When Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer NIO began reducing its own European operations, established local companies took on important parts of the business.
In the Netherlands, NIO selected Moobi, an EV maintenance network owned by LKQ, to develop nationwide service coverage. In Belgium and Luxembourg, Hedin Mobility Group took responsibility for distribution, sales, after-sales services and spare parts. Across Northwestern Europe, DHL now manages NIO’s aftermarket parts logistics.
NIO, one of China’s best-known premium electric vehicle manufacturers, has struggled to establish itself in Europe. In Germany, just 20 vehicles were registered during the first nine months of 2026, compared with 211 a year earlier.
The company has closed showrooms and service facilities, but vehicles sold in previous years still require maintenance and replacement parts. In Norway alone, more than 3,200 NIO cars were registered at the start of 2025, and NIO has continued to sell there since.
For logistics and technical service providers, the existing vehicle fleet can be more important than the manufacturer’s latest monthly sales figures.
DHL: One Regional Hub, Multiple Logistics Services
In February 2026, NIO selected DHL to handle aftermarket logistics for its NIO and firefly brands across Northwestern Europe.
The operation is managed from DHL’s Automotive Campus in Holtum, the Netherlands. It combines three services:
- Warehousing: storage and inventory management for spare parts and accessories.
- Distribution: regional deliveries supporting aftermarket operations across several countries.
- Customs and freight: international shipments and customs clearance.
The contract brings together DHL Supply Chain, DHL Global Forwarding and DHL Freight.
Rather than establishing separate national logistics operations for each market, NIO can rely on an existing regional hub and DHL’s cross-border transport network.
The financial value, expected shipment volumes, inventory levels and contract duration have not been publicly disclosed.
These missing figures matter to logistics providers. A regional spare-parts operation may require warehouse capacity, dedicated inventory systems and service-level commitments, while demand depends on the size and activity of the vehicle fleet.
Why Spare-Parts Demand Does Not Follow New Vehicle Sales
NIO registered 1,263 new vehicles in Germany in 2023, another 398 in 2024 and 325 in 2025 — a total of 1,986 registrations over three years.
In the first nine months of 2026, only 20 additional vehicles were registered.
However, new registrations are not the same as the number of vehicles requiring maintenance. Cars registered in previous years can remain in service, generating demand for parts and repairs long after the initial sale.
Norway provides the clearest example.
NIO entered Norway in 2021, making it the company’s first market outside China. It also remains the exception to NIO’s shift towards European distributors, with the manufacturer retaining its direct-sales model.
According to data compiled by Carby from Statistics Norway’s SSB table 07832, 3,292 NIO passenger cars were registered in the country as of 1 January 2025. NIO has continued selling vehicles in Norway since then.
The Netherlands provides another example. As of 1 October 2026, Dutch registration data showed 803 NIO vehicles in the country.
These fleets require access to maintenance and replacement parts regardless of how many new cars the manufacturer sells each month.
For an aftermarket logistics provider, the relevant questions are more specific: How many vehicles are currently in service? How frequently do they require replacement parts? How many workshops need deliveries, and what delivery times are required?
Service Networks Create Another Layer of Work
In September 2026, NIO closed its service hubs in Cologne and Weiterstadt. Munich remains its only German hub with an in-house workshop, while customers are directed to selected, trained workshops in their regions.
NIO describes the closures as a planned optimisation and maintains that it is not withdrawing from Germany or Europe.
In the Netherlands, the company announced a partnership with Moobi on 24 September, effective from 1 October 2026. Moobi, part of LKQ, is working with NIO to develop nationwide maintenance coverage for NIO and firefly vehicles.
As service activity moves away from company-operated facilities, the locations receiving spare parts may change even if the number of vehicles on the road remains stable.
Workshops need reliable deliveries, access to approved components and technical information. Logistics providers supporting the manufacturer or its service network must adapt to those requirements.
How Other Chinese Manufacturers Organise European Parts and Service
Different Chinese manufacturers have adopted different approaches to European distribution and aftermarket support.
Leapmotor More Than 1,000 European Retail Locations
Leapmotor International, the joint venture with Stellantis, had expanded its European retail network to 1,020 locations across 36 countries by September 2026.
The Chinese brand uses Stellantis’ established sales and after-sales infrastructure, reducing the need to create separate local networks in each market.
BYD Three Regional Parts Warehouses
BYD’s European electric-bus operations use parts warehouses in the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom to support customers across Europe.
These regional inventory locations help supply operators and maintenance facilities in different European markets.
HSG Laser Industrial Equipment Warehousing in Germany and Poland
The same demand for local inventory exists outside automotive.
Chinese industrial equipment manufacturer HSG Laser operates European warehouses in Krefeld, Germany, and the Gdynia area of Poland.
Its Krefeld facility has 10,000 m² of core capacity, expandable to 15,000 m². The company says its European inventory allows certain machines to be delivered within days rather than weeks.
HSG’s setup includes customs clearance and final delivery arrangements, demonstrating how regional warehousing can support industrial equipment sales.
Who Buys These Services — and When?
NIO’s experience points to two procurement routes.
A Chinese manufacturer may contract directly with a logistics company, as NIO did with DHL. Alternatively, responsibility for certain local operations may sit with a regional importer or distributor.
NIO’s European distribution agreements include AutoWallis in five Central European markets and Hedin Mobility Group in Belgium and Luxembourg. In Austria, AutoWallis acts as importer while local dealers handle sales.
For logistics and service providers, identifying the responsible buyer matters. A manufacturer’s European after-sales or procurement team may control regional contracts, while a distributor’s operations department may organise local transport, storage and service delivery.
Three developments are particularly worth monitoring:
- Appointment of a new distributor: responsibility for local operations may shift to a European company.
- Announcement of a market launch: parts availability, customs procedures and service coverage need to be arranged before vehicles or equipment reach customers.
- Closure or reorganisation of service facilities: existing customers still require support, potentially creating demand for alternative service locations and delivery arrangements.
These events help identify which companies are taking responsibility for operations and when they may need additional suppliers.
The Commercial Risk
NIO’s restructuring demonstrates why logistics providers should examine the economics of a potential contract before committing capacity or investing in dedicated infrastructure.
Key questions include who owns imported inventory, who pays for obsolete parts, whether minimum handling volumes are guaranteed and how quickly invoices are paid.
Providers should also establish what happens to stock, equipment and service obligations if the manufacturer changes distributors, reduces operations or terminates the agreement.
None of these companies has published the full volumes, prices or contractual terms needed to evaluate the opportunities described here, so potential providers should verify them directly rather than assume future demand.
Where Logistics and Service Providers Can Find Work
NIO’s agreements with DHL and Moobi show how European companies can become directly involved in a Chinese manufacturer’s operations. Leapmotor, BYD and HSG Laser demonstrate how other Chinese manufacturers organise regional distribution and technical support.
For smaller providers, the practical starting point is identifying which company controls the relevant operation in their country and what services it needs.
A local distributor may require parts transport, warehousing or customs support. A technical service network may need reliable parts deliveries and specialised maintenance capabilities. An industrial equipment manufacturer may require regional inventory and installation support.
Existing customers continue to require parts and maintenance even when a manufacturer reduces new sales or changes its European strategy.
For logistics operators and technical service companies, tracking these operational changes can reveal opportunities that are less visible than factory investments or new product launches.
Can Chinese Companies Find Your Business?
Large manufacturers can work with established international logistics groups, but many operational needs are local: a customs broker in Poland, a spare-parts warehouse in Germany or a technical service company covering several locations in Italy.
For European providers, being capable of delivering these services is only part of the opportunity. Chinese companies also need to identify suitable suppliers, understand their capabilities and find a reliable way to contact them.
Xijinmenhu (西进门户) helps European B2B service providers present their services in Chinese and become accessible to businesses looking for local partners in Europe.
If your company provides logistics, warehousing, customs clearance or technical maintenance, find out how to make your services visible to Chinese businesses at enter-china.com.
Sources
- DHL — NIO Selects DHL for European Logistics, 10 February 2026.
- NIO — Partnership with Moobi, 24 September 2026.
- Electrive — NIO Closes Service Hubs in Germany, 23 September 2026.
- ChinaElektro — NIO Registrations in Germany, October 2026.
- Carby — NIO Vehicle Registrations in Norway, based on Statistics Norway, Table 07832.
Sources accessed 27 October 2026. Additional company announcements are linked directly in the article.