Chinese Cooling Exports Surge as Europe Battles Heatwave
As Europe endures its most severe heatwave on record — with temperatures peaking at 48.4°C (119.1°F) in Sicily and over 25,000 excess deaths reported across the continent — Chinese manufacturers are ramping up exports of cooling appliances at an unprecedented pace, filling a critical gap in a region where only about 20% of homes have air conditioning.
A Record-Breaking Heatwave
The 2026 European heatwaves, which began in late May, have shattered temperature records across at least 15 countries. The Czech Republic recorded 41.9°C, Austria saw 40.0°C in Vienna, and Denmark registered 37.0°C — all national records. France experienced its hottest day since 1947 on 23 June, with temperatures reaching 44.3°C in Pissos and 40.9°C in Paris, according to Wikipedia. Hundreds of schools were forced to close, and France committed €80 million to installing cooling systems in schools and community centres.
Surging Exports
Chinese customs data reveals the scale of the response. In the first half of 2026, China exported 107.91 billion yuan (US$15.94 billion) worth of “cooling” appliances — including air conditioners, electric fans, and refrigerators — according to Lü Daliang, spokesperson for the General Administration of Customs, as reported by CCTV News. Air conditioner exports to the European Union alone rose 43.2% year-on-year to a record US$3.76 billion, the South China Morning Post reported, citing People’s Daily.
Ningbo, a manufacturing hub in Zhejiang province, exported 27.3 billion yuan of cooling appliances to Europe between January and May 2026. This included fans worth 9.5 billion yuan (up 29.3% year-on-year) and ice makers worth 2.9 billion yuan (up 36.8%), according to Ningbo Customs data cited by China Daily. In total, Ningbo shipped more than 57 million cooling appliances to global markets, with Europe accounting for about one-quarter of the total.
Why Chinese Products? Europe’s AC Gap
Europe’s low air conditioning penetration rate — roughly 20% of homes, compared to over 90% in the United States and Japan — has created a massive market opportunity. Strict historic building preservation regulations, high installation costs, and complex approval processes have long discouraged AC adoption. But Chinese manufacturers have responded with products tailored to these constraints: portable, no-installation units that require only a window slot for the exhaust pipe.
“The marketing and design, it was not typical to what I was used to of older Chinese products. It was more modern,” Steven Scholtysek, a resident of Hamelin, Germany, told the BBC. “Also, when I got it, the quality was comparable to what I was used to from Europe or somewhere else.”
Inside the Factory: Order Explosion
At Jiafeng Electric in Ningbo, General Manager Mao Feifeng describes a daily scramble to keep up with demand. “Every day I open my eyes to reply to messages, and the last thing before bed is still replying to messages. I add 20-30 new contacts a day, all asking for air conditioners,” he told Zhejiang Online. His factory, which pivoted from mould-making to mobile AC production in 2021, now runs production lines from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. non-stop, with orders booked through the end of August.
Other manufacturers report similar surges. Ningbo Borine Electric Appliance Co has exported 48,000 units of its household ice cream makers since March, generating sales of about 22 million yuan (US$3.24 million). “Demand remains strong, with additional orders continuing to come in from customers in Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain,” Vice-President Yu Hanfen told China Daily.
Major Chinese brands are also seeing dramatic growth. Midea reported sales surging over 70% year-on-year in France, Spain, Germany, and the UK. TCL told the Global Times that its air conditioner sales jumped over 300% in France alone. Gree Electric Appliances noted that “many of our customers are first-time buyers,” adding that “the increasingly frequent and prolonged summer heatwaves have clearly changed consumer attitudes.”
Innovation for European Grids
Chinese manufacturers are not simply exporting existing products — they are innovating for European conditions. Wang Weidi, Electronics Control Technology Director at Jiafeng Electric, noted a critical concern: “Europe’s power grid can’t handle that many air conditioners. This year it’s hot, next year it might be both hot and blacked out. Solar plus storage is the ultimate solution.” His team has developed 12V and 24V low-voltage models designed for weaker European grids, as well as heating-and-cooling dual-purpose units for year-round use.
A Shift in ‘Made in China’ Perception
The export surge represents more than a trade statistic. Tu Xinquan, Dean of the China Institute for WTO Studies at UIBE, told China Daily that “China’s manufacturing ecosystem helps improve supply chain resilience and provides consumers worldwide with more efficient and affordable products.” European consumers interviewed by the BBC expressed surprise at the quality and design of Chinese AC units, suggesting a gradual shift in the perception of Chinese manufacturing from low-cost to innovative.
Challenges Ahead
The boom is not without complications. The surge in exports has caused congestion at European ports along the China-Europe Railway Express, as the SCMP reported. Environmental advocates have raised concerns about increased energy consumption and CO2 emissions from widespread AC adoption. And the growing trade imbalance may fuel political tensions between Brussels and Beijing, particularly as the EU considers anti-subsidy investigations into Chinese green technology exports.
What’s Next
As Europe braces for further heatwaves before summer’s end, the demand for Chinese cooling appliances shows no signs of abating. The question now is whether this summer’s crisis will permanently reshape European attitudes toward air conditioning — and whether Chinese manufacturers can maintain quality and delivery as orders continue to surge. For millions of Europeans enduring record temperatures, the answer cannot come soon enough.