BYD targets 40,000 European workers by 2030

BYD aims to expand its European workforce to more than 40,000 employees by the end of the decade. The hiring drive marks a strategic shift from direct vehicle exporting to established local manufacturing.

The Shenzhen-based electric vehicle maker expects to surpass 10,000 regional staff in the near term before quadrupling that number by 2030, Executive Vice President Stella Li told Bloomberg TV. The expansion would position BYD among the largest non-European automotive employers operating across the continent.

To reach these goals, the company plans to hire talent from the traditional automotive sector and adjacent fields, including workers displaced by local layoffs. This talent search coincides with stricter regulatory oversight in Europe on Chinese vehicle imports.

The manufacturing plan is taking shape in Hungary, where BYD is finalizing work on its first European plant before commercial production begins in the fourth quarter. The automaker is also evaluating sites for additional facilities, with France and Spain under review. The regional push follows recent framework discussions between Beijing and Brussels regarding import limits on hybrid vehicles.