BYD to take direct control of distribution in Belgium and Luxembourg
16/03/2026
Chinese EV giant BYD is preparing to take direct control of its distribution operations in Belgium and Luxembourg.
The development emerged through Inchcape’s FY2025 financial results, published on March 3, where the group confirmed that renewal of the BYD Belux distribution contract is not anticipated. The statement explained that BYD is increasingly bringing distribution in-house in medium-to-large European markets.
AutoNext was able to confirm the news through Dirk Steyvers (PR & Events Manager for BYD Belux at Inchcape), who acknowledged the strategic shift. Interestingly, the current agreement between BYD and Inchcape is officially scheduled to run until August 2027, suggesting the transition towards a fully direct BYD operation in the region will likely take place gradually.
Part of a broader European strategy
This move in Belgium and Luxembourg is not an isolated case. In fact, BYD has already started implementing the same strategy in neighboring markets. In September 2025, BYD took over distribution of its passenger cars in the Netherlands from Louwman Group.
Under that new structure, BYD Europe assumed responsibility for distribution, while Louwman remained active as a strategic retail partner, focusing on sales operations, aftersales services and expanding the dealer network.
The shift indicates a clear strategy: BYD wants greater control over its European operations, while still collaborating with established local retail partners.
BYD strengthening its European presence
Over the past few years, BYD has rapidly expanded its footprint in Europe with a growing lineup of electric models and by internalizing distribution, BYD gains more direct control over pricing strategy, marketing, dealer networks and customer experience.
This model is increasingly popular among emerging EV manufacturers entering Europe, allowing them to move faster and align their regional operations more closely with global strategy.
Changing dynamics for automotive distributors
For Inchcape, the announcement reflects the changing dynamics of the automotive distribution business. Despite reporting £9.1 billion in revenue and a 13% increase in earnings per share in FY2025, the company acknowledged that some OEM partnerships are evolving as manufacturers seek more direct market control.
The group also noted new distribution wins in other markets, including partnerships with XPENG and GAC AION, highlighting how the global automotive distribution landscape continues to shift.
AutoNext Take
The decision by BYD to internalize distribution in Belgium and Luxembourg is part of a much larger structural change happening across Europe. Chinese manufacturers are no longer cautiously entering the market through traditional importer models. Instead, they are increasingly establishing direct European operations, giving them full control over brand strategy, pricing and customer experience.
We are likely to see more of this in the coming years. And as we’ve discussed in previous AutoNext articles about the growing influence of Chinese manufacturers in Europe, the real battle will not only be about technology or pricing, but also about who controls the customer relationship.
In that context, BYD taking back distribution control may prove to be a decisive move.
