BYD starts trial production at its Szeged plant in Hungary

2026-01-30 · Publisher : BYD · Domain : Industry 4.0 & 5.0

In late January 2026, BYD starts trial car production at its Szeged plant in Hungary, its first European passenger car plant. Target capacity: 200,000 vehicles a year; series production planned for Q2 2026.

### Background In late January 2026 (approximate date, reported on 2 February), Chinese carmaker **BYD** starts **trial production** of passenger cars at its plant in **Szeged**, southern Hungary. It is its first European passenger car plant. ### Key facts - **300-hectare** site, bought from many private owners, not without legal disputes. - Target capacity: **200,000 vehicles a year**, reached gradually over several years. - First model: the **Dolphin Surf** (sold in China as the Seagull), which "will lead the BYD vehicles built in Europe for Europe". - **960 employees** at start, mostly local, plus guest workers from Asia. - Series production announced for **Q2 2026**, after an initial schedule pushed back several times. - BYD already assembles batteries in Fót and Páty, moved its European headquarters to Budapest in 2025 and has built electric buses in Komárom since 2017. ### Why it matters By producing on European soil, BYD sidesteps part of the EU countervailing duties on Chinese electric vehicles and gets closer to its customers. For European suppliers, it is both a competitive threat and a local sourcing opportunity. ### Takeaway The Chinese EV giant now builds cars in Europe, in Hungary, already home to BMW and Mercedes plants.

Tags : Usine, Automobile, Chine, Europe, Hongrie