BYD plans truck production in Europe and introduction of the “ETT 44”

Hanover. The Chinese electric car manufacturer BYD wants to introduce its first heavy-duty truck “ETT 44” in Europe next year and is also planning truck production in the long term. “In the long term, we will produce everything we sell in Europe here,” said Stella Li, head of BYD’s international business, on Monday at the IAA commercial vehicle trade fair in Hanover. “We are working on the details, it will take a while.”

BYD wants to offer fleet customers a whole package, including services ranging from financing to its own charging points to a workshop network with mobile roadside assistance. “We want to offer customers a whole business model,” said Li. The world’s largest electric car manufacturer BYD is one of the fast-growing competitors from China in Europe in the passenger car business.

Local production in Europe would also avoid import duties on the trucks. European manufacturers such as the Traton subsidiary MAN are demanding that the European Union take the same action against trucks as it did against subsidized electric cars from China. Tariffs and regulations for local production shares would be instruments to offset unfair competitive advantages.

“We don’t like these tariffs, it doesn’t benefit anyone,” Li said. “But we have to deal with it.” BYD is preparing to invest even more in production in Europe, just as it has already done in car production. A factory is currently being built for this purpose in Szeged, Hungary. Mass production will start there next year. BYD is in the process of becoming a European producer, Li added. "Tariffs are only a short-term pressure. But in the long term, once everything is produced locally, we will become a European company."