BYD Auto inaugurated its newly built vehicle assembly plant in Thailand as the company stepped up expansion into south east Asia and other emerging electric vehicle (EV) markets around the world.
The opening of the plant in Rayong province took place just a day before the European Union was scheduled to hike duties on battery electric vehicles (BEVs) imported from China.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, BYD chairman Wang Chuanfu said the Rayong facility “has an annual capacity of 150,000 vehicles, including four major processes of vehicle and parts production. It will create about 10,000 jobs”.
Wang said the factory initially would produce battery electric vehicles (BEVs) such as the Atto 3 (Y Plus), Dolphin and Seagull, before adding plug-in hybrids such as the Sea Lion 6 (Song Plus) later on. The plant would supply other markets in the region as well as Thailand.
BYD is currently the largest supplier of BEVs to Thailand where sales expanded 32% to 43,921 mostly imported vehicles in the first five months of 2024 according to industry data.
BYD officially entered Thailand in 2022 and has since established a network of 60 sales outlets. Prices of the locally made Dolphin start at THB700,000 (US$19,120).
