BYD Breaks Ground on Cambodia EV Plant, Accelerating Southeast Asian Expansion

Chinese EV giant BYD has officially commenced construction of its $32 million passenger vehicle manufacturing facility in Cambodia's Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone on April 28, 2025. This strategic investment marks a significant step in BYD's global expansion through localized production.

Plant Specifications and Production Timeline

The 120,000 square meter (12 hectare) facility is designed with an annual production capacity of 10,000 units, manufacturing both battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

Construction is expected to conclude by October 2025, with production commencing in the fourth quarter of the year. The Cambodian development council confirms this will be a Complete Knock Down (CKD) assembly operation.

Building on Strong Market Momentum

BYD has already established remarkable traction in Cambodia before this manufacturing investment. According to Liu Xueliang, General Manager of BYD's Asia-Pacific Automobile Sales Division, the company secured nearly 1,000 new energy vehicle orders in Cambodia during Q1 2025 alone.

The groundbreaking ceremony included a special vehicle handover to Smart Axiata, Cambodia's leading telecom provider, marking the official delivery of BYD's NEV fleet to Cambodian customers.

Beyond Manufacturing: Developing Local Talent

BYD plans to establish a dedicated training center for NEV technical education in Cambodia. This initiative aims to enhance local technical capabilities while creating employment and career development opportunities for Cambodian youth.

Strategic Global Expansion

This Cambodian plant is part of BYD's 'passenger car going global' strategy launched in May 2021, which has already expanded to over 100 countries. The company is strategically increasing localized production to overcome trade barriers and optimize costs.

BYD's international success continues with 21,400 units sold in Brazil (Q1 2025 best-seller) and 8,800 units in Thailand (market leader). The company will begin production of the Dolphin Mini at its Brazilian Camaçari plant starting June 2025.

Cambodia's EV market shows rapid growth, with registered EVs jumping from 313 units in 2023 to 2,253 in 2024, signaling strong potential for BYD's localized production.