BYD closes in on Ford as Chinese brands gain ground in Europe
Chinese automaker BYD boosted its European car registrations by 144% over eight months this year, while Ford's registrations fell, narrowing the gap between the two brands to under 11,000 vehicles.
Chinese carmakers continue to strengthen their foothold in the European auto market, with the contrast between BYD and Ford illustrating the shift. In the first eight months of this year, BYD registered 234,099 vehicles in Europe, a 144.1% increase compared to the same period last year. Ford, long one of the region's leading brands, registered 244,938 cars, down 14.4% year-on-year. As a result, fewer than 11,000 vehicles now separate the two companies.
Diverging strategies
BYD's growth is driven by the rapid rollout of new models tailored for the European market. Ford, by contrast, has trimmed its lineup in recent years, discontinuing popular models such as the Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo. The models it still offers, including the Puma and Kuga, are aging and becoming less competitive. To reverse the trend, Ford has partnered with Renault to develop new electric vehicles designed specifically for Europe and plans to launch five new models tailored to the region by the end of the decade.
Chinese brands expand further
BYD is not the only Chinese manufacturer gaining ground in Europe. Geely has already overtaken Ford in registration numbers, while SAIC and Chery are also growing rapidly. Combined, these four Chinese brands — Geely, BYD, SAIC and Chery — now account for roughly 10.4% of the entire European car market. The figures show that Chinese automakers are no longer minor players in the region. Future competition between European and Chinese brands will be shaped by pricing, new model offerings, tariffs, and how willing European buyers are to choose Chinese brands.
