In September 2026, German industry media Automobilwoche and the dealer association ZDK reported that Chinese automakers Xpeng and BYD saw a surge in sales in the European market. BYD’s new vehicle registrations increased by 365.4% year-on-year, while Xpeng’s increased by 371.1%. However, behind this high growth was the common issue of long payment cycles for dealers, resulting in outstanding amounts reaching several tens of thousands of euros. The amounts owed were mainly lease subsidies, quarterly bonuses, and warranty payments, rather than vehicle sales payments. In response to the accusations, Xpeng confirmed that there was a delay but denied intentional procrastination, stating that the increased sales volume led to an increase in administrative workload; BYD did not confirm specific delays, but reports indicated that its internal approval processes were cumbersome. Overseas media questioned whether this move could be a financial strategy to deliberately extend payment terms to support expansion through channel cash flows. In contrast, the accounts payable turnover of mainstream international automakers generally falls within two months, with Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen averaging about 40 days. China’s automakers’ “longer payment terms” strategy faces stricter legal regulations and collective bargaining power among dealers in Europe; if channel trust cannot be restored…
The German industry magazine “Automobilwoche” reports that Chinese automakers Xpeng and BYD have caused dealers to owe six-figure euros due to payment cycles lasting over half a year in Europe. Data from the German Automobile Dealers Association (ZDK) shows that the number of new car registrations of Chinese brands in Germany increased by 190% year-on-year, with BYD experiencing a surge of 365.4% and Xpeng 371.1%. The outstanding amounts mainly refer to lease subsidies, quarterly bonuses, and warranty repair fees, rather than vehicle payments. In response to the accusations, Xpeng confirmed that there was a delay but denied intentional拖延, stating that the increase in sales volume led to an increase in administrative workload; BYD did not confirm the specific delay, but reports suggest that its internal approval process is cumbersome. Overseas media question whether this may be a financial strategy to deliberately extend payment periods to subsidize expansion through channel cash flow. In contrast, the accounts payable turnover of mainstream international automakers generally lasts within two months, with Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen averaging about 40 days. China’s automakers’ “longer payment periods” model faces stricter legal regulations and collective bargaining power among dealers in Europe. If channel trust cannot be restored, high-growth stories…