BYD’s Brazilian production base complex officially started construction on March 5. The annual production capacity of the first phase is expected to be 150,000 vehicles. The initial production models include BYD Dolphin, Song Plus, ATTO 3 and Seagull.
According to Bloomberg, BYD has increased investment in Brazilian electric vehicle factories to 5.5 billion reais (Note: approximately 7.87 billion RMB).
In July last year, BYD announced that it would invest 3 billion reais to build a large production base complex in the city of Camassari, near Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. BYD’s Brazilian production base complex will consist of three factories, including a production plant mainly engaged in electric buses and truck chassis, a new energy passenger vehicle vehicle production plant, and a processing plant specializing in lithium iron phosphate battery materials.
Among them, the new energy passenger vehicle vehicle production line covers pure electric and plug-in hybrid models, with a planned annual production capacity of 150,000 vehicles. The lithium iron phosphate battery material processing factory will make full use of local port resources to meet the growing demand for new energy products in the global market.
BYD had previously paid 287.8 million reais (approximately 417 million RMB) to the Bahia state government to purchase a factory with a total area of 4.6 million square meters. The complex will be built on part of the former Ford Brazil plant, and BYD said it will be built from scratch, with the complex’s old facilities used by suppliers to help produce parts for new vehicles. BYD plans to build 26 new facilities such as production warehouses and test fields in the first phase of the project, covering an area of about 1 million square meters.
▲ Manaus BYD battery factory
The complex is expected to be operational between the end of this year and early 2025, with an estimated annual production capacity of 150,000 vehicles per year in the first phase, according to statements from the Bahia state government and BYD. Initial production models include BYD Dolphin, Song Plus, ATTO 3 and Dolphin Mini.
Public information shows that BYD’s Brazilian branch was established in 2014. In addition to selling zero-emission electric forklifts, vans, trucks and passenger cars in the Brazilian market, the company has three factories in production and is also responsible for two rail projects in El Salvador and São Paulo.
