Europe’s car industry is facing its biggest crisis in history. Once the undisputed leaders—BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Volkswagen—are now struggling to survive as China’s electric car makers storm the market. EU regulations, high costs, and overconfidence created a €550 billion mistake that opened the door for Chinese giants like BYD to dominate. Factories are shutting down, jobs are disappearing, and even Europe’s strongest brands are begging for delays to the 2035 gas car ban. Can Europe turn this around, or is the crown of the car world already lost to China? The numbers reveal a shocking truth.