Chinese Tesla rival BYD agrees $1bn Turkey EV plant deal

China’s biggest electric car maker BYD has agreed a $1bn (£780m) deal to build a manufacturing plant in Turkey, as it continues to expand outside its home country.

The new plant will be capable of making up to 150,000 vehicles a year, according to Turkish state news agency Anadolu.

The facility is expected to start production by the end of 2026 and create around 5,000 jobs.

The deal was signed at an event in Istanbul attended by BYD’s chief executive Wang Chuanfu and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

BYD did not immediately respond to a BBC request for further details on the deal.

The announcement comes as Chinese EV makers face increasing pressure in the European Union and the US.

Last week, the EU took action to protect the bloc’s motor industry by raising tariffs on Chinese EVs.

The decision saw BYD hit with an extra tariff of 17.4% on the vehicles it ships from China to the EU, which was on top of a 10% import duty.

Turkey is part of the EU’s Customs Union, which means vehicles made in the country and exported to the bloc can avoid the additional tariff.

The Turkish government has also taken action to support the country’s car makers by putting an extra 40% tariff on imports of Chinese vehicles.