BYD in talks to acquire European factories. Could Poland be on the list?

Chinese automotive group BYD is in advanced talks to acquire unused production facilities in Europe, including plants owned by Stellantis. Stella Li, Executive Vice President of BYD, confirmed the negotiations in May 2026 during the Financial Times “Future of the Car” conference in London. As she put it, BYD is looking for “any available factory in Europe”.

For investors and business owners operating in Poland, this is a signal worth watching closely. Stellantis officially lists two Polish factories — in Gliwice and Tychy — among its key production facilities in Europe, placing Poland alongside France, Germany, Italy and Spain in the group’s European manufacturing network. At present, none of the Polish plants has been officially listed for sale or identified as part of the talks with BYD. However, given the pace of change across the wider Stellantis group, the broader context deserves careful analysis.

Why is BYD looking at European factories?

BYD’s strategy is driven by several overlapping factors. The Chinese automotive market is clearly losing momentum. After years of strong growth, forecasts for 2026 point to much more limited expansion, while early-year sales data has already shown weaker performance. At the same time, the industry is facing structural overcapacity, increasing pressure to export and to localise production outside China.

Europe is a priority market for BYD, but tariffs remain a major barrier. The European Union has imposed additional countervailing duties on electric vehicles imported from China. For BYD, the additional duty is 17% on top of the standard 10% customs duty. Acquiring an existing European factory could significantly reduce BYD’s exposure to these costs, although the final impact would depend on the production structure, the origin of components and future EU regulations.

The US market is effectively closed to BYD due to tariffs exceeding 100%, which further strengthens Europe’s role in the company’s global strategy.

BYD is not the only Chinese manufacturer pursuing this path. According to media reports, Geely has been discussing the use or acquisition of part of Ford’s production capacity in Spain. Chery, in cooperation with Ebro-EV Motors, has launched production at the former Nissan factory in Barcelona. Xpeng, meanwhile, has been in talks with the Volkswagen Group and other manufacturers regarding production locations in Europe.

Stellantis factories in Poland: four production sites

To properly assess the potential consequences for Poland, it is important to understand the role the country plays in Stellantis’ European production structure.

Polish plants currently produce a wide range of low-emission vehicles, including electric and hybrid models such as the Jeep Avenger, Alfa Romeo Junior and Fiat 600, as well as commercial vehicles including the Citroën Jumper and Opel Movano. In total, Stellantis operates four plants in Poland:

Tychy — passenger car plant
This is where Stellantis has launched production of the Jeep Avenger, Fiat 600 and Alfa Romeo Junior, available with combustion, hybrid and fully electric drivetrains.

Gliwice — large commercial vehicle plant
This facility is part of Stellantis’ Pro One business unit and produces models for five brands, including zero-emission Citroën Jumper, Fiat Professional Ducato, Opel Movano and Peugeot Boxer vehicles.

Tychy — powertrain plant
The Tychy powertrain facility produced more than 474,000 power units in 2024.

Skoczów — Teksid Iron Poland foundry
The Skoczów foundry is part of Stellantis’ broader energy transformation programme for its Polish operations.

This is an important point: Poland is not home to a single isolated facility, but to an integrated production hub within Stellantis’ European network — covering both final assembly and component manufacturing.

Poland has also long attracted major automotive brands as a location for production facilities and technology centres. This broader trend is visible in Toyota’s investment in Wrocław, Mercedes-Benz’s decision to move e-Sprinter production to Jawor, and MAN’s decision to transfer production to Poland.

Stellantis under pressure: what is happening across the group?

The talks with BYD are taking place against the backdrop of serious operational challenges for Stellantis in Europe. According to media reports, the group is analysing various options for some of its underused European plants, including sales, partnerships or making production capacity available to third parties. Locations mentioned in this context have included Rennes in France, Cassino in Italy and Madrid in Spain. The situation of Stellantis plants in Italy is particularly difficult. Over the past two years, production there has fallen by half, while factories have been operating at less than 50%, and in some cases even less than 30%, of their capacity.

The Tychy plant in Poland has also felt the pressure. In 2025, production at the facility was temporarily reduced or suspended in order to adjust output to demand on the European market.

Stellantis has already taken the first steps towards restructuring. It has expanded cooperation with China’s Leapmotor and, according to industry sources, is preparing to produce Leapmotor models in Spain. Officially, the companies have also confirmed that they are analysing an additional production line in Figueruelas/Zaragoza for a new electric Opel model.

BYD, however, has made it clear that it prefers to manage acquired plants independently, without creating joint ventures. This is a significant difference and may complicate negotiations with both European partners and trade unions demanding employment guarantees.

Is Poland on the radar? Risk and opportunity for investors

None of Stellantis’ Polish plants is currently officially listed for restructuring, nor has any of them been identified as part of the talks with BYD. It is worth remembering, however, that only several months ago plants such as Rennes and Cassino were also not publicly mentioned in this context.

For investors and business owners operating in Poland, this has several practical implications. Companies from the automotive components sector should closely monitor ownership and production changes among their customers. The experience of Hungary — where Chinese battery suppliers CATL and KunlunChem established facilities near BYD’s factory — shows that a Chinese investor may bring its own supply chain with it, gradually reducing reliance on local subcontractors.

Investors in industrial real estate and logistics may, in turn, see potential opportunities in any restructuring process. A change of owner or a change in production profile typically creates new demand for warehousing, transport, customs handling and related industrial services.

For advisory, legal and accounting firms — especially those supporting foreign businesses in Poland — the coming wave of restructuring and potential acquisitions in the automotive sector may increase demand for support in business structuring, compliance and tax optimisation.

The regulatory context: the EU is not standing still

The expansion of Chinese manufacturers in Europe is facing growing regulatory resistance. The European Union is conducting proceedings concerning BYD’s factory in Hungary, examining potential illegal subsidies from the Chinese government. Work is also underway on a “made in Europe” regulatory package designed to strengthen protection for the European automotive industry.

For foreign investors considering involvement in the automotive sector in Poland, this is an important signal: the regulatory landscape is changing. Investment decisions made today should be assessed not only in terms of current market opportunities, but also in terms of risks that may materialise within the next 12 to 24 months.

What should investors in Poland do now?

Key decisions regarding potential acquisitions of European factories by BYD are expected in the coming months. At the same time, Xpeng, Geely and Chery are strengthening their manufacturing presence on the continent. Europe is entering a phase of deep restructuring in the automotive sector, and Poland — with four Stellantis plants and an extensive automotive components base — is part of this transformation, not merely an observer.

Monitoring announcements from Stellantis and BYD, following EU automotive regulations and regularly analysing exposure to supply chain changes should be the minimum for every entrepreneur whose business is directly or indirectly connected with the sector. In our view, companies operating in Poland should assess both the risks and opportunities arising from this transformation at an early stage. For some businesses, the restructuring of the European automotive industry may mean pressure on existing contracts and supply chains. For others, it may open the door to new industrial, logistics and investment opportunities in Poland.