At the Brussels Motor Show, the Belgian introduction of NIO and Firefly was more than just another Chinese brand launch. It was a case study in how Europe’s largest dealer groups are rethinking retail, aftersales, and competition in the electric era.
In an interview with newmobility.news, Eddy Haesendonck, CEO Benelux of Hedin Automotive, explained why neutrality, structure, and strict internal separation are now strategic assets.
After a long career at BMW Group Belux, where he served as CEO, Haesendonck now finds himself navigating a very different landscape, one shaped by Chinese EV brands, new sales models, and a radically simplified product philosophy.
When NIO chose Europe for its first overseas expansion, it deliberately started in Norway and the Netherlands. Those markets combined advanced charging infrastructure with a consumer base willing to adopt new technology early.
That early focus also explains why NIO’s European headquarters ended up in Breukelen (Amsterdam), rather than in one of the continent’s traditional automotive capitals. But as NIO’s European ambitions matured, so did its sales model.
Dealer-backed realism
“Chinese brands are still experimenting in Europe,” says Eddy Haesendonck. “Initially, many tried a Tesla-like direct-sales model. But they quickly discovered that after-sales is where the real complexity lies.”
Unlike China’s domestic market—a single regulatory block—Europe is a mosaic of rules, fiscal regimes, and customer expectations.
For legacy European brands, this has historically led to sprawling model lineups and logistical nightmares with spare parts, including dozens of drivetrain, trim, and option variants for each model.
Chinese EV brands approach this differently. “Far fewer variants, mostly all-in specifications. It’s much more efficient — for the manufacturer and for aftersales,” Haesendonck explains.
That efficiency, combined with the need for local service expertise, is why NIO opted to enter Belgium through Hedin’s dealer network rather than on its own.
Why Hedin embraces Chinese EV brands
Hedin’s interest in Chinese manufacturers is not opportunistic but structural. “For us, Chinese brands are a new business,” Haesendonck says. “They are fully electric, and that aligns with our long-term strategy.”
Founded as a small Swedish family business, Hedin Mobility Group has grown into one of Europe’s largest automotive groups, representing around 30 brands across the continent.
Its portfolio ranges from Toyota and Lexus to BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, and Ford, competitors that traditionally would never coexist under one roof.
That same multi-brand philosophy now applies to Chinese EVs. In Belgium, Hedin already distributes XPeng and Hongqi, and has now added NIO and its compact sub-brand Firefly.
The earlier decision not to import BYD in Belgium — where the brand chose Inscape, which already imports Toyota and Lexus — is not a source of regret.
“We were the importer for BYD in Germany and Switzerland,” Haesendonck notes. “But BYD has since decided to take matters into its own hands. That’s their strategic choice.”
The ‘Chinese wall’ principle
With multiple Chinese brands under one corporate umbrella, the obvious question is whether there is internal competition. Haesendonck’s answer is unambiguous: “We apply a strict Chinese wall — from showroom level all the way up to management.”
Each brand operates with its own teams, leadership, and positioning. Sales staff are no longer financially incentivised to push one model, drivetrain, or brand over another.
“I abolished model-specific sales bonuses,” Haesendonck explains. “The premium is the same for every car — including used cars. That way, the customer gets advice, not a sales pitch.”
Hedin, he says, should be seen as a sort of ‘market stall’ with many different products offered, but its salespeople “not as market vendors, but as matchmakers”: finding the best mobility solution for a customer’s budget and needs. Whether that is a new EV, a competing brand, or even a second-hand vehicle.
Different Chinese brands, different philosophies
The contrast between the Chinese brands within Hedin’s portfolio could hardly be greater. XPeng is designed specifically for the European market, with a strong focus on technology and user experience.
Its vehicles are assembled at Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria, and XPeng operates with its own local management team within Hedin. Around 1,500 XPengs have already been sold.
Hongqi, by contrast, follows a luxury strategy rooted in heritage. Part of FAW, founded in 1967, the brand leans heavily on design — including input from a former Rolls-Royce designer — and symbolic status.
As CEO of BMW Group Belux, Haesendonck was formally responsible for all BMW Group brands in Belgium, including Rolls‑Royce Motor Cars, even if the ultra-luxury marque played only a marginal role in the local volume-driven market.
NIO enters Belgium with four models, plus Firefly as a premium compact offering. Battery as a Service (BaaS) will not be marketed explicitly at launch, but customers will be able to rent the battery rather than buy it, lowering the entry price.
Battery swapping: symbolic rather than strategic
Belgium currently has only one NIO Power Swap Station, located at Hotel & Congress Ter Elst, near the E19 in Edegem, Antwerp. “It mainly serves Dutch customers passing through,” Haesendonck admits.
The location exists largely because the site owner is an early adopter who also installed 18 Tesla Superchargers. For now, battery swapping is more about demonstrating technological capability than scaling infrastructure in Belgium. But if NIO decides to expand its PowerStation network further in Belgium, that could become an option.
Convincing a sceptical market
Haesendonck estimates that about one-third of his potential customers for an electric car still buy cars the traditional way, while roughly two-thirds are more tech-oriented and open to new brands and concepts.
Confronted with the question of whether the automotive sector itself should put more marketing effort into ‘educating’ the general public to counter the current negative EV narrative often heard in Belgium, Haesendoncks says. “That’s not a marketing issue.”
EVs might be technologically superior, but convincing people of that takes time. Haesendonck draws a parallel with mobile phones. “Everyone once had a Nokia 3110. It could call and text — that was enough.
Then came the iPhone, and everything changed.” And Nokia, like other tech giants in history, nearly vanished. He points out that the industry must remain vigilant and look ahead, investing in the future.
No on-fits-all solution
Battery-electric vehicles are more efficient, and their rise is inevitable, Haesendonck argues — but not every consumer fits the same solution today. The choice of technology must remain an option. A position Haesendonck clearly (still) shares with BMW.
Crucially, the green transition requires massive investment — especially in battery technology — and that demands a financially healthy industry. “Companies must be able to make money today to invest in tomorrow.”
Despite a lifetime in the car business, Haesendonck describes himself, smilingly, as “a green guy”: a strong believer in cycling. Apparently, in his case, it’s more of a sport than a commute, as he works mostly from Amsterdam, which would make a daily trip from Belgium challenging. And he’s far less enthusiastic about e-scooters. Experienced it, but “Too dangerous,” he laughs.
