BYD Plans to Build Three Vehicle Plants and One Battery Plant in Europe

On September 17, Alfredo Altavilla, European advisor to BYD, stated at an event in Turin that BYD plans to build four factories in Europe over the long term, including three vehicle assembly plants and one electric vehicle battery plant. Altavilla previously held executive roles at Fiat Chrysler. Altavilla emphasized that this plan won’t be realized by the morning of September 18, 2026, but will ultimately be necessary to achieve BYD’s sales targets and comply with EU regulations. Currently, BYD is negotiating with European automakers and national governments to potentially take over underutilized car plants in countries such as France, Spain, and Italy. He added that Italy remains among the candidate locations for a new BYD factory, though the likelihood of it becoming the site of BYD’s second European plant is relatively low. “Italy is still Plan B,” he said, noting that conditions enabling maximum competitiveness have not yet been identified. Stella Li, Executive Vice President overseeing BYD’s international expansion, revealed earlier in 2026 during an interview that BYD has been actively seeking to acquire struggling traditional automotive brands in Europe. In the first half of 2026, BYD’s overseas revenue surpassed its domestic Chinese revenue for the first time. Currently, BYD is introducing its Denza brand to Europe. Altavilla traveled to Turin specifically to attend the opening of a new Denza showroom. On Wednesday, Denza also opened another showroom in Paris.