BYD Auto

BYD Auto Co., Ltd. (Chinese: 比亚迪汽车; pinyin: Bǐyàdí Qìchē) is the automotive subsidiary of BYD Company, a publicly listed Chinese multinational manufacturing company. It manufactures passenger battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)—collectively known as new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China—along with electric buses and electric trucks. The company sells its vehicles under its main BYD brand as well as its high-end brands, which are Denza, Fangchengbao and Yangwang.
BYD Auto was established in January 2003 as a subsidiary of BYD Company, a battery manufacturer, following the acquisition and restructuring of Xi'an Qinchuan Automobile. The first car designed by BYD, the BYD F3, began production in 2005. In 2008, BYD launched its first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, the BYD F3DM, followed by the BYD e6, its first battery electric vehicle, in 2009.
BYD Auto has experienced substantial sales growth since 2020, driven by the increasing market share of new energy vehicles in China. Since 2021, the company has expanded into overseas markets, mainly to Europe, Southeast Asia, Oceania and the Americas. In 2022, BYD ended production of purely internal combustion engined cars to focus on new energy vehicles.
The company is characterised by its extensive vertical integration, leveraging BYD group's expertise in producing batteries and other related components such as electric motors and electronic controls. Most components used in BYD vehicles are claimed to be produced in-house within the group.
BYD is the best-selling car brand in China since 2023, after surpassing Volkswagen, which had held the title since the liberalisation of the Chinese automotive industry. BYD is also the third most valuable car manufacturer in the world, based on market capitalization.
As of 2024, BYD's battery subsidiary FinDreams Battery is the world's second largest producer of electric vehicle batteries behind CATL. It specialises in lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, including BYD's proprietary Blade battery.
BYD Company was founded in 1995 as a battery manufacturer. In January 2003, BYD Company founder Wang Chuanfu founded BYD Auto after acquiring and renaming a dwindling small automotive manufacturing company, Xi'an Qinchuan Automobile, from a state-owned defense company Norinco. The company was acquired for HK$269 million in exchange for a 77% stake, shortly after BYD raised HK$1.6 billion on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in July 2002. The acquisition was met with disapproval from shareholders, as the plan was not disclosed in the prospectus. Wang Chuanfu acquired Qinchuan with the intention of developing battery-powered electric vehicles, leveraging BYD's expertise in battery manufacturing. As Qinchuan had been manufacturing cars since 1987, the purchase gave BYD access to car manufacturing technology and an automobile production license that was difficult to obtain at that time. At the time of the acquisition, Qinchuan was producing a small car called the QCJ7181 Flyer, which BYD renamed to BYD Flyer from 2005. Limited capacity at the former Qinchuan manufacturing plant in Xi'an, Shaanxi prompted BYD to construct a new manufacturing plant in the Xi'an Development Zone within the city.
The first car developed by BYD, codenamed 316, was rejected by dealers due to its poor styling and was scrapped before reaching the market, writing off CN¥100 million of research and development (R&D) expenses as a result. Wang Chuanfu personally smashed the prototype to destroy it. The company instead developed the BYD F3 sedan, which entered production on 16 April 2005, with an affordable price tag of CN¥73,000 (approximately US$10,000). Bearing resemblance to the Toyota Corolla with a lower price, the F3 quickly gained popularity and became a successful model with over 63,000 units sold that year. The 100,000th F3 rolled off the assembly line on June 18, 2007, just 20 months after production began. Following this success, the larger BYD F6 sedan, which was modelled after the Honda Accord, entered production in August 2007. Initially, BYD cars are equipped with Chinese-built Mitsubishi Motors older engines, but within a few years, BYD Auto created its own engines by improving Mitsubishi Motors engine blueprints.
During its early years, BYD Auto achieved growth by reverse engineering competitors products and supplier parts, and maintaining strong control over costs. The first mass-produced passenger car from BYD, the BYD F3 is considered "a copycat" of the Toyota Corolla. The BYD F0 small car was described as "a clear copy" of the Toyota Aygo, and the BYD S8 has a similar appearance to the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, with features an "almost identical" Mercedes-Benz CLK front-end and Renault Megane CC rear. Wang Chuanfu responded by claiming the company only uses "non-patented technologies". In 2009, the US government had been advised by its consulate general in Guangzhou, China, that BYD uses an approach of "copying and then modifying car designs." However, according to the consul, BYD had modified the vehicles designs significantly enough to convince Chinese courts that the company has not infringed on patents.
In 2005, BYD Auto contributed 10% to BYD Company's revenue. As its automotive business grew, by 2006, BYD Auto's contribution increased to 25%. In the first half of 2009, BYD Auto accounted for 55% of its parent company total revenue, marking the first time it contributed more than half of the company's earnings. By 2008, BYD Auto owned two vehicle assembly manufacturing plants in Xi'an and in Shenzhen with a production capacity of 300,000 units per year, an R&D and testing center in Shanghai, and a moulding plant in Beijing.
After years of sales growth, widespread withdrawal of BYD dealerships were reported in large Chinese cities during 2010 due to excessively rapid expansion, limited model range, and internal competition that presented difficulties for dealers. It was exacerbated by BYD's focus on production capacity over quality. BYD responded by adjusting its annual production target from 800,000 to 600,000 vehicles, but fell short, reaching only 517,000 vehicles that year. In the subsequent three years, BYD shifted its attention to resolving concerns related to quality, dealership channels, and brand promotion.
BYD began exploring hybrid and electric vehicles as early as 1997, before acquiring Xi'an Qinchuan Automobile. In that year, Wang Chuanfu, as part of his research into electric vehicles, purchased a BJ6490D, an electric car made by Beijing Second Auto Works that was built off an imported knock-down kit of the Holden Commodore VN station wagon. The BJ6490D was powered by golf cart batteries, with a range of about 100 km (62 mi) and a top speed of 92 km/h (57 mph). Later, BYD acquired a second BJ6490D, which was subsequently converted into a hybrid vehicle.
At the 2004 Beijing Auto Show, alongside its petrol-powered concept cars, BYD unveiled the BYD Flyer EF3, an electric sedan. Based on the BYD Flyer, the Flyer EF3 was initially intended for production in 2005, with a focus on serving as a taxi in Shenzhen. However, this plan did not materialise. Two years later at the 2006 Beijing Auto Show, BYD showcased another electric car called the BYD F3e. Based on the BYD F3, the car had an all-electric range of more than 300 km (186 mi), and was planned to be produced within 3 years from 2007. In December 2010, a BYD Auto general manager confirmed that the company had cancelled plans for its production due to the lack of support in charging infrastructure.
In 2006, BYD established the Electric Vehicle Research Institute, an internal entity dedicated for the R&D and trial production of parts for new energy vehicles and the whole vehicle, including battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
In 2008, Wang Chuanfu set a goal for the company to become the leader in the Chinese automotive market by 2015, and to become the largest car manufacturer globally by 2025. Wang stated that electric vehicles would serve as BYD's "stepping stone" to skip the development of internal combustion engine vehicles and facilitate the company's entry into international markets, including Europe and North America.
In March 2008, the plug-in hybrid electric version of the BYD F3, the F3DM, was introduced as the world's first production model plug-in hybrid car at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland. Initially, the F3DM was offered in China as a fleet vehicle for governments, banks and other institutions, until retail sales started in March 2010 when the Chinese government started granting subsidies for new energy vehicles. The vehicle had low sales, with only 100 units sold by 2011.
In January 2009, BYD introduced its first production battery electric vehicle, the e6 at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It is powered by a battery pack codenamed "Fe", which provides a claimed electric range of 400 km (249 mi). While plans to sell the vehicle to the general public in the US were shelved, the company sold the e6 in the US as a fleet vehicle in a limited number.
In May 2009, Volkswagen AG considered forming a partnership with BYD in the area of hybrids and electric vehicles, having signed a memorandum of understanding. Volkswagen withdrew from the partnership after conducting due diligence.
In July 2009, BYD acquired Hunan Midea Coach Company, a bus manufacturer based in Hunan, allowing it to manufacture buses and coaches and enter the commercial vehicle market. The plant in Changsha, Hunan, reportedly received a CN¥ 3 billion investment for development. BYD started producing battery electric buses as part of a pilot scheme initiated by the Chinese government. It signed a deal to supply 1,000 BYD K9 electric buses to the Hunan Government in China. The buses have a range of 305 km (190 mi) per charge with a top speed of 70 km/h (43 mph), a charging time of six hours and 50% fast charging in 30 minutes.
In 2010, BYD Auto Industry Co., Ltd. and Daimler AG, now known as Mercedes-Benz Group AG, formed a 50-50 joint venture named Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology with a brand named Denza to focus on research and development of new energy vehicles. The brand showcased a concept car called the Denza EV at Auto China in April 2012. Denza was later restructured in 2021, when BYD took control of the brand by taking a 90% stake in the venture. Mercedes-Benz withdrew entirely from the joint venture in September 2024.
In August 2013, BYD launched the Dynasty Series product line with the introduction of the BYD Qin, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle variant of the petrol-engine BYD Surui. The Qin was designed to replace the BYD F3DM, an earlier plug-in hybrid model. The Qin quickly became the best-selling plug-in electric vehicle of early 2014.
In November 2016, the company hired Wolfgang Egger as BYD Auto's head of design. Egger, who built his career at Alfa Romeo, Audi, and SEAT, created his first design for BYD, the Dynasty concept, a concept electric SUV that was displayed at the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show and previewed the design of the second-generation BYD Tang.
Before 2020, BYD heavily relied on government subsidies to generate profit from its plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles. In 2016, the company received approximately US$1 billion in new energy vehicle subsidies, surpassing its net profit for that year, and accounted for over 20% of BYD's US$5 billion in revenue from new energy vehicle sales that year. Rhodium Group estimates that BYD received approximately US$4.3 billion in state support between 2015 and 2020.
Between 2017 and 2019, BYD faced challenges due to a reduction in government subsidies. This led to a significant slowdown in sales and a sharp decline in net profit over three consecutive years. In 2019, the company's net profit dropped to only CN¥1.6 billion. During this period, Wang Chuanfu stated that the company's primary goal was merely "to survive".
BYD experienced a substantial surge in vehicle sales from 2020 to 2024. The company sold 4,272,145 vehicles globally in 2024, a ten-fold increase compared to the 2020 figure of 427,302 vehicles. The increase was partly attributed to the increasing popularity of new energy vehicles in China, which accounted for 27.5% of vehicle sales in China in 2022, up from 5.8% in 2020.
BYD introduced its first vehicle equipped with the Blade battery, the BYD Han large sedan, in early 2020. The Han went on sale in July 2020 with an option of plug-in hybrid electric (Han DM) and battery electric (Han EV) variants. The range-topping variant of the Han EV was claimed to be the fastest electric car in China, while the DM version was the fastest hybrid sedan.
BYD announced its entry to the European passenger car market in May 2020, starting with Norway. The first batch of 100 BYD Tang EVs equipped with the Blade battery were sent to Norway in June 2021.
In April 2021, BYD introduced the e-Platform 3.0, a third-generation platform for battery electric vehicles that integrated and standardised core components along with a new body structure, new electrical architecture, and operating system. The platform began production starting with the BYD Dolphin and the BYD Yuan Plus that were announced in August 2021. It also established the Ocean Series line of products, which consists of models named after marine animals.
In December 2021, Daimler AG reduced its stake in its joint venture brand with BYD Auto from 50% to 10%, with BYD Auto controlling 90%. BYD refreshed Denza's line-up with the release of the Denza D9 minivan in 2022, followed by the Denza N7 SUV in 2023.
in March 2022, BYD ended the production of pure internal combustion engine vehicles.
In January 2023, BYD established its second premium brand called Yangwang by introducing the Yangwang U8 plug-in hybrid electric large SUV, and the Yangwang U9 battery electric supercar. The company further expanded its brand portfolio by introducing the Fangchengbao brand in June 2023, which focuses on off-road vehicles.
In April 2023, BYD released its smallest and cheapest battery electric vehicle called the Seagull. It features a 4-seater, 5-door configuration in a hatchback body style, while being priced in a segment dominated by smaller 3-door cars. The car became a sales success in China. On 29 November 2023, BYD produced the 200,000th Seagull after only seven months in the market. Due to its low cost of production and its low selling price at below CN¥90,000 or US$12,000, the Seagull has garnered curiosity and praise from international media and industry experts.
While celebrating BYD's 5,000,000th new energy vehicle production in August 2023, Wang Chuanfu called on local Chinese car manufacturers to "unite" to take on foreign manufacturers, responding to the severe price war in the Chinese market throughout 2023. Wang claims that it is "an emotional need for the 1.4 billion Chinese people to see a Chinese brand becoming global," and initiated a campaign titled "Together, we are Chinese autos" (Chinese: 在一起，才是中国汽车). The call was welcomed by the CEOs of Nio and Li Auto.
On 18 November 2024, BYD held an event in Shenzhen to celebrate its 30th anniversary and becoming the first automaker globally to produce 10,000,000 new energy vehicles. The milestone vehicle was a Denza Z9.
In early 2023 and early 2024, BYD introduced the Champion Edition and Honor Edition versions of its models, respectively, featuring price reductions aimed at expanding market share in the Chinese market. The strategy contributed to intensified price war in the market, prompting Chinese authorities to advise BYD to avoid further price reductions. In response, on 10 February 2025, BYD introduced Smart Driving Edition versions across 21 models, featuring enhanced advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) marketed as God's Eye, including city-level NOA (Navigate on Autopilot), with prices starting at 100,000 yuan. The update aims to offer additional features without increasing prices.
BYD Auto's original logo was used between 2003 and 2007. According to the company, the blue and white colours represent the sky and the clouds respectively. The logo was criticised due to its resemblance to the BMW roundel. It was replaced with the logo used by its parent company upon the introduction of the BYD F1 (renamed to F0 later).
On 1 January 2021, BYD Auto adopted a new brand logo, while other BYD businesses retained the older logo.
On 17 February 2022, the logo of BYD Auto was slightly revised with a narrower width to follow graphic design trends, coinciding with the introduction of the new BYD Company logo.
As the name "BYD" had no particular meaning, BYD Auto started adopting the slogan "Build Your Dreams" since it participated in the 2008 North American International Auto Show in the US. In 2017, when the company released the second-generation BYD Tang, BYD Auto started placing "Build Your Dreams" badging at the rear of its vehicles, replacing the standard oval BYD logo. The badging was retained until late 2023, when the company announced that the badging would be dropped in favour of the three-letter BYD logo due to widespread criticisms.
In December 2016, BYD signed American actor Leonardo DiCaprio as the brand's global brand ambassador for new energy vehicles.
In January 2024, BYD signed a deal with UEFA to be the official partner of UEFA European Football Championship 2024, replacing Volkswagen as the competition's mobility partner.
In October 2024, BYD announced a global strategic partnership with Game Science's action role-playing game Black Myth: Wukong, becoming its exclusive automotive brand partner.
BYD started exporting its cars in 2005 to Russia, when the company introduced the BYD Flyer hatchback at the 2005 Moscow International Motor Show. In 2009, BYD started exporting cars to Africa, South America, and the Middle East. At that time, BYD cars competed on price instead of quality. Since 2021, BYD started expanding its global presence rapidly by prioritizing exports of passenger electric vehicles. Beginning in 2022, BYD has committed to producing right-hand drive versions of several battery electric passenger models for exports to left-hand traffic countries such as Australia, the UK and Thailand. These include newer models with BYD's third-generation platform (e-Platform 3.0) such as the Atto 3 (the export version of the Yuan Plus), Dolphin and Seal. For the Dolphin, the company had also done an extensive reengineering to ensure the small car would achieve the highest ratings in Euro NCAP and Australasian NCAP testing.
Throughout 2023, the company exported over 242,766 passenger new energy vehicles, a year-over-year increase of 334 percent. As of 2023, BYD Auto vehicles are sold in over 70 countries. In 2024, BYD sold 417,204 vehicles overseas. According to Stella Li, the executive vice president of BYD, the company is aiming to deliver 50% of its production output outside its home market. However, an automotive analyst from Bloomberg Intelligence China believes that the target is unlikely to be achieved until 2030 or later.
In May 2020, BYD Auto announced that it would offer passenger vehicles in Europe, starting with Norway. The company chose Norway due to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles in the country. The first product offered there is the BYD Tang. Previous BYD vehicles offered in Europe are mainly commercial vehicles and fleet-oriented vehicles such as the BYD e6, sold in low volumes.
In 2022, BYD Auto began selling its passenger vehicles in more European countries, such as Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Belgium. In Germany and Sweden, the BYD models are sold in cooperation with the Hedin Group. In October 2022, BYD appointed Denzel Group as its distributor in Austria. In March 2023, BYD entered the United Kingdom market by introducing the Atto 3. In June 2024, BYD began selling three BEV passenger car models in Poland.
BYD will build its first European passenger car factory in Szeged, Hungary, which will build new energy vehicles with an annual capacity of over 100,000 vehicles. The plan was announced in December 2023. It is the first Chinese manufacturer to plan a European factory.
In September 2023, the European Commission announced EU would launch an anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers, including BYD. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen claimed that Chinese electric vehicle prices are kept artificially low by significant state subsidies, that would in effect distort the EU market. BYD Europe managing director, Michael Shu, argued that BYD's competitive price was achieved by higher "management efficiency" and "unique technology" instead of subsidies from the Chinese government. In June 2024, the European Commission completed its investigation, and imposed an additional 17.4% import duty on top of the existing 15% on BYD vehicles imported into the European Union, effective 4 July 2024.
BYD vehicles generate significantly higher profitability in Europe than in China, driven by their higher pricing in the European market. Research by the Rhodium Group shows that BYD sells their vehicles in Europe with a 92–112% markup compared to its price in China. As the result, BYD makes approximately €14,300 in profit on each Seal U EV model sold in the EU, which is an 11-fold increase compared to the €1,300 profit on the same model sold in China. Reuters noted that the BYD Atto 3 is priced at US$19,283 in China and US$42,789 in Germany. Despite the higher price in Germany, it remains competitive with similar electric vehicles there. The price difference can be attributed to the more competitive market conditions in China, while in Europe, BYD is able to position its vehicles at a higher price point. This indicates that despite the tariffs imposed by the EU, BYD is likely able to continue create profit in Europe.
BYD announced plans to invest $1 billion in a factory in Turkey, which is part of a customs union with the EU. The factory will have an annual production capacity of 150,000 vehicles. An agreement between BYD CEO Wang Chuanfu and Turkey's Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır was signed on 8 July 2024.
BYD entered the Australian market in 2022 through a partnership with EVDirect, a local distributor that is a subsidiary of ASX-listed company MotorCycle Holdings. Both companies signed an agreement in February 2021. The company showcased the first right-hand drive Atto 3 in August 2022. Its entry into the Australian market was delayed by a month to November 2022 due to compliance issues with the Atto 3, due to the top tether child restraint anchor point in the center rear seating position not being in compliance with the Australian Design Rules. Despite the delay, the Atto 3 became the second-best-selling electric vehicle in Australia in 2022, behind only the Tesla Model 3. In 2023, BYD introduced two more models (the Dolphin and the Seal) in Australia, and by the end of the year has sold 12,438 vehicles, making it the second-largest electric vehicle brand in the country. In 2024, the brand introduced two plug-in hybrid vehicles in the country, starting with the Sealion 6 in May, and the Shark 6 in October.
In 2015, the BYD became the first Chinese manufacturer in Japan to market electric buses. It supplied the K9 large electric bus to bus operator Princess Line [ja] in Kyoto. In 2022, BYD held a 70% market share of electric buses in Japan.
In July 2022, BYD announced that sales of its passenger electric cars in Japan would start in 2023. Sales of the Atto 3 in the country started in February 2023, with its first sales outlet located in Yokohama. BYD sells its vehicles in Japan through a dealership network instead of direct sales. The Dolphin was added to the local line-up in September 2023. All BYD models in Japan are adapted to local conditions by adopting the CHAdeMO charging standard.
BYD started sales of its passenger electric cars in Hong Kong in September 2022, shortly after it finished developing the right-hand drive Atto 3. On 11 June 2023, three BYD showrooms and a service center in Hong Kong were vandalised. Suspects poured red paint on windows and entrances of the buildings. In one case, a car was rammed into the rolling shutter of the showroom in New Territories. The incidents were reported to the police, and operations in these premises were halted for a few days. On 23 June 2023, Hong Kong police announced that 13 people were arrested in connection with the incidents.
In June 2024, BYD started sales of the Denza brand in Hong Kong by introducing the D9 EV minivan. It opened its first Denza flagship store in Kowloon Bay, which is the first presence of the brand outside mainland China.
In October 2022, BYD began selling passenger electric cars in Thailand through a partnership with local company Rêver Automotive. In 2023, BYD announced plans to construct a new electric vehicle manufacturing plant in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) special zone in Rayong, Thailand with an annual capacity of 150,000 vehicles. Construction of the plant began in March 2023. The facility was officially opened on 4 July 2024, coinciding with the production of BYD's 8,000,000th new energy vehicle. This plant is BYD's first wholly-owned facility outside of China. It handles stamping, painting, welding, final assembly, and car component production, and is set to employ 10,000 workers. The company started selling Denza vehicles in Thailand since November 2024.
BYD entered Malaysia in December 2022 by partnering with local company Sime Darby Motors as the distributor. In the Philippines, BYD partnered with Ayala Corporation to distribute BYD passenger electric cars in the country since August 2023.
BYD introduced its passenger electric cars in Indonesia in January 2024. According to the Indonesian government, BYD plans to invest US$1.3 billion (Rp 20.3 trillion) to build a manufacturing plant in Indonesia with an annual capacity of 150,000 units. In April 2024, BYD formally announced the location of its Indonesian manufacturing plant, which will be in Subang, West Java. The plant will be operational in early 2026. BYD plans to produce its 15 millionth new energy vehicle in Indonesia. In December 2024, BYD announced plans to increase its investment in the Subang facility by expanding the manufacturing plant area, increasing the projected workforce to 18,000 workers, and advancing the start of operations from early 2026 to late 2025.
BYD entered the Indian automotive sector in 2016 as a battery and bus chassis supplier to Olectra Greenwich Ltd. Its manufacturing operations are based in the Sriperumbudur plant, Tamil Nadu. BYD started assembling electric passenger vehicles through a semi-knock down arrangement in low volume in 2022. The models assembled are the fleet-oriented e6 since September 2022 and the Atto 3 since November 2022.
In July 2023, investment plans to produce cars in India were cancelled due to scrutiny from the Indian government, citing security concerns. BYD Auto had previously planned to invest US$1 billion with a local joint venture partner, Megha Engineering, with production targeted to begin in 2025.
BYD entered the Pakistani automotive market in August 2024 with the launch of the Atto 3, Seal, and Sealion 6 models. In addition, BYD has announced plans to establish a car production plant in Port Qasim, Karachi under a joint venture with Mega Motors, a subsidiary of Hub Power Company, Pakistan's largest independent power producer. The facility is projected to be completed in the first half of 2026.
BYD entered Uzbekistan in March 2023 by introducing two plug-in hybrid models and one battery electric model. The company established a joint venture with the local company Uzavtosanoat JSC (UzAuto) to assemble plug-in hybrid cars starting in 2024. The plant is located in Jizzakh. The first vehicle produced by the facility, a BYD Song Plus DM-i, rolled off the assembly line on 27 June 2024.
BYD's North American headquarters were opened in Los Angeles in 2011. The electric bus plant in Lancaster, California became operational in 2014. BYD first supplied the Los Angeles Metro Bus system with buses in 2015.
In a February 2024 interview with Yahoo! Finance, Stella Li, the executive vice president of BYD and CEO of BYD Americas iterated that BYD is "not planning to come to the US" to sell electric passenger cars, despite planning a manufacturing plant in Mexico, citing politically motivated trade barriers against Chinese companies and the slowing rate of growth for electric car adoption in the US. BYD is one of the top electric bus manufacturers in North America, and has been primarily adopted by the metro transit authorities of Los Angeles and San Francisco.
BYD started selling electric passenger cars in Mexico since 2023. The first models introduced were the Han EV sedan, Tang EV and Yuan Plus EV. Previously the company has presence in the country selling battery electric buses, trucks and taxis. Reports in February 2024 indicated that BYD is planning to build a manufacturing plant in Mexico. According to Stella Li, the company is not considering any northern state as it targets the local market instead of the US market.
BYD planned to deliver 1,002 electric buses to Bogota, the capital city of Colombia, by mid-2022, after winning a contract for 406 electric buses in January 2021.
In 2022, BYD began selling passenger vehicles in Colombia and Costa Rica.
BYD began operations in El Salvador in September 2024 through a partnership with Energy Motors, launching its first showroom in San Salvador at Centro Comercial Galerías. The company introduced a lineup of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, with plans to expand to San Miguel and Santa Ana in 2025.
In February 2022, BYD Auto began sales of passenger vehicles in Brazil starting with the Tang EV (marketed as the Tan), followed by the Han EV in April 2022. Previously, BYD in Brazil had marketed battery electric buses and commercial vehicles.
In July 2023, BYD announced an investment of US$600 million in Brazil to acquire, modernise, and increase the production capacity of a former Ford manufacturing plant in Camaçari, Bahia, to build up to 300,000 cars per year by 2025. The plant will produce the Dolphin, Yuan Plus, and Song Plus DM-i. The construction of this factory was however stopped before Christmas 2024 as the Brazilian Ministry of Work accused the construction company to flout labour laws and hold their workers in "slavery-like conditions".
BYD also plans to build two industrial plants: one for the production of electric bus/truck platforms and another for refining lithium and iron phosphate ores for use in BYD's battery factories in China. In June 2024, BYD announced its goal to sell 350,000 vehicles annually in Brazil by 2028 and to become one of the top 3 car brands in the country.
BYD Auto offers a broad variety of vehicle types, including sedans, hatchbacks, MPVs and SUVs across four different brands. It also produces commercial vehicles such as battery electric buses and coaches in various sizes, and large trucks. The company formerly produced internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles until 2022, when the carmaker announced that it would focus on new energy vehicles.
For passenger vehicles for personal use, the BYD brand distinguishes its line-up under three main "series", which are the Dynasty Series (started by the Qin in 2012), Ocean Series (started by the Dolphin in 2021) and the "e" Series (started by the e6 in 2009). In China, these series are offered through separate dealership chain, namely the Dynasty Network (Chinese: 王朝网; pinyin: Wángcháo Wǎng) and the Ocean Network (Chinese: 海洋网; pinyin: Hǎiyáng Wǎng) (formerly the e-Network in 2019–2021). e Series vehicles are distributed through the Ocean Network.
Dynasty Series vehicles are designed with dragon-inspired elements, and targets older customers. The nameplates used include Yuan, Song, Qin, Tang, Han, and Xia. Ocean Series vehicles are designed with a concept of "Ocean Aesthetics", using use of elements such as waves and flowing lines, and positioned to appeal to younger customers. Ocean Series vehicles predominantly uses marine animal names such as Seagull, Dolphin, Seal and Sealion, except two models that are named after warships (e.g. Frigate and Destroyer). BYD started phasing out the warship-named vehicles in 2025, merging both models into the Sealion and Seal nameplate instead. Fleet-oriented vehicles for ride-hailing and taxi use are categorised in the "e" series.
BYD passenger vehicles consist of battery electric vehicles, denoted by the EV moniker, and plug-in hybrids marketed as DM-i (Dual Mode Intelligent, a plug-in hybrid electric system) and DM-p (performance-oriented Dual Mode with all-wheel drive).
Denza (Chinese: 腾势; pinyin: Téngshì) is BYD's first luxury car brand. It was established in May 2010 as a joint venture with Mercedes-Benz AG (previously Daimler AG). Its first model, the Denza 500 is based on an earlier generation of the Mercedes-Benz B-Class. After years of low sales, in 2021 Daimler reduced its share from 50% to 10%, leaving BYD Auto Industry Co., Ltd. as the largest shareholder at 90%. The brand line-up was refreshed with the release of the Denza D9 minivan in 2022, followed by the Denza N7 SUV. In September 2024, Mercedes-Benz withdrew from the joint venture by transferring its remaining 10% stake to BYD, making Denza a wholly owned brand of BYD.
Yangwang (Chinese: 仰望; lit. 'gazing', 'look up') is BYD's luxury car brand that is positioned in a price range above CN¥1 million (approximately US$140,000) to compete with European luxury brands. The brand was announced on 5 January 2023 at the Guangzhou Auto Show, along with its first model, the U8 off-road plug-in hybrid amphibious SUV, which features BYD's proprietary e individual wheel drive technology, followed by the U9 battery electric supercar.
Fangchengbao (Chinese: 方程豹; lit. 'formula leopard'), trademarked in English as Formula Bao is BYD Auto's brand that produces SUVs. BYD positioned the brand with "professional" and "personalised" vehicles, with products covering off-road and track-focused segments. The brand was announced on 9 June 2023.
On 16 August 2023, Fangchengbao released its first model, the Bao 5 plug-in hybrid SUV. It debuted at the Chengdu Auto Show and is based on a Fangchengbao-specific platform called DMO (Dual Mode Off-Road).
The BYD e6, first introduced in 2009 as the first battery electric vehicle from BYD, is predominantly marketed as a taxi. It has been used as a taxi in many cities in China, Europe, and other Asian countries, as well as in fleets for ride-sharing apps. BYD also offers battery electric panel vans and windowed vans such as the T3/ETP3 and V3, and a plug-in hybrid pickup truck, the BYD Shark.
BYD produces battery electric buses in various forms and sizes, such as single-deck buses, double-deck buses, articulated buses, school buses, and long-distance coaches. As of 2023, BYD has delivered over 100,000 battery electric buses globally.
In North America, BYD buses are produced in the US at BYD's plant in Lancaster, California. As of 2022, it is the largest battery-electric bus manufacturer in North America.
BYD is one of the largest battery electric truck manufacturer in the world, with more than 8,000 trucks in service globally as of 2021. It has sold more than 200 battery electric trucks in service across the United States. It produces Class 5, Class 6, Class 7 and Class 8 trucks, refuse trucks, street sweeper trucks, mining trucks, and construction vehicles.
The Blade battery is a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery for electric vehicles designed and manufactured by FinDreams Battery, a subsidiary of BYD Company. It was first used by the BYD Han in 2020. Starting from April 2021, every battery electric vehicle from BYD comes equipped with the Blade battery. The battery is claimed to be thinner and safer than typical electric vehicle batteries, and has been used by other car companies. BYD claims that in a penetration test where the battery is impaled with a nail, the Blade battery emitted no smoke or fire after being penetrated, and its surface temperature reached only 30 to 60 °C (86 to 140 °F). In the same test, a three-layered lithium battery would heat up to over 500 °C (932 °F) and subsequently catch fire.
The BYD DM (dual mode) hybrid technology was first introduced in 2008 on vehicles such as the BYD F3DM and BYD M3 DM. It consists of a conventional internal combustion engine and transmission as well as an electric motor and batteries. The first generation DM system is considered a series-parallel drivetrain. It uses an E-CVT, which is a power unit integrating a drive motor, a generator and a reducer, and does not have a multi-speed transmission in the traditional sense. The petrol engine drives the generator to charge the battery and power the electric motor, and is able to supply power to the wheels.
In 2013, BYD launched the second-generation DM technology (also called DM2.0). This system is more performance-oriented, and consists of a water-cooled electric motor with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) ("P3") and a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder direct injection petrol engine to form a parallel hybrid drivetrain. It has three driving modes, which are EV, HEV and ICE. This technology was used by the first generations of the BYD Qin, BYD Song, BYD Tang and other models. BYD also offered an all-wheel drive version by adding a drive motor ("P4") to the rear axle. The third-generation DM system (also called DM3.0) brought improved performance and smoother shifting by adding a belt-driven starter generator (BSG).
In 2021, BYD introduced the DM-i and DM-p systems that replaced the outgoing DM systems. The DM-i is developed for efficiency-oriented front-wheel drive models, while the DM-p is adopted for performance-oriented all-wheel drive models. These systems adopts series-parallel plug-in hybrid technology with a dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT), consisting of a high-efficiency petrol engine marketed as Xiaoyun (which can power an electric generator) and a main electric motor (which can be powered by batteries and/or an electric generator). The Xiaoyun engine uses the Atkinson cycle, has an ultra-high compression ratio (CR) of 15.5, and has a brake thermal efficiency (BTE) of 43%, which is claimed to be the world's highest for a production petrol engine. The DM-i is available with three power levels, codenamed EHS132, EHS145, and EHS160, using a 1.5-litre, a 1.5-litre or a 1.5-litre turbocharged Xiaoyun engines respectively.
The hybrid drivetrain uses context-dependent components to provide driving power, including battery-only, battery + electrical generator mode, engine-only mode (only at high speeds due to lack of transmission), and battery + engine mode. The engine charges the batteries via the generator when conditions permit. This design allows the engine to remain within its high-efficiency zone.
In late 2023, a derivative of the DM-i and DM-p fourth-generation systems called DMO (Dual Mode Off-road), aka DMO Super Hybrid Off-road Platform was introduced. It is developed for body-on-frame, off-road oriented vehicles that use a longitudinal engine layout such as the Fangchengbao Bao 5 SUV and the BYD Shark pickup truck.
In January 2024, BYD plans to end the production of pouch-type batteries used in its plug-in hybrid vehicles by 2025 to address durability concerns and the risk of leaking electrolyte. Instead, the company will use prismatic batteries known as "Short Blade" for its plug-in hybrid vehicles going forward.
The fifth-generation DM-i system (DM-i 5.0) was introduced in May 2024 with the introduction of the BYD Qin L and BYD Seal 06 DM-i. The system is claimed to have the world's highest engine thermal efficiency of 46.06%, the world's lowest fuel consumption at 2.9 l/100 km (34 km/l; 81 mpg‑US), and the world's longest combined range of 2,100 km (1,300 mi).
The e-Platform, or retroactively known as the e-Platform 1.0 was launched in 2010. It was first adopted by the first-generation BYD e6.
The e-Platform 2.0 is a modular car platform specialised for battery electric vehicles. It was introduced in 2018, and went on production with the BYD Han EV in 2020. The platform is summarised by the "33111" concept: the first "3" refers to the three-in-one drive system, which integrates the motor, motor controller, and reducer; the second "3" refers to the 3-in-1 high-voltage system, encompassing the DC-DC converter, on-board charger, and high-voltage distribution box. The three "1"s represent the integrated printed circuit board, the smart infotainment screen, and the high-performance and safer battery.
The e-Platform 3.0 is a modular car platform specialised for battery electric vehicles. It offers improved integration of BYD's proprietary Blade battery technology into an improved pure electric frame with doubled torsional stiffness, a more efficient 8-in-1 module for the drive system, a direct cooling and heating system for the battery pack (utilising residual heat, the powertrain, the passenger compartment, and the battery itself) for increased thermal efficiency of up to 20%, as well as shorter front overhangs, a lower body profile, and a longer wheelbase to improve aerodynamics. The platform enables all-electric ranges exceeding 1,000 km (620 mi), with 800-volt fast charging technology for a range of up to 150 km (93 mi) after 5 minutes of charging and allows for an all-wheel drive (AWD) system with 0-100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration of up to 2.9 seconds. It allows for cell-to-body (CTB) battery integration, replacing the outgoing cell-to-pack (CTP) technology.
The first vehicles designed using this platform are the Dolphin, Yuan Plus (Atto 3 in overseas markets), Seal, Denza D9 EV, among others.
In 2024, BYD introduced an improved version of the platform called the e-Platform 3.0 Evo. It features a 12-in-1 electric drive system, replacing the previous 8-in-1 system. It also features the world highest speed mass-produced electric drive motor reaching 23,000 rpm, faster charging speed, and a high-efficiency heat pump. The first vehicle that uses this platform is the BYD Sealion 07 EV.
In April 2020, BYD introduced DiPilot, a branding it uses for its advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS). It debuted with the BYD Han. DiPilot consisted of DiTrainer, a big data algorithm that can learn the driver's driving habits, and DiDAS, the core ADAS feature.
In September 2024, BYD established an advanced technology R&D center to support smart driving systems, smart cockpits, dual-mode technology, and other departments related to computing power, algorithms, and large models. The company claims it has a team of 5,000 R&D engineers solely working on driver assistance technologies.
BYD's latest proprietary driver assistance/self-driving system is named God's Eye (Chinese: 天神之眼, alternatively "Divine Eye"), which enables driver-supervised automation in tasks such as overtaking and parking. Categorised as "Level 2+" automation (except the Level 3 God's Eye A), BYD claimed the God's Eye system can accomplish "over 1,000 kilometers of autonomous driving without intervention and has a 99% success rate for automated valet parking". God's Eye is planned for incorporation on almost all models of BYD vehicles.
The first model to feature the God's Eye system is the Denza N7, which was introduced in July 2023. During its introduction, the Denza N7 can be optioned with two different God's Eye system. The advanced version uses Nvidia Orin X 254 trillion operations per second (TOPS) processor and a more advanced radar, or a Qualcomm chip in the standard option.
In February 2025, BYD announced that the system became fitted as standard to 21 of BYD's 30 cars split across four brands, including its cheapest and smallest vehicle, the BYD Seagull. As of 2025, the "God's Eye" system is available in three tiers, each designed for different vehicle models and price ranges, which are:
Every BYD car equipped with the God's Eye system will also feature the Xuanji architecture, which was launched in January 2024. The architecture includes a central processor, cloud AI, vehicle-side AI, Internet of Vehicles, 5G network, satellite network, sensors chain, control chain, data chain, and mechanical chain. The architecture will also be integrated with the DeepSeek R1 large model to enhance AI capabilities in both the vehicle and the cloud.
In some models such as the Fangchengbao Bao 5, BYD offers the God's Eye C driving assistance system alongside Huawei's more advanced solution, marketed as Qiankun ADS 3.0, that uses single 192-channel lidar.
BYD equipped most of its passenger cars with DiLink, a service ecosystem of technology and content developed independently by BYD. The system is claimed to integrate in-vehicle network systems, cloud communication, AI, big data and other technologies. The user interface is inspired by mobile phones, supported by rotatable screens in BYD vehicles, and supports over-the-air updates. BYD also cooperated with Alibaba Cloud for its DiCloud AI cloud platform for the DiLink. Initial iterations of the DiLink (version 1.0) were used in vehicles such as the second-generation BYD Tang, and uses hardware comprising a 14.6-inch screen, 4G connection and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage.
The DiLink 4.0 was introduced in August 2021. The updated version supports 5G network, and feature a reworked, more intuitive user interface. The hardware for the DiLink 4.0 is known to be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 chipset with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage.
One of the popular feature in the DiLink for the Chinese market is the inclusion of karaoke. BYD is one of the first brands in China to include karaoke in the in-car entertainment system, allowing occupants to sing through the optional or included DiLink microphone.
In 2021, BYD also introduced BYD OS alongside the e-Platform 3.0, which is an in-house operating system for battery electric vehicles that decouples software and hardware. This approach reduces manufacturing and maintenance costs while offering the possibility for other manufacturers using the platform to integrate their own software and hardware.
In 2019, BYD launched its global design centre in Shenzhen, China. It is led by industry veterans from European brands, led by Global Design director Wolfgang Egger, BYD Global Exterior Design director JuanMa Lopez and Global Interior Design director Michele Jauch-Paganetti. The design centre initially housed 200 designers, which has increased to 600 designers by 2023.
The carmaker unveiled the E-Seed GT concept car, the first joint effort from the team, at the Auto Shanghai in April 2019. The design concept reflected the lines of the traditional Chinese dragon.
BYD Auto's major passenger car manufacturing plants are located in Xi'an, Shaanxi; Shenzhen, Guangdong; Changsha, Hunan, Zhengzhou, Henan; Changzhou, Jiangsu; Jinan, Shandong; and Hefei, Anhui. The company also operates R&D centers in Shenzhen and Shanghai.
The Xi'an plant is BYD Auto's first and largest production base, which includes electric assembly, electric motor, and battery production. The first expansion of the plant was completed in September 2014, when the Xi'an BYD No. 2 Plant went operational. BYD added an electric bus plant in the complex in 2017, with an annual capacity of 5,000 units. Following the completion of the third phase development in September 2022, the current annual production capacity of the Xi'an production base is 900,000 vehicles. As of 2024, it is the largest single manufacturing company in the Shaanxi province. In 2024 alone, the plant produces more than 1 million vehicles.
In late 2012, the Changsha plant went operational with an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles. A second phase plant went operational in 2022, making the total production capacity in Changsha reach 300,000 vehicles annually.
BYD Auto started construction of its largest plant in Hefei, Anhui in July 2021, which started operations in June 2022. It was built in three phases with final annual capacity of 1.32 million vehicles.
In March 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology approved BYD's plan to move its passenger vehicle factory in Pingshan, Shenzhen to the Shenzhen-Shantou Special Cooperation Zone in Shantou, Guangdong, 60 km (37 mi) east of Shenzhen.
As of 2024, BYD's annual vehicle production capacity in China has reached 5.82 million vehicles.
BYD opened a manufacturing plant for electric buses in Lancaster, California, US in May 2013. Another plant was inaugurated in Campinas, Brazil in 2015 for the production of electric buses. BYD also opened a bus plant in 2019 in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada.
BYD has a European electric bus assembly facility in Komárom, Hungary. The plant employed 300 people by the end of 2019, with a production capacity of up to 400 electric buses a year (and 600 chassis) on two shifts.
In July 2023, BYD announced a US$620 million investment in Camaçari, Brazil to produce electric cars after acquiring Ford's former plant. In July 2024, BYD announced a US$1 billion investment in Turkey.
In Thailand, BYD operates a manufacturing plant located in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) special zone in Rayong. Announced in 2023 and with an annual capacity of 150,000 vehicles, construction of the facility began in March of that year. The plant officially opened in July 2024, and was expected to employ 10,000 workers. On 12 November 2024, BYD Thailand rolled out its 10,000th electric vehicle, just four months after the manufacturing plant went operational.
BYD Auto is a vertically integrated company that claims to have the highest degree of vertical integration in the world, with over 70% of its vehicle components being supplied independently. It produces its own mouldings, production lines and equipment, and controls the supply chain for most components such as batteries, electric motors, and electronic controls, which significantly reduced its manufacturing costs and provides a competitive advantage in terms of profit margins. In 2020, the BYD group established FinDreams, a brand encompassing five fully-owned automotive component manufacturers that also supply parts to other automotive companies.
A teardown by investment bank UBS of the BYD Seal revealed that 75% of its components were made in-house. Its competition, the Tesla Model 3 only uses 46% of components that are made in-house in China. UBS concluded that this helped the Seal achieve a gross profit margin of 16%, compared to 14% for the made-in-China Model 3.
BYD Auto also operates its own shipping services to export its cars. On 9 January 2024, BYD's first roll-on/roll-off cargo ship, named "BYD Explorer No.1", was delivered and left the construction base in Longkou, Shandong province. The 200 m (660 ft)-long ship arrived at Yantai Port on the same day, before heading to Shenzhen for loading cars for exporting to Europe. According to China International Marine Containers (CIMC), the ship was built by Yantai CIMC Raffles Shipyard for the international ship management company Zodiac Maritime, and was leased to BYD as the first of its "sea shipping fleet", with a loading capacity of 7,000 vehicles.
In May 2023, BYD Auto was approved to acquire a 100% stake in Yi'an P&C Insurance Co., Ltd., renamed it, and transformed it into its own insurance company for BYD vehicles. In June 2024, BYD Property & Casualty Insurance opened for registrations, and announced the expansion of its car insurance services in 7 major provinces in China. The company has regulatory approval to adjust premium rates independently, addressing high premiums and profitability issues in the new energy vehicle insurance market.
BYD and Toyota formed a joint venture called BYD Toyota EV Technology Co., Ltd. (BTET), which was formalised in April 2020 and headquartered in Shenzhen, China. It was established with a focus on the research and development of battery electric vehicles. The first product conceived by the joint venture is the Toyota bZ3, a Chinese market battery electric sedan manufactured by FAW Toyota, followed by the Toyota bZ3C crossover SUV.
In October 2020, BYD Auto Industry Co., Ltd. signed an agreement with Japanese truck and bus manufacturer Hino Motors to establish a joint venture for commercial battery electric vehicle development. The joint venture planned to introduce vehicles under the Hino brand by 2025.
In February 2023, Hino Motors halted sales of compact electric buses in Japan supplied by BYD due to the presence of hexavalent chromium, a carcinogenic chemical banned under Japanese industry guidelines. The affected model is the Hino Poncho Z EV. Hino was unable to negotiate with BYD to build the bus without using the chemical, while BYD Japan claims that the buses "meet all required laws and standards".
In August 2014, BYD and GAC Group established a joint venture called Guangzhou GAC BYD New Energy Bus Co., Ltd. to produce electric buses in Guangzhou, the city where GAC is based. BYD holds a 51 percent stake while GAC held 49 percent. The joint venture mainly supplies buses to the local bus operator Guangzhou Bus Group.
In 2015, BYD partnered with Alexander Dennis to produce all-electric buses for the British market, including London's first all-electric double-decker. Alexander Dennis built their Enviro200EV single-deck and Enviro400EV double-deck products on BYD's chassis. By 2023, the partnership had produced 1,500 buses.
A small Chinese motorcycle manufacturer Songsan Motor contracted BYD to produce retro-styled cars, as the company does not have a production license. Its first vehicle, the Songsan SS Dolphin (unrelated to the BYD Dolphin) was introduced in 2019 using Chevrolet Corvette C1 as a design inspiration. It is based on BYD's platform and powered by a plug-in hybrid powertrain. As legally required, the car wears BYD badges alongside Songsan Motor logo. As of 2023, deliveries to customers have not started yet. Songsan sued BYD in September 2023 due to alleged contract disputes and fraudulent environmental certifications, an allegation that was denied by BYD.
In December 2024, Brazilian authorities announced that they had found 163 Chinese nationals working in "slavery-like conditions" building a BYD plant in Bahia. Brazilian labour authorities stated that they were victims of human trafficking. Brazil's Ministry of Justice announced it would revoke residence permits for Chinese workers at the BYD factory if prosecutors confirm irregularities. Jinjiang Group, the contractor for BYD, claimed that Brazilian authorities' characterization of its employees as "enslaved" was "inaccurate" and due to "translation errors". The statement was shared by Li Yunfei, BYD's branding and public relations general manager, who alleged efforts by "foreign forces" to damage Chinese brands reputation. Both Jinjiang Group and BYD responded by housing the 163 workers in hotels until a deal to end their contracts is reached. Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it had stopped issuing temporary work visas for BYD.
In April 2018, British football team Arsenal F.C. announced BYD as its sponsorship partner. In July 2018, the sponsorship agreement was revealed as fraudulent after BYD claimed the person who signed a sponsorship deal with the club was not authorised to do so. BYD claims that Shanghai police detained a woman who was acting as the marketing manager on suspicion of contract fraud and forging business seals. The individual had signed numerous contracts with advertising agencies, but she has never been an employee of BYD.
In September 2021, BYD appointed Lu Kewen, an online influencer known for spreading antisemitic tropes, as a spokesperson for the company.
In China, BYD has been taking legal actions towards online bloggers and social media users. In July 2023, BYD formally sued a Sina Weibo user, Longzhu-JiChe, alleging that they had been posting false information about BYD. The company demanded a CN¥5 million compensation. In April 2024, BYD filed a lawsuit against a Chinese blogger, Huang, that posted a false claim in social media in January 2023 that BYD instructed its employees to organise consumers to "defend their rights against Tesla". The court ruled that Huang must publish a statement of apology and compensate BYD for losses. In May 2024, BYD filed another lawsuit against a Chinese blogger Yao Qiang, demanding that he make a public apology and pay a compensation of CN¥5 million. The blogger claimed the Fangchengbao Bao 5 had a poor fuel consumption of around 18 l/100 km (5.6 km/l; 13 mpg‑US). Internet users found traffic violations in the test drive video and reported it to the police. Investigation by BYD revealed that the vehicle was driven abnormally and aggressively.
In mid-2024, following the lead of other automakers and in line with the Ministry of Public Security's "Regulations on the Governance of Online Violence Information," BYD in China introduced a bounty program to report evidence of internet "black campaigns" conducted by individuals, public relations firms, or rival car companies. Rewards range from 200,000 to 5 million yuan, with confidentiality guaranteed for those who provide information.
In June 2024, BYD came under investigation by Thai authorities, including the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) and the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB), regarding its practices in offering price cuts in the Thai market. The investigation was prompted by a complaint from a customer, stating that a salesperson on 19 June had convinced them to purchase a BYD Dolphin by claiming that prices would increase after the discount period ended. Instead, BYD reduced the car's price by 140,000–160,000 baht on 1 July, causing the customer to experience "psychological distress". On 5 July, the issue was discussed by Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and BYD CEO Wang Chuanfu shortly after they both opened the BYD Thailand manufacturing plant. Wang promised to resolve the issue.
In July 2024, Fangchengbao, BYD's off-road vehicle brand, significantly reduced the price of its Bao 5 model in China by 50,000 yuan to better compete with the popular Great Wall Motor's Tank series. The price reduction had sparked controversy among previous buyers. Protests occurred with banners criticizing Fangchengbao's sudden price cut, as some customers expressed frustration after waiting months for delivery only to see the price drop soon after.
In December 2018, the Albuquerque, New Mexico council in the US sued BYD over the alleged poor welding, poor battery range, and malfunctioning doors and brakes of its buses. BYD denied the allegations, and the lawsuit was settled without money changing hands.
A 2018 investigation by The Los Angeles Times found quality and reliability issues with the BYD buses used by public transit agencies in California, such as frequent stalls and unpredictable driving ranges below advertised figures.
In February 2023, BYD confirmed the presence of a toxic chemical, hexavalent chromium, in its electric buses in Japan. According to BYD, the contaminated vehicles will be "detoxified before being scrapped, leaving no impact on the environment."
In December 2019, Keolis Nederland ordered over 250 buses from BYD for the IJssel-Vecht [nl] region in Eastern Netherlands, which was the largest order for electric buses in Europe at the time. Keolis was awarded a 10-year contract to run public transportation in the region starting in December 2020. In July 2020, it was revealed that Keolis did not provide all essential information in the bid to the provinces and tenderers. Keolis had made secret arrangements with BYD that was not disclosed during the bid, meaning that the company had essentially committed fraud to win the tender. Keolis was allowed to start operating in the area as part of an emergency concession as finding a new operator to takeover in such short notice would put the entire bus network in danger. The new contract running for 13 years from 2022 onward was awarded to EBS instead, which would take over 234 of the 259 BYD buses of Keolis.
BYD delivered the buses at the end of 2020. Immediately, problems arose with the quality and reliability of the buses, generally related with the electronics and the software. The most significant reported issue was the battery, which would be shown as full on the dashboard, only to suddenly empty out, leading to buses being stranded mid-route. Another prominent issue was the bus veering to the right while driving, causing the drivers to constantly steer to the left. Additionally, the driver's seat was not centered around the steering wheel and was too small in most cases. Because of the steering and seat issues, drivers have complained of experiencing physical pain during and after driving. While EBS was aware of the quality issues surrounding the BYD buses, these turned out to be "more numerous and persistent" than initially expected. The three companies involved have reached an agreement regarding the cost of repairs, though the contents of these have not been made public.
In May 2022, Changsha city authorities opened an investigation into a manufacturing plant owned by BYD Auto in the city following complaints from nearby residents. The allegations surfaced in April 2022 on a website belonging to state newspaper People's Daily, where people living near the factory left messages claiming the plant's pollution had a strong odour, which gave residents irritated throats and nosebleeds to children. Changsha residents purchased testing equipments and discovered that total volatile organic compound levels have exceeded safety standards. Residents protested at the Changsha plant's gate, urging the company to solve the problem. BYD denied the allegations, stating that all emissions from the plant were compliant with China's regulatory rules and standards, and threatened legal actions against people who spread rumours that emissions from the factory had caused nosebleeds. Production in the plant was partially halted during the investigation.
In May 2023, rival Great Wall Motor (GWM) publicly reported through its social media that two BYD top-selling plug-in hybrid models did not meet emission standards. In a social media post, GWM accused BYD of using non-pressurised fuel tanks in its Qin Plus and Song Plus, enabling the liquid inside to evaporate more rapidly than it would in pressurised tanks, and announced that it had submitted evidence documents to Chinese authorities. BYD denied GWM's claim, saying the testing conducted by GWM was invalid as it had run its own tests by using a different testing method than required by authorities, and lacked third-party inspection.
In May 2024, fire broke out in a BYD dealership in Fuzhou, Fujian. The Chinese language site of American news outlet NTDTV reported that it is the tenth BYD dealership fire since 2021. One BYD dealership fire case was reported in 2021, followed by four cases in 2022 and another four in 2023. Two factory fire cases were recorded in 2022 and 2023. BYD acknowledged the Fuzhou incident, but denied that the fire came from any of its vehicles and detected no abnormalities in the vehicle batteries during its inspection.
In November 2020, BYD in the U.S. filed a lawsuit against the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), a non-profit lobbying group that advocated for a ban on using the federal tax budget to purchase rail cars or buses from foreign state-owned or controlled companies such like BYD, which has an electric bus factory in California, U.S. The rule was signed into law as the Transit Infrastructure Vehicle Security Act (TIVSA). BYD alleges that AAM has engaged in a "malicious, fraudulent, outrageous, and reckless campaign" that damages BYD's reputation. The Supreme Court of the United States rejected BYD's suit in August 2022.
In 2016, a suicide note by a dealership owner in Nanjing led to an investigation into government subsidy fraud. The note claimed that BYD had received subsidies for 600 electric buses it had never produced, with only a few dozen delivered to the city government. BYD reportedly forced dealerships to increase electric vehicle inventories, selling to people outside of Nanjing and helping them obtain temporary residence documents. The dealerships ended up paying subsidies on 80 percent of vehicles sold. Following the case, the Chinese Finance Ministry fined five manufacturers (not including BYD) for fraudulently obtaining over CN¥1 billion worth of subsidies. The companies were required to return the subsidies and pay penalties worth an additional 50% of the subsidies received.
BYD car sales in 2009 were 448,400 vehicles. Its F3 was the best-selling sedan in China with sales of over 291,000 units. In 2010, BYD sold 519,800 vehicles, representing 2.9% of the market in China, its sixth largest manufacturer. In 2011, the BYD sales rank was outside the top ten. In 2012, the company became the 9th largest car manufacturer in China, producing over 600,000 vehicles. In 2013, BYD sold 506,189 passenger cars in China, ranking tenth.
Since 2021, BYD's sales have grown significantly, driven in part by the rapid increase in new energy vehicle sales as a share of total passenger vehicle sales in China during 2021 and 2022. While the new energy vehicle market share were stagnant between 4–5% since 2018, in 2021 and 2022, new energy vehicles accounted for 15.4 and 27.5% all passenger vehicle sales respectively. Within BYD's total vehicle sales, new energy vehicles also accounted for an increasing percentage from 52.4% in 2018 into reaching 99.2% in the first half of 2022, shortly before the company ended production of pure internal combustion engine vehicles.
In the first half of 2022, BYD becomes the top plug-in electric vehicle seller in the world after surpassing Tesla by selling 641,000 vehicles. In September 2022, BYD became the first carmaker in China to build one million new energy vehicles in a single year.
In late 2022 and early 2023, BYD plug-in hybrid vehicles surpassed the sales of its battery electric vehicles, which was partly attributed to the positive reception of BYD's DM-i system that replaced the older DM system in January 2021.
The company surpassed Tesla as the world's top battery electric vehicle manufacturer in the fourth quarter of 2023 by selling 526,409 battery electric cars, while Tesla delivered 484,507 vehicles. Meanwhile, throughout 2023, BYD remained the world's largest plug-in hybrid electric vehicle manufacturer and the second-largest battery electric vehicle manufacturer (after Tesla), with global market shares of 21.4% and 15%, respectively. In that period, 52.5% of BYD's sales volume were contributed by battery electric vehicles (including commercial vehicles).
BYD became the top-selling car brand in China ahead of Volkswagen since 2023, marking the first time another company has sold more cars than Volkswagen in the country. In early 2024, BYD sales in China were briefly surpassed by Volkswagen, ending its 11-month streak as the top-selling brand in China. It was attributed by the 2024 Chinese New Year holiday and reduced demand. BYD regained the top position by the second quarter of 2024. In that quarter, BYD global sales has surpassed Honda and Nissan, making it the seventh-largest automaker in the world.
BYD ended 2024 achieving 4,272,145 sales, a 41.3% increase compared to 2023. In the Chinese domestic market, with 3,718,281 retail sales, BYD is the market leader with a 16.2% share (all vehicles) and 34.1% share in the new energy vehicle category. Plug-in hybrid vehicles contributed about 60% of its wholesale sales in that year.
JPMorgan expects BYD to sell 5.5 million vehicles in 2025, and 6.5 million vehicles in 2026.