Chinese electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD plans to set up a major European centre in Hungary, a move expected to create 2,000 jobs and deepen the country’s growing role in the global EV supply chain.
Speaking at a press conference alongside Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Thursday, BYD CEO and President Wang Chuanfu said the new facility would serve three key purposes: sales and after-sales support, vehicle testing, and the development of localised vehicle models tailored for European customers.
The investment underscores Hungary’s rising importance as a gateway for Chinese companies into Europe, especially in the EV and battery sectors.
The planned centre marks BYD’s latest expansion in the country. The company first entered Hungary in 2016, opening a factory in the northwestern city of Komárom to assemble electric buses. Construction is now underway for a second, much larger factory dedicated to electric car production.
Hungary’s growing partnership with China stands in sharp contrast to broader European Union concerns about overreliance on the world’s second-largest economy. While many EU nations have called for reducing strategic dependencies on China, Hungary has embraced closer ties, both politically and economically, under Orbán’s leadership.
Orbán, in power since 2010, has positioned Hungary as a preferred destination for Chinese investment. In recent years, this relationship has translated into billions of euros in infrastructure, battery manufacturing, and EV projects, cementing Hungary’s role as a central hub in Europe’s energy transition.
BYD’s move not only boosts Hungary’s industrial workforce but also reflects the company’s broader ambition to expand its footprint in Europe as demand for electric vehicles accelerates across the continent.
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