BYD Surges, Closing Gap with Ford in European Market

New registration figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association ACEA show Chinese giant BYD closing rapidly on Ford in Europe. BYD's registrations in the first eight months rose 144.1% to 234,099 units, while Ford's registrations fell 14.4% to 244,938 units.

That leaves BYD just 10,839 units behind Ford and puts the Chinese maker's market share up from 1.1% to 2.5% in Europe after eight months.

Different strategies on the continent

BYD has been expanding its model range quickly, introducing cars such as the BYD Seal to broaden its appeal. Ford, by contrast, has pulled several once-popular models out of European production in recent years, including the Ka, Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo. Ford CEO Jim Farley said, "These cars were popular with buyers but did not provide sufficient profitability to justify new investment."

Remaining models such as the Puma and the Kuga have not seen major generational updates since 2019. To rebuild its footprint, Ford has agreed a joint programme with Renault to develop a line of new electric vehicles for Europe. The plan covers five models with a European identity to arrive by the end of the decade, and includes a Europe-specific Ford Bronco.

Other Chinese brands are also gaining ground. SAIC recorded 230,290 registrations and Chery 207,871 in the same period, helping push the combined share of Chinese automakers in Europe to 10.4%, according to ACEA.