Europe heatwave drives AC sales: installation fee up to 1500 euros

Recently, extreme heatwaves continue to sweep Europe, with Germany, UK, France, etc., repeatedly breaking high-temperature records, and many countries issuing heat warnings. Against this backdrop, Chinese-made air conditioners and other cooling appliances have become hot items locally, with monthly sales exceeding 10,000 units on e-commerce platforms, and offline stores even facing shortages.

Over 40°C heatwave persists, multiple countries issue heat alerts

Reports indicate that the heatwave breaking records in Western Europe will continue spreading eastward across the continent. France has endured consecutive hot days, with western temperatures hitting 43°C, a June record; UK temperatures set new highs on June 24-26, reaching 37.3°C on the 26th, leading to over a thousand school closures or partial closures; Germany's Mücken-Drewitz area recorded 41.5°C on the 27th, a new record.

Italy also suffers extreme heat, with red alerts issued for 18 cities including Rome, Venice, Florence, and Milan.

AC affordable to buy but not to install: fees up to 1500 euros

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 include: historically, summers in Europe, especially northern regions, were not frequently hot for long periods, so installation demand was low; also, to combat climate change, Europe has green development goals, with some countries restricting AC use, e.g., Spain in 2022 mandated public AC temperature not below 27°C.

Stimulated by heatwaves, AC demand has risen significantly. In France, ordinary portable AC prices range from 200 to 500 euros, split AC from 500 to 1200 euros. E-commerce data shows Midea AC ranks high by sales: one model sold over 10,000 units in the past month at 166 euros; another over 7,000 orders at 459 euros.

Chinese brands stand out with cost-effectiveness, becoming top choice for many consumers. Feedback indicates that for same specs, Chinese brands are often much cheaper than European, US, and Japanese brands.

However, the true deterrent for European consumers is usually the installation. Split AC single installation fee generally ranges from 300 to 1500 euros, with top quotes exceeding the AC unit price.

Reasons for high installation fees and rental alternatives

Why are installation fees so high? First, many buildings in Paris are decades or even centuries old, with thick walls making drilling much harder than modern buildings; second, high-rise outdoor unit installation involves high-risk work; third, many apartments require prior application to the property management and approval from the owners' committee, a cumbersome process; also, installer hourly rates are relatively high. These combined costs make split AC "affordable to buy but not to install" locally.

Thus, portable mobile AC has become the top choice for many residents, especially renters. To address facade protection restrictions and high installation costs, Chinese companies have also introduced customized products. For example, Midea's U-shaped smart inverter window AC uses a U-shaped cut-out design, fixed into the window gap, allowing limited window opening after installation, thus bypassing the high labor costs, property approvals, and old wall drilling issues of split AC. It has become a popular model in overseas rental markets.

Electricity costs also significant: energy efficiency key purchase factor

Besides purchase and installation costs, ongoing electricity bills need consideration. Based on daily use of 6-8 hours, split AC monthly electricity cost may increase by 30-80 euros; higher-consumption portable AC may reach 50-100 euros per month.

Therefore, energy efficiency has become a core consideration for local consumers when buying AC. On e-commerce platforms, Chinese brand models with high efficiency and energy saving see stronger sales.