China’s BYD, the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) maker, expects to roll out its first locally assembled car in Pakistan by July or August 2026, a company executive told Reuters, as the automaker accelerates its expansion into emerging markets.
The plant, located near Karachi, has been under construction since April and is being developed in partnership with Mega Motor Company, a subsidiary of Pakistani power utility Hub Power (HPWR.PSX).
“We do not foresee excess capacity in our system as demand in Pakistan will catch up,” Danish Khaliq, vice president of sales and strategy at BYD Pakistan, said in an interview. He added that the plant would initially have the capacity to produce 25,000 units annually on a double-shift basis.
The facility will begin operations by assembling vehicles from imported parts, along with some local production of non-electric components. “It would initially produce vehicles for the domestic market, with potential to export to right-hand drive countries in the region depending on freight costs and business economics,” Khaliq said.
BYD began selling imported EVs in Pakistan in March. Khaliq declined to share exact sales figures but noted that sales had “exceeded internal targets by 30%.”
The company expects Pakistan’s EV and plug-in hybrid vehicle market to grow significantly. “We expect the market size of EVs and plug-in hybrid cars in Pakistan to grow three to four times in 2025 from around 1,000 total units in 2024,” Khaliq said. BYD aims to capture a 30% to 35% share of this segment.
A stock exchange filing from Hub Power revealed BYD Pakistan posted a profit of 444 million rupees ($1.56 million) in the March 2025 quarter.
BYD will launch its Shark 6 plug-in hybrid pickup truck in Pakistan on Friday. Rival firms such as China’s MG and Haval are also active in the segment, which is seen as a more practical alternative amid limited EV charging infrastructure.
To promote EV adoption, Pakistan’s government slashed electricity tariffs for charging stations by 45% in January.