BYD celebrates today (May 19, 2021) the production of its one-millionth plug-in electric car, which rolled off the production line at manufacturing facility in Shenzhen.
It's a huge milestone, as only a few manufacturers have reached 1 million so far. In the case of BYD, most (close to 550,000) are all-electric cars, while plug-in hybrids stand above 450,000.
Of course, the 1,000,000th EV happened to be a Han, which is currently BYD's best-selling plug-in model.
"At a special ceremony, VIPs from government departments, industry associations, BYD’s partners and suppliers, more than 400 media guests, and about 100 BYD vehicle owners, gathered to mark the occasion."
"In the central square of BYD’s global headquarters, another eighty BYD car owners assembled their vehicles in a specially choreographed display forming the number ‘1,000,000’ to help celebrate the milestone."
BYD was one of the first players in the EV segment. Initially, the company (founded in 1995) was engaged in batteries (NiMH and lithium-ion LFP), quickly taking half of the world's mobile-phone battery market.
In 2002 the company has acquired a small carmaker Qinchuan Automobile Company and launched BYD Auto subsidiary in 2003 (it was also the year when Tesla was founded). The first all-electric concept was shown in 2004, but it took a few more years to actually launch the first all-electric (e6) and plug-in hybrid models (F3DM).
"BYD’s pioneering work in the development of battery technology and new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturing has led the new energy revolution in the global automotive industry since the company’s emergence in 2003 – spearheaded by innovative technologies and a well-calibrated global business strategy.
In 2004, BYD unveiled its all-electric concept car, the ET, at the Beijing Auto Show, marking the premiere debut of an NEV model. This was followed in 2008 when the world’s first mass-produced plug-in hybrid NEV – the F3DM – was officially unveiled."
Wang Chuanfu, Chairman and President of BYD Co., Ltd. said:
“BYD shoulders the responsibility and mission of upward development for China’s new energy vehicle brands. From zero to one million vehicles, this is BYD’s response to the call for global auto industry transformation. It also sets a benchmark in the journey of the new energy vehicle industry in China starting from nothing, alongside the greater national journey for a country dominated by traditional automobiles to one that is a leader in the field of sustainability.”
BYD offers all kinds of electric vehicles (including buses and trucks), monorails and solutions for other manufacturers. The company is also in the process of global expansion.
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