BYD's Bold Brazilian Move: Electric Car Production to Rev Up by 2026

Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD has announced that its new Brazilian factory will be "fully functional" by December 2026. The announcement follows delays caused by a labor abuse investigation. Bahia state labor secretary Augusto Vasconcelos confirmed the development in a video released Monday.

Starting this year, the factory in Bahia will commence vehicle production using semi-finished kits. By the end of 2026, it expects to be fully operational, creating around 10,000 jobs. This update coincides with Bahia Governor Jeronimo Rodrigues's trip to China alongside President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to discuss future plans for BYD in the auto sector.

Despite witnessing significant growth in Brazil, with a 328% sales increase this year, BYD's timeline for the plant was affected by a labor investigation and adverse weather. The company aims to transform a former Ford facility into a complex producing 150,000 electric cars annually, contributing to 20,000 jobs in total. Plans to boost local production include progressive nationalization of top-selling models in Brazil by 2025.

(With inputs from agencies.)