BYD Establishes European Headquarters in Budapest: Expanding Global Footprint

Chinese EV Giant Strengthens European Presence with Strategic Hungarian Investment

In a major development for the electric vehicle industry, Chinese automaker BYD has officially announced the establishment of its European headquarters in Budapest, Hungary. The May 15, 2025 announcement marks a significant expansion of BYD's global operations and underscores Hungary's growing importance in the EV manufacturing sector.

Strategic Location with Multifunctional Operations

The new headquarters will be strategically located in Budapest's 11th district near the Danube River, placing it at the heart of the city's transport and industrial infrastructure. This state-of-the-art facility will serve three critical functions for BYD's European operations:

• Sales and after-sales operations management

• Vehicle certification and testing

• Model localization design and feature development

Additionally, BYD will establish a new European R&D center in Budapest that will focus on two groundbreaking projects: intelligent driving assistance systems and next-generation electrification technologies.

Substantial Economic Impact

The Budapest headquarters represents a major investment in Hungary's economy, with 1,000-2,000 high-quality jobs expected to be created. BYD has also committed to educational partnerships with three Hungarian universities to develop specialized training programs and nurture local talent.

BYD's Growing Hungarian Manufacturing Network

This new headquarters expands BYD's already significant presence in Hungary, which now includes five key facilities:

• Komárom electric bus plant (operational since 2016)

• Szeged passenger car factory (production starting late 2025)

• Fót battery assembly plant

• Páty battery assembly plant

• New Budapest European headquarters

Hungary: BYD's European Manufacturing Hub

Hungary has been a strategic partner for BYD since 2016 when the company established its first European electric bus manufacturing facility in Komárom. The country's position as the second-largest EV manufacturing base globally makes it an ideal location for BYD's European expansion.

BYD currently exports several NEV models to Hungary from China, including:

• Atto 3 (Yuan Plus in China)

• Dolphin

• Seal

• Seal U (Song Plus EV in China)

• Tang

• Sealion 7 (formerly Sealion 07)

This expansion represents both a strategic business move for BYD and a model of international cooperation under China's Belt and Road Initiative.