Mikkel Christensen
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has made a strong start to the year in Europe.
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has made a strong start to the year in Europe. New registration figures show significant growth, even as the EU continues to impose tariffs on Chinese EVs.
According to figures cited by Investors Business Daily, BYD’s new registrations in January rose by 165 percent compared with the same month last year. A total of 18,242 BYD vehicles were registered in Europe,
based on data from the European industry association ACEA, which covers the EU as well as the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland and several other countries.
This places BYD clearly ahead of Tesla in January. Tesla registered 8,075 vehicles during the period, representing a 17 percent decline compared with the previous year.
Pressure on Tesla
The growth highlights BYD’s expanding presence outside its home market of China, where intense competition and price wars have put pressure on manufacturers.
Europe was previously considered a challenging market for Chinese carmakers. The EU maintains a general 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods and introduced additional duties in 2024 specifically targeting Chinese electric vehicles. For BYD, this means an extra 17 percent tariff on top of the standard rate.
However, the additional duties apply only to fully electric vehicles and not to plug-in hybrids, giving BYD some flexibility in its product lineup.
Closing in on established brands
Despite trade barriers, BYD has gained ground. In January, the company surpassed registrations from several established brands, including Jeep, Seat, Mazda and Honda, all of which experienced declines.
BYD is also approaching larger manufacturers such as Toyota and Volvo, which registered 20,570 and 20,367 vehicles respectively in January, both posting double-digit declines.
Despite the growth, BYD’s overall market share in Europe remains relatively modest at around 1.9 percent. However, this is more than double the approximately 0.7 percent recorded a year earlier.
Expanding European footprint
BYD is also working to strengthen its production base in Europe. The company has begun trial production at a new plant in Hungary, where buses are already being manufactured. In addition, a factory is under construction in Turkey, which has a customs union with the EU.
The development suggests that competition in the European EV market is intensifying as Chinese manufacturers strengthen their position.
Sources: Investors Business Daily
