BYD Officially Arrives in the Croatian Market, Four Models Available

The leading global manufacturer of new energy vehicles (NEV), Chinese BYD (Build Your Dreams), has officially arrived in the Croatian market. BYD has built a strong global presence and operates in over 80 countries across six continents. Last year, BYD recorded revenues of nearly 100 billion euros, and an ambitious plan has been set to sell 5.5 million vehicles globally by 2025. The opening of the company in Croatia is an important step in BYD’s expansion across Europe, significantly enriching the offer of sustainable vehicles in the region, according to the statement.

Founded in 1994, BYD is the only new energy vehicle manufacturer that has developed its own drive systems, batteries, automotive semiconductors, as well as engines and motor control systems. In November of last year, BYD became the first car manufacturer in the world to reach a production threshold of 10 million new energy vehicles – a historic figure that testifies to the company’s strong commitment to sustainable development. As a technology company, BYD employs over 120,000 engineers and technicians in research and development and files more than 45 new patent applications every working day. The company employs over a million people worldwide.

– At BYD, our mission is to make sustainable technologies available to as many customers as possible. Therefore, every new market in Europe is extremely important to us, and establishing a presence in the Croatian market represents another milestone in our expansion. The development of the electric vehicle market, as well as plug-in hybrids, in Croatia shows a positive trend, and we are proud to offer top-notch technology and innovative solutions through our advanced vehicle lineup, – stated Stella Li, Executive Vice President of BYD.

Distribution Network in Croatia

Four models are initially available to Croatian customers: three fully electric models BYD SEAL, BYD SEAL U, and BYD SEALION 7, as well as the plug-in hybrid model BYD SEAL U DM-i, available through the distributors Auto Hrvatska and Harmony New Energy Auto Service Zagreb.

BYD Seal is a fully electric sports sedan that utilizes advanced technologies developed at BYD: e-Platform 3.0, Cell-to-Body technology, and an 8-in-1 drive system. The vehicle’s premium architecture combines high driving dynamics, advanced technology, long-range capability, and fast charging to ensure an exciting driving experience that is also environmentally friendly. The premium design is confirmed by the prestigious iF Design Award 2023.

BYD Seal U is the SUV version of the BYD Seal model, offering the same high standards of quality, technology, and safety, with the added advantage of a higher driver position. BYD Seal U DM-i is BYD’s first plug-in hybrid in Europe with Super DM (Dual Mode) technology that offers numerous advantages such as energy efficiency, low fuel consumption, high driving performance, and comfort. The Super DM technology prioritizes electric power with minimal reliance on fuel, allowing this model to achieve a range of up to 1080 kilometers when fully charged.

BYD Sealion 7 is a premium full-size SUV with the fastest electric motor in the world in mass production, reaching up to 23,000 rpm. It is designed for customers seeking a sporty (0-100 km/h in just 4.5 seconds), family vehicle with impeccable environmental characteristics. Like the SEAL, it utilizes e-Platform 3.0 and Cell-to-Body advanced technology developed at BYD.

Reassessing European Operations

BYD is reassessing its European operations following misguided strategic steps, including the failure to sign a sufficient number of dealers and hire executives with knowledge of the local market, as well as offering hybrids in markets resistant to fully electric vehicles, six current and former BYD executives told Reuters.

BYD has quickly moved to address these early missteps in the critical export market of Europe, significantly expanding its dealer network and offering substantial salaries to lure directors from European car manufacturers into its ranks, particularly Stellantis, executives said. The Chinese leader in electric vehicles announced in December that plug-in hybrids would be key to its European strategy. This decision followed advice from BYD’s special advisor for Europe, Alfredo Altavilla – among the key executives engaged in restarting BYD in Europe, who advised BYD founder and chairman Wang Chuanfu that a pure EV strategy is still difficult to sell in many European countries.

– He quickly understood the message and provided input to BYD engineers that every new model would need to come in both EV and hybrid versions for Europe, – Altavilla told Reuters.

Reports have indicated the hiring of certain European executives, and BYD has publicly acknowledged problems in the German market. This is the first detailed account of the issues identified by executives within BYD and its systematic efforts to address them. Most executives spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive strategic matters, and BYD declined to comment on all of this.

In December, Altavilla announced in Italy that plug-in hybrids would be ‘at the core of BYD’s strategy in Europe’ which is progressing, adding that it would be ‘foolish’ to go against consumer preferences by offering only electric vehicles. BYD has engaged several rising managerial stars from Stellantis, and the Chinese car manufacturer has offered them significant salary increases and ‘opportunities for growth’.

– These were not people we were happy to lose, – said a Stellantis source familiar with the work of the executives that BYD persuaded to switch.

High Expectations

In another sign of BYD’s determination to quickly strengthen its European operations, the company appointed its second CEO, Stella Li, to head the region last year. She replaced former European director Michael Shua, who had predicted that BYD would capture at least five percent of the European electric vehicle market before launching production at its first European factory in Hungary later this year. However, BYD finished 2024 with only 2.8 percent market share and sales of a total of 57 thousand vehicles, below the company’s expectations.

BYD’s urgency for growth in Europe partly stems from its record of high sales in China, which has surged sevenfold from 2020 to 4.2 million vehicles in 2024. BYD surpassed Tesla last year as the world’s largest seller of electric vehicles and is now the sixth largest car manufacturer in the world.

BYD is also facing Chinese rivals rushing to enter Europe, including Chery, Geely, Xpeng, and Changan. All Chinese car manufacturers are under pressure to grow in foreign markets to increase profits, which are difficult to maintain in China due to a prolonged price war among numerous electric vehicle brands.

BYD partners and industry experts say that BYD has recognized the problems in Europe and is determined to address them.

– They take this very seriously, but they need to understand that building a position in Europe takes time. Just as European or American car manufacturers come to China, what the Chinese do well in China does not always work in Europe, – said Tim Albertsen, CEO of Ayvensa, one of the largest European leasing companies and BYD’s partner in the region.

There are early signs that BYD’s operation in Europe is yielding results. BYD’s European sales, including the United Kingdom, more than tripled in the first quarter of 2025 to over 37 thousand vehicles, compared to about 8,500 in the first quarter of 2024.