BYD has swiftly established a strong foothold in Europe, recently showcasing the Sea Lion 7 at the Paris Motor Show. Headquartered in Shenzhen, the Chinese manufacturer competes with Tesla and leads the electric and hybrid vehicle market in China. With a workforce of one million, including 110,000 engineers, BYD invests heavily in R&D, filing numerous patents daily. Innovations like the Blade LFP battery and advanced platform technologies position BYD for future growth, including a new factory in Hungary to enhance European production.
Once relatively unknown in Europe just two years ago, BYD has rapidly carved out a significant presence on the continent. The Chinese automaker boasts an impressive lineup, recently highlighted by the unveiling of the new Sea Lion 7 at the Paris Motor Show in October.
A Powerhouse of Engineering Talent
Headquartered in Shenzhen, China, BYD is now fiercely competing with Tesla for dominance in the electric vehicle market. In its native China, the brand has already claimed the top spot in both electric and hybrid vehicle sales. This remarkable growth is noteworthy for a company founded in 1995 that only ventured into the automotive sector in 2003. Initially, BYD specialized in manufacturing batteries for consumer electronics, such as Nokia phones.
Today, BYD remains a leading player in the battery industry, standing alongside CATL. The company’s success trajectory shows no signs of slowing down, largely due to the dedicated workforce led by CEO Wang Chuanfu. According to Car News China, BYD currently employs an astonishing one million people, including 110,000 engineers. These figures position BYD as the manufacturer with the highest number of R&D personnel globally.
Since 2011, the number of engineers at BYD has surged dramatically from just 20,000. The company is actively striving to establish itself as the global leader in electric vehicles, investing approximately 160 billion yuan, or around 21 billion euros, in cumulative research and development as of the third quarter of 2024.
Additionally, BYD is known for its innovation, filing an average of 32 patents daily across various technologies. The company operates 11 major research institutes to facilitate the development of advanced technologies. A report released at the end of last year revealed that BYD had invested about 3.21 billion euros in research and development during the first three quarters of 2023 alone.
Innovative Technologies for the Future
BYD also values fresh talent, having hired over 50,000 recent graduates. Impressively, “nearly 70% of this year’s new hires hold a master’s or doctorate, with almost 80% being R&D professionals.” Notably, many of the company’s senior executives, including He Zhiqi, the chief operating officer of the passenger car division, began their careers as new graduates.
This vast team of engineers focuses on pioneering technologies that we had the opportunity to explore during our recent visit to China. Among their innovations is the Blade LFP (lithium-iron-phosphate) battery, first introduced in 2020 and set to evolve further. Other notable technologies include the e4 platform and the versatile DiSus suspension system, featured across all models in their lineup.
For instance, we had the chance to test the Yangwang U8, as well as preview the striking U9 model. BYD is also incorporating cutting-edge features such as an integrated DJI drone in their SUVs and entertaining functionalities, including a karaoke feature. Furthermore, BYD is planning to enhance its production capabilities in Europe, with a new factory slated to open in Hungary, aiming to mitigate the impact of increased customs duties imposed by Brussels.