Tag Archives: Europe

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BYD Warns Europe’s Carmakers: Split Focus Could Cost Them the EV Race

As Brussels softens its stance on combustion engines, China’s fastest-growing car brand says hesitation—not regulation—is Europe’s biggest threat.

European car makers risk slipping even further behind their Chinese rivals if they continue to hedge their bets between combustion engines and electrification. That’s the stark warning from Stella Li, BYD’s European boss, who believes regulatory back-and-forth is forcing legacy manufacturers to dilute their efforts—while BYD pushes relentlessly in a single direction.

The European Union’s decision to soften its planned 2035 ban on new combustion-engined cars, allowing up to 10 per cent of sales to continue burning fossil fuels, was welcomed by many European manufacturers. Several had argued that EV sales targets were racing ahead of real consumer demand, and that flexibility was essential to protect jobs and margins.

BYD, however, is unimpressed.

“We don’t care about revisions to the green deal, or delaying the ban for combustion cars,” Li said during a London media briefing attended by Auto Express. “Our strategy, from small cars to large cars, is to offer EV and DM-i.”

Growth without compromise

Unlike many European brands, BYD has already abandoned pure combustion cars entirely. Its line-up consists solely of battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, branded DM-i for ‘dual motor’. Despite—or perhaps because of—this clarity, the company’s European growth has been explosive.

In the first 10 months of 2025, BYD’s registrations in Europe jumped from 36,000 to 138,000 year-on-year, a 285 per cent increase. That momentum comes against a backdrop of stark contrast: EVs now account for around 60 per cent of new car sales in China, but just 16.4 per cent in Europe.

China’s advantage, Li argues, was locked in long ago. A decade-old industrial strategy prioritised battery technology and global supply chains, allowing firms like BYD to scale rapidly while Western rivals hesitated.

“The European Union is trying to push the Green Deal back and forth, then for a lot of auto companies their R&D is back and forth,” she said. “How can they compete with a company like BYD which only believes in one direction?”

Her criticism is blunt: split development budgets mean split results. “Their R&D expense needs to be split into two. You never have enough money to do that, and you’ll never be good at one thing.”

From challenger to giant

BYD is no longer an outsider throwing stones. It has already overtaken Tesla to become the world’s biggest electric-only car maker and now ranks as the third-largest automotive brand globally, behind Toyota and Volkswagen. In total, it has sold 14.5 million ‘new energy vehicles’—EVs and plug-in hybrids combined.

And its ambition is unmistakable. “Our goal is to become the number one global automotive brand,” Li previously told Auto Express.

Europe is central to that plan. By 2026, BYD aims to double its European retail footprint from 1,000 to 2,000 outlets, covering 90 per cent of the market. A wave of new models is on the way, including the Sealion 5 DM-i SUV to rival the Kia Sportage, the Seal 5 DM-i compact saloon, and the Dolphin G, expected to be a small plug-in hybrid SUV.

Made in Europe

Crucially, BYD’s European push will soon be underpinned by local manufacturing. Its new Hungarian factory will begin trial production in the new year, with series assembly scheduled for spring. The first model off the line will be the Dolphin Surf, BYD’s entry-level EV, followed by the Atto 2 small SUV in both electric and hybrid form.

The plant has an installed capacity of 300,000 units, and Li believes BYD will reach that figure in under two years. Local production will not only reduce costs and tariffs, but also give the company a stronger political and industrial voice in the region.

“We haven’t been part of discussions around delaying the ban on new petrol car sales,” Li admits. “But step-by-step, we will start raising our voice.”

Premium ambitions and flash charging

BYD’s European expansion won’t stop at the mainstream. Li confirmed that Denza, the group’s premium brand, will launch in Europe at the beginning of April.

Three models are planned for next year, all featuring high-performance electric platforms, autonomous parking and ultra-fast ‘flash charging’. Among them are the Z9GT estate—positioned as a rival to the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo—the D9 seven-seat MPV, and the B5 SUV.

Denza’s technology headline is charging speed. Built on a high-voltage architecture, the cars are claimed to recover nearly 250 miles of range in just five minutes. To support this, BYD plans to roll out its own one-megawatt chargers, targeting 300 units in the UK and 3,000 across Europe.

One direction, full throttle

For Li, the lesson is simple: commitment beats caution. While Europe’s established manufacturers debate timelines and hedge their investments, BYD is betting that clarity—and speed—will decide the future of the industry.

“Who is winning?” she asks. In BYD’s view, the answer is already taking shape.

Source: Auto Express

News

Tesla Jumps the Gun on European FSD Approval—RDW Says “Not So Fast”

Tesla’s latest attempt to fast-track its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system in Europe hit a pothole this weekend. After the company took to X to announce that Dutch safety regulator RDW had committed to approving FSD by February 2026, the agency stepped in to clarify: no such commitment exists.

A Premature Victory Lap

The now-deleted Tesla Europe & Middle East post claimed that “RDW has committed to granting Netherlands National approval in February 2026,” even urging fans to contact the regulator to express excitement and gratitude. The implication was clear—FSD was finally on the cusp of securing a gateway to European roads.

But regulators don’t exactly love being voluntold what they’ve decided.

Within hours, the RDW responded with a politely firm “pump the brakes.” In a statement on its website, the agency confirmed Tesla is expected to demonstrate FSD next February, but emphasized it had made no promise about an approval date.

“Whether this timeline will be met is yet to be determined,” the agency wrote, adding that it won’t discuss ongoing applications due to commercial sensitivity.

Tesla Fans Flood the RDW—Regulator Not Amused

After Tesla’s call-to-action, the RDW says its customer service was hit with a wave of messages from enthusiastic Musk supporters. The agency asked them—nicely, but pointedly—to stop.

“It takes up unnecessary time,” the statement read, adding that fan pressure “will have no impact whatsoever” on the decision or the timeline.

This comes just weeks after Elon Musk publicly encouraged European customers to “push the regulators” on FSD approval. In Europe, where type-approval authorities guard their independence closely, that suggestion alone raised eyebrows.

A Different Playing Field Than the U.S.

Tesla has been selling FSD in the U.S. for several years, though the system still requires constant driver supervision. But in Europe, the regulatory framework is more conservative and more centralized, and Tesla has yet to secure the exemptions it needs for a full rollout.

The company claims it has already demonstrated FSD to regulators “in almost every EU country,” but believes RDW—which handles approvals for vehicles built at Gigafactory Berlin—is the most direct path forward.

Getting the green light isn’t simple. Automated-driving approvals in Europe involve rigorous safety validation, scenario testing, and often months of back-and-forth.

Experts Weigh In: Pressure Doesn’t Speed Up Safety

Siddartha Khastgir, head of safe autonomy at the University of Warwick, told Bloomberg that Tesla’s public push is highly unusual.

“An approval process of an automated driving system is a deeply technical one to ensure the safety of the public,” he said. “The sanctity of any such approvals is ensured by its independence and rigor, not force.”

Translation: Regulators don’t like being nudged—especially not in front of millions of people.

Where Things Stand Now

For the moment, FSD remains on the outside looking in when it comes to European roads. Tesla will get its chance to demonstrate the system to RDW early next year, but the February 2026 date Musk’s team floated appears more aspiration than commitment.

The RDW’s message is simple: a decision will come when the data supports it—not when Twitter posts demand it.

Whether Tesla’s strategy of rallying public pressure moves the needle or backfires is yet to be seen, but one thing is certain: Europe’s regulators aren’t taking their hands off the wheel anytime soon.

Source: Tesla

News

Hyundai’s €150 Million Power Move: The Square Campus That Could Redefine European R&D

There’s something quietly dramatic about Hyundai Motor Group opening a €150 million research fortress in the heart of Germany — the home of the Teutonic titans themselves. The new Square Campus at Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center (HMETC) in Rüsselsheim isn’t just a building; it’s a bold statement, a silicon-and-steel declaration that the Korean giant isn’t playing catch-up anymore — it’s setting the pace.

From Round to Square: The Evolution of Ambition

Back in 2003, Hyundai planted its European flag in Rüsselsheim with the aptly named Round Campus, a hub that kickstarted the Group’s European R&D independence. Fast-forward two decades, and Square Campus takes that foundation and supercharges it. Think of it as Round Campus 2.0 — sharper edges, bigger brains, and a lot more electricity running through its veins.

At 25,000 square metres, this isn’t some minor extension. It’s a miniature city of innovation — complete with the largest semi-anechoic chamber in Hyundai’s global network. Inside, engineers can poke, prod, and fine-tune every squeak, rattle, and hum without worrying about Germany’s famously unpredictable weather.

In Tyrone Johnson’s words — the man steering the ship as Managing Director of HMETC — “The investment at Square Campus is a clear sign of our commitment to the region and reflects the importance of Europe in our long-term growth strategy.” In plain English? Europe isn’t just a market for Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis — it’s now a laboratory for their future.

Under the Hood of Innovation

Square Campus isn’t just pretty architecture with some shiny new labs. It’s a technological Swiss Army knife. There’s an EV charging laboratory ready to dissect the future of electrons, next-gen dyno facilities capable of testing everything from ICE screamers to silent EVs, and a driving simulator so advanced it could probably make you feel seasick from standing still.

Hyundai’s engineers can now thrash prototypes virtually and physically under real-world conditions without needing to brave a rain-soaked Nürburgring (though don’t worry — they’ve got that covered too, with a recently expanded €13 million investment in their Nordschleife facility earlier this year).

Add in labs for over-the-air updates, cybersecurity, and ADAS systems, and you’ve got the perfect blend of mechanical muscle and digital intelligence. It’s as if Hyundai’s future models — from hot hatches to luxo-EVs — will roll off the line already fine-tuned to European taste buds.

The Green Brain Behind the Machines

Of course, no modern campus would be complete without a sustainability halo. Square Campus ticks all the boxes — recycled materials, photovoltaic panels, and heat pump systems — designed to make the place as energy-efficient as the vehicles it helps create.

It’s not just about ticking ESG boxes either. Hyundai’s long game is crystal clear: zero tailpipe emissions globally by 2045. The Rüsselsheim facility is part of that roadmap — engineering greener cars by design, not by regulation.

Brains, Not Just Buildings

Beyond the shiny test rigs and recycled cladding lies the real engine of progress: people. HMETC’s team has grown by 20% since 2024 and now boasts more than 500 engineers, designers, and dreamers — all tasked with sculpting the future of Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis for European roads.

And that’s what makes Square Campus so important. It’s not just about testing tech — it’s about redefining identity. The Korean trio have matured from sensible alternatives into genuine disruptors, and this new base gives them the autonomy to keep doing it their way.

The Quiet Revolution

For decades, Europe was the place where carmakers came to prove themselves. Hyundai Motor Group has flipped that on its head — Europe is now where Hyundai creates itself.

Square Campus might not look like much from the outside — a crisp, geometric slice of modern industry — but inside, it’s humming with the sound of the future. If Hyundai’s past decade has been about proving its worth, this next one will be about pushing the boundaries of what “Made for Europe” really means.

And from the looks of it, the Europeans might soon be the ones catching up.

Source: Hyundai Motor Group