BYD Throws Down the Gauntlet: Publicly Challenges Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares on EV Sales Dominance

BYD just went nuclear—calling out Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares in a bold public showdown over who's really leading the EV revolution.

No holding back: The Chinese automaker isn't just questioning numbers—they're demanding answers on how Stellantis continues to outsell rivals while legacy automakers scramble to keep up.

Behind the smoke: While established players talk transformation, BYD's move exposes the brutal reality of EV economics—where manufacturing scale and battery tech separate winners from also-rans.

Market muscles: Stellantis' performance isn't just about sleek designs; it's supply chain dominance meeting consumer shift—while Wall Street still prices auto stocks like it's 2015.

Final charge: This isn't corporate diplomacy—it's a power play that reveals more about the future of auto than any earnings call ever could. Meanwhile, traditional automakers keep betting on hydrogen. Good luck with that.

BYD refutes Stellantis’ claim 

On Friday, BYD issued a statement that revealed its objection to the remarks, claiming it registered 8,610 vehicles in Germany during the first eight months of the year, compared to Leapmotor’s 3,536 units.

That’s not all, BYD also claims to have overtaken Stellantis’ Alfa Romeo marque during the same period, and almost outsold the Jeep sport utility vehicle brand.

According to a spokesperson for Stellantis, Filosa’s comments only account for the month of August “when Leapmotor was indeed the first Chinese brand in the country, with the highest number of battery-electric vehicle registrations and market share.”

Despite their public sparring, BYD continues to assimilate former Stellantis executives to lead its expansion in Europe. So far, it has hired several of these former executives, including Maria Grazia Davino, who oversaw Stellantis’ UK business, and Alessandro Grosso, who’d been vice president of Italy sales. 

BYD has also tapped Alfredo Altavilla, a candidate to succeed the late Sergio Marchionne as CEO of Fiat Chrysler in 2018, as special adviser for the European market in August of last year.

Staffers are buying stocks in a show of faith

More than three dozen BYD executives increased their stakes in the world’s largest electric-vehicle (EV) maker, a MOVE expected to boost investor confidence after its shares plunged more than 20% from an all-time high in May.

According to the reports, thirty-seven executives, among whom were five vice presidents, spent a combined 52.3 million yuan ($7.3 million) to purchase 488,200 Shenzhen-listed shares.

According to BYD filings to the Hong Kong and Shenzhen stock exchanges on Wednesday evening, the purchases were made to “display their continued Optimism about the investment value of the company.” 

The shares accounted for 0.027% of the company, the statement added. The five vice presidents – Luo Hongbin, Zhou Yalin, Yang Dongsheng, Luo Zhongliang, and Li Wei – reportedly bought 221,800 shares between September 1 and 9 for a total of 23.6 million yuan. 

The other 32 executives, who were not identified, spent 28.7 million yuan to buy 266,400 shares in the same period, according to the statement.

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