From 26 to 200: BYD is no longer playing the niche EV game in Germany

© A. Krivonosov

BYD has sharply accelerated its dealer expansion in Germany: the Chinese brand has signed its 200th dealer contract, with the Wackenhut group from Nagold as its newest partner. The key detail isn’t the number itself but the pace: at the start of 2025 BYD had just 26 outlets, and now the company is building a network not as a niche EV brand, but as a full-fledged player in the mainstream European market.

Wackenhut is a family-run dealer group from Baden-Württemberg that works with premium brands. For BYD this is an important type of partner: not a random seller of new Chinese cars, but a regional dealer with an existing customer base, service infrastructure and buyer trust. In Germany, where the choice of car still leans heavily on the familiar showroom and after-sales support, a contract like this means more than yet another advertising campaign.

By the end of 2026 BYD plans to grow the network to roughly 350 sales and service points. That is already direct pressure on Volkswagen, Hyundai, Kia, MG and Tesla: BYD offers not only electric cars but also plug-in hybrids, including the Seal U DM-i, which in Europe competes on the turf of family crossovers with long range and rich equipment. The brand’s weak spots remain the same — residual value, recognition beyond the big cities and confidence in long-term service. It is precisely the dealer network that is meant to close that gap.

Germany remains a tough market for Chinese brands, with strong local players. So 200 BYD dealers are not a victory flag but an entry ticket into real competition.