Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has recently regained momentum in advancing its $1 billion production facility investment in Türkiye, while another Chinese automaker, Chery, appears to have slowed its plans, according to Yakup Birinci, president of the Automotive Suppliers Association of Türkiye.
Birinci stated that although BYD’s investment process had temporarily slowed earlier this year, recent developments suggest that progress is now accelerating.
He also expressed hope that BYD’s presence in Türkiye could create new opportunities for local suppliers within the global automotive supply chain, similar to the impact created by earlier investments from Toyota and Hyundai in the country.
“We’re not relying on hope, but on experience,” Birinci said, emphasizing that expectations are based on proven industry patterns.
$1 Billion BYD Factory Planned by 2026
Türkiye’s Ministry of Industry and Technology of Türkiye first announced the investment agreement with BYD in July 2024.
Under the agreement:
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BYD plans to invest around $1 billion
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The facility will have an annual production capacity of 150,000 electric and hybrid vehicles
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The plant is expected to start operations by the end of 2026
The project will also include a dedicated research and development (R&D) center and is expected to create approximately 5,000 direct jobs.
Chery Investment Plan Appears to Slow
While BYD’s project is gaining momentum, progress seems slower on the side of fellow Chinese automaker Chery.
According to Birinci, Chery presented a detailed business plan and platform specifications during a visit by Turkish officials to China in April. However, the company did not disclose the proposed location for the investment.
Following the visit, Birinci noted that Chinese state authorities appeared to become involved, which may have complicated the possibility of two major Chinese automotive investments moving forward in Türkiye at the same time.
“They showed us the entire process, even down to platform details. But since then, progress has slowed,” he added.
Proposed Samsun Production Campus
Chery had previously announced plans to establish a production and R&D campus in Samsun.
The proposal included:
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Annual production capacity: 200,000 vehicles
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Investment value: $1 billion
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Employment: Approximately 5,000 jobs
The project was revealed during a March 2025 event attended by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
However, in a later statement to Reuters, Chery executives confirmed that no final investment agreement had yet been signed.
