Zhengzhou. How much time does it take for us to drink a cup of tea? It takes at least five minutes.
Moreover, if we drink tea while discussing politics, it may take more time. But, in the time it takes us to drink tea, cars are already being produced in China.
It may sound strange, but it is true. BYD is producing one car every 59 seconds from its factory in China.
In the 5 minutes it takes us to drink tea, BYD can prepare five state-of-the-art electric vehicles (EVs). BYD rolls out a fully assembled car from the assembly line every 59 seconds. This is not a scene from a Hollywood science fiction movie, this is the reality of the current world. Chinese automobile giant Build Your Dreams ‘BYD’ is doing this miracle right now.
At one time, ‘Made in China’ used to be looked down upon even in Nepal as ‘not durable and cheap’. Not just Nepal, but the world used to see China in that light.
But now, the attention of the world community is starting to focus on Chinese technology. The future of the global automobile market is about to slip from the hands of Europe or America and fall into China’s lap, with BYD appearing to be leading the way.
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Liu Xueliang, General Manager of BYD for the Asia Pacific region, says that sustainable development is not possible without continuous technological innovation. He claims that it is only possible to prove oneself excellent by continuously developing new technologies.
He says, ‘In China, we divide the development of electric vehicles into two stages. The first stage is electrification, which includes basic things like batteries, motors, and electronic controls. This has solved the consumer’s range and charging concerns.’
He stated that BYD has the largest team of engineers compared to automobile brands worldwide, with over 120,000 engineers. He said that it is possible to win in a highly competitive market through large-scale production and vertical integration capabilities because engineers are working day and night to improve technology.
- Robots Rule BYD’s Vast Industrial City
In Zhengzhou city, China, there is a vast factory of BYD that produces everything from batteries to cars. But it is not an ordinary factory; it looks like an unimaginable ‘industrial metropolis’. Established in the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone in September 2021, this structure became fully operational in April 2023.
This BYD plant is spread over approximately 25 square kilometers. The company aims to expand it to 130 square kilometers in the future. In such a large factory area, the hustle and bustle of people is not heard. Only the sweet music of machines echoes in this factory. More than 1,500 state-of-the-art robots are constantly in motion here.
When a BYD car is produced in 59 seconds, 98 percent of the work is done by robots. The job of humans is only to monitor the system, which is only 2 percent. Due to this extreme automation and innovative technology, one car is produced every less than a minute and one battery cell every three seconds from this plant today.
Currently, this factory is producing models such as Denza, BYD Seal 07, Song Pro, Shark pickup truck, and Seagull Dolphin for the global and Chinese markets.
- A Decade’s Leap and the Backbone of the Chinese Economy
This success of BYD was not achieved overnight; it is the result of relentless effort over the last 10 years. A decade ago, BYD was known only as a company that made cheap batteries and ordinary cars. But when BYD focused its entire attention on research and electric energy, it changed the equation of the global market. The company completely stopped the production of petrol-diesel vehicles in 2022.
After that, BYD’s success graph started to climb. In the last decade, BYD’s contribution to the Chinese economy has been incomparable. BYD has played a major role in transforming China from a traditional manufacturing-based economy to a high-tech and green economy. Besides creating millions of direct and indirect jobs, it has greatly helped increase China’s export trade.
- Financial Figures for 2024 and 2025
BYD set a record by selling over 3 million electric vehicles in 2023, and in 2024, it surpassed all estimates. In the third quarter of 2024, BYD’s total revenue surpassed that of its American competitor Tesla. In 2024 alone, the company sold over 4 million vehicles worldwide.
Compared to 2023, the company saw a significant increase in net profit in 2024. The company stated that by the end of 2024, its total profit exceeded 35 billion Chinese currency.
Similarly, in the early stages of 2025, the company has further strengthened its grip on the global market. With aggressive expansion in Europe, Latin America, and South Asian markets, the company’s profit and share price reached new heights in the first quarter of 2025. The company is reaping the rewards of its investment in research and development through unprecedented economic growth.
- Power of Research and Its Own Ecosystem
BYD does not just assemble parts bought from outside like other companies. BYD has a research team of over 120,000 scientists and engineers. This number is more than the total number of employees in many multinational companies worldwide.
With the strength of this research, BYD develops batteries, motors, chips, and software all within its own factories. This is called ‘vertical integration’. The company states that because of this, BYD’s production will never stop even if there are problems in the global supply chain.
It is not enough to produce cars; their safety and performance must be proven on the road. For this, BYD has built its own international standard ‘motorsport race track’. Every car must pass rigorous tests on this track before the keys reach the customer.
BYD tests its supercars, such as its luxury brand ‘Yangwang U-9’, on its own racing track. Cars capable of accelerating from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in just 2 seconds and exceeding 300 kilometers per hour are tested on this track.
Cars like the BYD Seal are driven at high speeds to check aerodynamics and battery balance. For testing the quality of off-road vehicles, separate tracks with slopes, mud, sand, and water have been built. The durability and strength of pickup trucks like the Shark are also measured in this way.
BYD vehicles can now be seen running on the roads of Nepal. These vehicles are not just a means of transportation from one place to another, but living examples of the world’s best engineering and miracles.
Liu Xueliang, General Manager of BYD for the Asia Pacific region, spoke about the context of Nepal, stating that his main goal is clear. He said that the goal is to maintain the ‘number one’ position in Nepal’s electric vehicle market.
He said, ‘BYD wants as many Nepali consumers as possible to experience electric vehicles and be free from dependence on petrol/diesel. For this, we will bring various new models of vehicles suitable for the Nepali market in the coming days.’
He also said that BYD will openly welcome all suggestions and advice from Nepali consumers. Based on those suggestions, BYD will continue to improve after-sales service and technology.
The craze for EVs is increasing in Nepal. About 80 percent of consumers using electric vehicles ride BYD. The day BYD’s flash charging technology arrives here is not far off, when one can travel from Kathmandu to Pokhara or Lumbini by charging for 5 minutes.
The era of vehicles running on fossil fuels will gradually end in Nepal. However, for this, Nepal faces the challenge of modernizing its electricity transmission lines and charging infrastructure.