BYD Explorer Boat, a symbol of Chinese expansionism

The world’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer has received a ship capable of transporting 7,000 cars to Europe.

Selling then requires delivering to customers. And for that, two things are needed: factories and means of transportation. With its “imperialist” growth ambitions in Europe, Chinese BYD is not holding back. It is laying all its cards on the table and investing heavily to arrive as quickly as possible. And so what if some countries, like Germany and France, have ceased offering ecological bonuses for cars produced in Asia.

This protectionism will not be enough to prevent the coming wave. BYD has said and reiterated: with or without bonuses, its electric cars will be significantly cheaper than its European rivals. A matter of dumping but also of controlling the supply chains for raw materials. China is the world’s leading battery producer, the primary component in the value chain of a car without an internal combustion engine.

But before its Hungarian plant can flood the European market, the cars must first be shipped from China. Thus, BYD has invested in the production of eight large ships capable, each, of carrying 7,000 cars in their holds. The first was put into operation on January 10, 2024, at the port of Shenzhen. The other seven are expected to be operational within the next 24 months.

Its flagship, named Explorer No.1, proudly bears the BYD logo on its sides. It measures 200 meters long (equivalent to two football fields), and runs on traditional heavy fuel oil and GNL (liquefied natural gas). This generator acts as a range extender in a hybrid system of sorts. It recharges a large battery that powers an electric motor assisting the propeller shaft.

Rest assured, not all eight BYD ships are destined for Europe. They will also target the United States and various other destinations such as South America, the Middle East, and Asia.

As a reminder, BYD exported 242,765 electric cars in 2023, representing a growth of 334.2% compared to 2022. Meanwhile, the company’s global electric vehicle sales reached 3.02 million units, making it the leading electric car manufacturer in the world, ahead of Tesla.

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