Tesla’s biggest Chinese competitor could produce its electric cars a stone’s throw from France

Italy is seeking to diversify its automobile production plants, especially since Fiat, the national manufacturer, wants to produce its electric cars in other countries. BYD, Tesla’s biggest competitor, confirms that it is in talks… just like Tesla, in fact. But the deals are far from being concluded.

Italy grits its teeth. Fiat, the historic national manufacturer, should produce its future electric Panda abroad! Generally speaking, the Italian government views Stellantis (which owns Fiat, but also Peugeot, Citroën, Jeep and many other brands) with suspicion, the group having a virtual monopoly on the country’s automobile factories.

In fact, the government of Giorgia Meloni is in discussions with other brands. And they wouldn’t be just anyone, since Tesla and BYD, the world’s two largest manufacturers of electric cars, would be in talks, even if things are far from being done.

The basis is there

The two announcements also come from the same person, in this case the Minister of Industry, Adolfo Urso. He first announced that he was in talks with BYD, as reported Bloomberg. Information confirmed by Michael Shu, the general director of BYD Europe, during the Geneva Motor Show where the brand exhibited its latest models.

It doesn’t stop there, as the minister also spoke to the national newspaper ANSAwhere he clarified that “Western manufacturers were also in the discussion”.

Then to clarify that Tesla was indeed the manufacturer in question. Adolfo Urso wants to play on the German referendum organized a few days ago, where the local population spoke out massively against the expansion of the brand’s current factory, located on the outskirts of Berlin.

Slim chances?

The problem is that the two manufacturers mentioned already have great projects in Europe. Tesla, as we said, already has a factory in Berlin, from which Model Y comes out, before the famous 25,000 euro model in the years to come. Not sure that the costs represented by an additional factory are justified by “simple” local opposition.

For its part, the timing is bad for BYD, since the Chinese giant has just formalized its first factory in Europe… which will be located in Hungary. The idea: to thwart European protectionist policies (the ecological bonus which excludes cars produced in China in France is a good example). Here too, not sure that a second factory is on the agenda.

Even if these discussions were unsuccessful, all is not lost for Italy. Battery factory projects are abounding, and the country could very well benefit from them; As for Toyota, we know that it is looking to build an electric car factory in Europe. A great opportunity to seize?