BYD to Roll Out Heavy Trucks in Europe by 2027 as Overseas Shipments Target 2.5 Million

BYD will bring its first heavy truck to Europe in 2027 and aims to build trucks locally, as it targets 1.9-2.0 million overseas sales in 2026.

BYD is pushing deeper into Europe's commercial vehicle arena. At the IAA show in Hanover on Monday, a company executive said the Chinese automaker will bring its first heavy truck to the European market in 2027, according to Reuters. The longer-term blueprint goes beyond shipping vehicles in from China: management intends to build trucks locally on European soil, a move aimed at trimming logistics costs and clearing market hurdles that the continent's freight industry routinely puts in the way of importers.

The truck announcement slots into a broader international drive that has become central to BYD's growth story. Having reported its first quarterly profit increase in more than a year roughly three weeks ago, the company is now scaling its model lineup and vehicle categories across the globe at a rapid clip.

Export Goals Nearly Double

Overseas deliveries form the backbone of that push. Management told brokerage houses it is targeting 1.9 million to 2.0 million vehicles shipped abroad in 2026, a figure that would come close to doubling the prior year's level. For 2027, the cited guidance climbs above 2.5 million units.

Those numbers carry extra weight given conditions at home. China's passenger car market contracted in August for an 11th straight month, yet BYD and other domestic manufacturers notched a record for deliveries abroad. Global sales have now risen for four consecutive months, with robust exports absorbing the soft demand in China.

Washington Turns Up the Heat

Expansion abroad comes with regulatory friction. On September 8, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wrote to Ford chief executive Jim Farley expressing deep concern about the American automaker's business ties to BYD, Geely and battery maker CATL. The letter was addressed to Ford and did not constitute an official action against BYD, but it underscores the trade-policy skepticism Chinese automakers continue to face in Washington.

Share Price Under Pressure

The stock has struggled to reflect the operational momentum. BYD shares changed hands at EUR 8.84 on Monday, a modest decline of 0.5% on the day. The previous session closed at EUR 8.88. Since the start of the year, the paper has shed 17%, and it has given up 10.3% of its value since the profit rebound was announced just over three weeks ago.

Whether the planned move into European heavy-truck fleets can reignite investor appetite now rests largely on how well the company executes its local production plans.