BYD opens electric bus factory in Hungary

The electric vehicle manufacturer, BYD, has opened its first electric bus plant in the city of Komarom, in Hungary.

The factory currently has 32 employees, of which 68 per cent are factory workers.

In the future, the plant is expected to employ 300 people in order to assemble up to 400 electric buses a year.

These buses are then expected to be exported to customers across Europe.

Initial output will be electric buses and coaches but other products will soon follow, including electric forklift trucks and then light commercial vehicles.

The plant consists of five buildings: a main office, a battery test and maintenance centre, an inspection line and water leak test booth, a bus and truck assembly hall and a paint shop.

Duan Jielong, Chinese ambassador to Hungary said: "I hope the BYD investment project can achieve mutual benefits and common development and move forward the bilateral cooperation on production capacity inclusive of automotive industry by making full use of the advantages with our joint efforts."