BYD pushes to be first Chinese member of Europe’s car lobby

BYD pushes to be first Chinese member of Europe’s car lobby

Automotive News Europe — 2026-04-20

Automotive Industry

BYD is in talks to join ACEA, Europe’s car lobby group, a move that would give the Chinese automaker a voice in the region where it faces tariffs on its electric-vehicle imports.

The world’s largest seller of EVs has applied to become a member of ACEA, a spokesperson for the lobby confirmed following a Bloomberg News inquiry. A decision on its entry has not been made, they added.

If successful, BYD would become the first Chinese automaker to join the group. Brussels-based ACEA, which lobbies European Union institutions on behalf of the industry, has 17 members, mostly from Europe, but also some from outside the region such as the U.S.’s Ford and Japan’s Honda, according to its website.

Joining the lobby group would increase BYD’s influence at a time of intensifying competition with the region’s homegrown automakers such as Volkswagen Group and Stellantis. The Chinese automaker has so far shrugged off the EU import duties, making inroads in Europe amid a price war back home in China.

BYD has been setting up a car plant in Hungary — it’s first in the region — and plans to start mass-producing cars there this quarter. That move should help it sidestep the additional EU tariffs.Some existing ACEA members are against BYD joining the group, according to people familiar with the matter, asking not to be identified discussing confidential information. Becoming a member usually involves a longer period of manufacturing in Europe and developing “a functional relationship with the association,” the ACEA spokesperson said.

Any split within ACEA over BYD’s admission would mirror broader divisions across Europe on how to handle the rise of Chinese automakers. Germany has opposed tariffs on China-made vehicles, reflecting the industry’s reliance on the Chinese market.

Meanwhile, France and European Commission officials have taken a more protectionist stance, arguing Beijing’s support for domestic automakers creates an uneven playing field.