Chinese EV behemoth BYD is set to debut as a manufacturer in India. It intends to build a mega EV factory close to Hyderabad, Telangana. Once up and running, the facility will produce 600,000 electric cars annually.
As per an ETV Bharat report, the talks between the Telangana government and BYD have been going on for months. The state government has identified three locations near Hyderabad, which are now being assessed by the BYD officials.
If completed, this will be BYD’s first Indian manufacturing facility, establishing Telangana as the company’s first domestic production base in the country. This development is likely to represent one of the biggest private sector investments in Telangana’s EV ecosystem.
Background & Strategic Significance
Although BYD has been present in the Indian market for several years, it has so far relied on importing vehicles from China. These imports attract high duties, limiting competitiveness. A local manufacturing plant would drastically reduce production costs, potentially allowing BYD to expand its market share and offer more competitively priced EVs.
The company had proposed a $1 billion joint venture with Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) in 2023, which was rejected due to India’s restrictions on Chinese investments.
Why Telangana?
The choice of Telangana as BYD’s manufacturing base is strategic. The company already has a working relationship with Olectra Greentech, a subsidiary of the Megha Group, which operates electric buses using BYD technology in Hyderabad.
If the project proceeds as expected, it could catalyze the development of an automotive cluster around Hyderabad, especially in EV components manufacturing.
BYD’s Global Rise
Internationally, BYD has surpassed Tesla in terms of revenue, with about $107 billion in revenue to Tesla’s $97.7 billion. The firm has been investing significantly in such innovations as its 1-megawatt fast charger, which can charge an EV fully within 5–8 minutes, and providing a range of up to 400 kilometers on a single charge.
As India ramps up its EV transition, BYD’s local manufacturing presence could become a significant force shaping the future of mobility in the country.
