BYD starts out its project in Bahia

By Redação AutoIndústria | 10/9/23 | Translated by Jorge Meditsch

The Chinese manufacturer BYD laid this Monday, 10/9, the cornerstone of its future industrial complex in Camaçari, BA. The company would build three plants to produce automobiles, buses and truck chassis and process lithium and irons phosphate for export in the city near Salvador’s state capital.

The facilities will use, in part, the structure created by Ford, which stopped manufacturing in the country in 2021 after one century. According to Wang Chuanfu, BYD’s global CEO, the project would cost R$ 3 billion and generate five thousand direct jobs. Passenger car production should begin only in 20.

Chuanfu spoke at the event that assembled Geraldo Alckmin, Brazil’s vice president and minister of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services, Jerônimo Rodrigues, Bahia’s governor, and Stella Li, BYD Americas’ CEO.

The government of Bahia announced at the ceremony that it will exempt electric cars costing up to R$ 300 thousand from the IPVA (Vehicles Property Tax). The project also will get state tax incentives up to the end of 2032.

In the first phase, the automobile plant capacity would be 150 thousand electric and hybrid vehicles yearly. The complex would also manufacture electric trucks and buses, especially for the North and Northeastern markets.

Besides prioritizing the local workforce, BYD is committed to developing and using regional suppliers. The company also promised to install a research and development center in the state capital, Salvador, where it intends to develop technological solutions such as ethanol hybrid powertrains.

The truck and bus chassis plant will be the first to operate according to the schedule announced by the manufacturer and will be followed by the automobile facility, which could have the capacity doubles depending on the demand.