Guan Cha Zhe Wang·2025-12-18 09:12Core Viewpoint - BYD plans to build a "giant" chassis factory in Brazil within the next three years to meet the surging demand for electric buses, significantly increasing its production capacity from approximately 600 units to a maximum of 7,000 units annually [1][5]. Group 1: Production Capacity Expansion - The new factory will replace the current operations in Campinas, which are spread across multiple leased buildings, and will have a total area of about 180,000 square meters compared to the current 7,000 square meters [6]. - BYD aims to double its current production capacity in the short term by establishing a temporary factory near Campinas within 4-6 months [5]. - The new factory is expected to achieve full production capacity of 6,000 to 7,000 chassis per year and will also consider the production of electric trucks [5][6]. Group 2: Market Demand and Orders - Since 2015, BYD has been assembling electric bus chassis in Campinas, and it expects to produce about 1,200 chassis in 2026, which is double the total production of the first ten years in Brazil [2]. - The company has received nearly full-year orders and is currently focused on expanding capacity while fulfilling existing orders [2][4]. - The growth in electric bus orders reflects a trend of fleet renewal, particularly in São Paulo, where operators are updating buses that have exceeded their service life during the pandemic [4]. Group 3: Export Potential - The new factory project is also aimed at supporting export operations, with BYD viewing Brazil as a natural manufacturing hub for exporting electric buses to neighboring South American markets, especially the Southern Common Market [8]. - There is potential for future exports to Africa, although any expansion beyond South America will occur after production and logistics integration is completed [8]. Group 4: Historical Context and Business Development - BYD's entry into the Brazilian market began with commercial vehicles before moving to passenger cars, adapting to local conditions by shifting from importing complete vehicles to local chassis assembly [9]. - The company has expanded its business in Brazil to include special electric trucks and battery-related businesses, such as solar panels and energy storage [9]. - In 2023, BYD introduced passenger car production in Brazil, taking over a former Ford factory in Camaçari, with an initial investment of 5.5 billion reais (approximately 7.1 billion yuan) and an expected creation of up to 20,000 jobs [9][11].