Chinese cars in Spain: which brands sell there and since when
Facts checked
Spain is where Chinese brands have gone furthest fastest among Europe's large markets. Of just over 1.14 million passenger cars registered in 2025, 116,765 were Chinese-owned brands — a 10.2% share, more than double the 4.76% of 2024. Five marques took 91.5% of that: MG on 45,163, BYD on 25,556 (up 374%), Omoda, Ebro and Jaecoo. The MG ZS passed 23,700 registrations to become the third best-selling model in the whole market, and the BYD Seal U was the most-registered plug-in hybrid in the country.
Spain is also becoming a place where Chinese cars are built rather than only imported. Chery began production at the former Nissan site in Barcelona's Zona Franca in November 2024, in a joint venture that revived the Spanish Ebro marque; the plant is aiming at 50,000 vehicles a year by 2027 and 150,000 from 2029, on an investment of €532 million and more than 1,000 direct jobs. Omoda and Jaecoo models are due to be built there from the end of 2026. Separately, Stellantis confirmed in March 2026 that the Leapmotor B10 would be built at its Figueruelas plant near Zaragoza from August 2026, at an initial 40,000 a year, with the B05, A10 and A05 planned from 2027.
Spain abstained in the member-state vote of 4 October 2024 on the EU's anti-subsidy duties, but applies them like every other member state: cars built in China pay the EU's 10% import duty plus a countervailing duty of 7.8% to 35.3% depending on the producer, and cars built in Spain or Hungary pay neither.
At a glance
| Country code | ES |
|---|---|
| Region | Europe |
| Market status | Open |
| Brands recorded | 16 |
| Chinese-owned plants | 2 |
| Models on this site | 14 |
Brands sold in Spain
| Brand | Status | Since | Route to market | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 名爵MG | Sold | 2021 | The company itself | MG entered Spain in 2021, after Italy earlier that year. 45,163 registrations in 2025, with the ZS the third best-selling model in the Spanish market on more than 23,700 units. |
| 比亚迪BYD | Sold | 2023 | The company itself | 25,556 registrations in 2025, up 373.87% on 2024. The Seal U was the most-registered plug-in hybrid in Spain, on 9,373. |
| 欧萌达Omoda | Sold | 2024 | The company itself | Spain was Chery's first European market for Omoda and Jaecoo, from early 2024. Omoda quadrupled its Spanish sales in 2025. |
| 奇瑞探索Jaecoo | Sold | 2025 | The company itself | 3,518 registrations in the first five months of its Spanish debut year, 2025. |
| 奇瑞Chery | Sold | 2024 | Local assembly | Chery's Spanish presence runs through the Barcelona Zona Franca joint venture, which builds vehicles for the revived Ebro marque as well as Chery-derived models. |
| 零跑Leapmotor | Sold | September 2024 | A joint venture | One of the nine European launch countries for Leapmotor International from September 2024; from August 2026 the B10 is built at Stellantis's Figueruelas plant. |
| 小鹏Xpeng | Sold | not published | An independent importer | Spain is among the European markets Xpeng lists; entry date not established in this pass. |
| 极氪Zeekr | Sold | 2025 | The company itself | Zeekr opened sales in Spain and Portugal in 2025 as part of a twelve-market European push. |
| 领克Lynk & Co | Sold | not published | The company itself | Lynk & Co opened one of its European city clubs in Barcelona; entry date not established in this pass. The brand became a Zeekr subsidiary in February 2025. |
| 腾势Denza | Sold | April 2026 | The company itself | Spain was among the first five European sales countries at Denza's launch on 8 April 2026. |
| 极星Polestar | Sold | not published | The company itself | |
| 沃尔沃Volvo Cars | Sold | not published | The company itself | Geely Holding has owned Volvo Cars since 2010; Spanish entry long predates that. |
| 智马达smart | Sold | not published | The company itself | A 50/50 Mercedes-Benz–Geely Holding joint venture since 2020. |
| 路特斯Lotus | Sold | not published | An independent importer | Geely Holding has held a controlling stake since 2017. |
| 上汽大通Maxus | Sold | not published | An independent importer | SAIC's Maxus sells mainly light commercial vehicles; entry date not established in this pass. |
| 爱驰Aiways | Withdrawn | not published | An independent importer | Aiways sold in Spain during its 2020–2023 European period; production in China stopped in the summer of 2023. |
The rules
Stated from the document that issued them, with the date each was read. Nothing here is an interpretation.
| Rule | What it says | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU import duty on cars | The European Union's standard most-favoured-nation duty on imported passenger cars is 10%. Any countervailing duty is charged on top of it. | European Commission, Access2Markets | |
| Countervailing duties on China-built battery electric cars | Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2754 of 29 October 2024 imposed definitive countervailing duties on new battery electric vehicles for the transport of persons originating in China, applicable from 30 October 2024 for five years: BYD Group 17.0%, Geely Group 18.8%, SAIC Group 35.3%, Tesla (Shanghai) 7.8%, other cooperating companies 20.7%, all other non-cooperating companies 35.3%. Cars assembled inside the EU, including at the Barcelona and Figueruelas plants, are not covered. | European Commission, Access2Markets | |
| Price undertakings as an alternative to the duties | On 12 January 2026 the European Commission published guidance on how Chinese exporters may offer a price undertaking instead of paying the duty, covering the minimum import price, sales channels, cross-compensation, annual volume caps and future investment in the EU. | European Commission, Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security | |
| First accepted price undertaking | On 10 February 2026 the Commission accepted a price undertaking from Volkswagen (Anhui) Automotive Company Ltd. covering the Cupra Tavascan — a Spanish-brand car built in Hefei — in exchange for a minimum import price, a volume limit and defined EU investment milestones. The duties remain in force for every other exporter. | European Commission, Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security | |
| Spain's vote on the duties | Spain abstained in the member-state vote of 4 October 2024, in which ten states supported the duties, twelve abstained and five voted against. The measure passed and applies in Spain like every other member state. | European Council on Foreign Relations |
Chinese-owned plants in Spain
| Owner | Location | Since | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chery Holding Group | Zona Franca, Barcelona | November 2024 | Chery's joint venture at the former Nissan site, producing under the revived Spanish Ebro marque as well as Chery models. Production started in November 2024 with the Ebro S700 SUV. Investment of €532 million and more than 1,000 direct jobs; the target is 50,000 vehicles a year by 2027 and 150,000 from 2029. Omoda and Jaecoo models are due to be built there from the end of 2026. |
| Leapmotor | Figueruelas, Zaragoza — Stellantis plant | August 2026 | Not a Chinese-owned site: Figueruelas is a Stellantis factory. The Leapmotor B10 is assembled there from August 2026 under Leapmotor International, the Stellantis–Leapmotor joint venture in which Stellantis holds 51%, at an initial 40,000 units a year. The B05, A10 and A05 are planned from 2027. |
Western badges built in China and sold in Spain
| Model | Badge | Plant | Years | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tavascan | Cupra | Volkswagen Anhui, Hefei | 2024–present | A Spanish brand's electric SUV built in China; the subject of the EU's first accepted price undertaking, on 10 February 2026. |
| Spring | Dacia | Shiyan, Hubei | 2021–present | |
| C5 X | Citroën | Chengdu, Sichuan | 2022–present | |
| Cooper Electric and Aceman | Mini | Spotlight Automotive, Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu | 2023–present | |
| Model 3 | Tesla | Gigafactory Shanghai | 2021–present | Start year for Shanghai supply not confirmed from a primary source; the European Model Y is built in Berlin-Brandenburg. |
| EX30 | Volvo | Zhangjiakou, Hebei; also Ghent, Belgium from April 2025 | 2023–present | |
| S90 | Volvo | Daqing, Heilongjiang | 2018–present | |
| Polestar 2, 3 and 4 | Polestar | Luqiao, Chengdu and Ningbo | 2020–present | |
| #1 and #3 | smart | Xi'an, Shaanxi | 2023–present | |
| Eletre and Emeya | Lotus | Wuhan, Hubei | 2023–present |
BMW iX3 (G08) · Citroen C5 X · Cupra Tavascan · Dacia Spring · DS Automobiles DS 9 · Honda e:Ny1 · Mazda 6e · MG MG3 · MG MG4 EV · Mini Cooper E / Cooper SE (J01) · Polestar Polestar 2 · smart #1 · Tesla Model 3 · Volvo EX30
Models recorded in Spain
| Model | Body | Status | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chery Tiggo 7 | SUV | Sold | 93 km NEDC |
| Chery Tiggo 8 | SUV | Sold | 95 km NEDC |
| IM Motors IM5 | Saloon | Sold | 490 km WLTP |
| IM Motors IM6 | SUV | Sold | 450 km WLTP |
| Jaecoo Jaecoo 7 | SUV | Sold | 90 km WLTP |
| LEVC TX | MPV | Sold | 109 km (manufacturer figure, cycle not stated) |
| MG MG3 | Hatchback | Sold | not published |
| MG MG4 | Hatchback | Sold | 437 km CLTC |
| MG MG5 | Saloon | Withdrawn | 320 km WLTP |
| MG MG Cyberster | Coupé | Sold | 507 km WLTP |
| MG MG HS | SUV | Sold | 135 km NEDC |
| MG MG S5 EV | SUV | Sold | 450 km WLTP |
| MG MG ZS | Crossover | Sold | 263 km WLTP |
| Omoda Omoda 5 | SUV | Sold | 430 km WLTP |
Best sellers
| Model | Brand | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| MG ZS | MG | 2025 | More than 23,700 registrations, the third best-selling model in the Spanish market overall. |
| BYD Seal U | BYD | 2025 | 9,373 registrations, the most-registered plug-in hybrid in Spain. |
| MG | MG | 2025 | Brand total: 45,163 registrations, the leading Chinese-owned brand in Spain. |
| BYD | BYD | 2025 | Brand total: 25,556 registrations, up 373.87% on 2024. |
| Ebro | 2025 | A Spanish marque revived by the Chery joint venture in Barcelona; one of the five brands that together took 91.5% of Chinese-group registrations in Spain in 2025. | |
| Jaecoo | Jaecoo | 2025 | 3,518 registrations in the first five months of its debut year. |
Chinese cars in Spain: questions people ask
- What share of the Spanish car market do Chinese brands have?
- 10.2% in 2025 — 116,765 of just over 1.14 million passenger cars — more than double the 4.76% of 2024. Five brands, MG, BYD, Omoda, Ebro and Jaecoo, accounted for 91.5% of that, on 106,869 registrations.
- Are Chinese cars built in Spain?
- Yes. Chery has produced vehicles at the former Nissan plant in Barcelona's Zona Franca since November 2024, in a joint venture that revived the Spanish Ebro marque, with Omoda and Jaecoo models due from the end of 2026. Stellantis confirmed in March 2026 that the Leapmotor B10 would be built at Figueruelas near Zaragoza from August 2026.
- Do cars built in Spain pay the EU's Chinese-EV duties?
- No. The countervailing duties under Regulation (EU) 2024/2754 apply only to battery electric cars imported from China. A Chinese-brand car assembled in Spain, or in Hungary, is an EU-made car and pays nothing.
- What is Ebro?
- A Spanish commercial-vehicle marque revived in 2024 as the badge for the Chery joint venture's Barcelona output. It sits alongside Chery's own Omoda and Jaecoo brands in the Spanish market and was one of the five biggest-selling Chinese-group brands in 2025.
- How did Spain vote on the EU tariffs?
- Spain abstained on 4 October 2024, with eleven other member states. Ten voted in favour and five against. The measure passed and Spain applies it like every other member state.
- Which is the best-selling Chinese car in Spain?
- The MG ZS, which passed 23,700 registrations in 2025 and was the third best-selling model in the entire Spanish market. In plug-in hybrids the BYD Seal U led the country on 9,373.
What changed
The only dated surface on this page. It records status changes, not news.
-
Leapmotor B10 assembly begins at Figueruelas at an initial 40,000 units a year.
-
BYD launches its Denza brand in Europe, with Spain among the first sales countries.
-
Stellantis confirms that Leapmotor production will start at its Figueruelas plant near Zaragoza, beginning with the B10.
-
The Commission accepts the first price undertaking, from Volkswagen (Anhui) for the Spanish-brand Cupra Tavascan built in Hefei.
European Commission, Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security
-
The European Commission publishes guidance on price undertakings as an alternative to the duties.
European Commission, Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security
-
Chery's Barcelona Zona Franca joint venture starts production with the first Ebro S700.
-
Spain abstains in the member-state vote on the EU's definitive countervailing duties.
-
Leapmotor International begins Spanish sales, one of nine European launch countries.
-
Chery launches Omoda and Jaecoo in Spain, its first European market for the two brands.
Related
Sources for Spain
- Official Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex), Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2754 of 29 October 2024. Read .
- European Commission, Access2Markets, EU Commission imposes countervailing duties on imports of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from China. Read .
- European Commission, Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security, Commission issues Guidance Document on submission of price undertaking offers for battery electric vehicles from China. Read .
- European Commission, Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security, Commission accepts price undertaking from Chinese electric car producer. Read .
- European Council on Foreign Relations, Divided we stand: The EU votes on Chinese electric vehicle tariffs. Read . The 4 October 2024 tally and Spain's abstention.
- electrive.com, Chinese car manufacturer Chery kicks off production in Barcelona. Read . The Zona Franca joint venture, the Ebro marque and the production plan.
- Xataka, El año de la consolidación china en España: MG, Omoda y BYD cierran un 2025 espectacular. Read . Full-year 2025 Spanish registration figures for the Chinese brands, from ANFAC data.
- Stellantis N.V., Leapmotor International Begins Operations to Expand Global Electric Vehicle Sales Starting September 2024 in Nine European Countries. Read .
- electrive.com, Stellantis confirms Leapmotor production in Spain. Read .
- CnEVPost, Denza enters European market as BYD debuts flash charging tech in Paris. Read .
- ANFAC (Asociación Española de Fabricantes de Automóviles y Camiones), Matriculaciones. Read . Spain's manufacturers' association publishes the monthly registration series, including regional and electrified breakdowns; the brand figures quoted here come from published analyses of that series.
- The Car Expert, Which new cars are built in China?. Read .