Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD marked a significant milestone on July 16, 2026, by rolling out its 100,000th new-energy vehicle from its assembly line in Brazil. The milestone vehicle, a BYD Seagull, was produced at the Camacari plant in Bahia, which employs over 5,500 workers.

The Camacari complex, completed in 15 months with an investment of approximately 5.5 billion reals (around US$1 billion), covers 4.68 million square meters. Its initial phase aims for an annual production capacity of 150,000 vehicles, with plans to scale up to 600,000 units.

This achievement highlights BYD's rapid expansion in South America, supported by increasing government emphasis on local manufacturing and job creation. Stella Li, BYD’s head for the Americas, stated that the company has already secured orders for 50,000 cars each from Argentina and Mexico, which will be exported from the Camacari factory.

The surge in Chinese electric vehicles like BYD’s models is also contributing to fresh tensions in Europe as the continent weighs its response to the growing presence of Chinese EVs in global markets.

Sources