BYD to expand Hungarian operations with new Budapest HQ

BYD, the Chinese manufacturer of new-energy vehicles , on Friday announced a commitment to base its European business headquarters in Budapest, Hungary, supported by a new European research and development (R&D) centre.

Under the arrangement, BYD will create thousands of high-value jobs in the Hungarian capital and support training and opportunities in further education through co-operation with at least three universities in the country.

The new HQ, which will be situated in the 11th district of Budapest, marks the fifth site for BYD in Hungary, after the bus factory in Komárom, additional facilities in Fót, Páty and Szeged, the location of its forthcoming passenger car manufacturing plant.

The R&D element of the commitment will start with two specific projects supported by significant investment. The first project will focus on the further integration of intelligence into modern mobility while the second will help develop advanced next-generation electrification technologies.

As evidence of BYD’s stated policy of localisation in Europe, it has committed to produce patents based on development at the Hungarian centre and to co-operate with Hungarian start-ups and domestic suppliers. The proportion of higher education employees at the centre is expected to be at least 90%.

BYD chair Wang Chuanfu said: “Establishing BYD’s European headquarters in Hungary is a natural progression. As the core hub for BYD’s European operations, the headquarters will focus on three key functions: sales and after-sales services, vehicle certification and testing and localised vehicle design and feature development. Through these synergies, we aim to deepen integration with local markets, enhance our localisation capabilities and brand influence and ensure sustainable growth in Europe.”

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said: “Our goal is for foreign investors to bring development capacities to Hungary. Not only manufacturing but also development capacities. Our idea has always been that the factories arrive first, then the factories’ development centres arrive and then the research centres arrive.

“It doesn’t work the other way around. First production, then development and then research. That is why today’s [Friday] meeting and agreement are of great importance, because now BYD is opening a new era — the company is also bringing its development centre to Hungary.”

The company recently launched the new BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid bakkie and Sealion 6 and 7 SUVs in South Africa. The company also sells the BYD Dolphin and Seal models, the former launched locally in 2024 as the cheapest EV on sale in South Africa with a starting price of R539,000. BYD has also been supplying commuter busses to the City of Cape Town for many years.