BYD targets 2.5 million overseas sales in 2027 as China price war squeezes profits
Firm to address shipping constraints through expanded fleet of dedicated car carriers and localised manufacturing
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BYD has set an ambitious target to sell more than 2.5 million vehicles overseas in 2027, accelerating its push beyond China where a fierce price war has eroded profitability.
The automaker also raised its 2026 overseas sales guidance to between 1.9 million and 2 million vehicles, from its previous goal of 1.5 million, according to a note from Deutsche Bank Research based on an investor briefing held on Monday (Sep 7). BYD representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the targets.
The increase in exports – from as few as 45,000 in 2022 – underscores how China’s largest electric carmaker is converting its dominant domestic position into a global footprint. It has moved aggressively into Europe, Latin America, South-east Asia and Australia with advanced yet affordable EVs. BYD’s sales rose 18 per cent in August, with exports more than doubling to a record and accounting for 43 per cent of total deliveries.
Overseas revenue exceeded domestic sales for the first time in the first half of 2026, helping end one of the company’s longest profit slumps and illustrating why Chinese carmakers are increasingly expanding overseas.
International profitability was guided at around 20,000 yuan (US$2,980) per vehicle, despite currency headwinds, according to the Deutsche Bank note. Management suggested a similar level of profitability in the near term as volume growth is offset by continued investment in expanding its sales network and the ramp-up of overseas capacity.
Executives at the briefing also acknowledged that shipping constraints restricted export volumes earlier in 2026, which the company is addressing through an expanded fleet of dedicated car carriers and localised manufacturing.
Production has already started at BYD’s Indonesian plant, its Brazilian site is scaling toward annual capacity of 300,000 vehicles and the first cars are scheduled to roll off its Hungary plant by December, executives at the briefing said, according to the Deutsche Bank analysts. The company is actively evaluating additional global manufacturing sites, they said.
BYD is also targeting a network of 90,000 super-fast charging stations by the end of 2028, including 6,000 in overseas markets. While the initial roll-out of compatible high-speed-charging models is currently curbed by supply shortages of its second-generation blade battery, the company said it expects capacity constraints to be fully resolved by the first quarter of 2027. BLOOMBERG
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