by Dispute Between BYD and Stellantis Over Sales in Germany
The Chinese automaker BYD has denied a statement attributed to Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa that Leapmotor sold more cars in Germany than BYD. The source of these words remains unclear, and both parties have been invited to provide explanations.
Stellantis owns a minority stake in Leapmotor and controls its exports outside of China through the Leapmotor International joint venture. BYD, citing its own data, claims to have a significant sales advantage. Specifically, from January to August 2025, BYD sold 8,610 cars in Germany, while Leapmotor sold only 3,536.
Official Data Confirms BYD’s Leadership
Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) provides similar figures: 8,563 new registrations for BYD compared to 3,531 for Leapmotor over the same period. In August, the gap narrowed somewhat, but BYD still led with 1,114 sales against Leapmotor’s 826.
Perhaps Filosa’s statement was mistranslated or he simply made a mistake in favor of Leapmotor. There is also a possibility that he was referring to narrow metrics that have not yet been published.
Comparison with Stellantis Brands
BYD also compared its performance to other Stellantis brands, namely Alfa Romeo and Jeep. The data indicates that BYD sold more than Alfa Romeo (5,226 units) and is approaching Jeep, trailing by only 278 cars. The KBA confirms that Jeep sold 8,884 units, which is only slightly more than BYD.
Product Diversity as a Key Factor
BYD offers a significantly wider range in Germany, including the Dolphin, Atto, Sealion, Seal, and Tang models in various configurations. Leapmotor is currently limited to a few models, such as the T03, B10, and C10, but plans to expand with the new B05.
BYD’s global sales in the first half of 2025 amounted to over 2 million cars, nearly ten times Leapmotor’s figures. This indicates that, despite local disputes, BYD remains a significantly more powerful player in the global market.
The possibility of further marketing competition between these two brands remains open, especially given Leapmotor’s plans to expand its presence in Europe. However, current data underscores that BYD has an advantage not only in sales volume but also in product diversity, which could determine their future in the European market.
