BYD pushes ahead with second European plant as Hungarian factory ramps up

Chinese electric‑vehicle maker BYD announced that its first European factory in Hungary will begin production by the end of the year and that the company is accelerating the search for a second plant on the continent. BYD is targeting brownfield sites and has qualified about 200 local suppliers to increase European content and reduce reliance on global supply chains.

The group said the prospective second plant could be in Spain, while a planned facility in Turkey is on hold pending EU discussions on the Made‑in‑Europe rules and local‑content thresholds. BYD’s European strategy also includes developing flash‑charging technology, building a dedicated product‑development team for Europe, and handling design work in Milan. The company ruled out joint‑venture models, preferring sole ownership of any new site.

BYD executives emphasized that the push is driven by the need for quality and local market adaptation rather than merely increasing volume, and they have had no formal talks with the Italian government about a new plant.