BYD will begin vehicle assembly at its Hungarian plant in Q4 2026, according to EVP Stella Li, who spoke to Reuters at the company's UK headquarters. The Szeged facility — BYD's first European factory — is roughly one year behind its original timeline (initially targeting late-2025 Dolphin Surf production). Equipment installation is still underway.
Li confirmed Hungary as BYD's “number-one priority,” with a second European production site as the next goal. Meanwhile, the previously announced Turkey plant has been paused — no construction has started and no timeline is set. The Turkey project, unveiled in 2024 with a planned investment of USD 1 billion (RMB 6.79 billion), is on hold while BYD concentrates resources on Hungary.
Local production will help BYD avoid EU tariffs on Chinese-made BEVs. BYD sold nearly 188,000 units in Europe in 2024 (+270% YoY); through May 2026, sales exceed 100,000 units (+144% YoY).
Source:
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