China’s BYD is locating its first European electric car factory in Hungary, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said on Thursday, adding that this would enhance the country’s economic weight in the bloc. BYD already operates a bus plant in Hungary, Szijjártó noted in a post on Facebook.
The necessary permits for the electric car plant have been awarded, and construction and infrastructure work is under way in Szeged, in southern Hungary, and the first BYD models will roll off production lines next year, he said. He said it was crucial that every aspect of the automotive industry, from production to research to services, should be present in Hungary, „so we have discussed the further expansion of cooperation between BYD and Hungary,” he added.