BYD, the world’s leading manufacturer of new-energy vehicles, announced last week that it will establish its European headquarters in Budapest, Hungary. Alongside the headquarters, the company will open a new research and development (R&D) center in the city. This move will create thousands of high-quality jobs in Budapest. BYD will also collaborate with at least three Hungarian universities to support training and education opportunities.
The new headquarters will be located in Budapest’s 11th district. This will be BYD’s fifth location in Hungary. The company already operates a bus factory in Komárom, and additional facilities in Fót, Páty, and Szeged. The Szeged site is where BYD plans to build a new passenger car factory.
The R&D center will focus on two main projects. The first will work on integrating smart technologies into modern mobility solutions. The second will develop advanced electrification technologies for future vehicles. Both projects will receive significant investment.
BYD is committed to localizing its operations in Europe. The company plans to produce patents based on work done at the Hungarian center. It will also cooperate with Hungarian start-ups and suppliers. At least 90% of the staff at the R&D center will have higher education qualifications.
Wang Chuanfu, BYD’s chairman, said, “Setting up our European headquarters in Hungary is a natural step. The headquarters will handle sales, after-sales services, vehicle certification and testing, and local design and feature development. These efforts will help us connect better with local markets, improve our local presence, and support sustainable growth in Europe.”
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán added, “We want foreign investors to bring both manufacturing and development capabilities to Hungary. Our strategy has always been to first attract factories, then development centers, and finally research facilities. This agreement with BYD is very important because the company is now opening a new chapter by bringing its development center to Hungary.”
