BYD marks 10,000th EV produced in Thailand after just 4 months

Chinese automaker BYD celebrated on Tuesday as its 10,000th electric vehicle (EV) rolled off production lines in Thailand, just four months after its Thai factory opened in July.

Located on 600 rai in WHA Industrial Estate, Rayong province, BYD’s factory boasts annual production capacity of 150,000 units, covering three popular models – Dolphin, Atto 3, and Sealion 6.

BYD said the Rayong factory will become a hub for exports to Asean markets.

The company said it has also earmarked over 35 billion baht for nine more projects in Thailand, including a new assembly line, parts manufacturing, welding and painting, and battery assembly facilities.

BYD operates in over 400 cities across 88 countries. The company’s automotive division reported global sales of 3.02 million units in the past year.

BYD debuted in Thailand with the Atto 3 model in April 2022, marking its entry into the Thai market. The automaker spent 16 months building its first factory in Rayong, which created over 10,000 jobs for local workers.

BYD also joined the government’s electric vehicle manufacturing promotion campaign, known as the EV 3.0 policy. The policy waives taxes for EV importers and offers subsidies for purchase of electric vehicles at a maximum of 150,000 baht per vehicle.

In return, importers are required to invest in local manufacturing, producing one locally made EV for each imported unit. The ratio rises to 1.5 locally-made vehicle per imported unit if production starts in 2025.