Chinese Giants Are Conquering Europe via Spain: BAIC and Dongfeng Are Changing the Rules of the Game

Imagine this: a forgotten Spanish factory in Linares, shuttered for 14 years, suddenly springs back to life. The assembly lines start rolling, and the first Santana 400 pickups roll out — but under the hood and in their core lies pure Chinese technology from Dongfeng and BAIC. This isn’t just a revival of an old brand. It’s a clever move by Beijing to bypass tough EU tariffs and flood Europe with their vehicles under a “European” label.

Santana Motors, the partner of BAIC and Dongfeng, is already assembling pickups from Chinese kits and plans to reach 60% localization: European suppliers, local battery production, and new models based on BAIC platforms (including the BJ40 and BJ30 under the Santana brand starting in 2026). Millions of euros in investments, hundreds of jobs created in Spain. But the big question remains: will this save the European auto industry or mark a quiet takeover by the Chinese?

The EU is tightening rules and imposing duties on Chinese EVs — and BAIC and Dongfeng are responding with localization. BYD and Chery are doing the same in other countries. What’s next? Europe’s full dependence on Chinese technology, or a new balance of power?

All the details — investments, models, future plans, and expert opinions — are in the full article. Don’t miss it: this could change your view on the cars we’ll be driving tomorrow!

Read the full story: https://www.bglogist.com/2025/12/26/chinese-automakers-baic-and-dongfeng-are-increasing-localization-of-production-in-spain/