BYD
Chinese automaker and Apple Inc. supplier BYD is being asked to turn over its books to the House Homeland Security Committee, as part of an investigation into national security risks posed by transportation manufacturers affiliated with the ruling Chinese Communist Party.
The Dolphin Surf, a longer version of the Seagull, China’s best-selling EV in April, will increase BYD’s portfolio in Europe to eight full-electric cars.
BYD, which is building an EV plant in Hungary, said the new European center will be a hub for sales and after-sales services, for testing and for developing localized versions of the company's models.
The ambitious goal would be fueled by expansion in Europe and Latin America, sources told Reuters, even as BYD and all other Chinese brands remain locked out of the U.S. by trade barriers.
Previously, the Chinese automaker only planned to make battery-electric vehicles in Hungary and Turkey, but rising interest in plug-in hybrids caused it to pivot.
BYD is waiting to unleash a suite of new vehicles stacked with smart-driving capabilities, and also, ultra-fast charging technology.
The move is in response to slow demand for EVs in the region and will help the automaker bypass high import tariffs to Europe.
China’s carmakers are ready with the right technology, designs and prices to dominate in the coming decades — and they want the world to know it. And the number of journalists and influencers invited to cover the 2025 Shanghai auto show from abroad appears to be the highest ever.
The automaker made missteps that included overestimating the appeal of full-electric vehicles, mainly concentrating its dealers in cities and viewing Europe as a single entity rather than a diverse set of markets, Reuters reported.
BYD plans to leap over tariff hurdles to sell all-electric vehicles in Japan's hard-to-crack all-important minicar segment.
