Chinese auto giant BYD reportedly plans to establish a European electric vehicle production plant. The company expects to decide on the final location later this year, aiming to start production by 2025.
BYD is currently looking at France, Spain, and Germany as potential locations for the new factory, CarNewsChina reports citing a BYD spokesperson. Interestingly, the Chinese EV maker has already verified that it eliminated the UK from the choices due to Brexit.
BYD’s search for a new factory location
A French minister recently confirmed talks with the Chinese automaker. However, insiders claim that Spain and Germany are also among the strongest candidates.
The report also noted that BYD ceased production of its French e-bus plant due to weak demand on November 2021. Soon after, the automaker closed the factory. Despite the closure, BYD expressed intentions to continue operating in the French market.
In December 2022, BYD VP Stella Li announced that the company’s European factory for passenger EVs is already under work, the report says.
“Yes, and maybe not only one; it can be two.”
BYD VP Stella Li
At the same time, BYD also disclosed its expansion plans to sell in various European markets, including Germany, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, France, and UK, with plans to build a plant. Li claimed that BYD was assessing the best site “to support BYD’s fast ramp-up.”
This year, most of the above-mentioned markets already have some BYD EVs, such as the luxury Han sedans, Tang SUVs, and Atto 3. The Atto 3 was finally introduced in March in the UK.
In addition, BYD has also been expanding its EV production plants globally. In March, BYD established the foundation stone for its new Thailand plant, which is expected to open in 2024. It has also announced another new plant in Vietnam. Apart from that, the Chinese automaker also talked with the Philippine and Indonesian governments about a potential investment.
Beyond Asia and Europe, BYD is also speculated to take over Ford’s old Brazillian factory. However, BYD has apparently no plans to expand its passenger vehicle sales or production in the US and is likely to stick to the bus market in North America.
All these expansion efforts will undoubtedly aid BYD’s production ramp-up, as it aims to dominate the global EV industry.
