Half-Price Air Conditioners Are Sparking Frenzy for China Brands in Brazil

When Lucas Silva Ferreira needed a new air conditioner to cool his Rio de Janeiro home in the sweltering February heat, he decided to go with a Chinese model instead of old standbys like LG or Whirlpool.

Ferreira paid just 2,300 reais (about $400) for his new unit from Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., compared with about 4,100 reais for a similar air conditioner made by South Korea’s LG Electronics Inc. The model he chose offered good energy efficiency and more technology features than others at the same price point.