Byd in talks for factories in Europe: eyes on Cassino and Mirafiori
Li: We are looking for spare capacity. Stellantis: we talk to everyone
Byd is in talks with Stellantis and other European manufacturers to take over or use underused factories in Europe. This was said Stella Li, executive vice president of the Chinese group, in an interview with Bloomberg on the sidelines of the Financial Times Future of the Car conference in London. ''We are talking not only with Stellantis, we are also talking with other companies,'' Li explained. 'We are looking for any plant available in Europe: we are interested in unused production capacity'.
Italy in countries of interest
Italia is on the 'short list' of countries of interest, the manager added. Asked about possible visits to the Stellantis plant in Cassino, which is in serious difficulty, Li replied vaguely, saying that Byd had visited "many plants" in Europe. And he added that the group would prefer to manage any factories directly, rather than through joint ventures, because it would be 'easier'.
Among the Italian plants in the crosshairs of the Chinese manufacturer, according to reports, could be Cassino and Mirafiori, among the Stellantis sites in most difficulty in Italia. According to the Fim-Cisl report on the first quarter of 2026, Cassino produced just 2,916 units (-37.4%), with activity reduced to 5-6 days a month; the new Alfa Romeo models on the Large Bev platform still have no launch date. At Mirafiori, on the other hand, the 500 hybrid together with the electric is not enough and the area freed from Maserati production remains without a destination.
Li's statements come a day after those of Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa, who at the same Financial Times summit had indicated the group's willingness to new industrial partnerships "also with others" in addition to the Chinese Leapmotor, specifying that they could concern technology, supply chain and capacity utilisation.
Regarding the rumours, a Stellantis spokesperson explained that, 'as part of normal business', the group 'holds discussions with a number of industry players around the world on various topics'. The company 'does not comment on speculation'.
