Chinese automaker BYD has officially opened its assembly plant in Thailand, serving as the production hub for right-hand-drive electric cars and hybrids.
The BYD plant is located in Rayong province and has a production capacity of 150,000 vehicles per year, which could be achieved in two years. According to BYD, the facility will also produce batteries and transmission systems, and will create up to 10,000 jobs once fully operational.

Apart from the domestic market, it will also supply ASEAN markets, starting with the Dolphin, Atto 3, Seal and Sealion 6.
The 948,000-sqm assembly plant took 16 months to build and features a low energy consumption and low carbon concept, the company stated. The plant consists of four main areas – stamping, welding, painting and assembly.
Wang Chuanfu, chairman and president of BYD group, said, “BYD has quickly gained recognition in Thailand within just two years of market entry, achieving the status of the top seller in electric vehicle sales for 18 consecutive months.”

“Looking ahead, BYD plans to introduce more pure electric models and plug-in hybrid vehicles in Thailand, integrating local manufacturing excellence with BYD’s advanced new energy technology to further enhance Sino-Thai relations,” he added.
The plant is expected to help BYD strengthen its competitiveness in ASEAN markets. In 2023, BYD exported 243,000 vehicles from China, a three-fold increase over 2022, and is now present in 88 countries. Other planned BYD vehicle production sites include Brazil, Hungary and Uzbekistan.

Meanwhile, the company also celebrated its 8-millionth “new energy” vehicle production, with the Thai-made Dolphin being delivered to the Mae Fah Luang Foundation at the inauguration ceremony.