Storming Europe: BYD overtakes Ford and threatens Toyota
Chinese automaker BYD has recorded 144% growth in European sales in the first eight months of 2026, overtaking Ford in global sales volume and setting a target to surpass Toyota by 2030. The company is exploiting a loophole in EU customs regulations on plug-in hybrid vehicles to continue expanding in the European arena.
Chinese automaker BYD continues its rapid expansion in the European market, with a 144% surge in sales in the first eight months of 2026 to 232,600 vehicles. The company has already overtaken Ford in global sales volume and set an ambitious target: to surpass Toyota and become the world's largest automaker by the end of 2030. In August alone, Chinese brand sales in Europe more than doubled with a 111% jump, in a market that grew by only 4.6%. The market share of Chinese cars on the continent reached a record 11.7%. BYD and automaker Chery accounted for 60% of all sales growth of Chinese brands in Europe in August. The European Union tried to curb the Chinese incursion by imposing a maximum tariff of 35.3% on fully electric vehicles, in addition to the regular 10% tariff. However, Chinese automakers found a significant loophole: plug-in hybrid vehicles are not subject to these additional tariffs, only the regular one. European lawmakers are already discussing a policy change. Despite the significant hurdle of tariffs in the United States, BYD's rapid growth rate in Europe and the rest of the world proves it is a real threat to established automotive giants.