director at Car Magazine, said the Chinese government has a long-term strategy to maintain its automotive sector’s lead in electric vehicles.
He said: “It has built a geopolitical footprint to enable the raw materials, intellectual property, design and manufacture of batteries at scale at a price to make western car makers weep.
“It’s a stark reminder that geopolitics, trade deals and imperial strategy have been deliberately aligned to secure China’s competitive advantage.”
