Latest news with #StellaLi
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Is It Time to Buy BYD Before Its Next Ambitious Move?
Its strategy of focusing on more affordable electric vehicle models in Europe is paying off. BYD is also building out a fast-charging network in Europe to help drive market share growth. One potential challenge: consumer interest in EVs has been declining recently in Europe. 10 stocks we like better than BYD Company › As if by magic, BYD (OTC: BYDDY) has swiftly, smoothly, and soundly taken over China's electric vehicle (EV) industry. It surpassed Tesla in 2024 to become the world's largest EV manufacturer by sales, and the automaker isn't pumping the brakes. For BYD's next magic trick, it's about to make a big push into Europe. But is this a bad time with consumer sentiment there for EVs in decline? BYD's efforts in Europe got off to a bit of a sputtering start before it adjusted its sales strategy to focus on more affordable models. That pivot helped it gain traction in key European markets. In April, BYD sold more EVs in Europe than Tesla for the first time, according to a report by JATO Dynamics. Its move into the lead was aided both by Tesla's aging vehicle lineup and by the political adventures of CEO Elon Musk, which turned some consumers off the Tesla brand. Surpassing Tesla in Europe was a huge accomplishment considering it has led the Continent's battery-electric vehicle (BEV) market for years while BYD only officially began its operations there in late 2022. In fact, despite a slow start, BYD nearly quadrupled European sales during the first four months of 2025, per data from market research firm Dataforce. BYD is increasing its sales by roughly 10% monthly in Europe right now -- a staggering rate of growth. "If you are winning here, it means you are super good in every angle," said BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li in an interview with Bloomberg News. She also said the automaker would spend up to $20 billion in the region, noting that "Europe is our most important market." BYD's strategy includes rolling out an ultra-fast charging network across Europe to help drive brand awareness, build market share, and encourage broader consumer confidence in the availability of charging infrastructure. The company's system will be capable of recharging a BYD vehicle for 250 miles to 292 miles of range in as little as five minutes, depending on a few factors. It also recently launched a new model in Europe that has the potential to be its hottest seller there yet: the Dolphin Surf, a variant of BYD's best-selling EV, the Seagull. The compact vehicle sells for under $10,000 in China and will start at 19,990 euros ($22,700), drastically undercutting other top-selling EVs in the market. BYD is planning a strong push in Europe, but it could be coming at a less-than-ideal time. In a survey conducted by Shell, the number of respondents in Europe who were considering switching to an EV declined from 48% last year to 41% currently. The primary issue, however, was still price, and that presents an opportunity for BYD. China's leading EV maker has come a long way in a short time, but for investors, opening a position at current levels could still prove a great move, as the company has immense upside potential amid its global expansion. BYD's leading position in China's EV market will one day become more profitable as the industry consolidates and the price war abates. It's gaining traction in Europe quickly, and tariffs might only slow BYD down. And the U.S. market isn't interesting to BYD currently, but one day it's almost certain Chinese automakers will sell in the U.S. market and BYD is likely to be leading the charge. Those interested in investing in the future of the automotive industry should give BYD a much closer look. Its story is really only beginning, and its potential upside is immense. Before you buy stock in BYD Company, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and BYD Company wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $689,813!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $906,556!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 809% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 175% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 23, 2025 Daniel Miller has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends BYD Company. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is It Time to Buy BYD Before Its Next Ambitious Move? was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
BYD announces voestalpine as supplier to its first European car factory
Chinese car manufacturer BYD has announced that it has reached agreement with voestalpine, an Austrian steel and technology group, to supply its new passenger-car factory in Hungary. Confirmed by BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li in Vienna, alongside voestalpine CEO Herbert Eibensteiner, the agreement covers sheet steel, and makes voestalpine one of the first confirmed supply partners for the Szeged facility. BYD said it chose voestalpine because of its geographical proximity to the factory in Hungary, and the 'high quality and excellent reputation of Austrian steel'. The agreement marks a significant step in BYD's localisation policy, as the brand continues to expand its operations across Europe. BYD cars will be on sale in 29 European countries by the end of 2025, and its sales network will comprise more than 1000 retail stores. In addition, BYD recently committed to a new European headquarters in Budapest, along with its first bespoke European R&D centre, also in Hungary. BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li said: 'BYD has always been clear that we have come to Europe to stay in Europe – and to produce here. Our commitment to the European market is strong and as we're showing here, it goes far beyond pure car sales. We're applying a long-term vision here, with the goal of being seen by consumers, within the next five years, as a European manufacturer. Our factory in Hungary is at the heart of this process, of course, so every local supplier we announce is another significant step. I'm delighted that we will be working with voestalpine, a company that has a long history of innovation and a commitment to decarbonisation and sustainable CO2 reduction.' Herbert Eibensteiner, CEO voestalpine, said: 'With its high-quality steel products, voestalpine is an important partner for the global automotive industry. We offer renowned automotive manufacturers and suppliers reliable and sustainable solutions, thanks to our unique combination of technology and materials expertise. Our products can be found in almost all automotive assemblies – from the body and powertrain to safety-critical components. Starting this fall, we will be supplying BYD - a Chinese technology company that manufactures in Europe - from our location in Linz. We are confident that this initial order for the production of high-quality flat steel for car bodies and outer panels will lay the foundation for a long-term partnership.' V2H tech pilot BYD has also announced that Austria will become the European Union pilot market for the implementation of V2H (Vehicle to Home) technology in its vehicles. Austria has been chosen for this project, which will be managed in conjunction with a local partner, because of the country's high penetration of solar energy (more than half of all Austrian households are supplied with solar-panel energy). Customer demand is also strong, with BYD dealerships reporting that half of customers are already asking when V2H will become available, to help them maximise the efficiency of solar and reduce their energy costs. "BYD announces voestalpine as supplier to its first European car factory" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Why Forecasters Can't Agree On When Oil Demand Will Peak
Oil demand is set to plateau rather than drop off a cliff after it peaks, the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicted this week, citing 'policy settings and market trends.' But here's the thing about policy settings and market trends: they change. That oil demand is set to peak before 2030 has been repeated ad nauseam by various forecasters, including, notably, Chinese energy majors Sinopec and CNPC. Indeed, OPEC is the only forecaster of demand that does not see it peaking anytime soon. Of course, OPEC is interested in its predictions panning out—but so is the IEA, a vocal proponent of the shift to electrification in transport and moving from hydrocarbon-fueled baseload generation to weather-dependent wind and solar, as are many governments of large oil consumers. When the IEA cited those 'policy settings and market trends' in its latest Oil Market Report and its Oil 2025 report, which came out together this week, it was that shift to EVs and the move to wind and solar that it meant as drivers of falling oil demand. But there are some challenges facing both assumptions. A recent Shell-commissioned survey found that while existing EV owners tend to feel more confident about their vehicles, many prospective buyers remain hesitant—citing cost as a major barrier. 'While current EV drivers are feeling more confident, the relatively high cost of owning an electric vehicle, combined with broader economic pressures, are making it a difficult decision for new consumers,' Shell's VP for mobility and convenience, David Bunch, said, as quoted by Bloomberg this week. China remains an exception, thanks to extensive subsidies and a highly competitive market that has driven down prices. However, even in China, this model may be reaching its limits. 'It's very extreme, tough competition,' an executive vice president of BYD told Bloomberg. 'No, it's not sustainable,' Stella Li added, referring to the current situation in China's electric car sector. The most likely prospect is consolidation. And that may put a stop to the continuous decline in prices. Despite this, many oil demand forecasts—including the IEA's—still rely on projections of steady EV growth. But recent industry decisions suggest a more complex picture. GM announced it would invest $4 billion in expanding internal combustion engine vehicle production. Volvo Cars, which reported strong EV-driven sales last year, saw a 12% drop in overall sales this May, in part due to underperformance in its EV segment. These developments reflect growing pains in the transition—not necessarily a reversal, but perhaps a recalibration of expectations. If one of the largest U.S. automakers is tempering its EV ambitions, it raises the question: how many others might adjust course, especially if EV profitability continues to lag behind that of ICE vehicles? Then there is the issue of 'policy settings.' In this respect, Europe is perhaps the best example of trying to go against nature and suffering adverse consequences. Here, we have the European Union's and the UK's leadership bent on having an energy transition whether anyone wants it or not, up to and including, in the UK's case, decimating local oil and gas production in favor of imports of both, plus electricity. In the EU, the leadership is discussing a ban on any oil products that may have been produced from Russian crude oil—when the EU is a major importer of oil derivatives from Asia, which in turn features the two biggest buyers of Russian crude, China and India. The IEA and most other forecasters are quite certain that this sort of energy policy would ultimately lead to lower oil demand. That's despite the fact that the UK's extremely pro-transition government conceded the country still needs North Sea oil and gas so they limited their efforts to ban it to new exploration only. It's also despite the fact that Austria has joined Slovakia and Hungary in opposing a total ban on Russian gas imports—after the EU booked a record in LNG imports from Russia last year. However, on the ground, as it were, reality keeps shattering these visions, and oil demand remains strong. Naturally, economic trends and events such as inflation and tariffs affect demand negatively when they go up. This has always been the case and always will be, when it comes to oil. But the fact that prices surged immediately after Israel launched missiles at Iran last Friday shows quite clearly that the world is still as hooked on crude as it has been for a century. One might argue that it was a knee-jerk reaction on the part of traders given that Iran is the third-largest crude producer in OPEC with over 3 million bpd in output. One might extend this argument to include OPEC's oft-cited spare capacity that amounts to some 5 million bpd. However, a counter-argument could also be made, namely, that prices rose because the market is not as oversupplied as assumed and that it can very quickly stop being well supplied at all. As for OPEC's spare capacity—well, they have to want to use it. By Irina Slav for More Top Reads From this article on
Business Times
19-06-2025
- Automotive
- Business Times
China's EV powerhouse BYD accelerates into Europe's heartland
[LONDON] A synchronised flock of drones lit up the sky above Rome's Olympic Stadium last month to mark the European launch of the latest electric hatchback from Chinese carmaker BYD. Against the blackened night, the glowing orbs outlined an image of the new Dolphin Surf in front of classic Roman landmarks such as the Colosseum, St Peter's Basilica and the Pantheon – a cinematic nod to the Fiat 500 and the postwar lifestyle it came to symbolise. The message was as clear as it was audacious: BYD had arrived with an electric vehicle (EV) for the masses, a market segment its European peers have struggled to lock down. The Dolphin Surf aims to be a Fiat 500 or VW Beetle for the electric age – fun, accessible and built to put millions of drivers behind the wheel, only this time with a battery. Behind the Roman light show is a deeper play. After a slow start, BYD is gaining sales momentum with sleek showrooms, bold pricing, and a dealer push that's begun to rattle entrenched rivals. China's biggest carmaker has overtaken Tesla in European EV sales, expanded its hybrid lineup to adapt to consumer tastes, and is hiring aggressively as it builds a factory in Hungary and poaches executive talent from the region's top carmakers. It's a high-stakes bet in a region thick with red tape and rules that favour entrenched brands such as Volkswagen, Fiat and Renault. But BYD sees a rare opening as the EV shift disrupts loyalties and cracks open a 500 billion euros (S$738 billion) market where the average EV still sells for twice what it would in China. 'If you are winning here, it means you are super good in every angle,' said Stella Li, BYD's executive vice-president and the face of the carmaker outside China. In an interview, she pledged to spend up to US$20 billion in the region. 'Europe is our most important market.' BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up BYD made a renewed push in Europe in 2022 with a gleaming stand at the Paris Motor Show, but struggled for traction with the sleek, premium models it put up against better-known Teslas and BMWs in EV-friendly countries like the Netherlands and Norway. How the company responded explains a lot about how BYD nearly quadrupled European sales in the first four months of 2025, based on figures from researcher Dataforce. By 2024, BYD had shifted downmarket with smaller, cheaper models to appeal to younger buyers. The company, carrying over a strategy that worked in Latin America, also took control of its own import operations, giving it flexibility to quickly adjust volumes and product mix, including a rapid ramp-up of hybrid models. Li brought in seasoned European executives such as Maria Grazia Davino, the former UK head of Fiat parent Stellantis, who has rapidly reshaped BYD's German dealer network. 'They are correctly hiring people from legacy carmakers in Europe, people who know how the business works. Everything has come together,' said Felipe Munoz, senior analyst at automotive researcher Jato Dynamics. 'Their lineup is growing every day with very, very competitive products.' BYD's ultimate goal is to claim a place in Europe's automotive hierarchy, planting the flag of a Chinese carmaker alongside Volkswagen, Fiat-Jeep-Peugeot owner Stellantis, and Japanese and South Korean manufacturers that have spent decades building their presence. Getting there would advance Beijing's broader strategy to dominate key manufacturing sectors, including EVs, robotics, and clean energy, and signal China's arrival at the centre of the 21st-century auto business. 'We want to bring the technology here, build a very strong after-sales service here, and then work with local partners to really merge us into part of a society, community here,' Li said. BYD has chosen a good time to go on the offensive. Elon Musk's political entanglements dented Tesla's image in Europe, with recent sales figures showing a marked decline. Stellantis, meanwhile, is just starting to reckon with a drop in sales after the tightfisted reign of former chief executive officer Carlos Tavares. Renault just lost talented CEO Luca De Meo, who revived the carmaker but is swapping autos for luxury at Gucci owner Kering. The results are starting to show, with BYD generating growth rates of 200 per cent or more to April in each of the five biggest European markets – Germany, the UK, France, Spain, and Italy, where BYD sold barely 200 cars in the first four months of 2024. The company has had its biggest success in the UK. After selling just 1,611 cars through April 2024, BYD blitzed the market, signing up dealers and adding plug-in hybrid models to its repertoire. For the same period in 2025, sales had jumped to nearly 12,000 vehicles, according to Dataforce. At that pace, BYD is on track to leapfrog Fiat, Honda Motor and BMW's Mini – brands long entrenched in British driveways. Bob Dalgliesh, a 50-year-old cybersecurity specialist from Lothian, Scotland, chose the BYD Seal U as his third plug-in hybrid through a company-car plan. The mid-sized SUV, which also comes fully electric, is aimed at families seeking space, tech and range at a lower price point. Though he typically prefers a European brand, it was £6,000 (S$10,352) cheaper than an Audi A3 hybrid, he said, had more space and overall range and arrived from China in just two months. 'The clincher is that the Seal U offers all the add-ons – cruise control, 360 camera, head-up display – that other manufacturers would usually nickel and dime you for,' Dalgliesh said by phone. 'So it ends up being just a choice of engine size and battery.' At the centre of BYD's European charge is Li, who is based in China but visits Europe nearly every month. The executive acts as BYD's chief evangelist – pitching to sceptical dealers, rallying local teams, and signalling that BYD is here for the long haul. Colleagues describe her as relentless, obsessing over details such as lighting, signage and the spacing of vehicles on display. The preferred footprint for a BYD showroom in Europe is around 120 square metres, just enough to show off the company's seven-model lineup without crowding the floor. Li was based in Chicago in the 1990s, where she cut her teeth persuading US electronics firms such as Motorola to switch to BYD batteries – its original business – from Japanese suppliers when few trusted Chinese tech manufacturing. It was a formative experience, battling for credibility and building trust for an underdog brand. That frontline instinct has not faded, according to colleagues. Li still jumps in on sales: she was the star attraction at the Rome event in May, pitching the Dolphin Surf. From the podium, she boasted of the car's appeal to lower-income consumers. 'They can make the change to EVs,' she said. 'At the same time, they are driving a car that's not only accessible, it's intelligent, high-tech fun.' In the UK, the Dolphin Surf costs £18,650 in its Active trim, below the Renault 5 E-Tech Evolution Urban and Citroen e-C3, which offer greater range than the Surf's 220 kilometres in combined city and highway driving. It's also less expensive than the shorter-range Fiat 500e hatchback. Even in its most basic trim, the Surf features an infotainment system that can rotate, as well as a rear parking camera and adaptive cruise control – items either absent or only available with costlier packages on the Citroen and the Renault. BYD had a bumpy start in Europe. Dealers were hesitant to stock its higher-end models, especially as subsidies began to vanish. As it remade its lineup, BYD bought out its import partners and splashed out an estimated 30 million euros to 50 million euros sponsoring the UEFA Euro 2024 soccer tournament – stepping in after Volkswagen had walked away. Behind the scenes, Li brought in Alfredo Altavilla, the former chairman of ITA Airways and longtime Fiat Chrysler Automobiles executive, as special adviser for the European market. He recruited Davino, a Stellantis veteran who had expanded FCA's dealer footprint in Germany- an especially difficult market for outsiders. She now leads BYD's operations in Germany and Central Europe. Other hires from Stellantis include Alessandro Grosso, formerly head of brand sales in Italy, and Alberto De Aza to run BYD's Spanish operations. BYD's ability to move quickly is backed by one of the world's largest R&D operations, with a 120,000-strong team as at last year. As it prepares to begin shipping the Seal U from its Hungarian plant later this year, the company is also working to localise its formidable supply chain. Controlling everything from battery cells to shipping and importing, BYD is cutting out middlemen to deliver faster and expand its physical footprint across Europe. The approach comes with real risk. BYD's rapid expansion has left it exposed on multiple fronts: razor-thin margins that leave little room for error, a reliance on plug-in hybrids just as regulators in key markets begin to question their environmental credentials, and persistent consumer scepticism around quality, safety, and resale value. Brand recognition in Europe remains low, and loyalty is fragile – easily lost if early expectations aren't met. BYD is spending like a company that already has a major foothold in Europe – on marketing, sponsorships, logistics, and physical infrastructure. But if sales don't scale quickly, the financial blowback could be significant. The company has come under fire in China for its aggressive pricing, drawing rare public criticism from central government officials, industry associations and state media. It recently joined a collective pledge with a dozen automakers to speed up payments to suppliers, a sign that its high cash-burn approach may be starting to strain even in its home market. Meanwhile, incumbents like Volkswagen and Stellantis brands such as Fiat, Citroen, and Peugeot enjoy major advantages: loyal customer bases, deep roots in company car schemes, government fleets, and rental networks that BYD is only beginning to access. Without similar entrenchment, its aggressive push risks outpacing the brand recognition and trust it still needs to build. 'Establishing a car company is hard, exporting is relatively easy, but building a global organisation is the hardest task of all,' said Andy Palmer, former chief operating officer at Nissan Motor and ex-CEO at Aston Martin. 'BYD still has a significant mountain to climb.' Still, BYD's factory in Hungary's southern city of Szeged underscores the scale of its ambition. It will produce EVs and hybrids for the EU market and tap into China's Belt and Road logistics project, via the modernised rail link from the Greek port of Piraeus – owned by Cosco Shipping Holdings – to Central Europe. The factory will help reassure dealers that the company is in Europe for the long haul and that customers will be able to get their vehicles serviced reliably. 'If we decide to do something, we put all our resources behind it,' Li told Bloomberg this month. BLOOMBERG
The Independent
16-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
BYD plans new EV blitz by the end of next year
In just over two years, BYD has launched six new models. It's latest – the BYD Dolphin Surf – is being launched in the UK right now. Currently the range comprises six of what BYD calls 'new energy vehicles' – a combination of fully electric and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models, technology BYD refers to as a DM-i. However, that's set to more than double by the end of next year with almost every BYD model to be offered as a full EV or PHEV, plus more new models to come. In BYD retailers now are the Dolphin Surf, Dolphin, Atto 3, Seal and Sealion 7 all-electric models, plus the Seal U DM-i plug-in hybrid. The Atto 2 compact EV SUV will be joining the line-up in the coming months to make it seven cars in under three years. There are many more models to come with BYD executive vice-president Stella Li recently telling The Independent: 'We will introduce five DM-i models into Europe in the next one and a half years.' The first to arrive are the Seal 6 DM-i and the Sealion 6 DM-i. The Seal 6 will be available as a saloon and an estate car, while the Sealion 6 is a mid-size SUV. BYD has now confirmed that every new model in future – plus existing models – will be available as both DM-i plug-in hybrids and fully electric cars, starting with the Seal 6 and Sealion 6. The only car not to follow that rule will be the new budget EV supermini, the Dolphin Surf. Talking at the launch of the Dolphin Surf in London, BYD special adviser, Alfredo Altavilla, confirmed that the Seal and Sealion 6 would be coming to the UK 'soon, very soon'. Altavilla went on to confirm the plans for twin EV and PHEV models. 'Fundamentally, by the end of 2026, 90 per cent of our line-up will have both the DM-i and EV version,' he said. 'It will be every car line with the exception of the Dolphin Surf, which will remain as an EV.' Asked to confirm that the BYD DM-i and EV models would be twins rather than separate models, meaning the upcoming Atto 2 compact SUV that was planned as an EV will also be a PHEV, Altavilla said: '90 per cent means that they will be both'. It's not only BYD models that are coming to the UK in 2026. Next year will see the launch of BYD's premium brand Denza, with three new models set to arrive. 'Denza will start off in three main segments,' said Altavilla. 'A sedan the Z9GT, an MPV the D9 and then an SUV – this will be the startup. Then we will complete the line-up, especially in the SUV subsegments.' Altavilla told us that Denza will also have its own retailers rather than rely on BYD's growing network of dealers. 'Dealing with premium customer is a different job than dealing with the mass market customer,' he said. 'We believe that only investors who are already used to dealing with customer in that segment deserve to be appointed Denza dealers. Some of them will be in common with BYD, but most of them will be specific to Denza.'
