BYD could build a plant in Mexico

BYD is looking into building an electric car plant in Mexico to serve the US market. As the head of the Chinese manufacturer in Mexico explains, BYD is currently negotiating the conditions with the local authorities, including the plant's location.

The newspaper Nikkei Asia was the first to report this, citing statements by Zhou Zou, BYD’s Country Manager for Mexico. According to the report, a feasibility study for a Mexican plant is underway, and plans are being discussed with local authorities. Should the project be realised, BYD would be very close to the US market. Mexico is known to be one of the largest production countries in the automotive industry with regard to the US market. Tesla is also planning a plant in Nuevo Leon, Mexico. BYD surpassed the US company in terms of electric car deliveries for the first time in the fourth quarter of 2023.

BYD is currently still concentrating production heavily on its domestic market. However, more and more production facilities outside China are planned or under construction. In South America, for example, BYD is building a plant for electric and hybrid cars in Brazil. It is being built on a former Ford industrial site in the Brazilian state of Bahia.

In Europe, BYD recently confirmed the construction of a plant in Hungary. The factory in Szeged, Hungary, will be completed within three years. BYD’s search for a location in Europe took quite some time, with sites in France, Spain and Germany also in the running. BYD manager Stella Li had already announced in December 2022 that the Chinese manufacturer was planning at least one car plant on the European continent, perhaps even two.

asia.nikkei.com (paywall) via reuters.com, cnevpost.com, insideevs.com