China-based BYD has grown its global presence by leaps and bounds in recent years, even though it isn’t present in several major automotive markets – including the U.S. In fact, that same company is on track to surpass Ford and Honda in terms of global sales this year following its meteoric growth in not only China, but other global markets. Now, BYD is reportedly eyeing its next expansion, which won’t consist of a production plant, but rather, a new center for everything from sales to service to testing purposes.
According to Automotive News, BYD CEO and President Wang Chuanfu revealed this bit of information at a recent news conference with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The exec noted that BYD intends to establish a European center in that country that will employ 2,000 people and will serve three different functions – both sales and after-sales service, testing purposes, and developing localized versions of existing models.
This center will be BYD’s third facility in Hungary, joining a production plant that opened up back in 2016, as well as a second under-construction plant that will built electrified vehicles once it’s completed. In addition to this particular country, BYD is also looking at erecting another European production plant in Germany, continuing an expansion that Ford CEO Jim Farley has called a major threat to The Blue Oval’s business on more than one occasion.
Meanwhile, in Brazil, BYD has also found tremendous success, and is currently working on revamping a former Ford plant that was sold to the state of Bahia back in December 2023 after the automaker ceased its manufacturing operations in that country. BYD is working to transform that site into a major EV hub of its own, and even though it has faced its fair share of controversy there, it expects the plant to be completely up and running by the end of 2026, as Ford Authority recently reported.
Comment
Has nobody yet realised that Jim Farley is the reason for Ford’s global woes? He’s changed the ford marque from the working person’s affordable brand to a mid upmarket brand. Even a transit van is approaching £40K in the UK. The popular Fiesta and Focus have been ditched. I’ve gone to BYD for my latest car. It was at least £8K cheaper than a comparible Ford Kuga and is an absolute delight and a revelation.