BYD‘s European Regional Managing Director Maria Grazia Davino said on Wednesday that the Chinese automaker is planning a major expansion across Europe next year.
The Shenzhen-based company counted on the expanded lineup and the launch of cheaper models to sharply increase its sales in Germany.
Speaking at the Automobilwoche Congress in Berlin, the managing director reflected on her first year with BYD, highlighting its expansion in Germany, which she sees as a priority market.
“Products are good and were already good a year ago,” the European head said, noting that distribution networks had been launched in several countries across the continent when she arrived at the company.
Davino, who is responsible for the German, Austrian, Swiss, Eastern and Nordic markets, previously worked for the Stellantis Group, specifically within the Fiat brand.
She has professional experience across several countries, including Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and the UK.
The executive has also worked for Lamborghini.
Dealership Model
By partnering with local dealerships, BYD had something to “build on,” Davino said, noting that the transition was intense.
The world’s largest new energy vehicle (NEV) brand entered Sweden and Germany in late 2022, in a partnership with the ‘Hedin Mobility Group’.
Earlier this year, however, the agreement was rearranged in the German market.
The dealer group transferred its two pioneer stores in Stuttgart and Frankfurt to BYD, while remaining an authorized dealer in other locations in the country.
Since Davino joined BYD, the company tripled its staff and dealer network across the countries she manages.
In Germany, the automaker significantly boosted its marketing efforts, reaching “number four of all brands” in search visibility, she exemplified.
New Products
Earlier this year, Davino told Reuters that BYD would launch two more plug-in hybrid models (PHEV) in Europe this year, as the company is “adapting to European demand.”
“Not everyone is ready for electric,” she said then.
This Wednesday, she affirmed that BYD‘s lineup in Europe “can now cover about 90% of customer demand,” with both fully electric vehicles and hybrid models.
Model expansion will continue in 2026 and beyond, Davino said, highlighting that a tech-driven automaker’s key advantage is the speed at which it can bring new vehicles to market.
The sales rise in Europe is expected to be driven by the setup of local production.
BYD has established its local headquarters in Hungary, where it is completing a passenger vehicle plant expected to start production before the end of this year.
Also on Wednesday, BYD‘s Executive Vice-President Stella Li told UK media outlet Autocar that the Racco model — a kei car developed specifically for the Japanese market, which debuted last month — could come to Europe.
“In Japan, we are already launching a kei car; we will be very interested to follow the EU regulation,” Li said. “If there’s some space, we can bring that car here.”
Germany Results
According to Davino, BYD‘s vehicle sales in Germany in 2024 were below 2,000 units. This year, however, the company expects sales to grow six times.
In October, the Chinese carmaker reached a new monthly sales record in Germany for the second consecutive month, with over 3,000 monthly units.
Between January 1 and October 31, BYD has registered 15,171 vehicles in Europe’s largest automotive market.
In case November and December the brand also surpasses 3,000 monthly units, BYD will close 2025 with more than 21,000 vehicles registered in Germany.
“Step by step, and then every step gets bigger,” the managing director commented.
