Europe's Rising AC Demand: Installation Costs Up to 1500 Euros, Impact Analysis
Blue Whale News, June 29 (Reporter Lu Pengpeng) Recent extreme heatwaves continue to sweep Europe, with Germany, the UK, France and other places repeatedly setting high-temperature records, prompting heat warnings in many countries.
In this context, Chinese-made air conditioners and other cooling appliances have become hot commodities locally, with monthly sales exceeding 10,000 units on e-commerce platforms and offline shortages even occurring.
Heatwave Over 40°C Continues to Scorch Multiple Countries Issued Warnings
According to CCTV News, a World Meteorological Organization official said on the 26th that the heatwave sweeping Western Europe and breaking many temperature records will continue to spread eastward, affecting the entire European continent.
Data shows France has faced days of heat, with western France reaching 43°C, the highest June temperature ever recorded in the country. The UK's high-temperature records were broken for three consecutive days from June 24-26, reaching 37.3°C on the 26th, leading to full or partial closures of over a thousand schools in England and Wales. Germany's Mücken-Drewitz region measured 41.5°C on the 27th, a new record. Persistent heat has damaged highways in many areas, causing closures or speed limits, and railways urged people to avoid long-distance travel. Italy issued red heat alerts for 18 cities including Rome, Venice, Florence, and Milan.
Despite record temperatures, AC penetration in European countries remains far below that of other major economies, with only about 20% of households having cooling equipment.
Reasons are multifaceted. First, prolonged high temperatures were historically infrequent, especially in northern Europe, so demand for AC installations was low. Second, to combat climate change, European countries have set green development goals, with some implementing policies to restrict AC use, such as Spain's 2022 regulation requiring public place AC temperatures not below 27°C.
Under Heatwave, Some AC Models Sell Over 10,000 Units Per Month
Chinese brands are breaking through with cost-effectiveness. A Blue Whale reporter interviewed a Chinese expatriate who has lived in Paris for ten years, who said the recent persistent heat in Paris felt like "people were melting," driving a sharp rise in home cooling demand.
He explained that in France, standard mobile ACs sell for 200-500 euros, while split ACs cost approximately 500-1200 euros.
Blue Whale News checked Amazon France and found that the top two best-sellers were both Midea air conditioners: one had over 10,000 customer purchases in the past month, priced at 166 euros; the other had over 7,000 orders, priced at 459 euros.
In this heatwave, Chinese brand ACs have become the first choice for many local consumers due to their cost-effectiveness. The expatriate said, "Midea, Haier, Gree and other brands are all available in France. At the same configuration, domestic Chinese brands are generally cheaper than European, American and Japanese brands."
According to CCTV News, China's home AC exports to Western European countries grew 9.7% year-on-year in the first five months of 2026; mobile AC category growth was particularly prominent, with a year-on-year increase of over 70%. Many companies report that in several Western European markets, consumers are queuing to buy, offline stores are out of stock, and supply cannot meet demand.
"Buy, But Can't Afford to Install or Use": Installation Costs Up to 1500 Euros
It should be noted that buying an AC in Europe is not the hardest part; what truly deters consumers is the installation process. Single installation for a split AC generally costs between 300 and 1500 euros, with the highest quotes even exceeding the price of the unit itself.
Why is installation so expensive? A local Chinese expatriate analyzed that in Paris, many apartment buildings are decades or even centuries old, with thick walls making drilling much more difficult than in modern buildings. Additionally, installing outdoor units on high-rise buildings involves high-risk work, and most apartments require prior application to the management, approval from the owners' committee, making the process cumbersome.
Meanwhile, local installation workers' hourly rates are high. With multiple cost factors combined, split ACs in Europe have become a product that consumers "can buy but can't afford to install."
Due to the difficulty and high cost of installation, portable mobile ACs have become the preferred cooling solution for local residents, especially renters.
To address restrictions on exterior facade protection and high installation costs, Chinese companies have introduced customized products. For example, the Midea U-shaped smart inverter window AC (the model with over 7,000 monthly sales) features a U-shaped cutout that fits into a window gap, allowing installation without major modification. The window can still open partially after installation, thus avoiding high split AC labor costs, property approvals, and drilling challenges in old walls, making it a hot model for overseas rental markets.
Additionally, subsequent electricity costs cannot be ignored. Local expats report that running a split AC for 6-8 hours daily can increase monthly electricity bills by 30-80 euros; higher-energy mobile ACs may cost 50-100 euros per month.
Therefore, energy efficiency has become a core consideration for local consumers when choosing an AC. On e-commerce platforms, Chinese brands' high-efficiency models also clearly lead in sales.
