European heatwave boosts Chinese AC sales: installation costs up to EUR 1,500
Recent extreme heatwaves continue to sweep Europe, with Germany, UK, France, etc. repeatedly breaking high-temperature records, triggering heat alerts in many countries.
In this context, Chinese-made air conditioners and other cooling appliances have become hot products locally, with e-commerce platforms seeing monthly sales exceeding 10,000 units, and offline stores experiencing shortages.
Over 40°C heatwave persists; multiple European countries issue heat alerts
According to CCTV News, a WMO official said on the 26th that the heatwave sweeping Western Europe and breaking multiple temperature records will continue eastward, affecting the entire European continent.
Data show France has endured consecutive days of heat, with western France reaching 43°C, a record high for June in France; the UK saw three consecutive daily high-temperature records from June 24-26, reaching 37.3°C on the 26th; on the 26th, over 1,000 schools in England and Wales were fully or partially closed.
In eastern Germany, the Mörken-Drewitz region recorded 41.5°C on the 27th, a record high. Persistent heat caused road damage on many highways, with sections closed or speed-limited; railway authorities urged people to avoid long-distance travel. The Italian government issued red heat alerts for 18 cities including Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan.
Low AC penetration rate; Chinese brands offer 'cost-effective breakthrough'
Despite record temperatures, AC penetration in European countries is far lower than other major economies, with only about 20% of households having cooling equipment.
Reasons: historically, long heatwaves were infrequent in Europe, especially in the north, so AC demand was low. Also, to fight climate change, Europe has green development goals, with some countries restricting AC use. For example, Spain in 2022 mandated public places AC not below 27°C.
Under the heat, home cooling demand surged. In France, portable AC prices range from EUR 200-500, split AC from EUR 500-1,200.
A Blue Whale reporter checking Amazon France found the top two best-sellers were Midea ACs. One had over 10,000 customers in the past month, priced at EUR 166; another had over 7,000 customers, priced at EUR 459.
A Chinese expatriate said Midea, Haier, Gree are all available in France; domestic brands are much cheaper than European/US/Japanese brands with similar specs.
According to CCTV News, China's household AC exports to Western European countries grew 9.7% YoY in the first five months of 2026, with portable ACs surging over 70%. Many companies reported queues, out-of-stock stores, and supply shortages in Western European markets.
'Affordable to buy, but not to install or use': split AC installation up to EUR 1,500
Notably, buying an AC in Europe is not the hardest part; installation is the real deterrent. Split AC installation costs typically range from EUR 300 to 1,500, sometimes exceeding the AC price itself.
Reasons for high installation costs: buildings in Paris are often decades or centuries old with thick walls, making drilling difficult; high-rise units require high-altitude work with higher risk; most apartments require prior approval from the property management and owners' committee, a cumbersome process.
Also, local installer hourly rates are high. Combined, split ACs become 'affordable to buy, but not to install'. Due to installation difficulty and cost, portable ACs have become the top cooling choice for locals, especially renters.
To address facade protection restrictions and high installation costs, Chinese companies have introduced customized products. For example, the 'Midea U-Shape Smart Inverter Window AC' (monthly sales over 7,000) features a U-shaped cutout that fits into the window gap, allowing limited window opening after installation, thus avoiding Europe's high split AC labor costs, property approval, and old-wall drilling challenges. It is a popular model in overseas rental markets.
However, purchasing the AC is only the first step; subsequent electricity bills are also significant. Based on daily use of 6-8 hours, a split AC adds EUR 30-80 per month to electricity bills, while higher-energy portable ACs may add EUR 50-100 per month.
Therefore, energy efficiency has become a core consideration for local consumers when buying ACs. On e-commerce platforms, Chinese brands' high-efficiency energy-saving models lead sales.
