EVwire brief: BYD is in discussions with Stellantis and other European carmakers about potentially taking over underutilized vehicle factories across the region, according to a report from Bloomberg News.
Speaking at the Financial Times Future of the Car conference in London, BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li confirmed the talks directly.
We are talking to not only Stellantis, we're talking to other companies too. We are looking for any available plant in Europe because we do want to utilize this kind of spare capacity.
The BYD Seal U DM-i was Europe’s best-selling PHEV in 2025
Context:
Li said BYD is exploring manufacturing opportunities in countries including Italy, and that the company would prefer to operate any acquired facilities independently rather than through joint ventures.
The comments follow a recent agreement between Stellantis and Leapmotor involving EV production at Stellantis plants in Spain.
European automakers are increasingly facing pressure from rising production costs, slowing domestic demand, and intensifying competition from Chinese manufacturers, creating openings for potential factory-sharing arrangements.
The pure electric BYD Dolphin has also been popular in Europe due to its low price
BYD continues its international expansion
Under pressure from an ongoing domestic price war in China, BYD has moved aggressively to expand its overseas footprint, particularly in Europe.
The company has benefited from rising EV interest following higher global fuel prices tied to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
BYD is also expanding its premium Denza brand internationally, with a planned UK launch later this year, and has reportedly stepped up hiring from competing automakers to support its European growth efforts.
Source: Bloomberg News
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