A Haval H6 hybrid electric vehicle is on display outside the Barra Shopping mall in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on November 19, 2024. Photo: Wang Cong/GT

In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's second-largest city, fossil-fuel cars from US, Japanese and South Korean automakers still dominate the streets. However, a closer look reveals a shifting trend: despite very limited numbers, there are plenty of sightings of Chinese new-energy vehicles (NEVs).

On recent busy afternoon, in the space of an hour along the main road next to Rio's famous Copacabana beach, the Global Times spotted a number of glistening NEVs made by Chinese automaker BYD, though they were overshadowed by speeding older fossil-fuel cars and motorcycles.  

At Barra Shopping, one of the biggest and most popular malls in Rio de Janeiro, several brand-new hybrid electric vehicles, the Haval H6, manufactured by China's Great Wall Motor, were on display both at the front door and inside the mall, as a stream of shoppers passed by. 

These might be small signs, but they represent a major trend: Chinese NEVs are poised to expand in Rio de Janeiro and the broader Brazilian market. And they are gaining popularity, even though their brand awareness among consumers seems to be limited. 

"I didn't know it's from China, but it looks good," a local resident surnamed Rui told the Global Times at Barra Shopping, as he was made aware that the car in front of him is a Chinese brand. 

Behind the display is a big investment from Great Wall Motors in Brazil, as it seeks a foothold in the market. The company has been constructing a manufacturing plant in Brazil, which is slated to start operating in May 2025, the South China Morning Post reported in October. 

Great Wall Motors is hardly alone in the drive to enter the Brazilian market. Chinese carmaker BYD is also making big investments in the country. In March, the company started construction on a manufacturing complex in Brazil, Reuters reported at the time. As early as 2020, the company had already started operating three plants in the South American country. 

Chinese NEV firms' big push comes as Brazilian officials have adopted a welcoming attitude toward Chinese investments, including investments in the NEV sector, unlike increasingly hostile policies and protectionist actions against Chinese NEVs in some countries and regions, including the US and the EU. 

Asked about the investments by Chinese carmakers in Brazil during an interview with China Media Group published on Monday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said that "it's fantastic, and I've been working hard to make it happen."

And such a welcoming attitude toward Chinese investments will likely become even more significant, as bilateral ties get closer. China and Brazil decided on Wednesday to elevate their ties to the community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet, following talks between the two heads-of-state in Brasilia, Brazil's capital. 

Noting officials and business people of the two countries have been conducting frequent exchanges, Paulo Pimenta, Social Communications Minister of Brazil, said that Brazil aims to boost diplomatic ties and business cooperation with China. 

"We want to advance from the point of view of diplomacy, and also from the point of view of commercial agreements that is strategic for Brazil," Pimenta told the Global Times on Tuesday on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.

In addition to Brazil, Chinese NEVs are appearing on the streets of other South American cities. On the streets of Lima, capital of Peru, the Global Times saw NEVs from many Chinese automakers, including BYD, Hongqi, Geely and Great Wall Motors. 

Notably, BYD NEVs were used as an official car at the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Peru to transport reporters and other meeting participants. "This is my first time driving this car, and it's very comfortable," a driver told the Global Times through the translator on his phone. 

Meanwhile, China and Peru inaugurated Chancay Port, north of Lima, on November 14, when the first cargo ship arriving from China carried Chinese NEVs, among other goods. The port is set to become a major hub for trade between China and Peru as well as the broader Latin American region, meaning more Chinese NEVs will likely be transported to the market.