There was a strong east wind blowing through the recent Paris Auto Show, the biennial showcase for the European car market. Among expected marques such as Citroen, Peugeot, VW and Mercedes, nearly 25 Chinese electric automakers, from LI Auto to Geely and Zeekr, nudged their way onto center stage at the pivotal Port de Versailles event. Days earlier arriving at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, I was greeted by advertising posters with Daniel Craig, aka James Bond, who serves a brand ambassador for Denza autos, a luxury plug-in electric vehicle (EV) company. Denza is a joint venture between China’s BYD Auto and Germany’s Daimler. No this wasn’t jet lag but a reality shock. Chinese EVs made their debut in 2006 when the Great Wall brand appeared in a crowded stage; today about 25 of the 60 major exhibitors were electric marques from China. That’s double the number from 2024. The Chinese EV industry is on the march into a fragmented and sometimes struggling European marketplace where iconic French brands like Citroen, Renault and Peugeot are under serious market pressures. EU passenge