BYD's Hungary EV Plant Faces Second Worker Death and Safety Probe

A second fatal accident occurred on 18 June at BYD's electric‑vehicle factory under construction in Szeged, Hungary, when a worker was struck by a truck on the construction site. The victim could not be saved despite emergency intervention. This follows a similar death at the same site in February, prompting Hungarian authorities to launch a full investigation into the accident and overall workplace safety.

The regional government announced that the main contractor, AIM Construction Hungary Ltd., was fined 34.5 million forints (about US$110,000) for safety violations, with additional warnings issued for irregular employee records, excessive working hours, and contract‑procedure breaches. Other subcontractors also received penalties for non‑compliance. Earlier reports by China Labor Watch alleged seven‑day workweeks and withheld wages at the Szeged plant. BYD’s deputy chair Stella Li has denied the accusations, stating the company remains open to inspections. Production equipment continues to be installed, and BYD still aims to commence full‑scale vehicle manufacturing in the third quarter of 2026, despite the mounting scrutiny over one of Europe’s largest EV investments.