BYD Eyes Hungary for First European BEV Factory

Chinese battery-electric vehicle maker BYD is planning to build its first production plant in Europe, according to a German weekend newspaper.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung (FAS) claims the automaker expects to site this factory in Hungary following Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s two-week visit to China. A local government website in Shenzhen, where BYD is headquartered, says Hungary’s leader met there with BYD Chairman and President Wang Chuanfu, who presented his company’s latest BEV models during a  factory visit.

According to the newspaper's sources, Orbán also was received warmly in Beijing where he met Chinese President Xi Jinping who commented: “We consider you a friend.” While other European Union nations have been trying to reduce reliance on trade with China, Hungary has maintained and deepened its close relations with the world’s second-largest economy.

BYD confirms to the Reuters news agency that it is still looking for the right location and will make an announcement at the end of the year. The Hungarian government has yet to comment on the matter.